# Following research

Following a research item, like a publication or a Q\&A post, means you will receive updates about new activity. For example, you'll be notified if an author adds a full-text to a publication or if a new answer is posted to a Q\&A discussion.

#### How to follow research items

**To follow a publication:**

1. Go to the publication's page.
2. Click the **More** button on the right-hand side.
3. Select **Follow** to get updates from the drop-down menu.

You can also follow a publication directly from your feed, search results, or a profile by clicking the **Follow** button beneath the author list or abstract preview.

**To follow a Q\&A post:**

On the question or discussion page, click the **Follow** button located directly under the post.

#### Managing and unfollowing research items

**To view or manage the items you follow:**

* Visit the [Following tab](https://www.researchgate.net/go.Profile.interest.html?pli=1) on your profile. This is where you can keep track of all the research items, journals, and people you follow.

**To unfollow an item:**

Go to the specific publication or Q\&A post page and click the **Following** button. Clicking it again will immediately unfollow the item.

#### Is my following activity public?

Yes, in most cases, your activity is public:

* **Individual Items:** When you follow a publication or Q\&A post, your follow is publicly visible. It may be shown in others' home feeds or on the research item itself.
* **Your profile's Following Tab:** When others view your profile's [Following tab](https://www.researchgate.net/go.Profile.interest.html?pli=1), they can see lists of people and journals you follow, and people who follow you. However, individual research items and Q\&A posts are not displayed publicly on this tab.

#### When are items followed automatically?

Some items are followed automatically to improve your ResearchGate experience and keep you informed:

* **Full-Text Requests:** If you request a full-text for a research item, you will automatically follow it.
* **Q\&A Activity:** You automatically follow any question or discussion that you post, comment on, recommend, or share.