| The World Wide Web is composed of two parts: the Invisible
Web also called Deep Web (undetected by search tools) and the
Visible Web
(search tool accessible). For example, magazine and journal
articles exist within the Invisible web and can't be found using
search tools. Take a moment to identify the type of information
needed and your search will be more successful.
One of the most common mistakes people make is in thinking that
all information published on the World Wide Web (WWW) can
be found by a search
tool like Yahoo or Alta Vista. Students fall prey to this
situation when teachers assign them to locate articles and the student
spends hours with Yahoo when all they really needed was a database on
the Invisible Web. When you need an article you usually need a
database like InfoTrac, ProQuest, etc. It is always wise to ask
yourself, which part of the World Wide Web has what I need?
The second most common mistake is just
typing in search terms without creating effective search phrases or
using advanced search options. The general public has fallen victim to
the illusion of entering a topic and always finding some web
results. Always ask yourself, is this the most relevant
information I can find -- is it the good stuff. If it isn't REVISE your search strategy.
Searching is like writing - plan, do, revise, and try
again --- draft, after draft, until you reach the finished
product. .
Think about the question you are
trying to answer. Highlight key words describing
the information that you need to find. Determine what kind of
information -- an article, a book, an image, a web site -- you
need to answer your question.
When
and how to search the Net -
a great article detailing important questions to ask yourself before
you search.
The task-based chart below
describes assignments requiring different types of information. Use the chart to
determine what part of the World Wide Webt best meets
your information need. |
