deep web

The Internet for Graduate Students
The Deep Web

The World Wide Web has become so big that search engines can't index it all; in fact, they find only a small proportion. There's also lots of stuff out there - mostly in databases - that can't be reached at all by the conventional search technologies in use since the Web began.

When we refer to the Deep Web, we are talking about the following:

The content of databases on the web accessible only by query.
Specialized search engines that contain collections of materials that relate to particular fields or subjects

When to Search the Deep Web?

In depth information - For example, if you want to find not only a review of a movie, but also the names and experience of the entire cast, the cost of producing the movie, the amount of money the movie earned, and so forth, you could go to the Internet Movie Database, and get all of this information in a few minutes.
If you’re looking for a job, a car, a restaurant or anything else specific to your needs - A specialized search engine that can match your personal requirements to the data it contains would be the best place to go. For example, if you want to find the resale value of your car, you could go to the Kelley Blue Book page that offers substantial information on buying, leasing cars.

Examples of the Deep Web and hints on how to search them:

Invisible Web Catalog - InvisibleWeb.com is a first-rate guide containing over 10,000 search engines organized into 18 subject categories and hundreds of subcategories and subcategories.

Search Hints:

Quick Search a concept or topic
Advanced Search allows Boolean and other searches.
Keep searches broad.
Browse in "Hot List" and categories expand for convenient selection.
Can sort results.
Excellent help available.

Internets - Very few guides comes close to Internets in the sheer number of search engines included or the specificity of its subject categories. Its drop-down menu of 43 subjects (on the
left side of the homepage) shows you only the broadest level of these categories.

Search Hints:

If boldface, numbered, and ranked by % score, results are subject sub-categories.
Pick the most appropriate category to view searchable databases list.
If bulleted list not boldface, you have the searchable databases list. Click on title to go directly to site.

Direct Search - DirectSearch is a mainly a scholarly search engine
guide. It includes thousands of search engines organized into 12
broad subject categories that are divided into hundreds of
subtopics and subsubtopics. Many of the engines DirectSearch includes are bibliographic
which means that each result gives you a bibliographic citation or
an abstract (summary) of the article instead of the full-text.

Search Hints:

Pick the section or page from the links near the top.

Complete Planet - Large database of searchable databases,
web pages with search boxes (not databases), and just web pages.

Search Hints:

Search using " " around phrases, and Boolean operators (complete set).
Simple searches often retrieve too many documents.
"Categories" link at end of entry displays subject classifications assigned for easy access to more in category.

Quick Search

<< Back to workshop page E-mail Discussion and Usenet >>

Last Updated: 06/25/2002
jjd/kk