Internet
Research
by
B. Dear
Searching
for general information on the Internet is really quite easy, but
finding more specialized information take take a little more work. In
this article I will discuss the three main methods for finding
information.The three main methods for searching are:
- Search Engines
- Directories
- Deep Web Searching
A
search engine allows users to locate information on the World Wide Web.
The search engine collects and
indexes Internet resources ( web pages, Usenet Newsgroups, programs,
images, etc. ) and provides a keyword search system that
allows users
to identify and retrieve resources. There are a number of search
engines
available for use and each differs in their scope, search protocols,
and
appearance. Some popular search engines are: Google, Yahoo, Ask.com
Alta Vista,
Excite, Lycos, and HotBot.
Directories use another method you can use to search for information.
Directories are
topical lists of Internet resources, arranged
hierarchically. Directories are meant to be browsed, with users
visually scanning through listings for useful information, but they can
also
be searched, saving time. Directories differ from search engines
because of the human element involved in collecting and updating the
information. They are usually built by people who categorize links in a
more human-friendly manner.
Deep Web searching is the third method for searching the web. There are
many specialized databases across the web that cannot be searched and
indexed by search engines. When search engine "robots" or "spiders"
crawl the web, they can only click and follow links. Information that
is store on private databases which require a password or information
that requires typing in additional keywords cannot be accessed by them.
To get to this information, we first need to search across the
databases available using search engines. Then keyword must be put into
these databases to retrieve the additional information. Deep Web
Searching takes a little bit of specialized research, practice, and
skill but can payoff with more detailed information.
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