6-4 Invisible Web

In this lesson you will learn how to search the "invisible web" using online portals and subject directories. 

Invisible Web: Information that is not accessible via crawlers/ spiders/ or robots (tools used by search engines to gather information based on a search query) is said to be part of the “invisible web.” 

Here are a few different tricks to get into the invisible web:

1. Use tools like the “Librarians Index to the Internet Links to an external site.” or the “Invisible Web Directory Links to an external site.” 
2. Use portals or gateway sites (type either of these terms, then your keyword, e.g. "portal:second amendment," then scan for results that begin with "portal")
3. Use the word “database” in your inquiry

Go to Safari Montage: http://bit.ly/12QlSMx

Your log-in information is:

Username: Student I.D. #

Password: 6-digit birthdate (mm-dd-yy)

Once you've logged in, Watch the following video:

Research Skills: Internet Subject Directories and Portals Chapter 4: http://bit.ly/GPvRhy

Now, choose one of these tricks and try a search for “Ancient Egypt.”  Write a few sentences to describe the results.  Did you find any database or journal results? How can you tell?

Now try again with the search term of your choice. Write a few sentences to describe the results.