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UNRAVELLING THE MYSTERIES OF THE INVISIBLE WEB (Image http://www.uselessgraphics.com , 2006). THE CONTEXT. Time frame Presenters and the event Audience and their information need Theoretical framework. AGENDA. Start: 5:30 The context: 15 mins to 5:45 Educational Event: 30 mins to 6:15
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UNRAVELLING THE MYSTERIES OF THE INVISIBLE WEB(Image http://www.uselessgraphics.com, 2006)
THE CONTEXT • Time frame • Presenters and the event • Audience and their information need • Theoretical framework
AGENDA • Start: 5:30 • The context: 15 mins to 5:45 • Educational Event: 30 mins to 6:15 • Peer evaluation: 15 mins to 6:30 • Finish: 6:30
PRESENTERS & THE EVENT • We are QUT Information Literacy Librarians • The event is Unravelling the Mysteries of the Invisible Web • Delivered through QUT Library’s Information Literacy, Classes and Programs
AUDIENCE • Undergraduate students at QUT • Mix of faculties • You are usually described as “Generation Y” or “Net-Geners”
AUDIENCE INFO NEEDS • Strong preference for visual modes of learning (e.g. TV, WWW, DVDs) • Rate information seeking experience on time over quality • Dream information machine is an “intuitive mind reader” as you have trouble articulating your info needs • You overrate your ability at finding information on the Internet
UNDERGRADUATE SURVEY We surveyed 8 undergraduate students. Questions: • Where they search for info for assignments? • When they search for info for their assignments on WWW, where do they go? • Do they agree that search engines search the whole of the WWW? • Had they heard of the Invisible Web? • If so, how would they define it, do they search it, if so how?
SURVEY RESULTS • Majority went to the library catalogue first • Vast majority used a search engine to search the WWW • 25% think that search engines search all of the WWW • Only 25% have heard of the Invisible Web Only 1 of 8 gave an adequate definition • None said they searched the Invisible Web
ASSUMPTIONSRe: Audience • Comfortable searching library catalogues, databases and using search engines • However, your results are not always relevant • Not familiar with the concepts of the Invisible Web – a.k.a. Deep Web or Hidden Web • You have attended this class voluntarily, so you are motivated to learn
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK • Learning theory: Constructivism • IL Framework: QUT’s information literacy framework and syllabus
UNRAVELLING THE MYSTERIES OF THE INVISIBLE WEB(Image http://www.uselessgraphics.com, 2006)
WELCOME Your friendly campus librarians for today are… Kirsten Harte kl.harte@student.qut.edu.au & Lynette Mowlem l.mowlem@student.qut.edu.au We will be team teaching today’s class.
LEARNING GOALS FOR TODAY! • What is the Invisible Web? • The value of the Invisible Web as an information resource. • Getting started with your research on the Invisible Web (Image http://www.uselessgraphics.com, 2006)
BEFORE WE GET STARTED… At the end of today’s class, be prepared to respond to the following questions: • What was the main point I learnt from this lesson? • What questions do I have now?
SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU NOW! • When researching a topic for an assignment, on the web, where do you start? • Have you heard of the invisible/deep/hidden web? • If so, what is your understanding of the concept?
A DEFINITION “The Invisible Web is text pages, files, or other often high-quality information available via the WWW that general-purpose search engines cannot, due to technical limitations or will not, due to deliberate choice, add to their indices of Web pages.” (Sherman, C. & Price, G., 2001, p.392).
WHY IS THE INVISIBLE WEB, INVISIBLE? The site may: • be disconnected • be full of images, audio and video • consist of postscript, flash, PDF, shockwave, executables and/or compressed files • have content that is stored in a relational database or is dynamically generated • have real-time content
Company info Telephone numbers Maps Clinical trials Patents Out of print books Library Catalogues Dictionaries Scholarly articles Stock quotes and economic info Images Subject bibliographies Jobs Demographic data Weather And many, many more… (Sherman & Price, 2001). EXAMPLES OF INVISIBLE WEB CONTENT
FUN FACTS • Invisible Web is 400-500 times larger than Surface Web • Recent estimates: • Surface Web - 8 billion documents • Invisible Web - 550 billion documents • The Invisible Web is the largest growing category of new information on the web. • 95% of the hidden web is publicly accessible information. • More than half of the invisible web resides in topic-specific databases. (Devine, J., 2004; Turner, 2006)
THE FUTURE • Search engines are becoming more and more sophisticated • But the Invisible Web will continue to make up the major proportion of the web • At the end of today’s class we will introduce you to some resources that you can use to keep current in this area!
YOUR TURN! • Value of the Invisible Web as an information resource for your uni assignments • Comparing: • traditional search engines with • 2 Invisible Web tools: • Findarticles (a specialised database); and • Scirus (a scientific search engine)
THE VALUE OF THE INVISIBLE WEB • More relevant results • More recent material • Easier to establish the authority of the info and is more likely to be authoritative • Better search interfaces to facilitate your search • Find information that is not accessible or easily accessible via search engines
DISCLAIMER! • The Invisible Web is not the ‘sole solution’ to all of your information needs. • Should be used in conjunction with other resources e.g. search engines, directories, subscription databases and the library catalogue. • Invisible Web is useful for particular types of information. • When using an Invisible Web tool ask ‘What questions can this resource answer?’
GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR RESEARCH ON THE INVISIBLE WEB • Invisible Web pathfinders • Searching for databases • Keeping current
INVISIBLE WEB PATHFINDERS • The Open Directory Project • Librarians’ Index to the Internet • Direct Search • Infomine • Digital Librarian • Complete Planet • Profusion (Image http://www.uselessgraphics.com, 2006)
SEARCHING FOR DATABASES • Use a search engine (e.g. Google) and search for your key term and “database” • E.g. toxic chemicals database
KEEPING CURRENT • Search Engine Watch • Marylaine Block: The Librarian Without Walls • Research Buzz • Webb’s Web (Australian) These Invisible Web Pathfinders also have newsletters: • Librarian’s Index to the Internet • Resource Shelf • Free Pint
OVER TO YOU… Take 2 minutes to discuss in your groups: • What was the main point I learnt from this lesson? • What questions do I have now? Feel free to use butchers paper to write your ideas down. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class.
WHAT WE LEARNT TODAY • What is the Invisible Web? • The value of the Invisible Web as an information resource. • Getting started with your research on the Invisible Web
EVALUATION • Thank you for participating in our class! • ‘Please take a couple of minutes to complete the evaluation form. • Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions – we are here to help you! Our details are on our brochure.