Mining the Deep Web

Fortunately, you can uncover this wealth of information by using specialized tools designed to mine databases. For instance, let's say you want to buy a used copy of "Alice in Wonderland." How would you find it? Searching on eBay or Amazon.com--essentially querying their databases--will be more fruitful than using Yahoo! or Google. The same goes for job hunting. Since job postings are stored in a database, most search engines can't find them; searching sites like Craigslist or Monster is a better way to go.

The secret to successful searching is to understand what you want to know, and then using the right Web resource to find it. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the information time-sensitive, such as stock quotes or newspaper articles?
• Are you looking for a photo or a video clip?
• Do you want to find an MP3 music file or listen to a podcast?
• Are you searching for specific types of content, such as blogs?

If the answer is "yes," then try using the tools listed in the chart below. And when you find ones that you like, be sure to bookmark them for future use.

To learn more, visit the Deep Web Research Blog.