Main Contents Page

Before you start

STEP 1: STARTING OUT

STEP 2: FINDING

Information finding tools

- OPAC

- Internet

- Databases (incl CD Roms)

- Dewey (DDC)

Information sources

- Dictionaries

- Encyclopaedias

- Books

- Periodicals/Magazines/Journals

- Newspapers

- Audio-visual

- Internet

What is it?

Screen icons

Resources

Search engines

Meta search engines

Subject directories

Subject gateways & portals

Web address

Useful web sites

Glossary

- Grey literature

- Broadcast media

- Conference proceedings/reports

- Course-specific resources

- Maps

- Government publications

- Standards

- Museums

- Archives

- Quizz

STEP 3: EVALUATE

STEP 4: LEGAL USE

STEP 5: COMMUNICATE

Using the Internet

Information resources on the Internet

Subject gateways or portals

 

What is a subject gateway or portal?

Subject gateways or portals refine the work of subject directories by presenting subject specific information channels governed by strict quality criteria, usually compiled by human experts.

Resources included in gateways cover a wide spectrum, from electronic journals and books to academic and government reports, as well as referring users to relevant web sites.

Gateways are usually constructed at academic institutions, and follow the principle of open access.

The following are some examples:
http://www.eevl.ac.uk (engineering)
http://www.omni.ac.uk (medical)
http://www.bubl.ac.uk/link/ (resources in a number of subject areas) http://www.scicentral.com/index.html (sciences) http://www.hw.ac.uk/libWWW/irn/pinakes/ (listing of various subject gateways)
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/index.html
(the " Internet Scout " project, similar to PINAKES [ see above ] but in an expanded form)
http://www.nrf.ac.za/yenza/ (A South African subject gateway specific to humanities and social sciences)