Lesson 4: How to Search the Internet

“The Internet is a telecommunications superhighway, picking up information from corporations, government institutions, private individuals, and universities over branch roads leading into nearly every corner of the globe.”[i]

           The Internet has its own language, and to take full advantage of the opportunities it offers, you should become familiar with a few key terms:

Browser – program that creates a link between the user and the Internet, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator

URL – a street address, of sorts, to an Internet website (Ex. http://www.bpc.edu)

Domain name – indicates the type of organization sponsoring a website

Internet Domains

Search engine – a program which scans Internet websites for keywords specified by the user, and provides results in the form of links to matching websites    

Link – reference to another web page or site.  Links are usually written in underlined and highlighted text and provide immediate access to the corresponding site or page

          There are basically two options available when you run a web browser to locate information.  If you know the URL of a site you wish to visit, you may type the URL into the Address text box near the top of the page and press “Enter.”  You must precisely type the URL; otherwise, the connection to the correct website will not be established.  The taskbar, usually at the top of the page, will aid you in navigating the Internet.  

        If you do not have a specific URL and wish to search for information on a particular subject, you will need to use an Internet search engine.  Some examples of popular search engines include Yahoo, Excite, AltaVista and Google.  (Links to these search engines are available on the Selected Links page of the Fountain-New's website.)  Once you are connected to the search engine, type your search term(s) into the box provided and press “Search.” 

        The search engine will compile a list of search results and display links to them on a Search Results screen.  This screen will also display the total number of results available for your subject.  You may visit these sites by clicking on the corresponding link.  [NOTE: Some results may not relate to your subject; they may simply include your search term(s) somewhere in the text.]