Surfing the Web

Prof. Noraida Domínguez Flores

ING 3202

Prof. Lydia Rodríguez

2008

Internet Terminology

• Network – group of connected computers that exchange information and share equipment.

• Internet – worldwide network of networks encompasing more than 140 countries and millions of connected computers. Also called Cyberspace and World Wide Web.

Internet Terminology

• Web Site – is a university, government agency or company that stores Web pages you can view.

• Web browser – is a program that lets you view and explore information on the WWW.

• Search engine – is a software program that acts as a card catalog for the Internet. Locate desire information by searching for the keywords a user specifies.

Internet Terminology

• Portals – are web sites that provide search engines, plus content and services, such as e-mail, shopping, etc.

• Database –is a collection of information that is organized and stored so it can be easily searched.

Internet Terminology

• Home page – the first page you see when you start your web browser.

• URL – each web page has a unique address called URL. All web pages URLs start with http://.

• Domain name – tells you the official registered name of each site.

Internet Terminology

• Domain extensions – are an extension of the URL.– .edu .org– .com .es– .gov .pr– .mil .net

Searching the web

• Keyword search – by writing one or two words, you can locate web sites that offer the information you need.

• Boolean search – a search using the conectors and, or, not.

Example of a Boolean search

• Example: if you want information about the legal issues of animal experimentation, then you can conduct a search using the following keywords:• Animal experimentation AND legal issues

– Example: if you want information about the effects and causes of global warming, then you can conduct the following search:• global warming AND effects OR causes

Boolean Search

• Using the connectors:– animal experimentation and legal issues –

retrieve web sites that contains both words.– causes or effects – retrieve web sites that

contains any of the words.– animals not insects – retrieve web sites that

contains the first word, but not the second.

Search using a phrase

• When you search using a phrase, you should write it using “ “. Example:– “effects of global warming” – this search

retrieves web sites that contains exactly the phrase you wrote.

– This search limits the results to only those web sites that contains this phrase.

After you find a web site

• When you find information through the Internet, you should consider some aspects to determine if this information is correct.

• You should evaluate each web site to determine if you can use this information.

• To not evaluate a web site can make you use a wrong information.

What to ask?

• After reading this presentation, read the presentation titled Evaluation of Web information.

• After reading both presentations, complete the exercise that is going to be explained on the other presentation.

• Be sure to complete the exercise by next week.