This Presentation is Based on Alan November’s Book Web Literacy for Educators

Presented by : Tricia Campbell

Topics to Address• Definition of Internet, Link, and Homepage• How the Internet Works• The Components of a Domain Name• Matching Domain Extensions• What is Truncating?• How to Truncate a Web Address• What are Search Engines?• Take Careful Note• What is REAL• Read the URL• Examine the Content• Ask About the Author and Owner• Look at the Links• The Link: Command• Targeting Back Links• What Should My Students Be Aware of When Searching the Web

Important Definitions

Internet : a network of many different computers all over the world that are connected

Link : connects you to another Web page instantly

When placing your cursor over a link, your cursor turns into a hand and the URL (www.) appears in the lower left of your screen

Homepage : acts like the front cover of a book or magazine, the starting point of a Web site

How Does the Internet Work?

The Internet works by allowing Web Browsers to call up Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

IP addresses have domain names so they are easier to remember and navigate.

Example : In the IP address http://www.cnn.com/ (cnn.com) is the domain name

What Are the Components of a Domain Name?

Domain Names have two or three components, and are designed by companies to attract individuals to their site

Component 1 : is created by the site’s owner. No one can create a name if someone has been assigned to it already.Example : The domain name cnn.com was purchased by CNN. No one else may use this domain unless CNN no longer purchases rights.

Component 2 : is called the TLD (Top Level Domain). It is designated for special groups or categories. Example: .com, .edu, .gov

If a site is hosted by another country, a country code will be used in the extension.Example : http://www.kiwirecovery.org.nz

Component 3 : called the Subdomain – always has a dot separating it from other components.Example http://support.microsoft.com

Match These Common Domain Extensions

1. Commercial 2. Educational Organization (most U.S. colleges)3. Any Organization4. Schools in the U.S. (not all schools use this)5. Network6. Government Agency7. Military Institution (U.S.)8. Academic Institution (not used in the U.S.)

a) .k12 b) .edu c) .ac d) .com e) .org f) .gov g) .net h) .mil

Answers: 1. d 2. b 3. e 4. a 5. g 6. f 7. h 8. c

What is Truncating?

Truncating a Web address is a method for validating information on a Web site

1. Helps you navigate a Web site

2. Allows you to find the site’s homepage

3. Helps you locate more information about the site

How Do I Truncate a Web Address?

1. Click at the end of a Web address2. Delete all characters up to the left slash

Delete right to left until you end up with only the “domain name” (in most cases, the “homepage”)

Ex: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/teachers/classroom_activities.html http://www.sandiegozoo.org/teachers/ http://www.sandiegozoo.org/

What Are Search Engines?

Search Engines : use programs called robots or spiders to collect information about the World Wide Web. They are automated browsers that roam the web collecting text, titles, and meta-tags (words used by web authors to describe their page)

Search Engines1. Provide “links” coming into a Web site2. Give the title of the Web site3. Give the URL (www.) of the Web site

Google : is the most popular search engine used today

Take Careful Note

When using a Search Engine, search results may begin with “sponsored listings” (people pay to have their listing at the top of your results)

Either to: 1. Have their site be at the top of your results list 2. For business purposes

*When conducting searches, most students will click the first few results that appear on their screen This information may 1. be biased 2. be trying to sell you something 3. not have the best information

Therefore, students need to validate Web materials by using a four step program called REAL.

What is REAL?

Read The URL

Examine The Content

Ask About The Author and Owner

Look At The Links

Reading the URL

3 Important Questions to Ask When Reading a URL

1. Do you recognize the domain name? (look for clues about what a site is about or the quality of the site)

2. What is the extension in the domain name? (look for what type of establishment owns the domain name)

3. Are you on a personal page? look for: a name, Tilde sign (~) Percent sign (%) The words users, people, or members

Examine the Content

Ask These Questions About Web Site Content

1. Is the information useful to your topic?2. Are links provided? Do they work?3. Is the site current? When was it updated?4. Does the information appear accurate?5. Does the information match information you found

elsewhere?

Ask About the Author and Owner

Questions to ask when viewing a Web site

1. Is the author’s name provided?2. Is their a contact person or address?3. Is the author’s biographical information provided?4. Is the author an expert in this field?5. What results appear when doing a “search” on the author’s

name?

Look at The Links

There are 2 types of Links 1. Forward Links : the name given to a link from your Web site to a page that is on someone else’s Web site.

Investigating forward links helps determine if a Web site has quality or false information.

Ask the following about forward links

1. What are the URL’s? (does every link contain the same domain?)2. Do the domain names change? (Does the same person write all of the

reference material?)

Look at the Links

There are 2 types of links 2. Back Links: the name given to a link from someone else’s Web site to a page on your Web site.

Investigating back links helps determine the quality of information on a Web site.

Ask the following about back links1. Who is linked to the Web site? (schools? Commercial sites?)2. Why are they linked? (why have they chosen to link to this

site?)3. What do other sites say about the material on this site?

The Link: Command

To generate a list of back links:

1. Go to AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com/)2. In the search box type link:and the web address Example : link:http://www.martinlutherking.org/ (No spaces before or after the colon)3. Click the Find button to see a list of sites linked to this site4. Then ask the questions you need to gain perspective.(If your AltaVista search produces no results, try truncating the Web address first)

Targeting Back Links

Targeting a back link provides you with more specific information about a Web address.To target a list of higher education sites that are linked to the Martin Luther King site:1. Go to AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com/)2. Click “Advanced Search” (to the right of the red “Find”

button)3. In the “all of these words box” Type “Martin Luther King”4. Under “Site/Domain” click “Only .edu domains”This list should allow you to see what higher education authors think about the Martin Luther King Web site.

What should my students be aware of when conducting a search on the Web?

• Almost anyone can publish something on the Web• Information on the Web may not be true• Links can lead to distracting or misleading information• Anyone with a credit card can purchase a “ .org (organization)” extension• Blogs are personal accounts and should not be used for academic research• A domain name may hide the real content of a site• A tilde (~) and a percent sign (%) in a Web address are signs that it is a

personal account• Google uses a mathematical algorithm to produce search results, which

means that results may not have anything to do with quality.• Ask “Why did these search results pop up?” instead of clicking on the first

few results. November,Alan.Web Literacy for Educators.California:Corwin Press,2008.

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