Websites are stored on server computers and have addresses (similar to Email addresses) that allow other computers on the Internet to access them. These addresses are called URLs. URL stands for Universal Resource Locator. Look at the picture below. Can you find the address of our school website?
What parts of the address remind you of what you learned about Email addresses?
The portion of the address between http:// and the next / is the name of the server where the webpage is stored. Everything after that is the location of folders and files on that server.
How can you go to different websites?
- You can type the address of the website in the browser window and press enter/return.
- You can use search engines to locate websites
- There are two main kinds of search engines
- Directory Search Engines let you choose different
subjects and narrow your search that way. They are like the Yellow Pages in the phone book. When you click
on a site in a directory search engine, you know someone has
already checked that the topic you are looking for is actually
the subject of that site.
- Yahooligans is an example of a directory search engine for elementary school students.
- Keyword Search Engines let you type in a
word or words relating to the topic you want, and then they
find EVERY webpage that has those words on it ... (whether or
not the page is about your subject). For instance, if you are
looking for information about pirates, you will get websites
about any sports team called pirates, and the play Pirates of
Penzance, and even someone whose last name might be Pirates.
- Google is the most popular keyword search engine.
- Directory Search Engines let you choose different
subjects and narrow your search that way. They are like the Yellow Pages in the phone book. When you click
on a site in a directory search engine, you know someone has
already checked that the topic you are looking for is actually
the subject of that site.
- There are two main kinds of search engines
So many websites ... so little time! With so many MILLIONS of websites, you need to plan carefully when you search. Make sure you understand exactly what you are looking for. Using the search terms "Humpback whales in Hawaii" would bring you far fewer hits than the generic "whales." When possible, use a Directory Search engine first ... you know that someone else has looked at the website and made sure it has information about your subject.
Make sure to pick the best sites you can ...
- Do they give you correct information?
- Do they tell you who made the site? Why did they make it?
- Are they updated often?
And now that you know how to find information on the Internet, you have one last thing to learn ... how to use it responsibly! Let's go on to Section 6.