Surfing the Web
Electronic Tutorial Prepared by:
Prof. Noraida Domínguez Flores Librarian Information Literacy Program
2005
Introduction
• This tutorial is designed to teach students basic information about the Internet.
• After completing the tutorial, students will:
– Identify and define basic terminology related with Internet.
– Identify and understand what the domain extensions mean.
– Conduct different types of searches through the Internet.
– Use different evaluation criteria to determine which Web sites can be used.
Menu
Welcome to this tutorial!
This experience is designed to help you search, find
and use Web information efficiently and effectively.
Before beginning you need to complete a Pre Test.
After this, start with Step 1, read carefully all the
information, then complete an exercise. This process will be repeated on the next step. After completing
the
three steps, complete the Post Test, then you will be prepared to search, find and use Web information more effectively.
Time required to be completed: Students will be required to complete one step each week. Each step requires 30 min. to be completed.
Pre Test Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Post Test
References Exit
Step 1: Internet Terminology
• Through this first step you will be able to identify basic Internet terminology and study each definition.
• This terminology will help you understand how to search for information, and
determine what information you can use.
Internet Terminology
• Network – group of connected computers that exchange information and share
equipment.
• Internet – worldwide network of networks encompassing 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
Exercise
Read each sentence, then select True or False 1. Internet is also known as World Wide Web.
2. A Web site is a program that lets you search and view information available through
WWW.
True False
True False
3. The Home page is the first page you see when you start your Web browser.
4. The Domain extension is part of the Domain name.
Exercise
True False
True False
Step 2: Searching the web
Read carefully the next information, this way you will learn how to search information through the Internet.
• Keyword search – by writing one or two words, you can locate web sites that offer the information you need. It is important to identify and use the words that are more related with your topic.
• Boolean search – a search using the connectors and, or, not.
Boolean Search
• Using the connectors:
– insects and habitat – retrieve web sites that contains both words.
– insects or arthropods – retrieve web sites that contains any of the words.
– insects not pests – 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:
– “benefits of insects” – 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.
– If you don’t find the information you need when searching using a phrase, change to Keywords.
• When you search using a phrase, you should write it using “ ”. Example:
– Names that contain more than one word should be written as a phrase. Example:
• “Puerto Rico” – when searching for information about Puerto Rico, should be written as a phrase,
other way Web sites that contain the word Puerto, or Rico may be retrieved.
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.
• Through the next step you will learn what evaluation criteria you should consider.
• Now complete the following exercise.
Exercise
Read carefully each sentence and select if it is True or False.
1. To conduct a Boolean search you need to write your phrase with “”.
2. When searching using a phrase you limit the
results to Web sites containing the exact phrase.
True False
True False
Exercise
3. It is unnecessary to evaluate the
information found through the Internet.
4. If you don’t find the information you need the first time you search, it means there is nothing about that topic.
True False
True False
What to ask?
• In the next step I will help you evaluate a web site.
• Now you can return to the tutorial and press the continue button to complete an exercise.
• If you need to study this presentation, press the Internet button.
• If you need to consult, contact me.
Incorrect answer…
Go back and try again
Correct!!!
Continue with the next sentence
Correct!!!
Continue with the next sentence
Incorrect answer…
Go back and try again
Correct!!!
Continue with the next sentence
Correct!!!
Continue with the next step
Incorrect answer…
Go back and try again
Correct!!!
Continue with the next sentence
Correct!!!
Continue with the next sentence
Correct!!!
Continue with the next step
Incorrect answer…
Go back and try again
Correct!!!
Continue with the next sentence
Step 3: Evaluating Web information
• When you find information through the
Internet it is important to evaluate different aspects to determine if it is correct or
valuable information.
• Read carefully the next information to learn how to evaluate Web information.
What to evaluate?
• These are the aspects that you need to consider for evaluation:
• Purpose
• Audience
• Authority
• Supplier
• Currency
• Type of publication
• If it is subjective or objective
• Quality of information
What is the purpose of the Web site?
By answering the following questions will help you to evaluate the Web site?
– Does this site provide the kind of information I need?
– What is the site’s primary purpose: inform, promote an idea or a product?
– Is this a commercial web site (.com),
educational (.edu), from a government agency (.gov), from a organization (.org) or other?
Remember…
• If the purpose of the Web site is to sell or promote a product or service, it will offer the more
convenient information for them, not for the user.
• But, if the purpose is to educate, then it will be possible that the information is correct.
What you need to identify?
• First, you need to identify who is
responsible for the Web site. The domain extension (.edu, .gov,.org) will give you an idea of this.
• After identifying who is responsible, it will be easier to determine the purpose of the information.
• Authority
–Does the author have appropriate education, training or experience?
–Who is responsible for the site?
–Can I see the author (s) information?
–Can I contact him or her?
Remember…
• That anyone can publish information
through the Internet, because of this it is important to identify a name, affiliation or other contact information about the author.
Locate the contact information…
• All Web sites need to include contact
information about who is responsible for its publication.
• It is important to identify this information to included on your bibliography.
If there is no author…
• Be sure that the document is on an
educational or governmental Web site. This will assure that it is a correct information.
To be able to evaluate the content, answer the following questions:
– Does the author have interest in the topic?
– Are arguments supported with documentation?
– Is there a reference list?
Content
In terms of content…
• It is important to identify if the information is a personal opinion, or if it is effectively documented with references.
• The presence of a reference list evidence that the author used other resources for the document.
• Be sure to identify if the information is accurate, by comparing it with other
information you found.
• Currency:
– When was the material written?
– Is there evidence of newly added material?
– Is the site well maintained?
• Recognition:
– Do others recognize the value of this site?
Currency and recognition
What next?
• Through this tutorial you learned about:
– Internet Terminology
– Searching through the Internet – and Evaluating Web information
Now you are prepared to complete your course work. But, first return to the Menu
and complete the Post Test.
References
Cohen, L. (2008). Boolean searching on the Internet. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.internettutorials.net/boolean.html
Cornell University Libraries. (2005). Evaluating Web sites: Criteria and tools. Retrieved January 28, 2008, from
http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/webeval.html
New York University Libraries. (2003). Boolean operators. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://library.nyu.edu:8000/research/tutorials/boolean/boolean.html
Sebek, R. (2007). Evaluating Internet information. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/instruct/evaluate/evaluating.html
Smith, A. (2006). Evaluation of information resources. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.vuw.ac.nz/staff/alastair_smith/evaln/evaln.htm
UC Berkeley Library. (2008). Evaluating Web pages: Techniques to apply & questions to ask. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
University of California Berkeley. (2008). Critical evaluation of resources. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/instruct/guides/evaluation.html
