Introduction Internet Background Information Basic Research Strategies Online Content Evalutation Online Search Strategies Online Reference Tools & "Pearls" Directories+ Search Engines Meta-Searchers Learning & Keeping Up Bibliography

INTERNET BACKGROUND INFORMATION... (Knowing WHERE you are is important!) WWW URLs The WWW uses a scheme called the "Universal Resource Locator" (URL) to help you locate documents or graphics. URLs are addresses in a specific form that lets you connect to places on the Internet. Your WWW Browser is capable of using not only web sites, but also other parts of the Internet. Each link you click on has an underlying URL. Web site: http:// (web site address) Gopher site: gopher:// (gopher site address) FTP sites: ftp:// (ftp site address) Newsgroups: news:// (name of newsgroup) Telnet session: telnet:// (telnet address) (your own): file:// (from hard drive or floppy) DOMAIN Names... This is a method of identifying computer addresses. In the URL http://www.netscape.com you know you are connecting to the web site of a business company. This first part of the URL is also the SERVER NAME. Other top level domains are: .com companies .edu educational institutions .net networks .org organizations Each of these should be looked at as clues when you are evaluating the authority of a site. There is a proposal to add more top domain names. URL Address Tips to minimize frustrations... -Always make sure you enter the address exactly as it appears. If you get an error message like Failed DNS Lookup, etc., enter the address a second time. Have someone else look at your typing. -If an URL address doesn't work, if you get a "URL not found" message, try a root address. Many home pages actually reside in complex subdirectories on a computer. It's possible that the information has moved to another location on the web computer. If http://sled.alaska.edu/local/school doesn't work, try just http://sled.alaska.edu -If the host is busy, wait 5 or 10 minutes and try again. Try at different times of the day. -If the server is down, try again another day. (They may be doing backup or upgrading the system or even giving it a new address. )