Scribd
Upload
14 views

Topic 7 - Searching For Academic Information

The document discusses searching for academic information on the internet. It provides definitions of common internet terms and how to evaluate internet sources. It also discusses how to better search for materials and applications of the internet.

Uploaded by

LAURENT JIBUNGE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
14 views

Topic 7 - Searching For Academic Information

The document discusses searching for academic information on the internet. It provides definitions of common internet terms and how to evaluate internet sources. It also discusses how to better search for materials and applications of the internet.

Uploaded by

LAURENT JIBUNGE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 16

TOPIC 7:0 Searching for Academic

Information

Search Engines
Internet Use
• Grencoe (2000: 562) points out that the internet
is a computer-based, worldwide information
network. He further argues that the internet uses
telephone lines and cable lines and satellites to
link personal computers worldwide. On the other
hand, the Federal Networking Council (FNC)
defines the term Internet as the global
information system that is logically linked
together by a globally unique address space
based on the Internet Protocol (IP) or its
subsequent extensions.
A Basic Internet Vocabulary List
• Web – a collection of electronic files linked
together; anatomy similar to a spider’s web
• Search engine – a computer program that
searches for specific words or phrases on the web
• Website – a collection of one or more web pages
• Intranet - an internal network of data and
information that is used in many companies;
typically password protected, accessible only
from within the company’s confines, and housed
on a separate server. Contains the same features
as the internet
A Basic Internet Vocabulary List
• Google - a popular search engine; slang term meaning
to look up information on the internet
• Home page – the first page of a website; usually
contains an index of the entire website
• Server - systems that store information shown on the
web; stores web pages and other information used
both on the internet and intranet
• Internet Explorer (IE) – a type of browser
• Address field – the place on the screen in which you
type the URL or web address
• Online – being connected to the Internet
A Basic Internet Vocabulary List
• Firefox – a type of browser
• Status bar – a symbol at the bottom of a web
page that indicates the percentage of the page
that has loaded
• Browser – software used for searching the web
• Internet service provider (ISP) - a company that
provides customers access to the internet
• http:// - Hypertext Transfer Protocol; the
protocol or standard that defines how all
information is sent over the internet; usually
precedes a URL
A Basic Internet Vocabulary List
• URL – Uniform Resource Locator; a unique
address that sends a request to the server which
houses the information you are looking for
• Window – a screen that displays a web page
• Domain – an identification string located at the
end of a web address; examples - .net, .org, .com
• www – world wide web; the extension which
begins many URLs
A Basic Internet Vocabulary List
• Hyperlinks – text and images within a website
that reference other web pages or sites;
usually appear in a different color and are
underlined. Cursor will change to a hand icon
when touched
• Tab – a feature that allows you to open
multiple web pages or windows at once
• html – Hypertext Markup Language; the code
in which most internet content is written
Using Internet Search Engines
• Search engines are a type of software that
uses the user’s key word to compile lists of
related Web sites. Examples of search engines
are, goggle, yahoo, g mail etc. these can be
accessed by typing:
• www.google.com; www.yahoo.com
Evaluating Internet Sources
• Keep in mind that the quality and reliability of
information you find on the internet may vary
widely. Anyone with a bit of computer know-
how can create a website and post
information there. Such a person can be an
expert, a high school student or a lay man. Be
careful, then, to look closely at your electronic
source in the following ways:
Evaluating Internet Sources
• a) Internet address- who is sponsoring the website.
Look the part that follows the “dot.” The following
table may guide you:
• Extension: .com
• Meaning: commercial/business organization
• Reliability: varies
Evaluating Internet Sources
• Extension: .edu
• Meaning: educational institution
• Reliability: usually reliable

• Extension: .gov
• Meaning: government
• Reliability: reliable
Evaluating Internet Sources
• Extension: .net
• Meaning: commercial
• Reliability: varies

• Extension: .org
• Meaning: non profit organization
• Reliability: usually reliable
Evaluating Internet Sources
b) Author: what credentials does the author have?
Has the author published other material on the
topic?
c) Internal evidence: does the author seem to
present materials objectively? Present all sides
fairly before giving his/her own opinions? Does
the author produce solid, adequate support for his
or her views?
Evaluating Internet Sources
• d) Date – is the information up to date or archaic?
Check at the top or bottom of the document for
copyright, publication, or revision dates.
Applications of the Internet
• On the internet you can read the news, shop,
pay bills, send emails, watch television
programmes, transfer files etc.
• Traditional core applications:
• Email, News Remote Login File Transfer
• New applications:
• Videoconferencing, Telephony, Internet
Broadcast etc
Better Searching of Materials on the
internet
• Use key words not full sentences or questions.
E.g. instead of typing “ I need tips for growing
tomatoes” simply type “growing tomatoes”.
• If you can not find what you want, try to use
different words or a different way of expressing it.
• Practice putting key words into the search box
and pressing the search button.
• A list of search results will appear, with the most
popular websites near the top of the list.
• To view a website, simply click on the link.

You might also like