Web Site Basics Introduction to Evaluating Internet Information

The Essentials URL – is just another name for a Web site’s address. –Example: World Wide Web ( a collection of billions of Web pages stored on computers called servers. All URLs begin with www. Web Site – a collection of Web pages linked to on homepage that is posted to the World Wide Web. URL

Reading the URL The type of information supplied on a Web site depends on the provider of the information. You can usually identify the type of provider by the last three letters of the URL, or address. The last three parts of the URL is called an extension. Here are some common extensions: –.edu – Educational institutions –.com – Commercial –.org – Any organization –.gov – Government agency –.net – Network

Interesting Tidbit… The only sites that cannot be bought by the public are.gov and.edu. This is important to know when evaluating information because the source may not be reliable or contain factual information (even if it is a.org).

Examine the Content Online material is not always clear about whether the information you are reading is fiction, nonfiction, editorials or advertisements. Many sites also use flashy graphics, pictures and animations to catch the attention of the reader. Be careful…excellent images  accurate content.

Final Thoughts & Reminders… Anyone can purchase a Web site…so proceed with caution!! Have research questions prepared ahead of time, so you have some direction when you begin your research.