Web Browsing and Searching
Lesson Overview
One way to use the Internet is by
surfing, the process of following
links from one Web page to
another. It can be a lot of fun, but
simply surfing the net does not
necessarily get us where we need to
go. In this lesson we will look
beyond basic surfing to quicker
ways to find information on the
Internet, namely directories and
search engines.
Lesson Objectives
• List differences between
portals, directories and
search engines
• Name popular search
engines and directory sites
• Perform intelligent
searches using search
engines
Web Browsing and Searching
Simple Browsing
Surfing can be interesting and
fun, but it is frustrating if you
do not find what you are looking
for. There are popular web sites
that you can go to that provide a
lot of information on topics such
as these. We find out about
these types of web sites in
various ways, such as from TV,
radio and magazines.
Web Browsing and Searching
Popular Web Sites
Some web sites contain large
amounts of information on a
single subject. These sites
tend to cover fewer topics
than popular directories, but
generally do so in depth. A
good example of this type of
site is the NASA site.
Web Browsing and Searching
NASA
One of the first government
agencies to use the Internet was
NASA, the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration. NASA
has great information on the
Web, including space exploration,
photographs from the Hubbell
space telescope, photographs of
the surface of Mars, and much
more. Visit NASA Web site at
http://www.nasa.gov.
Web Browsing and Searching
Here are a few more sites that
may be of interest on specific
subjects:
Smithsonian:
http://www.smithsonian.org/kid
s/
Computers and the Internet:
http://www.cnet.com
Games:
http://www.yahooligans.com/co
ntent/games/
Web Browsing and Searching
Overview of Portals
Portal sites refer to Web sites
that provide a starting place for
finding information on the
Internet. Many portals began as
simple directories or search
engines, but they have added
features over time. A portal may
be a directory, a search engine
or a combination of both.
Web Browsing and Searching
Directories
Directories try to bring
order to the Internet.
However, directories are
limited because the Internet
is so big. Directories are still
a good place to start.
Web Browsing and Searching
Some of the bigger
directories are Yahoo!,
Excite, Lycos, and MSN
(Microsoft Network). There
are also directories or
indexes for specific
audiences such as
Yahooligans for kids.
Web Browsing and Searching
Yahooligans:
http://www.yahooligans.com
Excite:
http://www.excite.com
MSN:
http://www.msn.com
Zoogdisney:
http://www.zoogdisney.com
Web Browsing and Searching
Search Engines
Search engines find information
for us by matching specific
words to information on the
Internet. While it can be tricky
to learn how to use them well,
search engines can locate
obscure information that does
not appear in a directory.
Web Browsing and Searching
There are common command
syntaxes or syntax rules for
both types as follows:
– Quotes
– Capitalize
– Wildcards
Web Browsing and Searching
Boolean connectors
– And
– Or
– Not
Web Browsing and Searching
Example Search Engines:
Google
http://www.google.com
Northern Light
http://www.northernlight.com
HotBot
http://www.hotbot.com
Refdesk
http://www.refdesk.com
Web Browsing and Searching
Metasearchers
Search engines that use a
collection of search engines on
the Internet to get information
are called metasearchers. They
get results from the other
engines, get rid of duplicate
information, reorganize the
results and display the
information in the browser
window.
Web Browsing and Searching
Example Metasearchers:
MetaCrawler
http://www.metacrawler.com
Dogpile
http://www.dogpile.com
CNET’s
metasearch
site
http://www.search.com
AskJeeves
http://www.ask.com
Web Browsing and Searching
Activity 1
We looked at the NASA site
as a good example of a web
site that provides detailed
information on a particular
subject. Find and list three
more sites on subjects you
enjoy.
Web Browsing and Searching
Activity 2
Using
a
directory,
find
information about the following
poets:
Emily Dickinsen
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Robert Frost
Edgar Allen Poe
Web Browsing and Searching
Activity 3
Using a search engine, find out
where the following famous
sayings came from:
A friend in need is a friend
indeed
Good fences make good
neighbors
Hitch your wagon to a star
q
The leopard can’t change its
spots
It’s not over till it’s over
Web Browsing and Searching
Extended Activity
Play the Hangman word
game solving problems for
famous people and famous
sayings
Setting Browser Features
End of Lesson