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Computer Literacy: Internet

This guide supports Massasoit students with limited practical computer experience,

Five Key Parts of a Website

Website URL (Uniform Resource Locator) always found in address bar

Example pictured below:  https://www.boston.com
  • https = hypertext transfer protocol secure - the way information is transferred over the web
  • www. = world wide web
  • boston = site name
  • .com = domain or extension;  .edu, .gov, .org, .net 
    Country codes if site is outside US i.e. .it = Italy, .br = Brazil, .ht = Haiti

 

Navigation Tools - allow you to move around & between websites

  • Back Button - moves you to the screen/page before
  • Forward Button - moves you to original screen after hitting "back button"
  • Refresh - reloads the currently web page
  • Home - brings you back to your default home screen
  • Tabs - list open web pages, located across the top of web browser
  • Scroll bars -  move screen up & down or left & right

 

Search Boxes & Bars - allow you to search the content on a website

  • Look for the  icon usually in the top right corner of the website's home screen

 

Links or Hyperlinks - connections to a different page on a website
  • They can have many different looks:
    • Underlined
       
    • Italics
       
    • Blue text
    • The cursor changes from an arrow to a hand  when placed over the link.
    • If the cursor turns into an hourglass  the computer is trying to connect to the next site - it is "thinking" and you will need to wait a few seconds.
       
    • Hover over the link to see its address (appears in the lower left corner of screen) before clicking to open 
 

 

Advertisements - the way search engines and other websites make money.  People, organizations or businesses pay money to the host/search engine company to gain exposure to their products or services

  • DO NOT CLICK on them unless you really want that product.  It opens doors to lots of unwanted problems.
     
  • Look for these tags:  "ad," "advertisement" or "sponsored" 

 

 

 

Practice

Click here:  https://www.digitallearn.org/courses/basic-search
 

  • Access 4 basic lessons on internet searching - 7 minutes to complete