The Internet and Online Research for Teachers

Internet and Web Basics

Chapter Three includes an introduction to how computer networks operate, web browsers, how to search for information, the fundamentals of e-mail, how discussion and chat rooms work and Netiquette.

What is a Computer Network?

Examples of commercial network sites include:

CompuServe
http://www.compuserve.com

America Online
http://www.aol.com

The Microsoft Network
http://www.msn.com

Examples of nonprofit and state computer networks can be seen at the following sites:

Big Sky Telegraph http://www.lone-eagles.com/articles/bigsky.htm

FIRN
http://www.firn.edu/

What Is a Web Browser?

You can download web browsers for both Microsoft’s Exp,lorer and Netscape Navigator at the following addresses:

Microsoft Internet Explorer
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.htm

Netscape Navigator
http://home.netscape.com

Other web browsers include:

NCSA Mosaic
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software/Mosaic/

Earthlink Support Center
http://support.earthlink.net

Opera 2.12
http://opera.nta.no

Search Engines and Directories

Some of the most popular search engines for the World Wide Web include:

Alta Vista
http://altavista.digital.com

Excite http://excite.com

Infoseek
http://guide.infoseek.com

Webcrawler
http://www.webcrawler.com

Some of the most popular web directories include:

Galaxy
http://galaxy.einet.net

Magellan
http://magellan.mckinley.com

Yahoo
http://www.yahoo.com

The Yellow Pages
http://theyellowpages.com

Examples of meta search engines and directories can be found at:

Google
http://www.google.com/

Metacrawler
http://www.metacrawler.com

Prime Search
http://www.delta.com/prime.com/pssearch.htm

All-in-one search pages can be found at:

All-In-One-Search Page
http://www.allonesearch.com/

The Argus Clearing House
http://www.clearinghouse.net/

Galaxy
http://www.galaxy.com/

Microsoft
http://www.msn.com.access/allonone.asp

Netscape
http://www.netscape.com/home/internet-search.html

Savy Search
http://www.search.com/

Reviews and comparisons of search engines can be found at:

A Guide to Web Directories
~http://www.crosswinds.net/~directories/home.htm

Understanding and Comparing Web Research Tools
http://www.hamline.edu/administration/libraries/search/compar isons.html

Search Engine Showdown
http://www.searchengineshowdown.com/

Search Engine Watch
http://searchenginewatch.com/

If you are interested in looking up e-mail addresses for friends or famous people, there are several groups that run web sites that will help you. These include:

FAQ: How to Find People’s E-Mail Addresses
http://www.qucis.queensu.ca/FAQs/email/finding.html

Getting Connected for E- Mail

Useful e-mail sites include:

A Beginner’s Guide to Effective E-mail
http://www.webfoot.com/advice/email.top.html

Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections
http://www.stolaf.edu/network/iecc

The Electric Postcard
http://postcards.www.media.mit.edu/Postcards

Discussion Lists and Chat Rooms

A list of web-based discussion groups and information about how to sign up for them can be found at:

Deja News
http://www.deja.com/usenet

Liszt
http://www.liszt.com/

Search the List of Lists
http://catalog.com/vivian/interest-group-search.html

Netiquette

Rules of appropriate behavior in e-mail and online are provide at:

E-Mail Etiquette
http://www.iwillfollow.com/email.htm

Netiquette Homepage by Arlene H. Rinaldi
http://www.fau.edu/netiquette/net/netiquette.html