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Try using the search engine, Google

Searching the web

It is easy to waste time online but to find things quickly you will rely on two kinds of tools - portals and search engines.

A portal (the name comes from the Latin for a door or gate) is like a library or directory: it organises things into categories, then smaller sub-categories. You will usually find something on the subject you are looking for, but not everything, as the portal will list only a limited number of websites and pages. Portals vary - there is not one that is obviously the best for everything.

A search engine is very different - it uses brute strength to look at millions of pages, and is able to select those that contain keywords for which you have searched. If you are looking for something very unusual, then you will probably start with a search engine. If you are looking for something on which there is lots of information, then a portal may help you find resources of better quality. For academic (school and university) work, the best search engine to use is Google. Microsoft's Internet Explorer has a search facility - and you can reset it to use Google or another search engine of your choice. Many people simply click the Explorer "search" button, and accept the search engine Microsoft uses but this may not always be the best one.

When you use a search engine, use "+" to show all key words you want, for example: Simpsons+Springfield+Bart. If you want to find an exact phrase, use quotation marks: "facts about plants". Search engine sites will give you more guidance on how to do this.

Using a web browser

Web browsers can help you find what you want. Begin to type in a web address and the latest browsers will try to complete it for you. Click the down arrow to the right of the address bar to see a drop-down list of sites. Add sites you like to your "favourites" or "bookmarks".

Use "back" and "forward" arrows to see earlier or later pages. Use "home" (or an icon of a house) to go to your home page. Set your own choice of home page - look for Tools then Internet Options in Internet Explorer or Edit then Preferences in Netscape Navigator.

To increase the page size in Internet Explorer (not in Netscape) press F11. Press it again to change back.

Hyperlinks

Clicking on a hyperlink causes your browser to open a new page. If the "back" arrow is greyed out, the browser has opened a new window. Browsers underline hyperlinks by default, and change the colour of visited or active links. Hyperlinks can also be found in images or even areas of images (image maps). When your mouse pointer moves over a hyperlink it will turn into a graphic of a hand. Sometimes the hyperlink opens a file that you can only use with a plug-in.

Plug-ins

These are freeware programs that extend what your browser does. You need them for multimedia, sound and animation. Usually, you will be prompted to download a plug-in you don't already have.

Saving pages

Web pages are kept in small files, so you can save lots, even on a floppy disk. Your browser lets you choose whether to keep images and other files included in the page. If you just want the words, then you can save as a text file (this removes HTML code).

Printing from the web

Sometimes you really need to do this but be careful. It may be better to copy the information and put it into another document. By default, a printer will show, as a footer, the address of the web page - even if it's on your local hard drive. This can help you find it later. If you use the File menu for printing, you will see a print dialog, which lets you choose what to print - this is helpful, if you are printing from a site with frames. (You can also right click in a frame, and choose Print from the menu.)

Accessibility

Both browsers let you resize the text, to make it easier to read. Internet Explorer gives you five choices. Netscape Navigator has far more. In both browsers, this function is on the View menu.

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