C

Web Concepts & Information Literacy — Quick Notes

The Role of the Web in Daily Life

  • Web enables information access, communication, and commerce in daily activities.
  • Distinguish Internet vs. Web; Web is a system of interconnected documents accessed via browsers.

Define Web Browsing Terms

  • Internet: global network of networks.
  • Webpage: a single document on the Web.
  • Website: a collection of related webpages.
  • Browser: software to access the Web.
  • Navigate, Home/Start page, Hyperlinks: actions/controls to move through the Web.

Web Browsing Terms (URL and Web Servers)

  • Uniform Resource Locator (URL): address of a resource.
  • Protocol: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
  • Server address, Pathname, File name.
  • Web server: IP address, Domain name.
  • Address bar, Cache, Breadcrumbs, Navigation bar.

Top-Level Domain (TLD) and Popular TLDs

  • Top-Level Domain (TLD): the last segment of a domain name indicating type or country.
  • Popular US TLDs (examples):
    • .biz: unrestricted, typically business.
    • .com: most commercial sites.
    • .edu: academic/research sites.
    • .gov: U.S. government sites.
    • .int: international treaty organizations.
    • .mil: military organizations.
    • .mobi: mobile-optimized.
    • .net: network providers/Internet infrastructure.
    • .org: organizations (nonprofit/traditionally).
    • .pro: licensed professionals.

Internet Standards

  • Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
  • World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Describe Websites and Webpages

  • Types of websites exist; webpages have major components.
  • Pros/cons of web apps: accessibility, collaboration vs. online dependency and potential privacy concerns.
  • Secure vs. insecure websites: secure uses encryption and authentication.

Identify Types of Websites

  • Categories include: Banking/finance, Entertainment, Portals, Blogs, Government/organization, Retail/auctions, Bookmarking, Health/fitness, Science, Business, Information/research, Search sites, Careers, Mapping, Travel, Content aggregation, Media sharing, Website creation/management, E-commerce, News/weather/sports, SaaS, Online social networks, Wikis/collaboration.

Major Components of a Webpage

  • Five major areas: Header, Navigation bar, Body, Sidebar, Footer.

Secure and Insecure Websites

  • Secure: HTTPS, digital certificates, lock icon, sign-in required for sensitive data.

E-Commerce: Role in Daily Life

  • E-commerce used in business and personal transactions; helps find deals.

Types of E-Commerce in Daily Life

  • Business-to-consumer (B2C).
  • Consumer-to-consumer (C2C).
  • Business-to-business (B2B).
  • Market research websites.

E-Commerce in Business Transactions (B2B)

  • Transfers between businesses; pricing varies by service level; multi-person purchasing often involved.

E-Commerce in Personal Transactions (B2C/E-Retail)

  • Electronic storefronts; cookies track items; secure payments (3D Secure, TLS); online payment services.

Finding E-Commerce Deals

  • Use online deals and comparison sites; gift certificates/cards; coupons.

Information Literacy: Definition and Use

  • Information literacy: ability to find, evaluate, use, and communicate online information.
  • Navigate multiple sources; select appropriate tools; assess credibility and bias; manage information for decision making.

How Search Engines Work

  • General search engines build an index via crawlers/spiders.
  • Queries are answered by ranking pages based on relevance, publication age, and incoming links.

Use Search Tools and Strategies

  • Tools: search engines, search boxes, web directories, specialized tools.

Use a Search Strategy

  • Define specific information need; phrase as a question; identify keywords; choose an appropriate tool; perform and refine search; use word stems to broaden results.

Refine Web Searches (SERP and Filters)

  • SERP features: subject/time filters, related questions, related terms, knowledge graph.
  • Common practices: relevance on first page; ads/sponsored results; filters for refinement.

Boolean Operators and Search Syntax

  • "+" or quotes: exact phrase match: "augmented reality".
  • OR: find pages with either term: augmented | virtual.
  • NOT (hyphen): exclude terms: augmented reality - virtual.
  • * wildcard: augmented* reality to cover word variants.
  • #..#: numeric range: augmented reality 2017..2022.

Specialty Search Engines

  • Wolfram Alpha: direct factual answers.
  • RhythmOne: finds multimedia/videos.
  • Ask a Librarian: connects to librarians for questions.
  • TinEye: reverse image search to locate original and related images.

Evaluate Online Information: CARS Checklist

  • Credibility: identify author and credentials.
  • Accuracy: verify facts, check bias.
  • Reasonableness: fairness and sensibility.
  • Support: rely on reputable sources.

Gather Content from Online Sources: Ethical Guidelines

  • Copyright and permissions for photos and text.
  • Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions.
  • Public domain materials can be used; Fair Use allows limited use with citation.
  • Creative Commons (CC): allows reuse with certain permissions.

Apply Information Literacy Standards: Citing Sources

  • A citation formally references a source.
  • Different sources require different citation styles.
  • Plagiarism: avoid by proper citation and quotation/paraphrase with attribution.