(Tutorial prepared by Mr. Newsam) 

Many people have a computer, many people have the internet, but not EVERYBODY.  You can always find interesting pages on the internet and print them for later reference (if there is a printer, and there is paper, and it's not broken); but that means that you waste paper as well as having to retype any text you may need.  You may also be able to save the pages themselves for later reference, but that will only work on a computer that also has an internet programme.  For these reasons, this sheet assumes that :

Introduction.

The internet is a resource that is huge and extremely varied.  Because of this very size and variety, you can find many useful things on almost any subject, but they can be difficult to find.  For this very reason, various companies offer their services on the internet (they make money from advertising principally) to help you find what you need.

This is what you need :-

This is what you do :-

Below is a quick look at the steps mentioned above, using pictures taken from computer using a standard programme (Explorer) to reach the pages on the internet.  The next part of this document explains how you can take text and pictures from the internet and get them into a word processor, like Word 97.  Finally, there is a brief list of some useful sites to help you in your research.

Every browser has a few common elements that you must know how to use.

 Here is a picture of a typical browser.  You can clearly see the elements mentioned above.

About the address.

The address above has a http:// in front of it.  This is NOT essential so www.yahoo.fr is OK. It also has a www. in front of it.  This is SOMETIMES needed, so yahoo.fr MIGHT be OK.

An important reminder.

The pages on the internet are stored on computers all over the world.  It can take time for these pages to load to your screen, especially if they are long and/or complicated with graphics etc.  Remember this and use the STOP button (to STOP the page loading) wisely.

Starting addresses (search engines).

Here are a few good starting places (addresses) for searching the internet.

Yahoo is used as an example of how some SEARCH ENGINES are made for a certain language, BUT they are are by no means the only ones to do this!!

In the examples below we shall use dogpile.com  This is chosen as it is one of the search engines that uses other search engines as well.  This means that your search is (theoretically) more efficient.  You are encouraged to use many search engines.  This is an example only!!

Here is the task.

Your teacher has told you to prepare a report on the move to independence of Singapore.  You decide to get as much as you can from the internet.  BUT  …  you have a computer at home but no internet.  It's only at a friend’s that you can use the net.  Therefore; you must find what you need; and to then place the text, pictures … into a word processor so that you can put it on a diskette and work on it at home.

Here are the assumptions used here.

Right.  Here we go :

The computer is on, the internet connection is open and the browser is loaded.  You have typed the address of your favourite search engine (dogpile.com here but there are MANY you can and should use)

TIPS TO HELP YOU.

 EVERY search engine has a space for your keywords as in the picture above and a 'fetch', 'go', 'search' etc etc button.

Your keyword is SINGAPORE

You type it in the space provided, click the 'fetch' button, and this is what you see after a (hopefully) few seconds; and don't forget that this is only a resume of the page.  

NOW YOU CAN SEE  the importance of getting the keywords right!!!!! Lets change the search to SINGAPORE INDEPENDENCE. Find on the page the space for your keywords and type in the revised version and click 'fetch'. NOW LOOK at what you get:

THAT IS A LOT BETTER!!!

Now there is a lot more than the 10 results mentioned above; but let's assume that you are happy with the results returned by goto.com via dogpile.com and you choose to look more closely.  Here is a look at some of the 10 results mentioned.  (It appears on the same screen.)

A quick look decides you to look at result 1, 5 and 10 as a basis for your report.

You start your word processor, ready to save any things you wish to keep for later.

You should know that jumping from page to page on the net is very easy.  It uses links that you can easily see.  If you move the mouse over a link, the arrow will change to a HAND.  In the pages here, each heading of each little description is a link.  Click and off you go.

We shall go first to "Singapore from colonisation ….." which is the first on the got.com list seen below.

HERE WE ARE and the first thing we see is a table of great dates relating to Singapore.  You decide to keep it.  To do this, you highlight the text (you can see this being done in the picture below) and then choose COPY from the EDIT menu.

Now you click over to the word processor, and choose PASTE  from the EDIT menu.  Voila!  The table is yours.

SAVE IT ON THE COMPUTER!!!!!!!

Now we go back to the net, use the BACK button to go back to the previous page and then click on link number 5.

Let the page load and then ……………..

PROBLEM (at least on the day this was written).  The Singapore Flag page has a picture problem.  All empty boxes!!!  Never mind.  Back again we go, to try link number 10 (get used to this kind of frustration!!)

WONDERFUL!!  The text on the first page is just what you need, so you copy/paste it to the word processor (and SAVE) for later reference.  You also use the links (pictures in this case but there is the little hand to help you see that they are links) on the left of the page to try and find a map.

This time, no picture problem so you choose to get a copy of it too, to put with your text.

WHAT TO DO:

NOW to find a picture of the FLAG. 

You go back a page and decide to have a look at the link about 'symbols' in the hope of finding a flag.  On the right of the page you are sent to, there is a link to the flag.  GREAT.  RIGHT CLICK the image (see it below) and do the same as above.

FINISHED!

You now have all you need in background research and pictures to go home and get started on the actual report.  You make sure that everything is saved. You make a copy of the text you have saved onto a diskette, not forgetting to copy any pictures that you couldn't get directly into it yet.  Thank your friend for the time on the net; and off you go.

How to show references to an internet document.

See extended guidelines

Using search engines OF A SITE

Many sites have a search engine built into them that allow you to search the net, but more importantly perhaps, just THAT SITE.  This can be especially useful if you wish to get information from a specialised source.  You may decide that a search of a news site like CNN for example, will give you much more usable information for your report on Ex President Suharto of Indonesia, than would a wider search using the whole net.

To do this you type in the address for CNN (it's CNN.com) and spend a little time to find the search option they offer.  You type in 'Suharto' as in a normal search, only this time the results are only those that CNN has carried on your subject.  Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what you might see :

This is the part of the screen to enter your search, with a 'find' button; and below there is the top of the page of results that a search for 'suharto' gave.