The World Wide Web

The internet has greatly added to the sources of information, but it must be used critically and legally. The large amount of information available using the World Wide Web means that you need to search effectively and efficiently. Here is a brief introduction to using the World Wide Web.

Please keep in mind that finding academic peer reviewed information is much easier using Library databases than using the www. You'll learn about these databases later.

The World Wide Web (WWW) is an information distribution and retrieval system.  It's part of the internet.  The term internet (often with a lower case i) is the interconnection of many computer
networks.

In the Library, you can search the WWW on all the computers, but the library computers for public use are restricted in the sites available.

How to search
You can find information on the WWW by:

using The Library's Guides and The Catalogue

contacting known sites using the URL (internet address)

using a Search Engine

using Bookmarks or Favorites

Library Guides

Begin by opening another browser window by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing the N key once. 
You can switch between this Tutorial and the new window using ALT-TAB or the Task bar.

Note the navigation buttons at the top of the screen to
go Back to the previous screen.

Stop loading the next screen.

Refresh this screen if there is a problem.

Return to the Home screen.

Display Favourite/Bookmarked sites.

The Library has a Web site at the URL: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library
Amongst other things, the Library Web site tells you about:

• Library services such as borrowing books, opening hours, in Library A-Z and the left side bar.

  

• General reference sources in the Library and on the internet by subject.



Click on the Health Sciences subject area.



Click on Medicine Web Sites in the Table of Contents Click on Hardin Meta Directory of Internet Health Sources Click on Cancer. Click on Mouth Cancer. Here you'll find lists of sites on oral cancer.

Search Using a URL

 

 

You'll find text links highlighted by colour (usually blue) and/or underlining. You can select text links to web sites or icon links by pointing your mouse arrow at the text link or icon.  When the arrow changes to a hand shape, click once using the left mouse button.  The screen should then change to the new web site.

Search Engines

There are many search engines that are designed to search the World Wide Web and internet. You can enter a topic for the search engine to find.

Wait for the search to be completed. Explore some of the links. Use Back to return to the NBOCC site.

The Google Advanced site allows you to search for phrases, and to use OR logic to combine alternative terms that describe any concept. You might want to add this to your Favorites.

 Web Directories
Web directories are particular forms of search engines that have many categories listed.  You follow the links to find information on one or more of the categories. Google is one that  provides brief summaries for many web sites. Web Directories are often time saving. The University of Adelaide General Health Sciences page is another directory designed to save you time in searching.

Notice how the summaries can help you decide which of the sites might be worth viewing.

You can view a range of Search Engines on the Library's Search engines site.

Favorites/Bookmarks

You can add useful sites to your home computer's system.  It is best to do this when you have the site on the screen.

To do this, when you have the required site on your screen:

• click the Favorites/Bookmark button on the toolbar. (This will produce a sidebar  menu)
• click on Add.

Once you add a site to your Favorites, the site is then available to you whenever you have your browser running. It is also possible to arrange Favorites into folders and to file new sites into the folders. Instructions on how to do this can be found using the Help menu on your browser screen.

Whenever you wish to go to a favourite site click on the Favorites/Bookmarks button and choose the site you are looking for. This technique is particularly useful for computers you use at home. It isn't really suitable for collecting Favorites on The University of Adelaide computers, as it is likely that any bookmarks you collect will be removed by other students or University staff.

Other Web Sites of Interest

Information about search engines.
Spider's apprentice.
http://www.monash.com/spidap.html

Sites that teach use of the Web.
TONIC The Online Netskills Interactive Course
from University of Newcastle, UK.
Free, but registration required.
http://www.netskills.ac.uk/onlinecourses/tonic

Internet/WWW glossaries.
Matisse's Glossary of Internet Terms
http://www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html

Citing Electronic References
Citation Styles Online
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
How to cite web sites, email, newsgroups etc. in various styles
From Bedford St Martins

Style Guides and Resources
http://www.ifla.org/I/training/citation/citing.htm
How to cite electronic sources in lots of styles
From IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) 

Quality of internet Information

Peer Review

Most academic journals use peer review to ensure the quality of articles published. When authors submit articles for publication in a journal, the editors send the article to experts in the field. These experts will usually suggest changes to the article, examine the the methods and conclusions of the authors, and check that important literature in the field is cited. The article won't be published until the authors satisfy the requirements of peer review. While the internet might give you some ideas on a subject it is always much better to make sure that any articles you find are peer reviewed.

The quality of information found on the internet varies greatly. Most of the material has never undergone peer review, and you must be very careful to ensure that the information is correct. Below are some simple checks that you can use to help decide on the quality of a site.

Recency

Most good sites will indicate when they were last updated.   If recency is an important indication of quality for you, check this.

Authors/Compilers

Is the name of the person responsible for the site provided? If someone claims responsibility for a site, they are more likely to make an effort to ensure quality. An email address should be included so that you can ask for further information.

The qualifications of the authors/Compilers should be included so that you know that they are qualified.

Institutional site

Sites that are published under the auspices of well respected institutions or funding bodies are likely to be of good quality. Is there a link to the institution?

Scope

Does the site indicate the extent, depth, and time period covered by the information presented? Are these relevant to your needs?

Accuracy of Information

Can you check the accuracy of some of the information provided. If some of the information is wrong can you trust the rest?

Objectivity

If there is more than one opinion on a topic are all of them included? Are there links to other sites on this topic?
Is the site designed to change opinions?
Is there advertising on the site, and does it relate to the subject matter?

Sources

Are the sources of information on the site referenced?

Audience

Does the site indicate who the information is for?  Is it pitched at a higher education, or professional level?

Searchable

Large sites should have 'fuzzy' search engines, smaller sites should have a table of contents.

Here is a web site that will help you decide on the quality of information

Evaluating Medical Information on the Web From the Human Genome Project Information

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You should now know how to

• search using known URLs.
• use search engines.
• use The University of Adelaide Library Subject Guides.
• evaluate the quality of web sites.

This is the end of the content for this online tutorial.
Make sure you have answered all 6 questions correctly.

 Mick Draper

Back to the previous section of the tutorial MyLibrary

Back to the tutorial Table of Contents

If your are a School of Dentistry student you need to complete the Library PubMed Tutorial. This will teach you how to find journal articles on a topical subject.

Link to Library PubMed Tutorial for School of Dentistry Students