Below is the entire module on one page.
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URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. A URL is an Internet web address that connects your computer to an image, file, page, or program on the Internet. The URL contains specific protocol information (a standard procedure for regulating data transmission between computers) needed by the browser to read the item it is seeking. Capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and spacing are all very important. The computer can not guess at your intent like a human postal carrier. Just like dialing a wrong number, a single error in the URL will misdirect your browser and cause a 'File not Found' error. |
Why do I need to know the URL?
URLs help your find the same page over and over again. By creating a file of favorite URLs you can quickly return to valuable resources. Browsers make it easy to record bookmarks (Netscape) or favorites (Internet Explorer) so you can easily return to a specific page. (See the IMSA MicroModules on how to make bookmarks, if you are interested in more on saving URLs.)
What about all those URL components?
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Understanding Common URL Components URLs are made up of a number of components. It helps to know what each element means. Once you recognize the component, you can begin to read a URL and make more subtle judgments about the resources you see on the screen. |
How does a URL work?
A URL works by provided coded information that leads the browser to one specific place on the Internet. It is similar to a phone number or postal mailing address. Once you understand the elements, you can 'read' a URL to gather information about a resource before you even look at the page.
Let's dissect and name the parts of an URL:
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How do I 'Truncate' a URL? You can navigate through a website by 'snipping' away segments of the URL (also called the web address). If we delete a segment, from the forward-slash to the end of the URL, we can backtrack through the web address. This allows us to navigate the website in a new way. As we do this, we can observe the contents of the site. Eventually you will arrive at the root page. You can't prune the trunk any further. Knowing more about the website will help you evaluate the credibility of the web resources you are viewing |
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New Domain Names The Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers ( ICANN ) oversees all domain name registration. You may have noticed a few new domain names popping up, like .k12.il.us, .ca, .ac.uk, and .au. These are country codes: k-12 schools in the state of Illinois, the United States of America; Canada; academic institutions in the United Kingdom; and Australia respectively. Many other countries publish pages in English or have them automatically translated into English for you. Three new domain names are .museum, .info, and .biz. A domain just for children .kids, has also just been created. While the idea has been implemented, Internet content providers have been slow to adopt this new for of child safe domain, |
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Domain names can tell you a lot about the publishers of a website. It is important to note that most popular domain names can be acquired by anyone who is willing to pay a registrar. A domain name should not automatically inspire trust. However, those domains that are 'reserved' are more likely to be trustworthy. The content association for each domain has become difficult to determine. Non-profit organizations and educational institutions are often registered under .com and .net domains. Anyone can register for a .org, .net, or .com domain. Many helpful social science pages are under the .gov domain. The requirements for.edu registrations was, until recently, so restrictive that it was difficult to determine who published pages of interest to educators. |
How can I keep up with all the changes?
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Make a habit of interpreting URLs of the sites you visit. Compare the information you see on the page with the naming conventions of the web address.
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Visit the Internet frequently. Even if you only visit your favorite ten or twenty web sites you will notice the changes taking place.
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Pay attention to the sites your friends visit. Follow up on URLs they recommend or cite in their reports. Make sure you know what they are using as reference material. They may be the first to pick up on the winds of change.
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Key into web savvy acquaintances. Recruit these people to gather annotated webliographies on all your favorite topics. It will save you tons of time and keep you in the Internet loop.
(For information on how to create an annotated webliography, see the IMSA Micro Module on Annotated Lists.)
Authored by Lora K. Kaisler and Dennis O'Connor 2003 - 2005