PrePALS Technology

Internet Basics

The resource linked in this section can help you understand the very basics of using the internet. It will cover connecting to the internet, using a web browser, using a search engine, and more. If you're not already very comfortable using internet resources, the activities and information will provide an introduction or review of some of the basic internet skills you will need as a student.

Directions: Click on the link below and review content in this tutorial, including the practice questions. If there are sections with which you already feel very comfortable, go ahead and skip these.

Searching for Information

There is a lot of information available via the internet and many things that we can find by searching the web. Knowing how to search for information, understand that information, and use it to answer our questions is an important part of being a successful student. The Using Search Engines page at the link below introduces this useful tool.

Directions: Visit the link below, watch the video, and read the content on the page. (If you completed the entire Internet Basics course linked above, you've already completed this content.)

Citation

When you search for information to answer your own questions, solve a problem, or complete an assignment, it's important to consider the source of the information you find to ensure that you are using high quality and trustworthy information. It's also important to keep track of and share that source along with the information. This is called citing your source or citation. Citation is an important academic skill because it builds trustworthiness, demonstrates academic integrity, and avoids plagiarism (which is taking information from other sources without giving credit). 

As a student, you will learn to use particular citation styles and format citation information in specific ways. However, learning to consider and keep track of your information sources is even more important how to use these particular styles. A basic citation will include information about the information's author, title, and source. The source is often a link to the webpage where you found the information.

Citations can be used in a formal way, such as when writing an assignment or paper for a class, or informally when sharing a recipe or news article with a friend.

Now that you have some additional knowledge about using the internet to search for information, complete some or all of the following activities to practice your skills:

1. Locate the address bar of this website. Select the url. Right click and select the option that says Copy. Now open a new tab on your browser, right click in the address bar and select Paste. (See how you can copy information from place to another? You'll need that skill for the following activities!)
2. Search for and locate a recipe that you would like to try. Now create a new email and include the title of the recipe, the name of the website where the recipe is found, and the link to the recipe. Send the email to yourself so that you can return to the recipe again later. 
3. Think about a topic that interests you. Now create a new Word document and write that topic at the top of the page. 
4. Go the internet encyclopedia called Wikipedia and search for that topic of interest. Skim or read through the article. Now copy the address to the article and paste it into the Word document you created.
5. Now go Google and search for that same topic. Look through the results that appear in the list and notice the different websites and sources that are included. Pick one website about the topic and copy the address into the Word document you created.

Your PrePALS instructor may also give you additional assignments or activities you can complete.