Library 101 - Your Guide to Library Resources

Select Resources - Web Sites

Activity 3c: Find Sources-Web Sites
Activity 3d: Find Sources for Your Own Topic

Library Databases V. The Web "at Large"

How Are They Different?
Databases that the Library subscribes to via the Internet (such as ProQuest Research Library or Academic Search Complete) contain highly structured content, while the Web "at large" is very unstructured. The UTSA Library databases contain material that has been evaluated but anyone with access can publish on the Internet.

It can sometimes be difficult to determine if the Library pays for a database as opposed to accessing free on the Web "at large." If you need help, ask at the Reference and Information Desk.

There Are 3 Basic Ways To Search For Web Sites / Pages:
1. Type in known addresses in the Netsite/Address box of your browser.
2. Browse by subject through collections of Web sites/pages using Web directories.
3. Search by keyword on the Web at large for Web sites/pages using search engines.

Searching the Web for your research needs!

Keep in mind when your are researching information on the Internet through the World Wide Web that anyone can publish information on the web. So be sure to evaluate the information you find.

Domain Names
Ever notice the ending of a web site! What does .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .net, and .org stand for? Below is a chart describing the different types of domain names. Domain names can assist you in evaluating a web site.

.com Commercial Organization	http://www.amazon.com/
.edu Educational Institution	http://www.utsa.edu/
.gov Governmental Sites	http://www.whitehouse.gov/
.mil U. S. Military Sites	http://www.army.mil/
.net Network Resources	http://www.texas.net/
.org Nonprofit Organizations	ALA American Library Association http://www.ala.org/

Use Search Engines and Web Directories

Search Engines
Search engines are computer programs designed to search web pages. Some of the most common search engines are AltaVista, HOTBOT, Google and Webcrawler.

Web Directories
Web directories serve as web guides and are a collection of web pages organized by topic. Some of the most common web directories are Excite, Infoseek, Lycos, and Yahoo.

SEARCH TIPS
Search Tools Chart @ http://www.infopeople.org/search/chart.html