Glossary of Internet and Research-Related Terms
A - C D - H I - L N - P Q - T U - Z
| @ | a symbol used in e-mail addresses which means "at" |
| abstract | a brief summary of an article |
| bibliography | a list of books or articles on a subject |
| Boolean search | a search in which Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) are used |
| brainstorming | a strategy to think of ideas for your research |
| browser | WWW software allowing the user to jump from link to link on the Internet |
| chat room | an electronic "room" where people use computers to talk to each other |
| citation | information for an article source: title, author, periodical, date, volume, page numbers |
| cross-reference | references that lead to related topics for additional information, for example, "see" and "see also" |
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D - H
| database | a collection of organized records |
| directory | on the Web, a directory is a list of resources organized by topic and subtopic; a subject guide. It is compiled by people |
| downloading | copying a file from another computer to your computer |
| electronic mail, or notes that are sent from one computer to another | |
| .gif | Graphic Interface Format. A computer file made up of pictures, photos, or charts |
| hard copy | a book, or printed copy not in electronic format |
| .html | Hypertext Markup Language. A computer file with clickable linking parts |
| hit | a successful match during a search of a database |
| home page | the first thing you see when you open a Web site. It often tells what you can find at the site |
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I - L
| icon | a picture representing an object or concept |
| index | a list of items pointing to the location of each item, for example, an index in a book gives the page number of a needed subject |
| Internet | many, many computers all over the world that are connected to each other |
| .jpg | Joint Photographic Experts Group. A computer file made up of pictures, photos, or charts |
| keyword search | a search for all sources that contain your search words |
| keywords | search terms generally found in any searchable field (for example, in subject headings, descriptive statements, or abstracts) |
| limit search | an option that lets you add more words to your search, or limit the citations found in some way (e.g., limit to those with full text) |
| link | a connection between two Web pages allowing you to go from one Web page to another by clicking a link |
| matches | in a keyword search, the records the search locates |
| modem | your computer's telephone. Your computer uses a modem to connect to other computers |
| multimedia | the use of a computer to combine text, graphics, audio, and video |
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N - P
| navigation | ways in which the user moves about an electronic database or Web site |
| Net | another word for the Internet |
| network | a group of computers which are connected to each other. The Internet is the largest network in the world |
| networked computers | a group of computers which access the same programs or data at the same time |
| online, on-line | a computerized or electronic source of information, for example, on a network, CD-ROM, or the Internet; where you are when your computer is connected to the Internet |
| OSLIS | Oregon School Library Information System. A curriculum-based access to online resources |
| paraphrasing | putting another person's ideas into your own words |
| Portable Document Format. A computer file which will display documents in their original format | |
| plagiarism | using another person's ideas or expressions as your own |
| plug-ins | WWW programs which enhance the use of browser software |
| primary sources | the use of actual historic sources |
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Q - T
| query | a request for information from a database |
| quote | copying exactly as it was written or said, and giving credit to the author |
| Real Audio | WWW plug-in program which allows the user to hear sound |
| search engine | a computer program that indexes Web sites. It looks for Web pages that contain keywords you enter |
| secondary sources | material written or reported at some point after an event occurred |
| software | the programs that tell your computer how to carry out the commands you give it. The programs may be for word processing, art, music, games, education, or many other things |
| subject search | a search for major headings that contain your search words |
| summarizing | cutting down a selection to about one-third of its original length without changing its basic meaning |
| surfing the Net | using the Internet to explore more than one Web site or topic |
| truncation | to "cut off" word endings in order to find related words with different endings |
| .txt | a file which displays in simple text with no special formatting or graphics |
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U - Z
| upload | copy a file from your computer to another computer |
| user ID | the name you are known by when you are online |
| URL | the address for a Web page. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator |
| Venn diagram | visual, graphic representation of the concepts of combining, joining, or rejecting items based on their characteristics or lack of characteristics. Venn diagrams are used to represent the AND, OR, and NOT concepts of Boolean logic. |
| Web page | a single screen on the World Wide Web |
| wild card | a symbol used to leave out a letter in the middle of a word, to allow for alternative spellings or for some plural forms |
| workstation | Computer keyboard, monitor, mouse, and printer; often includes speakers, CD-ROM drive, network card, or modem |
| World Wide Web | a huge collection of electronic pages containing information about many different subjects and stored in computers around the world |
Credits:
Cromwell, Sharon. My First Book About the Internet.
Mahwah, NJ: USA Troll Communications L.L.C., July 1997.
McClintock, Mary. Librarian, Roseburg High School,
Roseburg, Oregon. 14 June 1998.
Weaver, Russell A. Librarian, Memorial Elementary School,
McMinnville, OR. June 1999.
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