If you've gotten this far, you probably already know how to move around the world wide web. In case you haven't, or if you need a refresher, here are some tips:

• To move from one webpage to another, click once with your mouse on a link. Links are often highlighted and underlined text, like this (don't click that one, it doesn't go anywhere). Occasionally, you will see links that are only highlighted, and are not underlined, like this.
• Sometimes images are links - watch your cursor. If it changes from an arrow to a pointing hand, the thing it's hovering over is a link.
• To go back to a page you just left, click the "Back" button in the upper left corner of the browser.
• If you know the URL, or address of a page you want to visit, click once in the "Location" window near the top of your browser to highlight the URL already there, then type in the address you want to visit and hit "Enter" on the keyboard.
• To scroll up and down when looking at a page, click on the scrollbar along the right hand side, or use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Another very important web skill is using search engines. Each search engine works slightly differently, and it's important to learn a little about which ever one you're planning to use. Many people only use Yahoo! without knowing there are plenty of other, more specific and easier-to-use search engines out there.

AltaVista is a very powerful search engine. To use AltaVista, you need to type commands as well as keywords into the search box. For example, you can look for a phrase by putting quotation marks around it (for example, you could search for "The Wall Street Journal"), or you can look for two words on the same page by putting and between them (like this: Matrix and photos). You can also search for pages that have either one word or another one (but not both) by putting OR between them (for example, london OR paris will look for pages with either london or paris but not both).

Some search engines, like Google automatically look for all the words you include, so you don't need to put "and" between them, and only have to use quotation marks for a specific phrase.

If you have a specific question in mind (like, Who won the 1988 World Series?), try Ask Jeeves, where you type your question into the search box instead of using a string of keywords and codes.

It's a good idea to look for a "search tips" page on your favorite search engine site, and try using some of their suggestions. The more you can narrow your search, the more quickly you can find what you're looking for. There are millions upon millions of websites on the web; you just want to find the five or six that have exactly what you want.

Now it's time for your first worksheet. Follow the link below, print out the worksheet (if you've forgotten how to print webpages out, reread the Introduction), then click your "Back" button to come back to this page.

Surf's Up!

Now that you've printed the worksheet out, open a new browser window and follow the worksheet's instructions. When you've completed the worksheet, you may go on to the next lesson.