Web Pages & Web Sites

A web page is a specific location on the Internet (or World Wide Web [www]).  A web site is a series of connected web pages, usually created by the same person and about the same general topic.  Web pages can be electronic sources of information. 

While it is possible for a web page to be a good source of information, it is EXTREMELY important to think very carefully about how reliable any particular web page is.  Anyone who has the time can create a web page, and there is no one to monitor the truth of what is posted on a web page, so consider the web page's source VERY carefully before accepting the information you find as truth.

To help gauge reliability, look for the author's name and when the page was posted, published, updated, or copyrighted.  If you can't find BOTH of these pieces of information, you should not consider the source reliable.  Exceptions are articles with Associated Press (AP) or United Press International (UPI) in the byline, and most governmental and educational web sites (see below for the correct extensions). 

Click here to view a web site that (generally) has reliable information, or click here to view an unreliable web site. 

To get to a web page, you need to know the page's address, or URL.  Typically, URLs start with "www." and end with an address extension.  The extensions can provide you with information about the web page before you even go to it.

• .edu means the site is owned and operated by an educational institution such as a school or college.  Generally, information found here is very reliable.
• .gov indicated a web site run by the United States government.  Generally, information found here is very reliable.
• .com refers to a commercially-owned web site -- a company owns the site.  The information is probably designed to make the company look good -- reliability must be questioned.
• .org refers to a site owned by an organization that does not fit into other categories.  Anyone can create a .org site, so reliability must be questioned.
• .net represents the word "network" and is most commonly used by Internet service providers, Web-hosting companies or other businesses that are directly involved in the infrastructure of the Internet.  Again, reliability must be questioned.

There are also extensions for foreign countries, such as .us (United States), .ca (Canada), .it (Italy), .uk (United Kingdom), and many others.  You can click here for a very thorough list of web site extensions.