.gif, GIF

Graphic Interchange Format.  A format for displaying images on the Web.  A GIF can have 256 colors. 

Hard copy

a book, or printed copy not in electronic format

Hit

a successful match during a search in 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.

.html, HTML

Hypertext Markup Language.  A computer file with clickable linking parts

Hypertext

a type of document that contains links to other documents

Icon

a picture representing an object or concept

Index

a list of items pointing to the location of each item. For example, an index at the back of a book gives the page number of a needed subject.

Internet

the world-wide network of computers that enables people to share information without ever leaving their desks. The World Wide Web allows interaction with the Internet through the use of images and hypertext links.

Java

a programmable language used to create animations and interactive features on World Wide Web pages

Javascript

a computer language developed by Netscape to enable Web authors to design interactive sites. 

Journals

a periodical or publication which is issued on a regular basis i.e. magazine

.jpg, JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group.  A compression technique used for saving images and photographs.  This method reduces the file size of the images without reducing the quality.  Widely used on the World Wide Web.

Keyword search

a search for articles that contain your search words

Keywords

search terms generally found in any searchable field (i.e. subject headings, author, title, summaries)

Limit search

an option that lets you qualify your search to be more specific i.e. limit by type of material, publication date etc.

Link

a connection between two Web pages allowing you to go from one Web page to another by clicking on a link

M.L.A.

Modern Language Association.  A style format used for citing sources when preparing and submitting a research assignment.

Modem

your computer’s telephone.  Your computer uses a modem to connect to other computers

.mp3, MP3

a format used for the compression and reproduction of CD-quality audio, which can be downloaded and listened to on a computer or handheld device

Multimedia

the use of a computer to combine and present text, graphics, audio and video

Networked computers

a group of computers which access the same programs or data at the same time

Non-fiction

a work that draws its information from history or fact

Online, on-line

the state of being connected to a network, typically the Internet. 

OPAC, O.P.A.C.

Online Public Access Catalog. The computer database of a library’s collection.

Paraphrasing

putting another person’s ideas into your own words

.pdf, PDF

Portable Document Format.  A computer file which displays documents in their original format

Periodical

any publication that is issued on a regular basis.  Magazines, scholarly journals and newspapers are types of periodicals.

Plagiarism

using another person’s ideas or expressions as your own.  For further information see http://library.acadiau.ca/tutorials/plagiarism/

Plain text

a file which displays no special formatting or graphics.  The file extension is .txt

Primary sources

the use of actual historic sources (i.e. government documents, speeches, news footage, eyewitness accounts etc.)

Quote

copying exactly as it was written or said, and giving credit to the author

Search engine

a computer program that indexes Web sites.  It looks for Web pages that contain keywords you enter.  i.e. Google

Secondary source

a secondary source is where other people write about or comment on a topic. Examples are: biographies, writing about literary or philosophical texts, political or historical events, discussions of scientific data, or studies of issues.

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 or many other things.

Subject search

to seek information by topic (as opposed to author or title). In many indexes and catalogs, a "subject" search implies searching by the use of standardized subject headings assigned by the indexers, as opposed to keyword searching, where the user essentially guesses at words included in titles or abstracts of relevant items

Summarizing

the act of cutting down a selection to about one-third of its original length.  Its purpose is to shorten a passage without sacrificing its basic meaning.

Surfing the Net

using the Internet to explore more than one Web site or topic.

Truncation

the process of dropping off letters from a word in a search in order to locate all possible combinations of the term and using a specific character to show truncation i.e. whal* would locate items about whale, whales, and whaling.

.txt

a file which displays in simple text with no special formatting or graphics.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator.  The address for a Web page.

USB Key

a small, lightweight, removable data storage device used to store data on a computer.

User interface

the ease of use of an electronic resource i.e. clear menu options, print instructions, ways to modify a search.

Web page

a single screen on the World Wide Web

Wild card

a symbol used in searching to represent one or more letters. It is most often used to find plurals and other variations of words. Commonly used symbols include "?" "*" "+" and “-“. See also truncation.

World Wide Web or WWW

the World Wide Web allows interaction with the Internet through the use of small images called icons and hypertext links. It is often referred to as the "graphical side of the Internet," due to its heavy use of images and other graphics.