| URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and represents the
address for a specific electronic document like a Web site. If you know the URL for a Web site, you can use a Web
browser to access the site directly by typing it into the address box at the top of the browser window. |
| Parts of a URL |
Definitions |
Protocol |
A protocol is used for the start of every URL, and, in the example below, "http" signifies
hypertext transfer protocol.
|
Domain |
The location in which the electronic file is stored on the Web (World Wide Web is labeled as "www").
|
Path |
Specifies the specific document desired from its location on the Web, based on the URL's domain.
|
Example of a URL:
http://www.library.fordham.edu/databases.html
| What can you learn by "reading" a URL? |
The URL endings (extensions) can give you an idea who supports the Web site which is a valuable tool in evaluating a
web site. Web sites that end in ".gov", ".edu" and ".org" are given more credibility than
those that end with extensions like ".com" and ".net".
| |
URL Extensions |
|
.gov |
Government sites end in .gov |
http://www.senate.gov |
.edu |
University sites end in .edu |
http://www.fordham.edu |
.org |
U.S. non-profit organizations end in .org |
http://www.aspca.org |
.mil |
U.S. military sites end in .mil |
http://www.army.mil |
| |
Be wary of Web sites that end with |
|
.com |
Commercial sites end with .com |
http://www.yankees.com |
.net |
Networking services and some personal Web sites end with .net |
http://www.att.net |
.de |
Web sites based in foreign countries end in a specific code for each nation. This extension is for Germany. |
http://www.spiegel.de |
| |
New URL Extensions to Note |
|
.aero |
Used by air transportation industry |
http://www.nata.aero |
.biz |
General use by business |
http://www.nsba.biz |
.coop |
Used by cooperative organizations |
http://www.ncba.coop |
.info |
General use by commercial and non-commercial sites |
http://www.ebrc.info |
.museum |
Used by museums |
http://getty.art.museum |
.name |
Used by individuals |
http://paintings.name |
.pro |
Used by certified professionals and professional entities |
http://www.nonprofit.pro |
|
