What is in a Web Page’s Address?

Each Web page has a unique address, or URL. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator.

A URL provides important information about the site that you are visiting. It is helpful to understand the different elements of the URL both understand what you are viewing, and to help you find additional resources.

The Protocol

Each URL begins with a protocol, generally http:// though sometimes you will see https://. Many Web browsers such as Chrom and Firefox suppress the protocol for simplicity. The protocol https:// indicates that the Web server will encrypt information that is transferred, providing increased security for information like user names and passwords.

The Domain Name

Perhaps the most important and useful information is the domain name. This shows which organization owns the website that you are viewing. In the example above, the domain name is ivytech.edu. Some browsers will show www. before the domain name, but www.ivytech.edu and ivytech.edu point to the same website.

What important information does this provide? First, each domain name is unique. Other organizations may use the words Ivy Tech somewhere in a URL, but only the college owns the ivytech.edu domain. When you are viewing information about the college from this domain you can be assured that it is information that is created and monitored by the college. Second, only colleges and universities may use the .edu top-level domain. The .edu domains are administered by an organization called EDUCAUSE and are carefully managed.

Other top-level domains include:

It is interesting to note that both non-profit and for-profit higher education institutions use the .edu domain.

The Subdirectories

Often as you move through a website you will see subdirectories in the URL. In our example, above nursing is a subdirectory. Subdirectories can help you orient yourself to where you are in the organization of the website. If you were looking for general admissions information and found yourself in the nursing subdomain then you would want to return to the homepage and find the general admissions information.

Navigating the Ivy Tech Website

The Ivy Tech Community College website uses two primary navigational features to help you find everything you need.

The Search Function

The prominent search bar allows you to search for any topic, only within the Ivy Tech domain. Anytime you see the magnifying glass symbol on a website it is providing the ability to search the website.

The Menu button in the top right corner of the website provides quick access to campuses, programs, or other areas of interest. You will notice, that the menu options will take you to new subdirectories that appear in the URL.

Give It a Try!

Search for a few important terms and see what you find. You might try:

• Library
• Tutoring
• Jobs
• Dining