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Maine Guide to Using the Internet for Substance Abuse Prevention

PLAIN TEXT VERSION

Maine Guide to Using the Internet for Substance Abuse Prevention

CONTENTS:
*Section 1 Introduction - What this guide is about and how to use it.

*Section 2 Internet for Beginners - What is the Internet and what is the World Wide Web?
How to get started and navigate the Web.

*Section 3 Searching the Internet - Search tools and search strategies.

*Internet Resources for Substance Abuse Prevention - An annotated list
of a selection of websites useful for substance abuse prevention.

*Glossary - A quick reference for Internet terminology.

Note:
This Guide is grounded in listening - listening to people in community-based groups, schools and offices; listening to feedback from people with varying degrees of experience with the Internet who field-tested the Guide; and listening to people with expertise on using and searching the World Wide Web. We hope you will find it useful . . . and maybe even enjoyable.
The World Wide Web is constantly evolving. Information that is available on a website can change over time and the websites themselves can change their addresses or even cease to exist. The websites mentioned in this Guide are meant to provide a useful starting point for searching for information and should not be thought of as being all-inclusive. They were chosen at the time of this printing as being helpful, but we cannot guarantee that they will meet the needs of everyone. As you begin your searches, you may well come up with better, more useful websites.
Also bear in mind that the Web, though a vast resource, does not contain everything. The books and journals in a good library, with the help of a research librarian, are sometimes your best sources of information. Many librarians can also help you navigate the Web.
We hope that, at the very least, this Guide can give you a good start!


This document was prepared under contract G699108. Listing of materials and resources in this book should not be construed or interpreted as an endorsement by the Office of Substance Abuse (OSA). This Guide is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part for educational purposes is granted. The full text of this publication is available at OSA's homepage at http://www.maineosa.org and in alternate formats upon request. For more information, please contact:

Office of Substance Abuse
159 State House Station
A.M.H.I. Complex
Marquardt Building
Augusta, Maine 04333-0159

Phone: 1-800-499-0027 or (207) 287-8900
TTY: 1-800-215-7604
Fax: (207) 287-8910
Email: osa.ircosa@maine.gov

In accordance with federal and state laws, the Maine Office of Substance Abuse does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, creed, disability or age in admission or access to treatment, services, or employment in its programs and activities.

INTRODUCTION
Why Go Online?
1. Get the latest information without leaving your office.
2. Print full-text documents including research papers, model programs and guides.
3. Discover related information to assist you in program planning.
4. Keep current with useful information on Maine's Office of Substance Abuse website.

Why another guide to the Internet?
The Maine Guide to Using the Internet for Substance Abuse Prevention is a no-nonsense, beginner-level overview of how to search the Internet for relevant information efficiently. This Guide will give you quick, clear and concise information and instructions. The many Tip sections will save you time and help keep you organized. In addition, it will show you how and where to look for more in-depth information.

The Guide also contains carefully selected and annotated website listings, including Maine-based websites, to help get you started. The websites were selected for three reasons:

1. They are established websites with prevention- related topic areas.

2. They are easy to navigate and contain useable and downloadable information.

3. They have valuable links to other related websites.

Important note: The information in this Guide will apply to many, but not all, computers and browser versions. If something does not work on your computer, check the Help section of your browser or check with your technical support person to learn how to apply the information in this Guide to your own computer and browser program.

Tips:
* Look here for helpful hints.
* Not all tips will be equally useful for Macintosh and PC (IBM Compatible) users.

Tips on Connecting:
* You can find a list of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that serve your area in the Yellow Pages of your local telephone book under "Internet."
* Make sure that you choose a local phone number or 800 number to connect to the Internet to avoid costly phone bills.
* Ask friends and co-workers about the pros and cons of the providers (ISPs) that they are using.
* Once you select your provider, they will help you get connected.

To Learn More: Look under this heading for directions on where to go for more in-depth information or guidance.

SECTION 1 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
This Guide can save you time and effort. You can read it word for word, skip sections you feel you already know, or just review the Tips in the margins of each page. If you want more detailed information, follow the To Learn More directions that are located at the bottom of the page. There is also a glossary of selected terms at the end of this Guide.

BEGINNING
If you have no experience using a computer, go to your local library or computer store for some basic instruction. This Guide assumes that you have elementary knowledge of how to use the computer and manipulate the mouse. It also assumes that your computer is already connected to the Internet.

Your local computer store and/or Internet Service Provider (ISP) can help you get set up if you are not yet connected. If you do not have your own computer, most libraries now offer computer access to the Internet. You can also often schedule Internet computer time at colleges and technical schools.

SECTION 2 THE INTERNET FOR BEGINNERS

WHAT IS THE INTERNET? WHAT IS THE WORLD WIDE WEB?
The Internet, or the "Net," is a global system of millions of interconnected computers that make it possible for the computers to share information (data) with each other. All of the connected computers use the same coding system or protocol to transmit and receive the information electronically through the Internet.

The Internet contains many resources: e-mail; listservs; chat rooms and newsgroups; program and text files; and the World Wide Web. This guide focuses on the subset of the Internet referred to as the "Web." It is a user-friendly collection of specially formatted documents (webpages) that can include text, pictures, sounds, and other media. These documents are stored on computers at specific locations around the world.

WEBSITES, WEBPAGES & LINKS:
All connected webpages that reside on the same computer are referred to as a website. Most websites are arranged with one page designated as the homepage. This page acts like a "Table of Contents" to the website and contains connections or links to other locations. Linking is a powerful aspect of a webpage and is accomplished through hypertext or graphics that are formatted to provide a connection to another part of the document, to other webpages, or to different websites that contain related information. These links, also called hyperlinks, often appear as underlined or specially colored words (blue is common), or as a special graphic (or button) on a webpage. When you move your cursor over a link, the pointer on your mouse changes to the shape of a hand, and on some links will be highlighted. To use a link, just point your cursor over the link and click with your mouse.

The Internet ...
contains many types of resources and information:
* E-mail
* Listservs
* Newsgroups
* Chat rooms
* Program and text files
* World Wide Web (WWW) pages

Tip: After you use your mouse to click on a link, the link will change color on some websites. This helps you remember links you've already visited on a website.

To Learn More: For more information on the Internet and the World Wide Web, go to the following address: http://www.ci.keene.nh.us/library/tutorial.htm. This site has links to a variety of tutorials. Learn the Net might be a good starting point for more in-depth information.

INTERNET ADDRESSES
Each Web document or file on the Internet has a unique address by which it can be located. This address has a specific format that is used uniformly across the world to locate information in the vast sea of resources and therefore is called a Uniform Resource Locator. This address, or URL, gives information about the type of resource that is located on a specified computer, as well as where that particular file or page resides on the computer.

All webpages on the Internet begin with the prefix http:// to designate that they are webpages. The next part of the address tells the domain name of the computer followed by a forward slash(/). This part designates which folder or directory the file is located in on the computer. The final part of the address follows another forward slash and includes the name of the file.

For example, if we look at the Web address of a prevention page linked from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse website, we see the full Web address is http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/bds/osa/prevention.

The http:// designates that it is a webpage. The "www.maine.gov" is the domain name, the name of the State of Maine Government computer that holds the website homepage. Notice that the name of the computer gives us information about the website. It tells us that the computer is a Government (.gov) computer.

Often the address gives us additional hints about the website. The next tthree parts "/dhhs/bds/osa/" designate that the page is located in the osa folder inside the bds folder within the dhhs folder. And finally, the webpage name is "prevention".

Tip: To distinguish an E-mail address from a URL (Web address):
* A Web address starts with http://
* An E-mail address contains @

Tips: Remember:
* Type the URL exactly or your browser will not be able to locate the website.
* Don't leave spaces when typing in a URL address .
* Use forward slashes(/) when typing the address, not backward slashes(\).
* Don't use upper case letters unless they are part of the Web address.
* Don't be discouraged if nothing happens - it can take a while to connect.
* Double check your typing and be sure to hit the Enter/Return key after typing in the address.

Tip: There are three-letter abbreviations for different domains:
* .com = business (commercial)
* .edu = educational
* .org = non-profit
* .gov = government
* .net = network provider
* .mil = military
* .us = country code for United States

GETTING TO THE WEBSITE
Once you have an address to the location of your information, you need a vehicle to get there. If it were a physical location you might get in a vehicle like your car and drive there. Given that it is an electronic location we use a computer program called a browser to take us there. This program brings the document into your computer so that you can view its contents.

There are multiple versions of the browser programs for both Macintosh and PC platform (IBM compatible) computers; most display the following basic components on your screen:

* Title: This is the title of the webpage. In the example used earlier the title was "Office of Substance Abuse - Prevention." This title appears at the very top of the browser window.
*Text Menus: This includes a list of text menu choices similar to those in word processors and other applications. This is where you will find the commands to Save, Print, Edit, and find Help.
* Button Bar: This bar provides a variety of buttons needed to navigate the Web. These include graphical representations of many of the features available under the text menus. The Back, Forward, Stop, Home, Refresh/Reload, and Print are examples of available buttons.
* Location Field: This field shows the Internet address (URL) of the webpage you are currently viewing. This is also where you enter the new address of a website you wish to visit.
* Body of the Webpage: The center of the screen contains the page content.
* Hyperlinks: Text or graphics that take you to another location. Usually these links are designated by differently colored or underlined text, or pictures.
* Scroll bars: Scroll bars are narrow gray rectangles that appear at the right hand side or at the bottom of the document if it is too large to fit on the screen. You can move them by clicking on them and dragging the bar up or down, or back and forth. This allows you to see the parts of the document below or to the side of your screen.
* Progress or Status Bar: At the bottom of the screen the status bar provides information about your progress when linking to a new URL. If your browser doesn't show any of these bars, you can turn them "on"/"off" under View.

Browsers: The most commonly used browsers are:
* Netscape Navigator(c)
* Microsoft Internet Explorer(c).

Tip: If you have an older version of a browser, consider updating, since webpages are often designed to display best in newer versions.

CONNECTING TO A WEB ADDRESS:
I have the URL (Web address) of a website I want to visit, how do I connect to it?
If you have the URL of a specific document, you can access it by:
1. Starting up, or launching, your browser by using your mouse to double click on the browser icon (image) or choosing the browser from your program menu.
2. Going to the Location Field, clicking the cursor in the box, and typing in the new URL.
3. Hitting the Enter or Return key on your keyboard.
These three steps will connect you. Then it takes a short time to load the webpage. While you are waiting an hourglass or watch shape will appear, letting you know that a connection is being made and will take a little more time. You can also look at the status bar at the bottom of the screen to see the progress that is being made in connecting you to the website.

Is it taking too long to connect to the website?
* Try clicking on the Stop button, then click on the Refresh /Reload button on your button bar at the top of the screen.
* You can turn off the downloading of the graphics on a webpage and just print the text. Graphics take more time to download. Call your technical support for instructions, or follow the directions under the Help tool bar.
* Try a different time of day. The busiest times in the US are usually 4 PM to 10 PM Eastern Time.

Tip: If you get an error message it could mean:
* The address was typed incorrectly; check to be sure it is exactly the same.
* The link you seek has moved or no longer exists.
* The computer where the document is stored may be busy or temporarily out of order. Try it again later.
* If you have trouble connecting to a website with a long address, try typing in just the portion of the address that includes the domain name. This will usually take you to the website's homepage.

Tip: If you change your mind about connecting to a website you just typed in and want to stay where you are, just click the Stop button on your toolbar.

Tip: The type of connection that you have (modem speed, for example) makes a difference in how long it takes to access individual websites.

HOW TO MOVE AROUND WITHIN A DOCUMENT
The text doesn't all fit on the screen; how can I read it?

To move (scroll) up and down in the document:
* Use the mouse to click on, or click and hold down, the arrows at each end of the scroll bar on the side of the document.
* Hold the mouse button down on the scroll bar and drag the bar up or down by moving the mouse.

To move (scroll) left and right:
* Follow the above procedures with the scroll bar at the bottom of the document.

To move around using links:
* Click the mouse on the hypertext links or buttons located within the document. This will take you to different parts or "pages" of the document, or to related websites.
* You can tell that a word or phrase is a hypertext link because it is often a different color and/or underlined. Your cursor will change shape as it passes over a linking word. Sometimes the color of a linking word will change as you move the cursor over the word. If you're not sure, it won't hurt to click on a button, picture or word because, if it's not a hyperlink, nothing will happen.

Tip: You can also use your mouse to click on any arrows or scroll bars that might be located within the webpage itself.

Tips: Use the Space bar on your keyboard to move down through the document. (Press Shift and Space bar to go up.) You can also use the PageUp and PageDown keys on your keyboard, or the up/down arrow keys on the keyboard.

NAVIGATING ON THE WEB
I'm ready to go to different websites; how do I make sure I don't get "lost"?
Once you have gone to several websites by either typing the Web address (URL) into the Location Field box, or by clicking on hypertext links, you can find your way back to previously visited websites by:
* Clicking on the Back toolbar button (at the top of the screen), to return to a previous document.
* Clicking on the Forward toolbar button (at the top of the screen), to return to the document you were looking at before you used the Back button.
* Clicking on the Go button on the text menu at the top of the screen, or (depending on your browser) clicking on the View and then the Go To button, also gives you Back and Forward options.

Additional Suggestions:
* To review a list of the websites you've visited lately, click on the arrow at the end of the Location Field box (where the URL is typed) for a list of previously visited websites. You can click on any of these addresses if you want to return to a website.
* To orient yourself within a website, study the homepage to see all that is available on the website. Some websites also have a Site Map link on the homepage that you can click on for a graphic illustration, with links, of everything on that website.
* Click on the Home button located on the toolbar at the top of the screen to go back to your homepage (the page you see when you first connect to the Internet).

Tip: You can click on the Back button repeatedly to go back through all of the websites you recently visited. These websites are temporarily saved in your browser's memory until you end your current Web browsing session.

Tip: Depending on which browser you have, you may have a History button (on the toolbar) that you can click to review a list of previously visited websites that have been saved in your computer's memory.

Tip: Both the websites available from History and the websites listed when you click on the arrow at the end of the Location Field box can be accessed at future Web browsing sessions. (The number of websites and length of time saved varies with different browsers.)

Tip: If you retype a Web address (URL) in the Location Field box, it will take longer to connect than if you use any of the other methods listed on this page.

BOOKMARKING FAVORITE WEBSITES:
I found a website I really like; how can I save the address so I can find it again?

To make a permanent record of websites you want to revisit frequently, you can put the address on your Favorites or Bookmarks list that is located on the button bar of your browser.
While you are connected to the homepage of a website that you wish to save:
* Click on the Bookmarks or Favorites button (located on the button bar at the top of the browser screen).
* Click on Add Bookmark or Add To Favorites and the website will be automatically listed for you.
* You can bookmark a particular page of a website, if that is what you are interested in, by following the above steps while that particular webpage is displayed on your screen.

To return to a bookmarked website:
* Click on the Bookmarks or Favorites button which will display a list of websites.
* Click on the name of the website you wish to revisit.
* Your bookmarked site will appear on the screen.

Tip: Once you have several bookmarks, you can organize them into subject folders so that they are easier to find. Doing this is slightly different depending on which browser you are using. Check under Help on your browser Text Menu or ask your technical support person for assistance.

Tip: When you go to a webpage from a bookmarked site, hit the Refresh or Reload button on your browser, if you want to update the webpage. It is a good idea to do this for any website you have not visited in a long time.

To Learn More: For more detailed directions on creating folders with Netscape and Microsoft Explorer go to the following address: www.learnthenet.com and click on "World Wide Web" and then click on "Bookmarks and Favorites, " or go directly to this address: http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/17bookmark.htm.

PRINTING DOCUMENTS FROM YOUR BROWSER:
I found some good information; how do I print it?
* While the document is on your screen, click on File (on the text menu at the top of your screen).
* Click on Print; follow directions on the screen.
If you only want to print some of the information in the document (and your browser allows it) you can:
* Highlight the part of the text you wish to print.
* Click on File (on the text menu at the top of the screen).
* Click on Print; then click on Selection; then OK.

Tip: To highlight the text in a document: click in front of the first word, hold down the shift key, click behind the last word you want to capture, and all the text in between will be highlighted.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER:
I found a website that looks good, but when I try to download the document, all I get is funny looking symbols. What's wrong?
Many websites, including government websites, format their files in Portable Document Format, or PDF, which allows you to view the document in its original layout. To read a document that was formatted this way, you need to download, or install, Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. There is no charge to download this program. Websites that have documents formatted in PDF will display a button (icon) that you can click on to download the program or you can go to the Adobe website. Just follow the five steps listed below.
Some websites allow other options besides PDF, including ACSII and Text file formats. Both of these work on almost any computer without an additional program, but they allow viewing of the text only, not the original format, diagrams or pictures.

To Download Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html:
1. Scroll down the page to "Get the Free Acrobat Reader" and follow the 3-step directions to download the program.
2. If the preset choice (Windows XP) is not the operating system you are using, you can click on the arrow at the end of the Platform Field box for additional options.
3. Answer the survey question in step 2 by clicking on your choice, then type in your e-mail address.
4. Click on the "Download" button.
5. If you have any problems downloading, click on "Troubleshooting" on the left side of the screen, scroll down the page and click on the options that apply to you.

VIRUSES:
What's a computer virus anyway?
A computer virus is a program that enters your computer system when you use something that is infected, such as a disk that has infected files on it, or an infected e-mail attachment. There are many different types of viruses that behave in different ways, but basically they can destroy information on your computer. Before you download (transfer any file from the Internet to your computer), make sure that you install an up-to-date virus protection program in your computer, and always use caution when downloading programs or information from an unknown site. To really protect you, virus protection programs need to be updated frequently.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION:
How do I know if the information I find on the Web is reliable?
Anyone can post information on the Web, so it is important to evaluate the information you find to check its validity, accuracy and authority. The following are some things to keep in mind:
* What is the source of the information, and how is the website funded? Government websites, universities and respected organizations and foundations are a good bet for reliable information. You can look at the URL for ".gov" or ".edu" sites.
* How current is the information? When was the document written and how often is the website updated? Latest update information is sometimes at the bottom of the home page.
* What are the credentials of the author? Be leery of information that is posted anonymously, or when the author's credentials are not listed.
* What is the bias of the information? Is it factual information, the author's opinion, or an ad to get you to buy something? Ads and paid opinions are more often on ".com" sites.
* If it is published information, is it the full text, or a modified version?

For your safety:
* Only use a credit card to pay for something on the Web when you know the company is reputable and you know where they are physically located.
* Be cautious about giving out your name, home address and phone number on an on-line form as your privacy is not necessarily guaranteed.

To Learn More: To check out the truth about a virus warning, one good site to go to is F-Secure, a computer information service at: http://www.f-secure.com.

CITING WEB SOURCES
If you are using information that you downloaded from the Web, you need to cite your source to give credit to the author(s) and to allow the reader to locate the cited information. There is currently no agreed upon single way of citing Internet resources, and variations of standard citations have been adapted to electronic technology. The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is a frequent choice. For a listing of websites that have electronic information citation guides, visit the following page at the Internet Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/ref/QUE/FARQ/netciteFARQ.html.
Internet information is often, but not always, copyright-free. Before printing and distributing Internet information, make sure it is in the public domain or get permission.

Tip: If you need to obtain permission to use information from a website, there is often an e-mail address at the bottom of a website's homepage that you can use for this purpose.

To Learn More: For additional examples of citation styles: see the Learning Page of the Library of Congress at the following address: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/cite/index.html.
or go to the Columbia University Press at this Web address: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos/idx_basic.html
(Please note the underscore in the above address: "idx_basic.")

CLOSING YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION
The way you close your Internet connection will vary, depending on how your computer is set up to relate to your Internet Service Provider. It is important that you understand how to be sure that you are actually disconnected in order to avoid extra charges. This will differ, depending on your set-up. Ask your technical support person or your Internet Service Provider for details.

Also note that, depending on how you are set up, your Internet connection might be terminated if your computer sits idle for a period of time. If this happens, you will need to reconnect.

SECTION 3 SEARCHING THE INTERNET

READY TO TRY IT ON YOUR OWN?

There is an incredible amount of information on the Web, some of it useful, some not. The point is to find the useful information and not spend all of your time searching. To search the Internet you need the Web address of a search tool and a search strategy.

SEARCH TOOLS
There are three types of search sites/tools available to help you locate the information you are looking for on the Web: directories, search engines and metasearch engines. You access these tools by typing their Web address into the Location Field box on your browser. Choose which type to use depending on the kind of information you are seeking.
* Directories contain a catalog of websites that are organized by humans into subject categories (health, education, etc.). There are commercial directories (such as Yahoo!) as well as academic and professional directories. Directories contain only a small portion of the webpages available, and selection criteria vary considerably depending on which directory you choose. They work best for finding general information in broad topic areas.
* Search Engines are searchable databases of Internet files that were collected by a computer program known as a spider or robot. These programs comb through different websites and analyze millions of webpages, indexing them in a variety of ways. When you search the Web using a search engine you are searching its huge accumulated database. Search engines work best for finding specific information.
* Metasearch Engines simultaneously search multiple search tools using the words you enter about your topic. They return a list of the top matches to your search from several different search tools. They are most useful if you have an unusual topic, your search is not complex, or you aren't finding anything using one search engine.

Tips:
For a Subject Directory try the following addresses:

* Britannica at: http://www.britannica.com/
* INFOMINE at: http://infomine.ucr.edu
* Yahoo! at: http://www.yahoo.com

For a Search Engine try the following addresses:

*Goodle at: http://www.google.com
* AltaVista at: http://www.altavista.com
* Excite at: http://www.excite.com
* HotBot at: http://www.hotbot.com
* Infoseek at: http://infoseek.go.com

For a Metasearch Engine try:
* Dogpile at: http://dogpile.com
* MetaCrawler at: http://www.metacrawler.com

HOW DO I USE THESE TOOLS?
To access a search engine, type its Web address into the Location Field box of your browser and hit the Enter/Return key on your keyboard. Once you are connected to the search engine, put your cursor in the blank Search Field box and type in keywords related to your topic of interest. Use your mouse to click on the Search or Go button next to the box, or hit Enter/Return on your keyboard. The search engine then scans its database and returns a list of websites that contain the words you used in your search. You can then use your mouse to click on one of these returned links and you will be connected to that website. Use the Back button located on the Button Bar at the top of your screen to return to the original list. You can then select another link to click on.
Follow the same procedure when using a metasearch engine.
When using directories point your cursor to a subject or topic area and click to view results. Many directories also contain an internal search feature that allows you to search for keywords within the directory itself.

SEARCH STRATEGIES
Many of the major search engines contain the full text of the files that they have stored in their databases. These search engines will retrieve a file document even if the search term you used appears only once in the text of the document. To be effective, it is important to narrow the focus of your search. Each search engine works a little differently, so it is important to understand the way the search engine you are using works.

Tip: Beware of advertisements with entry boxes that look like the entry boxes on search tools. It is sometimes hard to distinguish them from a Search Field box. If you double check, you won't accidentally respond to an ad.

Tip: It is a good idea to pick 3 to 5 search tools of different types and get to know how each works. Practice searching the same topic with different tools to discover those that work best for you.

Tip: To familiarize yourself with the way a particular search tool works, use your mouse to click on the Help, Search Tips or Hints link of the search tool. This will give you information on the most effective way to search using that specific tool.

Tip: Use more than one search engine for each topic, as your results will vary with each.

General Principles
There are some general principles that govern the way most search engines work. An understanding of these principles will result in more successful searches.
* Search engines make use of the words AND, OR and NOT in establishing logical relationships between words entered into the Search Field. These words are useful in broadening or narrowing the focus of your search. They are known as Boolean operators.

How to use these Terms
* Use AND between words when you want to require that both words appear in the document.
EXAMPLE: tobacco AND prevention will return search results in which both tobacco and prevention are mentioned in the document.
* Use OR between words when it doesn't matter which word is contained in the document.
EXAMPLE: tobacco OR cigarettes will return search results in which either the word tobacco or the word cigarettes is mentioned.
* Use NOT in front of a word when you want to eliminate documents containing that word.
EXAMPLE: tobacco NOT settlement will return results that contain the word tobacco, but not the word settlement.

* Typing your search terms in all lowercase letters will return results for both uppercase and lowercase spellings. Use capitalized letters only if you want to search for terms written exactly that way in a document. Also, most search engines will interpret the singular spelling of a word as either the singular or plural form. If you only want the plural form, type it that way in the Search Field.

* Search engines often have a feature known as Phrase Searching. This requires that all words enclosed by quotation marks appear in exactly that order in any document that is retrieved. This is a powerful search technique and helps to narrow your results.
EXAMPLE: "substance abuse" will return results that contain the phrase substance abuse, and not documents that contain just the word substance or just the word abuse or documents that might contain both words, but not in any specific relationship to each other.

* Some search engines allow you to abbreviate or truncate your term by adding an asterisk * to the main part of the word. The search engine will then return results containing the root word and any variations.
EXAMPLE: child* will return results containing the words child and children.

Additional Search Engine Information
* Search engines return results according to different types of relevancy ranking criteria. Variations can include: retrieving documents where the search terms appear in the title, the URL or the heading; the number of times the terms appear in the text of the document; if the search terms appear close together in the document; etc. Some tools allow you to determine the ranking criteria when you use their Advanced Search option. Knowing the criteria can help you decide which search tool to use or how far to continue to look through retrieved documents.

* Many search engines do not group multiple pages from the same source together as one listing. Therefore, you get many hits on the same website and your long list may have many duplicate websites.

Tips: It is important to review the "Help" or "Search Tips" at each search tool to understand how it makes use of Boolean logic. For example, at some websites the space between words in the Search Field is viewed as OR, while at other websites it is viewed as AND.
Some search engines have a variation of the Boolean operators AND and NOT in which a + symbol before the word (with no space between) means that the word is required, and a - symbol before a word means that only documents that do not include that word will be returned.
Additionally, some websites have the option of clicking on "All Terms" which is like using AND between terms, or clicking on "Any Terms" which is like using OR between all terms.

Tip: Some search tools have an Advanced Search option. This allows you to do more complex Boolean searches. Use this feature when you want to do very specific searches.

To Learn More:
For information on the features of different search tools, you can go to these Web addresses:
The University At Albany Libraries at: http://www.library.albany.edu/internet/choose.html
The UC Berkeley Library website contains a table of search engines that includes the criteria these search engines use to rank their results: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/ToolsTables.html

FORMULATING A SEARCH:
Now that you have a basic understanding of how a search engine works, you can formulate an effective search or query, by following these six steps:

1. Analyze your topic and state what you want to find.
EXAMPLE: I want to find websites dealing with the prevention of substance abuse among teens.

2. List keywords and phrases.
EXAMPLE: Keywords and phrases from the above example: prevention, substance abuse and teens.

3. Think of possible synonyms, equivalent terms, or unique words related to your search topic or terms.
EXAMPLE: Some equivalent terms for teens might be youth or adolescents. (Note: some search engines allow you to group synonyms together by using parentheses and separating them with Boolean OR as in (teens OR youth OR adolescents). This allows you to search for any of the terms in one search attempt.

4. Put quotation marks around any phrases.
EXAMPLE: In the above example you would put quotation marks around the phrase "substance abuse."

5. Combine key words that you want to require in all returned documents with AND.
EXAMPLE of one possible search combination:
* prevention AND "substance abuse" AND teens
ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES (depending on search tool used):
* prevention AND "substance abuse" AND adolescents
* +prevention +"substance abuse" +youth
* substance abuse prevention youth

6. Type one of these combinations into the Search Field box. Click on Search or Go, or hit the Enter/Return key.

Remember that you have to set up your search according to the features of each search tool. All search tools have different formatting rules.

Tip: Key words in queries will most often be nouns. (In general do not use verbs, adjectives or adverbs.) Use no more than 6-8 words per query and be specific - avoid generic terms.

Tip: Some search tools allow you to do Field Searching. This lets you search for Key Words or Phrases in the Title, Domain, URL or other fields of a document. (See the Advanced Search help on the search tool for more information.)

Tip: Some browsers have a Find feature available through the Text Menu at the top of your screen. (It is sometimes listed under Edit.) This button can locate a particular term within a downloaded document so that you don't have to read through the entire document to find out where your search term is located. This allows you to quickly decide whether or not the document will be a useful resource for you.

FREQUENT PROBLEMS:
Too many search results?
* Add additional search terms. Some search engines allow you to refine your search within the existing results.
* Use terms that are specific to your topic.
* Use Boolean NOT to exclude documents that are not relevant if that option is available on your search tool.
* Take advantage of any other Advanced Search features available on your search engine.

Too few search results?
* Use more general, broad category terms.
* Leave out less important terms.
* Use Boolean OR to add synonyms or different spellings for terms if this feature is available on the search tool you are using.
* Try using a different search engine.
* Try using a metasearch engine or a directory.

Tip: Bookmark your favorite search tools for future use and bookmark favorite websites along the way. This will make connecting quicker and easier and eliminate any typing errors when entering the Web address.

Tip: For advanced search strategies check the Advanced Search Help on each search tool.

To Learn More: For an interactive tutorial on search techniques try the following:
*UC Berkeley has an online tutorial "Finding Information on the Internet A TUTORIAL" available at: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html.
*The University At Albany Libraries Internet Tutorials are available at this address: http://library.albany.edu/internet/.

A NOTE IN CLOSING
These guidelines, mixed with a little patience, a dose of humor and a sense of adventure, should help you on your way to successful searching of the Internet! Please share this Guide and share your knowledge. The best way to really learn is to teach what you've learned to others.

INTERNET RESOURCES
A Sample of Some National Webites
(Maine Websites are listed after these national websites)

Name: Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)
Web Address: http://www.casacolumbia.org
Description: A think tank that brings together all of the professional disciplines needed to study and combat all forms of substance abuse. Website features include: original research; publications; news; links; ability to search the website.
Subject Focus: Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs
Content Areas: Research; Links; Resources
Population Focus: General including Schools; Communities; and Youth
Comments: The Center conducts ongoing research. Summaries of completed research as well as full text documents are available to download from the website. Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed for the full text reports. Easy to navigate.

Name: The Community Tool Box
Web Address: http://ctb.ku.edu
Description: This website, developed by the University of Kansas Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development, promotes child well being, youth development, and community health. It provides how-to materials and links for building healthy communities. Website features include: the Tool Box with over 3000 downloadable pages of specific, skill-building information on over 150 community topics; Community Troubleshooting Guide; Guide for Proposal Writing; links; and a website search feature.
Subject Focus: Community Development and Health Promotion
Content Areas: Resources; Links
Population Focus: Communities
Comments: This is a large and very comprehensive website that covers all aspects of community building. You might want to start by clicking on "Community Building Tools," then "Introduction to the Tools, " and then go through the "Table of Contents." The website is continuously being added to, so check on the progress by clicking on "What's New." A wonderful website.

Name: Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
Web Address: http://www.edc.org/hec/
Description: Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Center provides support to all institutions of higher education in their efforts to address alcohol and other drug problems. Website features include: downloadable information and publications including links for "Effective Prevention" that deal with environmental strategies for the college campus and "Planning for Results;" campus news related to alcohol and drugs.
Subject Focus: Alcohol and Other Drugs; Related Violence
Content Areas: Resources; Programs; Links
Population Focus: Young Adults in a College setting
Comments: Check out "Just for Students" (on the left-hand side of the home page), "Publications," as well as the many other links and features on the website.

Name: Join Together Online
Web Address: http://www.jointogether.org
Description: A national resource center for communities fighting substance abuse and gun violence. Website features include: substance abuse and gun violence sections; extensive links; news and issues updates; downloadable reports, newsletters and community action toolkits; funding information and more.
Subject Focus: Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs; Violence
Content Areas: Resources; Funding; Links
Population Focus: General including Youth and Communities
Comments: Huge website; pay attention to the button bars along the bottom and left side of the screen to help you navigate. Click on the "Site Map" button on the bottom of the screen to get an idea of what is available on the website. Website also has a search option.

Name: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) PREVline (Prevention Online)
Web Address: http://www.health.org
Description: NCADI, also known as PREVline, is the world's largest resource for current information and materials concerning substance abuse. It is the information service of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Website features include: downloadable publications, research, fact sheets, data and program information; daily updates and news; ability to search the National Substance Abuse Web Index (a multi-site index); good links.
Subject Focus: Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs
Content Areas: Research; Programs; Funding; Links; Resources
Population Focus: General including Schools; Communities; and Youth
Comments: This is a very large website with a wealth of useable information. Be sure to check out "What's New," "Current Campaigns/Initiatives," and "Latest Research," as well as the other links from the homepage. A website that's easy to navigate and well worth spending some time exploring.

Name: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Web Address: http://www.nida.nih.gov
Description: NIDA supports and conducts research across a broad range of disciplines to improve drug abuse and addiction prevention, treatment and policy. Website features include: the latest Monitoring the Future Study survey; downloadable information including research findings, newsletters and other publications; NIDA Infofax (includes drug profiles and health effects, survey data, etc.); ability to search the website; in-depth information on drugs that are abused.
Subject Focus: Alcohol and Other Drugs
Content Areas: Research; Programs; Links; Resources
Population Focus: General including Schools; Youth; and Special Populations
Comments: Check the "Publications" link for downloadable information including Preventing Drug Abuse Among Children and Adolescents - A Research Based Guide, as well as many other research reports and NIDA monographs. Also of special interest is "Site for Students and Teachers" and "Teaching Support Materials."

Name: National Mentoring Partnership
Web Address: http://www.mentoring.org
Description: The National Mentoring Partnership advocates for the expansion of mentoring and is a resource for mentors and mentoring initiatives nationwide. It provides training, tools and resources needed to help a mentor become a responsible, committed, caring adult in the life of a young person. Website features include: downloadable information and interactive quizzes on starting a mentoring program; sections on finding or becoming a mentor; research summaries; other resources.
Subject Focus: Mentoring
Content Areas: Programs; Links; Resources
Population Focus: Youth
Comments: Easy to navigate.

Name: National Youth Development Information Center (NYDIC)
Web Address: http://www.nydic.org/nydic
Description: NYDIC is a project of the National Assembly. NYDIC provides practice-related information about youth development, which includes asset building and resiliency, to national and local youth-serving organizations at low cost or no cost. Website features include: downloadable information and links to information; research; evaluation; funding; a searchable database; news; best practices and curriculum information.
Subject Focus: Developmental needs
Content Areas: Research; Programs; Funding; Links; Resources
Population Focus: Youth including Schools; Communities
Comments: A great new website for people who serve youth. It is comprehensive and includes a toll free telephone number to an Information Specialist to answer additional questions.

Name: Northeast CAPT (Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies)
Web Address: http://www.northeastcapt.org
Description: Northeast CAPT's mission is to support the application of science-based substance abuse prevention programs and strategies at the regional, state and local levels and to enhance collaboration between and within each level. Website features include: a searchable database of effective substance abuse prevention programs; downloadable information, reports and data, links to the other CAPT websites as well as information on each state; daily news; other related links.
Subject Focus: Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs
Content Areas: Research; Programs; Links; Resources
Population Focus: General, focuses on environmental approaches
Comments: The searchable database of effective programs is very helpful. Also check out the information under the "Using Science-Based Prevention Strategies" and the calendar of training events in the Northeast. This website is easy to navigate.

Name: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
Web Address: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org
Description: This website provides information and resources in the areas of juvenile justice and delinquency. Website features include: downloadable information on underage drinking, school violence, the juvenile justice system, delinquency prevention, statistics; and the capability to search multiple related websites. Federal funding information is also available through this website.
Subject Focus: Alcohol and Other Drugs; Violence
Content Areas: Programs; Funding; Links; Resources
Population Focus: Youth including Schools; Communities
Comments: Check the "Site Map" link at the top of the page for a quick overview of the website.

Name: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Web Address: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
Description: This office establishes the policies, priorities and objectives for the nation's drug control program. Website features include: downloadable information on criminal justice related issues; current programs (including Safe and Drug Free Communities); a section on Prevention and Education; and the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Federal funding opportunities are also available through this website.
Subject Focus: Alcohol and Other Drugs; Violence
Content Areas: Programs; Funding; Links; Resources
Population Focus: General including Schools; Communities; and Youth
Comments: Look at the "Prevention and Education" section on this website. You can check the "Site Map" link at the bottom of the homepage for details about what is available on the website.

Name: Promising Practices Network
Web Address: http://www.promisingpractices.net
Description: This website provides information on practices and programs that research and/or recognized experts indicate are effective in strengthening children, youth, families, and communities. Website features include: downloadable information on programs that meet certain benchmarks of effectiveness; website searches by key words.
Subject Focus: Promising Practices related to health promotion and prevention
Content Areas: Programs; Resources
Population Focus: General including Schools; Communities; and Youth
Comments: The website is easy to navigate; good places to start are the "Orientation" and "FAQ" links.

Name: Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program
Web Address: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/index.html
Description: The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program is the Federal government's primary vehicle for reducing drug, alcohol and tobacco use and violence, through education and prevention activities in our nation's schools. Website features include: ability to search publications at the U.S. Department of Education website; links to research reports; related news updates.
Subject Focus: Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs; Violence
Content Areas: Funding; Links; Resources
Population Focus: Schools; Communities; and Youth
Comments: Be sure to check the link to "Keeping Schools and Communities Safe" (toward the bottom of the home page) which includes statistics and publications.

Name: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Web Address: http://www.samhsa.gov
Description: SAMHSA is comprised of three Centers that carry out the agency's mission of providing substance abuse and mental health services: the Center for Mental Health Services; the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP); and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). You can follow links to all three centers from this website. Website features include: downloadable statistical information; ability to search the SAMHSA Web server; substance abuse and mental health information.
Subject Focus: Alcohol and Other Drugs
Content Areas: Statistics; Funding; Links; Resources
Population Focus: General
Comments: Click on "Statistics" to link to the Office of Applied Studies. (Note that this data sometimes takes a while to download.) Also, check out the Center for Mental Health Services at the bottom of the SAMHSA homepage, and click on the link to the Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN). This is an excellent website on mental health issues, and also has a link to a "School Violence Prevention" webpage that contains downloadable reports on school violence prevention and enhancing resilience. The National Survey on Drug Abuse report is also available from this website.

Maine-Based Websites

* The State of Maine Website homepage at http://www.maine.gov links to all Maine State Government websites including:
* Communities for Children at http://www.communitiesforchildren.org.
* The Maine Bureau of Health's Healthy Maine Partnerships webpage at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/hmp/index.html, which includes the Community Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention and the Tobacco Use, Prevention and Control Programs.
* The Maine Commission for Community Service at http://www.maineservicecommission.gov, which includes information on National Service Corporation Programs such as AmeriCorps/VISTA.
* The Maine Legislature at http://janus.maine.gov/legis.
* The Maine Office of Substance Abuse at http://www.maineosa.org, which provides information on prevention and treatment as well as downloadable reports, fact sheets and statistics related to Maine.
* The Request for Proposal page at http://www.mainegov/purchases/rfp, which lists current state grant information.
* The Maine State Library at http://www.maine.gov/msl, which allows you to do a library search using URSUS.
* The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Web site at http://www.maine.gov/suicide/, which contains information and resources, Maine statistics, and information on Gatekeeper trainings.

More Maine Websites (a Sampling)

* Governor's Committee on Mentoring Youth (GCMY) at http://www.mainementoring.org contains an information guide on developing a mentoring program, a resource guide by county, and links.
* The Maine Philanthropy Center at http://www.megrants.org contains a wealth of information for grant makers and grant seekers on funding opportunities, proposal writing and more.
* Youth Work Links and Ideas at http://www.youthwork.com/ has lots of links and information for those working with youth.
* Maine Arts Commission at http://www.mainearts.com includes information about programs in schools that function to enhance resiliency for youth.

SELECTED GLOSSARY TERMS

Bookmark: A way of saving a link to a website on your browser. You can access it at a later time by clicking on it rather than having to retype the URL in the Location Field box. Also called Favorites or Hotlist.

Boolean: A system of logic that is used by search tools as a way of combining search terms using the words (operators) "AND," "OR," and "NOT."

Browser (Web browser): A software program that enables you to view Web documents including their text, pictures and sound, as well as follow the links on webpages by clicking on them. The most common browsers are Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Domain: The part of a Web address that names which folder or directory a file is located in on a computer. It usually contains some form of the organization's name and consists of two or more parts that are separated by dots. It begins after the http:// and ends with the letters after the last dot before a forward slash (/).

Download: To request the transfer of information from the Internet to your computer. This can be in the form of documents/files or programs. Be careful about viruses when downloading files or programs. Make sure you have an up-to-date virus protection program installed on your computer.

E-mail (electronic mail): The transmission of text messages through a network service that allows users to send and receive messages via a computer. Messages can be sent to an individual or a group if you know their e-mail addresses. Files stored in your computer can also be attached to your messages.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions): Lists of commonly asked questions and answers about a specific topic. These are included on many websites and are a good starting place for finding information.

Field Searching: A feature on some search tools that allows you to limit a search by requiring that a word or phrase appear in a specific field of the document such as the title, the URL, or the domain. One example of a title search might be: title:"substance abuse" which would return results in which the term "substance abuse" was included in the title of the document.

Homepage: The page designated as the first page of a website. It acts as a Table of Contents to the website and contains links to the webpages of the website.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): This is a standardized formatting language of computer code that is interpreted (decoded) by your browser. It contains the text, pictures, sound and links that are displayed on your computer screen once it has been decoded.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): The standardized rules or method of communication used by the Web to transfer text, images, sound, video, and other media files over the Internet.

Hyperlink, Hotlinks, Hypertext: Specially formatted text, graphics or buttons in a webpage that, when clicked with the mouse, display another webpage or a different section of the same webpage. These are usually emphasized in some way such as being underlined, being a different color from the rest of the text, or changing color or becoming highlighted when pointed to with the cursor. The cursor changes to the shape of a hand when placed over one of these links.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): A company that, for a fee, provides you access to the Internet.

Listserv: An automatic mailing list server that allows subscribers to participate in a discussion group via e-mail. As a participant you can read all the messages sent to the group, and your replies are received by the entire group.

Metasearch Engine: A type of search tool program that submits your keyword search to several other search tools and retrieves the initial results from all of their databases.

Modem: A device that translates computer signals to allow your computer to send and receive data over phone lines.

Netiquette: The guidelines or rules of Internet courtesy or etiquette. For more information go to the following address: Netiquette by Virginia Shea at http://www.albion.com/netiquette/index.html.

Search Engine: A type of search tool program that is used to search an extensive database of Web documents for the keywords or phrases you supply in a search query. It retrieves a list of the Web addresses of documents that contain your search words.

Subject Directory: A type of search tool that is a catalog of websites organized under various category and topic areas that can be reviewed, or searched, by keywords. Some directories screen the files that they include, others accept submissions from anyone. Directories are smaller than other search tools because they're organized by people, not computer programs.

Truncation: A feature of some search tools that allows for variations in the spelling of words. By inserting an asterisk (*) at the end of the root part of a word, the search engine will return document files that contain not just the root word, but any of its alternate spellings or word endings.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator): is the unique address of any Web document. It is typed into the Location Field box of the browser.

Website: A Web address that contains one or more webpages. A website usually relates to a specific topic area, organization or product and is maintained by an organization or an individual.


To Learn More: To find the meaning of terms not listed here, try Webopedia, a searchable dictionary of Internet terms at: http://www.webopedia.com