*Some of these glossary definitions have been adapted and reproduced by permission of The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Many computer and Web-related definitions have been contributed by Jason Snart, College of DuPage.

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Web Abbreviation for World Wide Web or the Internet.

Web browser A program such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft’s Internet Explorer that uses the URL to identify and retrieve the file from the host computer on which it resides, displaying Web pages in a convenient manner to the user.

Web log Also known as a blog, an electronic template that stores entries chronologically (like an electronic journal or diary). Web logs are available through the World Wide Web. Users can make their web logs private or public. Web logs begin when Web users post a link to a certain Web page and provide their own commentary on the information contained on that page.

Web search engine A program such as Yahoo! or Google that retrieves information about Internet sites containing user-entered keywords.

Web site A set of interconnected Web pages, usually including a home page, generally located on the same server, and prepared and maintained as a collection of information by a person, group, or organization.

written reference Evidence derived from a person’s written opinions of someone; in critical thinking, one of the four categories of evidence.