What can you tell from a Top Level Domain?

When you search on the Internet it is important to know about the letters after the .DOT They help us decide which sites to select to find out more info on our specific topics.

These are examples of top level domains. Do you know what these abbreviations stand for?

• .tw


• .org


• .com


• .gov


• .edu


• .mil

We will discuss these different domains in class to help us learn to find information quickly. Below are some things to think about.

The first one .TW stands for Taiwan. That means the website has something to do with the country of Taiwan and can only be used by companies, schools, and businesses that operate within that country. What is your countries 2 letter abbreviation?

Why does it matter what type of domain a website belongs to?

When you go to the mall you can tell a shoe store from a clothing store by either the name of the products they sell. You also visually recognize a business by their logo: Nike's swoosh, Apple's biten apple, or Mc Donald's Golden Arches. This saves you time when looking for items you need.

The Internet does not have the ease of displaying information with visual clues: no location, no look, and no store design.

So the Top Level Domain tells us what the website is about and how we can find it. We can use this information to rule out if it is a website we want to visit.

What domain would you choose if you are moving to a new location and you want to learn about:

• the school?


• local stores?


• the mayor, governor, president or laws?


• places that are not for profit like the Red Cross, Amnesty International, or UNICEF

If you want to learn more about the US Marines would you go to:

• www.marines.com


•           OR


• www.marines.mil

Why did you pick the one you did?

So always think about the top level domain when you search.