Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur 4418
Website: www.cbsua.edu.ph
Email Address: [email protected]
Trunkline: (054) 871-5531;871-5533

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LIVING IN THE IT ERA

(GEC 10 & 12) MODULE

SEARCH ENGINES AND WEB BROWSERS: NAVIGATING THE DIGITAL

LANDSCAPE

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Clearly define the roles and functions of a search engine and a web browser,
understanding the key differences between them in terms of purpose, function,
and usage.
2. Identify the main components of both search engines (e.g., web crawlers, index,
algorithms) and web browsers (e.g., user interface, rendering engine,
networking), and provide examples of popular search engines and browsers.
3. Explain how search engines and web browsers work together to help users find
and view information, highlighting the process from conducting a search to
accessing content on the internet.

SPRINGBOARD:
Scenario: You want to find a recipe for chocolate cake.

Arrange these steps in the correct order (1-4):

___ Click on a recipe link you like

___ Type "chocolate cake recipe" in the search bar

___ Open your web browser

___ Review the search results

INPUT:
In the vast realm of the internet, search engines and web browsers serve as
essential tools for users to access and explore information. While often confused,
these two technologies play distinct roles in our online experience. Search engines
help us find specific content across the web, while browsers allow us to view and
interact with web pages. Understanding the differences and functionalities of these
tools is crucial for effective internet use.

SEARCH ENGINE: A search engine is a kind of website through which users

can search the content available on the Internet. For this purpose, users enter the
desired keywords into the search field. Then the search engine looks through its
index for relevant web pages and displays them in the form of a list. The Internet is
a huge source of information & resources and to access the resource from the
Internet there are some kinds of software, this software is known as a Search Engine.
Some of the popular ones are Google, Bing, Yahoo, Duckduckgo, Baidu, etc.

There are three main components of the Search engine:

• Crawler: Crawlers are software programs sometimes referred to the bots. It
regularly scans the websites automatically for URLs, keywords, and links to
discover the new updates. The crawler can follow the links present on some other
webpage.
• Index: As we know, the Crawler continuously scans the websites, it develops an
index of URLs, links, and keywords to make the search results more effective.
• Search Algorithm: The search algorithm is the complete mechanism behind the
whole searching process. It is working by searching for the index and finding the
most suitable web pages by matching keywords that are searched by the users.

WEB BROWSER: The web browser is an example of application software

that is developed to retrieve and view the information from web pages or HTML files
present on the web servers. The first web browser was invented by Sir Tim Berners-
Lee in 1990 and the very first graphical web browser was developed in 1993 and is
named the mosaic. After that, various web browsers were developed. Some of them
are navigator which is developed by Netscape communication, Microsoft
Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Apple safari.

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The main characteristics of a Web Browser are:
• It consists of Graphical User Interface.
• It contains the search box where the user can type the address or URL.
• Page style can be static or dynamic. It depends upon the interactivity and the
formatting.
• TCP/IP and HTTP protocols are used by web browsers.

Difference between Search Engine and Web Browser:

S.
No. Parameters Search Engine Web Browser

A search engine is used to

Web Browser uses the
find the information in the
search engine to retrieve
World Wide Web and
1. Definition and view the information
displays the results at one
from web pages present
place by returning web
on the web servers.
pages available on internet.

Web Browsers are

Search engine is intended
intended to Display the
to gather Information
2. Usage web page of the current
regarding several URL’s
URL available at the
and to maintain it.
server.

Search Engine need not to

Many Web Browsers can
3. Installation be installed on our system
be installed on our system.
(i.e. comes as default).

The search engine is

Typically, all devices are
4. Accessibility accessed through a web
supported.
browser.

The Search Indexer, A web browser uses a

5. Components
Crawler, and Database are graphical user interface to

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 3

S.
No. Parameters Search Engine Web Browser

the three essential help users have an

components of a search interactive online session
engine. on the Internet.

No database is required in
Web browser. It contains
A search engine contains its only cache memory to
6. Database
own database. store cookies as well as
browsing history until we
remove it from our system.

A search engine is not A browser is required to

required to open the open a search engine.
7. Dependency browser. This means that This means that the
the search engine is reliant browser is not reliant on
on the browser. the search engine.

Typically, search engines

Unless you actively clear
acquire information on
this data or use a private
their users and their
browsing mode, browsers
8. History search queries. Some
will retain your browsing
search engines, such as
history, cookies, and cache
DuckDuckGo, do not
in memory.
gather user information.

The major Advantages of The major Advantages of

using search engines are to using web browser are
9. Advantages Get the Consumer Trust, open standards, security
Trackable Results, sandbox, Robust GUI and
Generates Targeted Traffic, Simple networking.

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 4

S.
No. Parameters Search Engine Web Browser

Sustainable Clicks and

Grow Your Small Business.

The disadvantages of using The disadvantages of

search engines are difficult using web browsers are
10. Disadvantages Of Competitive Keywords, slow down with the new
Changing Algorithms and version and no-add on
Results are Not Guarantee. support.

Some of the widely used

Example of famous search
web browsers are: Mozilla
engines are: Google,
11. Examples Firefox, Netscape
Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckgo,
Navigator, and Google
Baidu Internet Explorer.
Chrome.

Let me explain the key differences between a search engine and a web browser:

A web browser is a software application that lets you access, view and navigate
websites. It's like a vehicle that helps you move around the internet. Common
examples include:

- Google Chrome

- Mozilla Firefox

- Safari

- Microsoft Edge

A search engine is a service that helps you find specific information across millions
of websites. It's like a massive index or catalog of the internet. Popular search engines
include:

- Google

- Bing

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 5

- DuckDuckGo

- Yahoo

To use an analogy: If the internet is a huge library, then:

- The web browser is like the building itself - it provides the space and tools to
access information

- The search engine is like the library's catalog system - it helps you locate specific
books/information

You typically use both together - you open a web browser first, then use a search
engine within it to find what you're looking for.

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 6

______________________________________________________________

CHAPTER TEST

Part 1: True or False

Mark each statement as True (T) or False (F):

1. ___ You need a web browser to access a search engine

2. ___ Search engines must be installed on your computer

3. ___ Web browsers store your browsing history and cookies

4. ___ Search engines have their own databases

5. ___ You can have multiple web browsers installed on one device

Part 2: Library Analogy

Fill in the blanks using the words from the word bank:

Word Bank: *catalog system, building, books, librarian, shelves

If the Internet is a huge library:

1. The Web Browser is like the _______ itself

2. The Search Engine is like the _______

3. Websites are like _______ on the shelves

Part 3: Components Identification

Identify whether each component belongs to a Search Engine (SE) or Web Browser
(WB):

1. ___ Crawler

2. ___ Graphical User Interface

3. ___ Database Index

4. ___ Bookmark Manager

5. ___ Search Algorithm

6. ___ Cookie Storage

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 7

Part 4: Multiple choice
Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Why does a search engine need a crawler component?

a) To display web pages to users
b) To automatically scan websites for new content and updates
c) To store user browsing history
d) To manage bookmarks and favorites

2. What happens when you type keywords into a search engine?

a) The web browser immediately downloads all matching websites
b) The search engine checks its database of user preferences
c) The search algorithm searches the index to find matching web pages
d) The crawler starts scanning new websites

3. In the library analogy presented, why is the web browser compared to the building?
a) Because it stores all the information
b) Because it provides the space and tools to access information
c) Because it organizes all the books
d) Because it helps find specific information

4. What is the main reason you can have multiple web browsers but don't need to install
search engines?
a) Because search engines are more expensive
b) Because web browsers require less storage space
c) Because search engines are accessed through web browsers
d) Because search engines are faster than browsers

5. How do search engines and web browsers work together when you want to find
information?
a) The search engine installs the web browser first
b) The web browser provides access to the search engine, which then finds relevant
content
c) The web browser automatically creates a search engine
d) Search engines and browsers work independently

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 8

6. Why do web browsers need cache memory?
a) To run search engines
b) To create new websites
c) To store cookies and browsing history
d) To scan for new web content

7. What is the relationship between DuckDuckGo and other search engines in terms of user
information?
a) DuckDuckGo collects more user information
b) DuckDuckGo does not gather user information, unlike other search engines
c) All search engines collect the same information
d) DuckDuckGo only collects basic user data

8. How does a search engine's index contribute to the search process?

a) It displays web pages to users
b) It installs web browsers
c) It makes search results more effective by organizing URLs and keywords
d) It creates new websites

9. When using the internet, why is the browser not dependent on any specific search
engine?
a) Because browsers can only use one search engine
b) Because browsers need multiple search engines to function
c) Because browsers can access websites directly without a search engine
d) Because browsers are faster than search engines

10. What makes the Graphical User Interface (GUI) an essential characteristic of web
browsers?
a) It helps scan websites for new content
b) It creates search indexes
c) It helps users have an interactive online session
d) It stores website databases
References: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-search-engine-and-web-browser/
https://gamma.app/docs/Search-Engines-and-Web-Browsers-Navigating-the-Digital-Landscape-
0wfc9kxguf4dzgc?mode=doc

GEC 10&12 LIVING IN THE IT ERA 9