The registration form will mostly be made up of text boxes like the ones you've already used in this lesson.  Remember, to use a text box, click in it first, then type in the requested information. 

Most forms will ask you to choose a user name.  Your user name is a made-up name that you will use on the web site in order to protect your privacy.  The web site will recognize you by your user name rather than your real name.  No two people can have the same user name and sometimes it's difficult to find a user name that isn't already being used.  Some people use a nickname, others use a combination of their first name, last initial, and maybe the last two digits of the year they were born.  Be creative.  User names cannot contain periods or spaces.  Capitalization is optional.

You will also need to choose a password.  Passwords usually have to be between 5 and 15 digits long.  You can use letters, numbers, and some punctuation marks, but no spaces.  You can use capital letters in your password, but remember:  If you have a capital letter in your password, you will have to capitalize it every time you type your password in, or the password won't work.  When you type your password, it will show up on screen as a series of asterisks (********).  This is so no one can look over your shoulder and read it.  The registration form will require you to type your password twice, to make sure it's spelled the way you want it.

The form might also ask you to choose and answer a security question; that is, a question that only you know the answer to.  The security question is for backup; if you ever forget your password, you can click on a link that says "I forgot my password!" and access your account by answering the question correctly.

Some web sites won't complete your registration unless you agree to their terms of use.  Usually, you do that by reading the terms of use and then clicking on a button that says "I Agree" or something similar. 

Click on the arrow below to learn more about filling out forms.

 
 
 

• browser - A computer program that helps people use the Internet.
• click - To quickly press and release the left mouse button.
• dialog box - A small box that pops up on screen to give you information.  You must respond to a dialog box by clicking on a button.
• drag - To move an onscreen object by putting the pointer over it, holding the mouse button down, and moving the pointer.
• e-mail - Messages sent between computers via the Internet.  "E-mail" is short for "electronic mail."
• Google - A popular search engine.  Its URL is www.google.com.
• Google Chrome - A browser.
• graphics - Pictures.
• HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol; the way computers communicate on the World Wide Web.
• highlighted text - Text with a different background color. This sentence is highlighted.
• insertion point - A little blinking line that shows you where the next letter you type will appear. 
• Internet Explorer - A browser.
• link - A connection to another web page.  Sometimes called a "hyperlink."
• location toolbar - The browser toolbar that contains a text box.
• navigation toolbar - The browser toolbar that contains the "Back" and "Forward" buttons.
• Mozilla Firefox - A browser.  Firefox is an updated version of Netscape Navigator.
• password - A secret word that lets you access your private information.
• pointer - The little arrow that moves around the computer screen when the mouse is moved.
• Safari - A browser.
• scroll - To move a web page up and down on the computer screen.
• scroll bar - A bar that appears at the edge of the computer screen when a web page is too large to fit on the screen.
• search engine - A web site that searches for other web sites.
• slider - Part of a scroll bar; the box that moves up and down as a web page is scrolled. 
• terms of use - A description of the behavior you should exhibit when using a web site.
• text - Letters and numbers.
• text box - A white box that you can type things into.
• toolbar - A group of tools to help you use the Internet.  Toolbars are part of a browser.
• URL - The address of a web page.  Pronounced "earl," URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator.
• user name - The name by which a web site recognizes you.
• web page - A computer file that looks like a printed page when viewed with a browser.
• web site - A group of related web pages.
• World Wide Web - The part of the Internet that can be viewed with a browser.
• Yahoo! - A popular search engine.  Its URL is www.yahoo.com.