How to Copy and Paste a URL or Other Text to Send to Someone Else Online

Copying and pasting the URL of a web page is easy if you know how to do it. If you are new or inexperienced to the online realm of research and even just browsing, here are some directions to help you to copy and paste. First, you need to know what a URL is. This is the address at the top of the browser, and it typically begins with http or https. On most browsers, if you left click on the URL with the mouse after placing the cursor on it, the white area behind the letters will change color. This means it has highlighted. If that does not work, place the cursor all the way to the left, hold the left button down while sliding the mouse to the right until the entire address is highlighted, then release the button. This does take some practice at first, but I promise it will not break your machine if you don't do it correctly. It might refresh your page, though, but this is not a problem. If you only highlight part of it, and something happens, simply click the back button on your browser window and try again.

After you have the URL highlighted, place the cursor on the highlighted text, then use your right mouse button to click on it. A drop down menu will appear. You release the button after clicking it. You do not have to wait for the menu to appear. Now, on the drop down menu, click on 'Copy'. Now, go to your email or chat window where you are communicating to your research helper, and right click. Let go of the button, and then use the left mouse button to select 'Paste". Finish your email, and send or if in a chat box, click "Enter" and send it to your helper.

This works for links you find on web pages, as well as other text. You can use this to send web pages to your own email, in order to help you find the information easily the next time you need it. If you need to copy and paste text, position the cursor at either the beginning of the end of the text you need to copy, and then left click, holding it down, and move towards the other end of the desired text. When it has been highlighted, release the mouse's button, and then using the right mouse button, click on the highlighted text. Select "Copy" and then paste where you need it by right clicking in the correct location, and selecting "Paste". Pasting can be done many times with the same copy, so in the case you have copied something that could be private or confidential, always copy something benign afterward, as a simple security measure. Please remember, clicking outside of the highlighted text's area will unselect it, which means if you want it selected, you have to highlight it again. If you decide you don't want it highlighted, this is the way to unselect it.