code: public static String getInput(String name, BufferedReader br)
        throws IOException {
      // prompt the user to enter the given name
      System.out.print("Please Enter " + name + ": ");
  
      String value = br.readLine();
      return value;
    }
docs: get input from standard in
  
  @param name
  @param br
  - the buffered reader to read from
  @return the input returned
  @throws IOException