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Reference Resources
One of the greatest assets of the Internet is the ease of which it allows you to research. No longer do you have to go to libraries and search through tons of material to find the bits of information that you want. Unfortunately, sometimes it is hard to know where to start. Here of some starting points to hopefully, lead you in the right direction.
- Encyclopedias:
- Britannica Online - Includes the full text of the 32-volume encyclopedia with more than 65,000 articles. Now offers free access to all articles for everyone.
- The Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia - this contains more than 17,000 articles, as well as links to related information on the Internet.
- Encyclopedia Smithsonian - Variety of information in the form of frequently asked questions.
- FREE Internet Encyclopedia - short bits of information plus links on various specific subjects.
- Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia - Internet version of their encyclopedia contains 42,000 articles as well as many photos, illustrations, maps, charts and tables. You have to register to gain access, however, you can get a free 7 day trial access.
- Atlases & Information on Countries
- Atlapedia Online - Includes key information about every country including facts and data on geography, climate, people, religion, language, history and economy.
- Country Reports - profiles Nations includes National Anthems, Maps, Flags, News and the Weather, over 1,400 pages of information in all.
- Encyclopedia of the Orient - asian online encyclopedia covering hundreds of topics on over 20 countries.
- Global Statistics - An Almanac of statistic information about the world and places within it.
- Information Please Almanac - Online version of the almanac.
- Encarta Map Center - Clickable map of the world.
- Writing Reference:
- Encarta Dictionary
- Roget's Thesaurus
- Strunk's Elements of Style
- Your Dictionary - Tons of dictionary and tools for writers.
- OneLook Dictionaries - Which offers various dictionaries in several languages.
- General Reference:
- About.com (formerly the Mining Co.) - includes indepth resource sites on various topic. Pick a topic and you are likely to find a page about it. Has sites setup on specific cities.
- Electric Library - general reference database with fulltext from over 900 magazines, 150 newspapers, 2,000 books, encyclopedias, and 20,000 photos and maps. Two Week free trial
- Internet Public Library - Organized like a library of links to any topic you could think of.
- Library of Congress - allows you to browse through their catalogue of books to help you find books on certain topics. After that, unfortunately, you will have to look to your local library to get a copy.
- iTools - Research It! - One stop research site with search engines to dictionaries, translators, biographies, quotations, maps, etc.
- Refdesk - includes a 'virtual' encyclopedia, links to various sources of information including newspapers and weather sites.
- History:
- An excellent starting point for any research into history is HistoryWorld.
- Here are a bunch of indepth sites mostly from About.com which are excellent starting points for any historical searches.
- Legend Lore:
- Encyclopedia Mythica - Need to check a mythological reference check out this site.
- Encylopedia of Greek Mythology
- Religion:
- Catholic Encyclopedia - Online version of the 1908 publication - "authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine".
- Shi'a Encyclopedia - A comprehensive encyclopedia about the Shi'a Muslims, followers of the religion of Islam.
- Medicine:
- Internet Mental Health - describes mental illnesses, treatment, medications, and research.
- Technology:
- PC Webopaedia - on computer technology
- Misc:
- Allexperts.com - Listing of volunteer experts of various subjects to answer your questions.
- Babynamer - Listing of over 18,000 names and their meanings.
- Costumer's Manifesto - Everything about clothes from everywhere.
- Editor & Publisher - has links to over 11,000 newspapers and other forms of media across the world.
- How Stuff Works - wonderful site with answers to all sorts of questions about how 'stuff' works.
- Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Smithsonian Institution Research Information System
- Biography of over 25,000 people.
- Gray's Anatomy
- For more general information, check out these articles: For US copyright laws, there is A brief introduction to copyrights. Also, for Copyright basics check out the page from the U.S. Copyright Office.
- Related to copyrights, if you are publishing you may want to get an ISBN number. You can find out more information at US ISSN Center Home Page (Library of Congress).