Research Beyond Google: 119 Authoritative, Invisible, and Comprehensive Resources

from the ONLINE EDUCATION DATABASE:

Got a research paper or thesis to write? Want to research using the Internet? Good luck. There's a lot of junk out there — outdated pages, broken links, and inaccurate information. Using Google or the Wikipedia may lead you to some results, but you can rarely be sure of accuracy. And what's more, you'll only be searching a fraction of all of the resources available to you.

Google, the largest search database on the planet, currently has around eight billion web pages indexed. That's a lot of information. But it's nothing compared to what else is out there. Google can only index the visible web, or searchable web. But the invisible web, or deep web, is estimated to be 500 times bigger than the searchable web. The invisible web comprises databases and results of specialty search engines that the popular search engines simply are not able to index.

Do you think your local or university librarian uses Google? Sure, but certainly not exclusively. In order to start researching like a librarian, you'll need to explore more authoritative resources, many of which are invisible. Note: Although some of the following resources are visible and indexed, they have all been included here because of their authoritative nature.

The full list of resources here.

Need Science Fair Ideas? Try these...

THE BELOW FROM GAIL JUNION-METZ'S COLUMN "THE LIBRARIAN'S INTERNET" HERE:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6376091.html

Exploratorium: Online Activities
www.exploratorium.edu/explore/online.html
Need some Web-based science activities in a hurry? Here you’ll find almost 60 projects for ages 10–18 on a wide variety of topics. Most take little prep time (“Common Cents,” for example) but a few activities, especially those for older students, are more involved (such as “Build a Solar System”). Created by: The Exploratorium Museum, San Francisco, CA. Don’t Miss: For all you baseball fans, there’s “Scientific Slugger,” a great way to learn the physics of hitting home runs. And for some tasty fun, visit the “Pickle Lab” and make some yummy virtual gherkins.

SEED: Science Lab
www.seed.slb.com/en/scictr/lab/index_virtual.htm The Science Lab offers up 13 online activities related to geology, physics, and space. Geared for ages 10–18, all of the projects come with a background lesson and most require minimal prep time. Created by: Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development, New York, NY. Don’t Miss: If you like the “Will It Float?” segment of the David Letterman show, be sure to check out the “Buoyancy Explorer.”

MORE SCIENCE FAIR WEBSITES AND RESOURCES

IPL: Science Fair Project Resource Guide
http://www.ipl.org/div/projectguide/
"Are you looking for some help with a science fair project? If so, then you have come to the right place. The IPL will guide you to a variety of web site resources, leading you through the necessary steps to successfully complete a science experiment. If you have never done a science fair project before, it has been a while, or you just want to be sure you do a really great job be sure and look at the following websites for tips on what makes a good project before doing anything else. This way you will know ahead of time what will be expected of you..."

The Discover Channel's Science Fair Resouce Page
http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/
"Creative investigations into the real world." This site provides a complete guide to science fair projects. Check out the 'Handbook' which features information from Janice VanCleave, a popular author who provides everything you need to know for success. You can even send her a question about your project. [From IPL.]