Wednesday, February 25, 1998

This week's Web winners: Sites to study (by)

By REID KANALEY / Knight Ridder Newspapers

The Internet has a way of turning the simplest molehill of a subject into a mountain of Web addresses. When it comes to using the Net at homework time, it sure helps to have a few dependable places to look first -- and to know what to avoid, for your own good.

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SCHOOLWORK.UGH

References, biographies, encyclopedia links and hot issues are neatly arranged here. Don't miss the link to the Acronym and Abbreviation Server -- http://www.ucc.ie/info/net/acronyms/acro.html -- for the full meanings of such terms as Uncopuos (United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) and Unabomber (University and Airline Bomber).

http://www.schoolwork.org

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STUDY WEB

This site says it has a collection of 30,000 "research quality" Web pages for reference by students. Each topic also notes the presence of downloadable or printable images for use as visual aids in reports or projects.

http://www.studyweb.com

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ASK DR. MATH

What's the golden ratio? Who is Fibonacci? Can you eat a square pi? Why does any number raised to the zero power equal one? Help, Dr. Math! This service originates from Swarthmore College. If the answer isn't already on the site, Dr. Math will get back to you -- in about a day.

http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/dr-math.html

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BRITANNICA INTERNET GUIDE

This is a new site of pointers to Web sites reviewed by the editors of the world's heaviest encyclopedia. Enter a keyword, or browse through major subject categories.

http://www.ebig.com

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ELECTRIC LIBRARY

Type a research question -- say, "Who is the King of all Media?" -- and this service spits back more than just an endless list of Howard Stern Web pages. Instead, you get results culled from hundreds of newspapers, magazines, television and radio transcripts, and reference works. Unfortunately, it will still be about Howard Stern. The Electric Library is a $9.95-a-month subscription service. But a 30-day trial is free.

http://www.elibrary.com

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And in the no-help category:

ABSOLUTELY FREE ONLINE ESSAYS

Parents and teachers ought to familiarize themselves with this site and its links to similar cheating promoters. One offers a book report on "The Catcher in the Rye" that begins, "The theme that the world has an outward appearance that seems fair and perfect but really they're as Holden put it phonies." We're not making this up.

http://www.elee.calpoly.edu/(tilde)ercarlso/papers.htm