GEAR UP Homework Help & Research Center

Search Engines


Dictionaries and More

  • Merriam Webster Unabridged Dictionary online - Merriam Webster's Online Language Center, includes Merriam Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
  • YourDictionary.com - Search a free online dictionary and much more. The dictionary search gives definitions, thesaurus entries, spelling, pronunciation, and etymology results for words. Alternatively, browse the English dictionary alphabetically or by related terms to find meanings and synonyms. In addition, YourDictionary provides resources to help find the best dictionary and translation sites for French, Spanish, Italian, German and hundreds of other languages.
  • OneLook Dictionary Search  - Search over 900 dictionary web sites. Includes a reverse dictionary search.
  • Wordsmyth.net/  - Includes Word lookup and a Glossary maker, Quiz builder, Vocabulary tools, Anagram solver, and Wordsmyth's toolbar button available for your own computer.
  • Thesaurus.com - Thesaurus online. Search for synonyms, search a dictionary, play vocabulary games, Word of the Day, and more.
  • Websters Online.com - Webster's Dictionary Online. Includes Multilingual Thesaurus Translation.

Encyclopedias - General Reference

  • Encarta Online - Encarta is MSN's Encyclopedia Article Center and online educational resource center. Dictionary, homework help, college and university information, quizzes and more can be found here.
  • Encyclopedia.com - Encyclopedia.com - provides answers from published reference works – all in one place: - 49 encyclopedias from sources like Oxford University Press, Britannica, and Columbia University Press; 73 dictionaries and thesauruses with definitions, synonyms, pronunciation keys, word origins, and abbreviations

  • Encyclopedia Britannica Online - Encyclopedia Britannica has been sharing knowledge since 1768. This site provides video encyclopedia articles viewed by topic.
  • The Smithsonian Institute Research Center - Smithsonian Institute helps answer frequently asked questions with links to resources on subjects from Art to Zoology
  • Wikipedia.com - A free encyclopedia that can be edited by any vistor to its site.

  • World Book Encyclopedia Student Resource Center - For almost 90 years, World Book has been committed to publishing encyclopedias and other reference products that meet the highest standards of editorial excellence while keeping pace with the technological developments that define the computer age.

Online Homework Help

  • AOL research and learn - AOL's research and learn center. This site is a rich source of information including atlases, dictionaries, thesaurus, quizzes, science, history, space, planet earth, current happenings, finance resources, and links to much more.

  • B.J. Pinchbeck's Homework Helper  - B.J. Pinchbeck started this site when he was 9 years old. It now contains over 800 great links to sites that will help you with your homework. It has been reviewed and recommended by sources such as Consumer Search, Newsweek Magazine, US Department of Education's Parents' Guide to the Internet.
  • Discovery Education's Homework Help  - This site contains over 700 links to sites that will help you with your math, science, english, social studies, world language, health, and visual and performing arts homework as well as with research and reference, technology and search engine links.
  • Factmonster.com/  - From Information Please ®. Links to many online homework resources.
  • Homeworkspot.com - A portal to many useful research and homework information sites.
  • LibrarySpot.com - LibrarySpot.com brings valuable research information together with insightful editorial in one user-friendly spot. The site simplifies the search for top-notch reference tools, periodicals and online texts, library information and much more.
  • Multnomah Homework Center  - The librarians in Multnomah County (Oregon) do an amazing job of bringing together homework resources. Tap into this topical guide for sites on everything from animals to social issues.

  • Refdesk.com - Homework help from Refdesk.com. The references are sorted by grade level to make it easy to find appropriate resources. There are also flashcards and other practical learning tools here.

Directories of Online Museums

Online Libraries and Library Resources

  • BookYards.com-- Bookyards goal is to be "the Library to the World". a web portal in which books, education materials, information, and content will be free to anyone who has an Internet connection. There are links to over 16,000 books, 41,000+ web links, more than 4,100 news & blogs links, almost 400 videos and access to hundreds of online libraries (800,000 eBooks), and blogs for your reading pleasure.

  • Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library-- Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library is dedicated in providing resources for edication and entertainment, We offer patrons a safe quiets place to read a book or study for that final exam. Along with our variety of books we also offer internet access for public use.
  • E-resources listed by University of Pennsylvania Library.-- A searchable index of e-resources provided by The University of Pennsylvania.
  • United States Library of Congress-- The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with more than 130 million items on approximately 530 miles of bookshelves.
  • Library of Congress Reading Room-- The Library of Congress State and Local Governments Page - news about local and state governments sorted by state and locality.
  • LibrarySpot.com/-- A web portal and directory of online libraries, research resources, and much more.
  • Libweb Library Servers via WWW-- Updated daily. Libweb currently lists over 7900 pages from libraries in over 146 countries.
  • Literature.org/ -- On this site you will find the full and unabridged texts of classic works of English literature. Fiction from authors like Lewis Carroll, the Bronte sisters (Anne, Charlotte and Emily), Jack London, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and many others, and classic scientific works from Charles Darwin and Rene Descartes.
  • Online Books -- An index of thousands of online books freely readable on the Internet
  • Open Directory Project Library Listing -- A directory of libraries by topic from authors like Lewis Carroll, the Bronte sisters (Anne, Charlotte and Emily), Jack London, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and many others, and classic scientific works from Charles Darwin and Rene Descartes.
  • PublicLibraries.com/-- A directory of public libraries listed by state, university, national libraries of the world and presidential libraries.
  • Read Print.com-- A free online library that offers thousands of free books for students, teachers, and the classic enthusiast to read on line.

  • The Libraries of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College-- Fairmont State University's Library Official Web Site. Contains Research references, Databases, Tips and many more support resources.
  • The WWW Virtual Library-- The WWW Virtual Library (VL) is the oldest catalogue of the Web, started by Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of HTML and of the Web itself, in 1991 at CERN in Geneva. Unlike commercial catalogues, it is run by a loose confederation of volunteers, who compile pages of key links for particular areas in which they are expert; even though it isn't the biggest index of the Web, the VL pages are widely recognised as being amongst the highest-quality guides to particular sections of the Web.
  • World Cat-- A resource that provides the tools to search for information in libraries near you, create lists of information, build bibliographies and your own reviews.

Government Resources

  • Fairmont State Ruth Ann Musick Library-- Federal, State and International Government resources provided by Fairmont State Ruth Ann Musick Library
  • FirstGov/-- The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal. FirstGov consolidates 20,000 government web sites and makes them easily accessible to everyone.
  • State and Local Government on the Net-- The State and Local Government Internet directory provides convenient one-stop access to the websites of thousands of state agencies and city and county governments. Use the drop-down menus on the left to view directory pages for:
  • GovSpot.com/-- Portal and directory with links to U.S. government, State government, Congress, government jobs and more.
  • The Council of State Governments-- Information about how state governments are sharing with each other resources, strategies and ideas for doing all that needs to be done.
  • Roll Call-- The Newspaper of Capitol Hill
  • The U.S. Census Bureau-- The U.S. Census Bureau contains a huge depository of statistics that provides information on almost every aspect of American life.

State Agencies and Resources

Educational Associations and Organizations

Conversions, Translations, and Other Practical Information

Arts

Computers & Technology

  • TechWeb Technology Encyclopedia-- This site's goal is to provide the content and tools business technology professionals need as they make strategic technology decisions.
  • tech and learning-- This site contains up to date technology information and teaching ideas. It includes best practices, blogs,contests, webinars, tech forum, hot topics, a magazine and more.
  • Webopedia.com-- An online dictionary and search engine you need for computer and Internet technology definitions.
  • Whatis.techtarget.com -- Definitions for thousands of the most current IT-related words. Includes web search, search by category and tech word of the day.

Geography & Cultures

  • BBC African and Carribean Music-- Dance music, pop, jazz, rock, rap, blues - there aren't many genres which don't carry an element of African 'DNA' somewhere in their make up. The influence of black African music is widespread, not only within communities of African heritage but across the world, having been brought to the Caribbean and the Americas by the slave trade. This section will help you revise the key elements of this music, with its strong emphasis on percussion and rhythm.
  • BBC Geography-- British Broadcasting's Geography study site.

  • CountryReports.org-- Provides statistical information as well as cultural information which students, parents, teachers and researchers find valuable. CountryReports.org has over 26,000 pages of content.

  • The List-- of continents, countries, dependencies, islands, territories, lakes, rivers, seas, oceans, mountains, and the highest, lowest, biggest, smallest, tallest, deepest, oldest, youngest, richest, poorest places on the planet

  • Mapping and Cartographic Resources on the Internet-- A GEAR UP resource page with links to map sites and atlases on the Internet.
  • National Geographic-- The Web Site of the National Geographic Society
  • Photo of the Day-- National Geographic's Photo of the Day-- A new photo from around the world is posted daily on this web site.

  • CIA-The World Fact Book-- The CIA Annual Summary Report of intelligence about coutnries of the world.

  • World Atlas.com-- An on-line atlas of the world. Includes maps, and information about any area of the earth.

Health

  • Brainpop.com-- All about your body and how it works
  • HealthFinder-- A "gateway" website for health and human services information from the US Government.

  • MedicineNet.com-- Doctor-produced health and medical information written for you to make informed decisions about your health concerns.

  • Medicine Plus-- The National Library of Medicine's authoritative and current database of health information for consumers and health professionals.

  • The Open Directory Project's Directory of Health Education sites-- The Open Directory is the most widely distributed data base of Web content classified by humans. This is its directory of health education sites. It contains over 4,591,102 sites - has over 82,024 editors - in over 590,000 categories

  • Web MD-- A leading source for trustworthy and timely health and medical news and information and free health resources.

History

  • Hyperhistory Online -- Contains over 2000 files covering 3000 years of world history in science, culture, religion and politics.
  • HistoryToday Magazine Online-- A history magazine and online archive from the UK covering world history from ancient to american, military to modern, as well as history book reviews from leading historians
  • The World Wide Virtual Library: History-- A directory of history sites made possible by the donors and sponsors of the World Wide Virtual Library.

  • The History Net-- The HistoryNet.com is brought to you by the Weider History Group, the world’s largest publisher of history magazines. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 1,200 articles originally published in our various magazines. If you are interested in a specific history subject, try searching the archives here, you are bound to find something to pique your interest.
  • History links provided by Carnegie Library of Pennsylvania-- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's mission is to inspire in the citizens of our region respect and responsibility for life-long learning, citizenship, and civic participation. This is their directory of reliable history resources.
  • Best of History Sites Portal-- Best of History Web Sites is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1000 history web sites as well as links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more.
  • Animated Atlas: Growth of a Nation-- A ten minute narrated movie, divided into smaller segments, which depicts the geographic history of the United States from the beginning of the nation to fifty states. Geographic elements are interactive, as is the timeline. It will take sixty seconds to load with a 56K modem.

Law

  • Findlaw.com --Provides comprehensive legal resources on the Internet for legal professionals, businesses, students and individuals
  • Free Advice.com--General legal information, organized topically for over 100 legal topics.

  • The Global Legal Information Network (GLIN)-- A public database of laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and other complementary legal sources contributed by governmental agencies and international organizations

  • Lawsource.com --Provides a comprehensive, uniform, and useful compilation of links to freely accessible on-line sources of law for the United States and Canada.

Mathematics - Computing

  • A Plus Math - This web site was developed to help students improve their math skills interactively. Visit the game room and play exciting games like Matho and Hidden Picture...Test your math skills with our Flashcards! Try out the Math Word Find puzzle.

  • Allmath.com - A site that is focused on the arithmetic that will be used in all the math we do, for the rest of our lives, like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, because it helps prepare for anything.
  • Coolmath.com - An amusement park of math designed for fun!
  • Math Playground - Practice your math skills with these fun and challenging games. There are action games, puzzles, and other learning activities. Concepts include basic math operations, algebra, percent, geometry, and money.

  • ThatQuiz.com - Math Tests For Students - Math Testing For Teachers

Science

  • FirstScience.com - Offers science articles in various categories including space, physics, biology, earth science, and technology, as well as a science quiz, links, science and nature poems, games, webcams and comprehensive environmental, space and science news.
  • UC Berkeley's Center for Science Education - A site dedicated to making space science information accessible to educators and public.
  • Exploratorium - Exploratorium is a collage of hundreds of science, art, and human perception exhibits. The Exploratorium is a leader in the movement to promote museums as informal education centers. This unique museum was founded in 1969 by noted physicist and educator Dr. Frank Oppenheimer
  • NASA's Home Site - The official site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • National Institute of Health's Office of Science Education - The National Institutes of Health's Office of Science Education home page compiles medical science news, information, and educational resources.
  • Science@NASA - NASA's Science Mission Directorate Website
  • Science Gems - For students, parents, teachers, scientists, engineers and mathematicians. More than 14,000 Science Resources sorted by Category, Subcategory, and Grade Level
  • Scientific American Magazine Web Site - Scientific American Magazine has been bringing its readers unique insights about developments in science and technology for more than 150 years

  • Exploring the Sun - Telescopic images of the sun provided by the Solo and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA.

Biology - Environment - Medicine

  • Biology Online - Biology-Online.org is the World's No.1 free resource for biology related information run by enthusiasts from all around the world and visited by over 25,000 people every day. You can submit your own articles, tutorials, essays, reports or any other biology related work and it may be published online in the appropriate section.

  • Biologyinmotion.com - Original, entertaining, interactive biology learning activities

  • Botany.com - The Encyclopedia of Plants
  • Dictionary of Cell Biology - An interactive, graphic dictionary of cell biology and functions.
  • National Library of Medicine - History of Medicine - The National Library of Medicine's historical collections of material related to health and disease are among the richest in the world.
  • History of Greek Medicine - The National Institute of Mealth's site of Greek Medicine history.

General Knowledge

  • Cool Quiz.com - Provides quizzes, games, surveys, recreational information and related products to a prime demographic group of people aged 13-65 years.

  • Smithsonian Institute-- The Smithsonian Institute provides authoritative information to connect us to our history and our heritage as Americans and to promote innovation, research and discovery in science.
  • Biography.com-- A & E Television Network's web site of biographies of famous people.

Philosophy

  • The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosopy-- An alphabetical search engine of information about philosophy information and writings
  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosopy-- The Stanford Encyclopidia of Philosophy was designed so that each entry is maintained and kept up to date by an expert or group of experts in the field. All entries and substantive updates are refereed by the members of a distinguished Editorial Board before they are made public. Consequently, our dynamic reference work maintains academic standards while evolving and adapting in response to new research.

Religion

  • The Catholic Encyclopedia - The Catholic Encyclopedia proposes to give its readers full and authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine.
  • DMOZ Directory of Religion and Spirituality - The Open Directory is the most widely distributed data base of Web content classified by humans. This is its directory Religion and Spirituality
  • religion-online.org - More than 6,000 articles and chapters. Topics include Old and New Testament, Theology, Ethics, History and Sociology of Religion, Communication and Cultural Studies, Pastoral Care, Counseling, Homiletics, Worship, Missions and Religious Education.

  • Religious Worlds.com - This site offers information about religious traditions that developed in the Middle East or West Asia as well as others from South and East Asia.

Other Sites

  • Campaigns That Have Made A Difference-- For more than 60 years, the Ad Council has developed hundreds of public service advertising campaigns. The selected campaigns described on this site are more than memorable -- they have made a measurable difference in our society.
  • exploreMarsnow -- This interactive, Flash-based website lets you explore the Mars Base Habitat and Rover and learn about the science and technology behind them. Sections include: base layout, lab, airlock, medical, bunks, personal hygience, greenhouse, design drawings, and more.
  • Rocketbooks-- Rocketbooks are video study guides that provide summaries and detailed analyses of literary works.

  • TestPrepReview  [opens in a new window] - This site provides you free review tests for ACT, SAT and many other entrance exams.

Math games / Activities

  • A Plus Math - Play exciting games like Matho and Hidden Picture...Test your math skills with Flashcards! Try out the Math Word Find puzzle.

  • Figure This! - Math Challenges for families.
  • FunBrain - Lots of games here to test your math and other subjects. Fun!!
  • Math Playground - Practice your math skills with these fun and challenging games. There are action games, puzzles, and other learning activities. Concepts include basic math operations, algebra, percent, geometry, and money

Science games

  • Hunkin's Experiments - Cool cartoons that will have you experimenting with food, light, sound, clothes, and a whole lot more!! Hundreds of cartoon experiments from cartoonist, broadcaster and engineer Tim Hunkin.

  • Kaboose - All kinds of science, math and other knowledge games on this site.

  • Engaging Science - Explore science topics with fun, interactive, online activities. Engage with six exciting games inspired by well-tested, hands-on classroom activities from Engaging Science teacher workshops.