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The Adult Student Center, with your input, is gathering web resources that will help you get through your college classes. Check back regularly as this collection is growing every week. If you have a favorite resource you think belongs here, please let us know.
General Reference
Arts
Biography
Business
Geography
History
International Affairs
Languages
Learning Tools
Literature
Math
Philosophy
Presentations
Psychology
Research
Science
Statistics
Videotapes
Writing
General Reference
OneLook Dictionary Search
Browse and search many dictionaries through just one site.
Includes category-specific dictionaries and glossaries, such as
business, law, art, e-commerce, real estate, finance, medicine,
computing, science. Also search foreign language dictionaries.
xrefer.com
Instant access to facts, concepts, quotations, biographies from
some of the world's most prestigious reference sources.
xrefer, "the web's reference engine," has gathered over 300,000
entries from leading encyclopedias and dictionaries, including
Bloomsbury, Grove, Oxford University Press, Penguin and
Macmillan. You can search by keyword among facts, quotes, words
or all entries. And the results are cross-referenced for further
exploration.
The Library Spot offers a compendium of
libraries and reference sources includes links to government,
image, medical and law libraries, Roget's thesaurus, grammar
and style guides, dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs,
quotations, historical, geographic and biographical databases,
among many other things!
RefDesk.com
This comprehensive collection of reference resources contains more than 300 pages of encyclopedias, dictionaries, facts & figures, useful web sites, and much more.
Calculator.com
You'll find just about any calculator you need here - from college
costs to engineering calculators.
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Arts
AskArt
AskArt provides a database of American artists, complete with
biographies from various sources, an image gallery for each
artist, books mentioning the artist, museums holding the artist's
works, and detailed auction records. You can search by artist, or
select by region, e.g., Hudson River School; style, e.g.,
cartoonists; or group, e.g., Paris Pre-1900.
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Biography
Need to check a biographical fact for your next paper? You can
look it up in the Biographical Dictionary. You'll find brief biographical information on more than 28,000 people, quickly.
Just search by name, date or keyword.
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Business
Quick MBA.
This web-based portal gathers resources of interest to business
people and students. It includes brief overviews, key terms and
concepts on major business topics, including accounting, law,
economics, finance, marketing, statistics and more. Also provided
are reference links to industry journals, articles, online
courses and other resources.
getAbstract.com.
You know you'll never get to all of the business books you'd like
to or think you need to read. So why not scan them every week?
getAbstract provides business executives and students with access
to the key issues in the best business books on the market. No,
it's not a substitute for reading the book, but it's a great way
to monitor business trends or decide which books you can't miss.
Books are categorized into "knowledge channels," including
leadership, sales/marketing, corporate finance, human resources,
technology, small business, economics/politics, career
development, personal finance, self-improvement, ideas & trends.
Each entry includes a professional evaluation and key concepts in
a concise five-page abstract downloadable in pdf format. You can
also get new abstracts matching your profile e-mailed to you on a
weekly basis. Available in English and German.
If you're taking a business or marketing course, you might find
these resources helpful:
Learn how to craft business and marketing plans, including the
elements needed, resources and sample plans at BusinessPlans.org and BPlans.com.
MarketingProfs.com is a resource prepared by professionals and teachers for
marketers that includes articles on many basic marketing topics,
glossary and other marketing resources.
University of Florida's Industry Tutor includes a concise 10-step guide to help you get started on researching an industry.
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Geography
Country briefings. For succinct country profiles, visit the Economist website.
Although much of the information on the site requires a
subscription, you have free access to basic statistics about a
country's population, economic data, political structure, foreign
trade information, related recent news items as well as links to
related web sites. It's a good starting point for international
studies projects.
Geography Lessons. If you're researching a lesser-known part of
the world, you might find just what you need at the Library of
Congress Country Studies web site. There's lots of information
here on over 100 countries, including current demographic
profile, culture, history, economy and political information.
If you're doing research on Asia, UCLA has a great place to
start. Their Educational Resources on Asia page includes statistics, journals, web resources, films and more.
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History
The works of Abraham Lincoln are available in searchable electronic format.
Historical Document Source.
The Library of Congress presents American Memory, a compilation of U.S. historical and cultural documents from more than 100
historical collections. Includes books, maps, manuscripts,
photos, and audio collections. You can search by topic, time
period, or geographic region.
Undergraduate history students may find the Lawrence
University site helpful. There are many links to both popular and
professional history sites on the web.
Internet Modern History Sourcebook. History students will find a wealth of information resources on
this site, presented by Paul Halsall at Fordham. This is part of
a series of history sourcebooks that provides access to
historical texts available on the web, both locally on this site
and on other sites. Also available are the Ancient History
Sourcebook and Medieval Sourcebook, as well as subsets of all
three sourcebooks, e.g., Women's History, History of Science,
African History, Indian History.
American Studies. The site of the American Studies Group at the University of
Virginia is filled with information, American historical texts
and links. Annotated resources in the Yellow Pages Directory lead
you to further studies in gender, ethnicity, literature,
philosophy, popular culture, social sciences and science &
technology. There's a special emphasis on America in the 1930s.
Documents of Democracy. The Government Printing Office website provides quick access to
the full text of the major documents establishing the American
democratic system. Documents include the U.S. Constitution,
Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, Articles of
Confederation.
History and Politics Out Loud.
This web site features historically significant speeches in audio
format. You can do a search or browse the database by date,
speaker or title. Speeches are streamed to your computer via
RealAudio. In some cases, you can also view the transcript. The
bulk of the content is from the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s,
including Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon,
Lyndon B. Johnson.
Find your way to world historical resources with World History Compass. Here there are links to sites by region or by a
selection of topics, including aviation, computers, medicine,
mathematics, military, science and technology history.
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International Affairs
Foreign media watch. A Department of State website offers information of special
interest in the wake of recent terrorist actions. In this
International Information site, you'll find a survey of foreign
editorials on events of the day. It's a good way to gain some
perspective on international relations.
Here's another excellent resource from the U.S. government – this
time from the CIA – covering foreign affairs. It's a World
Factbook, filled with country profiles and regional reference
maps in JPG and PDF formats. Brief capsules give you background,
population demographics, geography, political structure, economic
overview, telecommunications and transportation, and even
military information.
Part of the WWW Virtual Library System, International Affairs Resources contains over 2000 carefully selected, annotated links
in 37 international affairs categories. Edited and frequently
maintained by a professor of International Studies.
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Languages
Asian Language Resource
Look up terms in 8 online Asian language dictionaries on one
screen. This resource from the Asia Society also contains links
to other language sites, e.g., pronunciation guides and tutorials
for 26 Asian languages. While you're there, check out other
AsiaSource materials, including biographies of prominent Asians,
country profiles - even comparisons for up to 5 countries.
Live and Learn Spanish.
Whether you want to learn Spanish for fun or for business, you can do it fastest by being there. The don Quijote School conducts Spanish language classes in Spain, Mexico and Latin America.
Champs-Elysées Inc.
Publishers of audiomagazines on CD and cassette for intermediate-to-advanced
speakers of French, German, Spanish and Italian.
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Learning Tools
Mind Mapping
Many adult learners swear by the technique known as "mind
mapping" to help them study, develop essays, and spark their
creativity.
* The ThinkSmart website gives you a quick, visual
introduction to mindmapping, from the author of a book on the
subject and cofounder of the Innovation Network. It could help
you the next time you have a paper to write.
* If you're interested in more in-depth study, the developer of
the mind mapping concept, Tony Buzan, has published several books
on the subject: The Mind Map Book, Use Both Sides of Your Brain,
and Make the Most of Your Mind.
* You can also purchase computer software that can guide you
through the mapping process. Take a look at Inspiration Software. You can even download a 30-day free trial of the software.
Study Skills
* Helpful study tips from Virginia Polytechnic Institute including
note-taking, concentration, study environment, reading,
proofreading, memory techniques.
* London's BBC offers study resources for returning learners.
Included are tips for reading, researching, note-taking, time
management, writing. The site also features learners' stories.
* A comprehensive compilation of study guides from the University
of St. Thomas also includes a few useful tips for adult students.
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Literature
You probably don't want to read a whole book on your computer
screen. But you just might want to check a literary reference. Or
you may want to get a taste of a great author's style. There are
a growing number of classics being collected and formatted for
online access by university researchers. Here are a few sources
for books online.
Reading List.
If you're looking for the top books in a particular category,
start with the online BookBrowser presented by Barnes &
Noble. You can browse by topic or search thousands of books.
In collaboration with Penguin Books, the Great Books Foundation
provides free online discussion guides for selected classic and
contemporary titles. You'll find an introduction to the book, a
series of discussion questions to help you think about the
material and how it relates to broader issues, a brief author's
bio and suggestions for further reading with related titles. If
you need, or want, to read any these books, the discussion guides
will help you get the most from your reading. And the questions
might just prompt a good idea for your next term paper.
The Harvard Classics and Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction,
available on Bartleby.com, are comprehensive literature
anthologies. You get free access to the texts online, together
with introductory notes and even lectures on the Harvard
Classics.
Project Crow.
Here's a comprehensive guide to American Literature on the web.
The site includes a glossary, a guide to how to read a poem,
annotated links by author and by resource.
The On-Line Books Page. This research site, hosted by the
University of Pennsylvania, contains over 12,000 listings of
books online. You can browse by title or author. Or do a search
to find just what you're looking for. Once you find your book,
you can even read it online.
Internet Public Library Online Texts Collection. The IPL Organization has collected more than 13,000 text titles for browsing, searching and reading.
Bartleby's Great Books Online. Bartleby is an internet
publisher of free literature, reference and verse for students
and researchers. This collection includes fiction, nonfiction,
reference and poetry - from Fannie Farmers Cookbook to Oxford
Shakespeare!
Perseus Digital Library. An evolving library offering source materials for studies in the Classics and the English
Renaissance, as well as a growing collection of sources for
historical information on London, California, and pioneering in
the Midwest.
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Math
Just signed up for a class in discrete math or calculus? Has it
been a long time since you cracked a math book, and even then you
won't so hot? Don't panic. Here are a few resources for math
lessons, definitions, formulas and exercises to help you get
through that class!
For those of you who could use a math refresher, take a look at
Math Foundation. The site offers a self-paced tutorial in basic
math, pre-algebra or introductory algebra. For a small membership
fee you are entitled to unlimited use of the site for a year.
Math Academy:
Platonic Realms' Math Academy is a gateway to information and
resources on a wide range of mathematical disciplines. Whether
you need a formula, a definition of a mathematical term or even
printable graph paper, you'll find it here. There are collections
of links to both personal and commercial mathematical websites.
You can also engage an online math tutor. Some downloads require
a small fee.
Math Power.
Too many people talk themselves into a math phobia. This site,
offered by a Camden County College professor, is light-hearted
and entertaining in approach. It provides study tips, advice on
overcoming math anxiety, tutorials, problems and solutions.
There's even a tutorial section where students offer tips to
other students.
Math.com.
A comprehensive and easy-to-use website, Math.com gives you
step-by-step, illustrated instructions for solving math problems,
from basic math through calculus.
SOS Math.
A straightforward format gives a math problem, shows you the
solution plus an example. Solve one problem, then test your skill
with more examples.
Ask Dr. Math.
Ask Dr. Math, from the Math Forum, lets you ask specific
questions of math experts online. Or search the FAQs to find a
solution to your problem.
Algebra Lessons at Purple Math. Take a few algebra lessons developed by a teacher at Western International University in
Phoenix for her own students. Or check out links to other helpful algebra sites.
Langara College Guide to Internet Math Resources. Lots of links to information and resources for Precalculus, Calculus, Discrete
Math, Linear Algebra, Statistics. Plus pointers to online tools
for performing calculations and graphing. Click on
"web-based learning materials and tools."
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Philosophy
The Institute for Learning Technologies from Columbia
University offers digital texts of philosophy classics. Available are works by Virgil, Plato, Aristotle, Dewey,
Emerson, Hume, Kant, Machiavelli, and many more.
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Presentations
Hone your presentation skills with these resources:
Presentations.com gives you all you need to spruce up your
presentations. Articles on PowerPoint techniques, scripting,
messaging, even presentation skills. Though not specifically
written for students, this can be a big help for that next class
presentation.
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Psychology
Psychology Classics: Students of psychology may find this compendium of classics in
the history of psychology useful. You'll find documents ranging
from ancient thought through modern theory. Presented by York
University in Canada, the site offers full-text documents
accessible by author or topic. Students may also pose specific
questions through the site.
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Research
Finding Information on the Internet: a free tutorial presented by the University of California at Berkeley. Includes online resources to help you do research on
the internet. Includes style guides, search tips, how to evaluate
web pages, glossary of web jargon. Based on the content of UC
Berkeley Teaching Library Internet Workshops.
Research Methods Knowledge Base. A web-based social research methods textbook by William M.K. Trochim, professor at Cornell University. This methods overview is a helpful introduction for students embarking on research
projects. It covers question formulation, sampling, research
design, data analysis, and writing.
Google Scholar. Most of use Google on a daily basis. Now Google is developing a
search engine that is especially useful for students. Google Scholar provides access to peer-reviewed research and academic
research papers online. Of course, many are not available in full
text or for free. But it's a way to find out what is being
written. And if you're new to the field, Google Scholar can lead
you to the journals serving your field of study.
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Science
PhysLink offers physics and astronomy students many resources for study, job hunting, finding graduate programs and general
interest. Complete with online forums, articles, reference links,
even an "ask the experts" area. If you're looking for a graduate
program anywhere in the world in physics or astronomy, check the
PhysLink directory.
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Statistics
CensusScope. The Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN) at the
University of Michigan has designed an easy-to-use tool for
investigating U.S. demographic trends. Quickly generates charts
and maps visualizing statistical trends within a selected metro
area, state or the entire U.S., as well as ranking tables.
If you're looking for stats to support a thesis, here's a place
to start. FedStats is a compilation and gateway to federal
statistics and statistical agencies on the web. You can look for
stats by topic or geographic area, find maps, download reports,
or link to the site with the information you need.
You'll find definitions, diagrams, explanations at Electronic
Statistics Textbook, a very useful public service offered by
StatSoft.
Population Statistics. Did you know you can get a wealth of
statistical and demographic information for free on the web? At
Ameristat you'll find U.S. Census Bureau data over a wide range of categories with graphs and text summaries. You can even
download the statistics in Excel or text format to your computer
for use in your next paper or PowerPoint presentation.
Population Reference Bureau. If you need worldwide population figures for a school project, start with the Population Reference Bureau at PRB.org. There's a complete data sheet with 2000 world population statistics, Quick
Fats by topic or region, publication excerpts and a reference for
writers and journalists.
PopNet. Related to PRB.org is PopNet.org which includes links to other resources for country reports, organizational web sites and
searchable online databases.
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Videotapes
Great Courses on Tape
Bring the most engaging professors (as voted by their students!)
in the U.S. into your home or your car with university-level
lectures on audio and videotape. There are many titles in
business, fine arts, history, literature, philosophy, psychology,
religion, science, social science. There are even high-school
refresher courses. Whether you want to get another perspective
on one of your current courses, prepare for a new course, or
learn just for fun, this is a fantastic resource.
Thinking-Allowed.com
This popular National Public Television program explores many aspects of consciousness from science to spirituality. You can purchase the Thinking Allowed as a series or as individual videotapes.
InterculturalPress.com
Whether you've signed up for an international business course or are just thinking about travel, you can prepare yourself in advance with books on cross-cultural studies or video guides to countries and cultures from Intercultural Press.
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Writing
St. Cloud State University offers writing tips for students
through its online writing center. Whether you need help on how
to cite sources, use quotations, properly use punctuation, or you
want to develop techniques for starting, organizing and
developing your writing, you'll find this an easy to follow,
straightforward guide.
GrammarBook:
This is a handy tool to help you brush up, or just answer a
question, on grammar or punctuation. The easy-to-navigate site
includes brief explanations of the rules together with exercises
and quizzes.
The Elements of Style. If you have a question about English composition or usage, you
can get the answers from William Strunk's classic reference, The
Elements of Style – instantly. It's online at Bartleby's.
Get hints about what to write, learn how to organize and edit
your essays with the Paradigm Online Writing Assistant website.
You'll also find guidelines for developing different essay types,
including argumentative, thesis, exploratory and informal essays.
The site is presented by an associate professor who teaches
composition, creative writing and literature at Boise State
University and has written a textbook on Beginning College
Writing.
The KU Writing Guide (University of Kansas) presents a
comprehensive collection of writing resources - both its own
guides and links to helpful articles from universities throughout
the US.
Online Writing Lab. The OWL at Purdue University is filled with resources to help you
improve your writing skills. Get writing tips ranging from
planning through editing, and strategies for approaching
different types of writing, including essay exams. Find out how
to overcome writer's block. Or take an online, self-paced
workshop on writing research papers. You'll also find links to
other university writing centers online.
Term Paper Help. If you're just returning to school after many years, it can be
daunting to face your first big term paper. A+ Research &
Writing, a service of the Internet Public Library, can help. The
web site offers step-by-step guides to writing the paper and to
gathering the information. And it doesn't miss a beat! There are
also lots of links to reference sources and other writing sources
on the web. Although it's written with younger students in mind,
this is a great resource for adult students, too.
The Nuts and Bolts Guide was established as a companion web site to the Nuts and Bolts of College Writing by Michael Harvey. The site
provides many pointers on style, structure and research that just
might help you through your next paper.
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