Online Reference Tools

GENERAL REFERENCE SOURCES

AskOxford.com - A site that offers resources to help visitors make the best use of the English language.

Link to Reference Tools from OhioLINK - Features encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and other quick-answer resources. Authorization required for off-campus use.

ALMANACS

Old Farmer's Almanac - Online version of the book.

World Fact Book - Produced by the CIA, Fact Books for most countries of the world are produced annually. They provide a good overview, including maps, of the countries in the world.

BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES

Biography.com - The site of the TV channel. Offers several brief biographies.

Biography Reference Bank - Biographical information on approximately half a million people, from antiquity to the present. Use THIS LINK for off-campus access.

CALCULATORS

Measure 4 Measure - "A collection of interactive sites on the Web that estimate, calculate, evaluate, translate, etc."

MegaConverter 2 - Provides various conversion tools (weight, length, etc.).

OnlineConversion.com - "Convert just about anything to anything else."

CAREERS

Hocking College Career Services at collegecentral.com - Alumni, students approaching graduation or those seeking seasonal, part-time, or internship positions may register, post their resumes, and view full-time jobs, part-time jobs, seasonal positions and internships.

Occupational Outlook Handbook - From the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

DICTIONARIES AND THESAURI

Acronyma - "The largest database of acronyms and abbreviations on the Web."

Botanary - A list of plant genus and species names and their meanings.

Food Dictionary - From epicurious.com; search by keyword or browse alphabetically.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary - The MW Dictionary Online.

Onelook Dictionaries - Searches many online dictionaries in one search.

Roget's Thesaurus - Contains a variety of synonyms for all parts of speech.

Terms of Environment - Provides definitions for commonly-used environmental terms.

Webopedia - Find definitions for computer and Internet terms.

ENCYCLOPEDIAS

World Book Advanced (on-campus link) - Use THIS LINK for off-campus access.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AND NATIONAL ISSUES

50states.com - Provides links to basic information about each state.

Congressional Pictorial Directory - Find photos of our legislators.

Ohio.gov - The web page for the wonderful State of Ohio.

Ohio Department of Development - "Promotes economic opportunities to improve the profits and prosperity of Ohio's citizens."

Ohio Revised Code and Administrative Code - (does not provide annotations).

USA.gov - Search here for information from the US government, plus US state and local governments.

MAPS

Mapquest - Provides maps and driving directions.

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection - A large collection of online maps, including maps of current interest and historical maps.

Terraserver USA - Provides aerial and satellite images.

ONLINE TUTORIALS AND PRACTICE TESTS

Learning Express Library - Use THIS LINK for off-campus access. Many different practice tests are available here. Registration is required; you must register from an Ohio public library, school, or college campus before first use.

net.TUTOR - This site offers interactive tutorials on basic tools and techniques for becoming an effective Internet researcher. Includes Web basics (how to use e-mail and Web browsers), and how to evaluate Web sites.

Test Prep Review - Free, online practice tests, including the GED, ASVAB, and NCLEX.

PHONE DIRECTORIES

AnyWho Phone Directory - Find phone numbers, addresses, maps & directions for businesses and people in the U.S.

gethuman - Use this site to find phone numbers and instructions to bypass many companies' automated menus.

QUOTATIONS

Familiar Quotations - Searchable web version of the 10th edition of Bartlett's classic work, which is a collection of passages, phrases, and proverbs traced to their sources.

Giga Quotes - "Extensive collection of 100,000+ ancient and modern quotations, aphorisms, maxims, proverbs, sayings, truisms, mottos, book excerpts, poems, etc."

SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID

eScholar - Contains hundreds of government-funded scholarships, fellowships, grants, internships and cooperative programs.

Fastweb - This site allows you to search for scholarships.

FinAid - A "comprehensive annotated collection of information about student financial aid on the Web." An excellent starting point.

International Education Financial Aid - A resource for financial aid information for international students wishing to study in a foreign country.

Student Guide (U.S. Dept. of Education) - The online edition of the comprehensive Student Guide for Financial Aid from the Dept. of Education.

STATISTICS

National Center for Health Statistics - Presents statistics on recent trends in health care.

Ohio County Profiles - Demographic information for each county.

Population Reference Bureau - "The Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations."

State Health Facts Online - This site contains state-level data on demographics, health and health policy. From the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Statistical Abstract of the United States - The full text of this reference resource.

U.S. Census Bureau - Resources include population quick facts, maps, business information, news, and information on special topics.

U.S. Economy at a Glance - Presents key national and state economic statistics, such as unemployment, consumer price index, and average hourly wage.

WHO Statistical Information System - "An interactive database bringing together core health statistics for the 193 WHO Member States."

STYLE MANUALS AND GUIDES

How to Cite Correctly - Provides citation information for APA format, CBE, Chicago Style, MLA format, and maps.

The following are automatic citation generators. You should always check the accuracy of the citations generated by these sites before using them in your academic work.

BibMe - This generator features an "auto fill mode" that searches the Internet to fill in your citation information for you.

Easybib - This Web resource automatically generates MLA-style citations. APA format is also available for a small yearly fee.

Landmark Citation Machine - Generates APA and MLA style citations for print and electronic resources.

NCSU Libraries Citation Builder - Similar to Easybib, but generates APA, MLA and CBE formats.