COVER STORY

Virtual University
The Internet can help you study

A world of learning at your fingertips!

And it could happen to you too!

Maybe tomorrow, maybe next year! Can you avoid it? Sure. By being diligent about your studies and ensuring that you are on top of everything all year round and listening when your teachers talk and paying attention in class and doing your homework and... you get the drift! But is there some way to ensure that you can have some fun and learn a little more too? Sure! All you need is an internet connection. Yup, internet... you do know Facebook and Orkut, don't you? And Gmail and Hotmail? And Yahoo and Google and Youtube? Ah, but did you ever stop to think that beyond mailing and networking, the internet might even be helpful when it came to your studies and school work? It's true... apart from the random Google search for the new Justin Bieber video or that dress which Katrina Kaif wore, you can use the net for much, much more!

And we are here to tell you how!

First a word of caution: don't believe everything you read online: not everything may be true. So, the internet should only be your guide, not your Bible.

First up, reSearch engines!

Yes, you can use Google, Yahoo, Bing or any of your favourite search engines to research for information. If you wanted to know the steps involved in a mathematical equation or the correct procedure for a chemistry experiment, use search. And you don't have to stick to the conventional search engines.

Use scholar.google.com if you want to access all the literary and scientific papers which Google has helpfully collected for you. LookSmart's Find Articles.com (www.findarticles.com) lets you search print publications for articles; anything from popular magazines to scholarly journals. And be sure to check out their Furl tool to organize your search. Also, visit the Ask Schoolhouse (www.askkids.com/schoolhouse) for specialised subject-wise information and searches. And their sister site AskKids (www.askkids.com) is a great search engine for the younger set among you.

Reference Sites

Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com) is surely the most famous reference site around, ain't it? While Wikipedia has it's benefits, for students, its far from being definitive. But, if you use it with a pinch of salt, Wikipedia still is an awesome resource.

Internet Public Library (www.ipl.org) is like Wikipedia but without the fake entries and without the need for censorship. All the resources that students might want are available here. It might take you the better part of a school year to go through everything here so use this only to seek specific information and help.

The Library Spot (www.libraryspot.com) is a collection of databases, online libraries, references, and other good info. Also check out their "Must-See Sites" for more useful info. Another site you would find useful is Infoplease.com (www.infoplease.com) which has a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, and other online resources only found on the Invisible Web. The Central Intelligence Agency has the World Factbook (www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/), a searchable directory of flags of the world, reference maps, country profiles, and much, much more. Great for geography buffs or anyone who wants to learn more about their world. The University of Idaho has created a Repository of Primary Sources (www.uidaho.edu/special-collections/iil.htm), which contains links to manuscripts, archives, rare books, and much more from all over the world. Also, the Encyclopedia Britannica (www.britannica.com) is even better online than it is as a thick book. And an honourable mention here also for the Encarta Encyclopedia (encarta.msn.com) which has a world atlas, dictionary, thesaurus, multimedia collection, and homework tools. And one of our favourites is RefDesk (www.refdesk.com). This compiles a lot of online reference sites and encyclopedias and news resources together. You should definitely sign up for their newsletters as well.