Google Earth for Educators: 50 Exciting Ideas for the Classroom

Google Earth has opened up potential for students in classrooms around the globe with its bird’s-eye view of the world. Whether you are a veteran teacher looking for new ways to teach old topics or you are a still an education student getting ready to make your debut in the classroom, these exciting ways to use Google Earth are sure to infuse your lessons with plenty of punch. Find ideas for any age student and a handful of virtual tours that will not only help you instruct your students, but might even teach you something along the way.

Elementary

Younger students can have fun with these Google Earth lessons and ideas.

1. Meteors. Have students locate the places around the world where meteors have hit, then use that data to create charts or graphs.
2. My Summer Vacation. Elementary students can explore geography while sharing something about themselves in this lesson.
3. The American Revolution. This activity is appropriate for elementary aged students and traces the paths of America’s founding fathers.
4. Using the Ruler Tool to Measure in Google Earth. This lesson walks teachers through using the ruler tool in Google Earth as a learning resource.
5. Flat Stanley. Scroll down to the May 4th entry here to learn how you can use a Flat Stanley icon to use in Google Earth.

Middle School

These lessons cover a wide range of subjects and are just right for middle school students.

6. San Francisco: visualizing a safer city. Middle school students can do this group project that involves planning to make San Francisco safer during a major earthquake.
7. His Dark Materials: Northern Lights in Google Earth. Read Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights and complete this lesson that uses Google Earth to bring the Norwegian island of Svalbard to life.
8. The Red Badge of Courage. After reading this book, lead students through this lesson plan on the American Civil War.
9. Great Explorers. Study Lewis and Clark in this geography lesson using Google Earth.
10. The World in My Back Yard. This lesson focuses on cultural awareness for 6-8th grade students.
11. God Grew Tired of Us: Migration and Cultural Interaction. Students will watch a documentary film, then study migration and Africa with this lesson. Just substitute Google Earth in place of the 2D maps suggested here.
12. Travels of Odysseus in Google Earth. Map out Odysseus’ travels with this fun lesson.

High School and Beyond

These lessons are great for high school and college students and include literature, geography, history, and more.

13. Around the World in 80 Days. After reading Around the World in 80 Days, have students locate 19 placemarks mentioned in the book. Have them select 19 places they would stop and explain why.
14. Energy Consumption Rates across the USA and the World. Use this lesson plan to have students examine and compare energy consumption rates using Google Earth and several other resources.
15. Environmental Reconnaissance of a Salt Marsh. Students will use Google Earth, field work, photography, and other resources to learn about salt marshes in this lesson.
16. The Boxing Day Tsunami. Explore the causes and effects of the tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004.
17. A new management plan for Stonehenge. Have students create a management plan to improve the visitor facilities at Stonehenge.
18. Modelling sea level change on the Gold Coast. Take a look at surfing and shrinking coastlines along the Gold Coast in this lesson.
19. The Diamond Trade. Explore the social and ecological impact of the diamond trade using this powerful lesson.
20. All Quiet on the Western Front. Read this book, then study Europe and WWI battlefields.
21. Great Monuments of the World. Teach students about monuments around the world as well as the significance of them.
22. Places Quoted in Shakespeare in Google Earth. Visit 85 places mentioned in Shakespeare’s works.

All Ages

From literature trips to volcano exploration, these ideas are great for any age student.

23. Google Lit Trips. This site provides lesson plans coupling books with Google "trips" students can take. Lessons range from Kindergarten to college.
24. Asia: Continent of Contrasts. Take a seven-day tour across the Asian continent with this lesson.
25. Explore the Arctic with Google Earth. Have students explore the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with this resource from the Sierra Club.
26. Google Earth Outreach Showcase. See how non-profit organizations are making a difference in areas experiencing disaster and war.
27. Monster Milktruck!. Drive a milk truck around Google Earth here.
28. Spring Sojourn. Teach civil rights history and geography with this lesson created by a real journey taken by a group of high school students and staff.
29. Global Vulcanism Program. Study volcanoes around the world with this site and Google Earth.
30. Real World Math. This site is full of lesson ideas for teaching math with Google Earth.
31. Weather and Storm Tracking Tools in Google Earth. Use these tools to study weather and even track storms.

Virtual Tours

Take these awesome and awe-inspiring virtual tours with your classroom and Google Earth.

32. Art Museums 3D Tour. Students can visit famous art museums around the world with this tour. Couple this tour with inside exploration when you visit the museums’ websites.
33. Google Earth Ocean. Ocean allows students to explore the oceans and all that is within and around them.
34. United States Capitol Buildings. Move your state capital lesson beyond boring memorization with this tour.
35. Cathedrals 3D Tour. Take students on a tour of famous cathedrals across the world with this tour.
36. Geosights of Utah. The geological formations in Utah are like nothing else, so be sure to include this tour in your lesson plan.
37. Castles and Palaces 3D Tour. Students can see castles and palaces in 3D when you take this tour.
38. Libraries. Visit historic libraries with this tour, then visit their websites for even more learning possibilities.
39. Major League Baseball Stadiums. If you are looking for a way to capture the attention of the sports fans in your class, take them on a tour of these baseball stadiums.
40. Google Earth Sky. Take students on a field trip that’s out of this world with this tour that explores space.
41. Great Green Buildings. The buildings in this tour have received the highest level of certification from the Energy Department and offer a good tool for studying environmentalism.
42. Rome Colosseum. Take students on a trip to the Colosseum with Google Earth.
43. Beijing Tour. If your class is studying China, why not include a tour of Beijing?
44. Universities. College-bound high school students will especially enjoy exploring the campuses of some of the most popular universities in the US.
45. National Registry. The American Institute of Architects celebrated their 150th anniversary with this tour of their 150 favorite structures in America.
46. Arc de Triomphe. When studying France, be sure to include this tour of the famous Arc de Triomphe.
47. Skyscrapers Tour. Visit the tallest buildings around when you take this Google Earth tour.
48. Rail Stations Tour. Take a look at the past and present with this tour of rail stations.
49. Sydney Opera House. Students can explore the Sydney Opera House from several angles.
50. Bridge 3D Tour. Students can explore some of the most amazing bridges with this tour.

100 Best Blogs for New Media Students

By Hannah Watson

New Media students are on the verge of an exciting and evolving field of study. With topics ranging from social networking to innovative art forms to gaming to Internet policy and politics falling under this umbrella, there is plenty for students to learn about and stay connected with. Adding these blogs to your favorite reader will help you keep current on all that is happening in the world of New Media.

Academic Blogs

These professors, researchers, and grad students offer their academic perspective on New Media.

1. Lessig Blog. Lawrence Lessig’s influential blog provides in-depth analysis and commentary on technology, freedom, and the law.
2. Center for History and New Media. This site is dedicated to preserving and relating history through digital media and technology.
3. Angela A Thomas. A professor in Australia, Dr. Thomas includes plenty of information about technology, especially as it pertains to education, in her blog.
4. Anne Helmond. Both a lecturer and a researcher in the field of new media, Anne shares her work on this blog.
5. MediaCommons. Scholarship and digital media meet on this blog.
6. Masters of Media. From the grad students at University of Amsterdam earning their Masters in New Media and offers an insightful world view of new media.
7. Confessions of an Aca-Fan. The former Director of the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program, Henry Jenkins provides his perspective on topics ranging from crowdsourcing to media literacy.
8. jill/txt. This professor in Norway discusses several aspects of social media on her blog.
9. Premediation. Richard Grusin blogs about the agents of new media’s relationship to the public’s perception of their future.
10. Virtualpolitik. Learn how social networking is shaping information filtered to the masses and the political and social implications of new media.
11. Augmented Social Cognition. This blog from Palo Alto Research Center looks at how groups work and think. Much of their research explores new media in this context.
12. Media at LSE. The Department of Media and Communication PhD students at London School of Economics and Political Science blog here.
13. TeleFrieden. Rob Frieden writes about current telecommunication issues and the law in this blog.
14. Posthegemony. This blog provides a study of cultures and civilizations after a period of oppression using current events and popular culture as a magnifying glass.
15. New Media Literacies Blog. This group studies new media and learning in an effort to make positive changes to the educational system.

Social Media

Find out what is happening in the world of social media with these blogs that discuss social networking, relationship building, culture, and more.

16. MediaShift. This PBS blog looks at blogging, Twitter, virtual worlds, and more.
17. Mashable. "The social media guide," Mashable provides readers with genuinely interesting and helpful information when it comes to all things social media.
18. Social Media Insider. Examining issues such as social media censorship, pricing models for social media, and relationship-building as a tool for social media marketing, this blog covers important issues of the field.
19. SmartMobs. Based on the book of the same name, this blog looks at the power of communications and computer connectivity on culture.
20. Alex Halavais. Halavais is a professor of interactive communications and his blog posts frequently focus on various aspects of social media.
21. Publishing 2.0. Take a look at what is going on in the world of online publishing, from blogging to web content.
22. Collaborative Thinking. Mike Gotta posts about connections and communication specifically as it has to do with social media.
23. Moving from Me to We. This blog focuses on ways to connect with others via social media to boost personal development.
24. Blog of Collective Intelligence. Explore the evolution of communities through collaboration, specifically through social networking, here.
25. Tiara.org. A PhD candidate studying social technology, Alice Marwick blogs about social media and culture.
26. Unit Structures. Facebook and Twitter usage feature highly on this blog about social networks and technology.
27. My PhD Blog. This Danish PhD candidate writes specifically about youth and their usage of social networks.

New Media Arts

These blog offer insight from the world of art with a technological twist.

28. reBlog. From Eyebeam, a non-profit supporting media arts and technology education, this blog features a wide range of posts–most with a visual element.
29. information aesthetics. Creativity meets technology meets visual arts in this blog.
30. Hypernarrative.com. Art, media, and technology are the subjects Wilbert Baan include on his blog.
31. New Media Initiatives. A blog of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, readers can find plenty about art and technology here.
32. Kevin Flanagan. This Irish artist uses this blog as a sort of sketch book of his works in progress as he explores the visual arts.
33. Ratchet Up. High tech digital art is the subject of John Schott’s blog.
34. Design with Intent. This blog examines the way things are designed in an attempt to shape behavior.
35. click opera imomus. Read Momus’ blog that covers everything from music to fiction to visual art.
36. Art21 Blog. This group promotes contemporary art through diverse media and their blog offers insight and trends.
37. we make money not art. The ironic title of this unusual blog is just the tip of the intriguing iceberg as you explore new media art news, opportunities, and more.
38. Rhizome. This group supports art that incorporates new technologies, and this blog invites you to participate as an observer or artist.

New Media and Culture

Read about the impact of New Media studies on culture worldwide with these blogs.

39. apophenia. Danah Boyd blogs about the ways people use the Internet for social connection and the implications of this use.
40. Rough Type. Nicholas Carr shares his insight on new media and its usage here.
41. The Great Seduction. This blog by Andrew Keen discusses the intersection of culture and the Internet.
42. mathewingram.com/work. Media, culture, and journalism are the focus of Mathew Ingram’s blog.
43. CyberJournalist.net. This site updates frequently with news, tips, and information about online journalism, citizen media, and digital storytelling.
44. E-Media Tidbits. From the Poynter Institute, this blog covers news about the online news business.
45. Dynamist Blog. Virginia Postrel writes about consumer variety, the business of glamour, organ donation, and other bits of culture and new media on her blog.

New Media Business Blogs

These blogs offer insight from those doing business in the field of New Media.

46. New Media Strategies Blog. The employees of this company each contribute a voice to this blog that covers trends and topics relevant to social media.
47. Concentric Sky. This web development company shares information about technology related to social media on its blog.
48. W3 Blog. W3 EDGE’s blog shares insight on how best to optimize your Internet usage for business.
49. Signal vs. Noise. From 37signals, this blog features a variety of information including interviews with experts in the field, news and updates about their products and what is happening at 37signals, and the business of new media.
50. Chris Garrett on New Media. This new media expert and consultant provides plenty of tips and resources for those looking to improve their blogging experience.
51. Socialmedia.biz. Find tons of social media strategies alongside social media news here.
52. Gravity7: Social Interaction Design by Adrian Chan. See what Adrian Chan has to say about topics such as ambient knowledge, social media metaphors, social media usage, and more.
53. All Facebook. Get news and analysis about Facebook as well as information about applications from this consultancy group.
54. Mythos Media Weblog. This media publishing group is all about breaking the mold and innovation.
55. Culture Blog. Engaging new audiences is the business of be+cause strategies, and this blog offers their experience.

Technology

Technology and New Media are the topics in these blogs.

56. I, Cringely. Robert X. Cringely has written professionally on technology since the mid-80s and shares his insight on his blog.
57. The Technology Liberation Front. Examine the legal and political side of current technology issues in this blog.
58. Alertbox. Updated once every two weeks, this blog from Dr. Jakob Nielsen examines web usability issues.
59. TechCrunch. Learn about Internet products and companies, as well as their comings and goings, on this blog.
60. TED Blog. Keep up with trends and hear from experts in a variety of fields when you watch the amazing videos posted on the TED blog.
61. MobileActive’s Blog. Find out how people are affecting social change through mobile technology on this blog.
62. Enterprise 2.0 Blog. The official blog of the Enterprise 2.0 Conference, you can find information about social tools and technologies to help businesses.
63. Kasper Souren a.k.a. Guaka. Social networks, wikis, and open source are often topics on this technology-centered blog.
64. Question Technology. Get commentary about technology and society on Kevin Arthur’s blog.
65. Technology360. Written by a former executive at NPR, this blog examines technology and social media.

Politics and Policy

These blogs are all about monitoring and shaping the politics and policy surrounding New Media.

66. Benton Foundation Digital Beat. The Benton Foundation works to create policy that will ensure that media and telecommunications works in the best interest of the people and share their view on communications policy on this blog.
67. P2P Foundation. This organization promotes peer-to-peer practices and serves to unite others with the same agenda.
68. Joris van Hoboken. Digital civil rights with a global perspective is the main feature on this blog.
69. The Googlization of Everything. Siva Vaidhyanathan explores the impact of Google on the way information is presented to the public and how they are going about doing what they do.
70. Open and Shut?. Richard Poynder examines the policies behind open access here.
71. Wikimedia Blog. This blog is written by the non-profit foundation that supports Wikipedias around the world and contains information about usability, open source, and more.
72. Public Knowledge Policy Blog. This blog is part of a public interest group working to defend users’ rights in the digital world.
73. Infocult: Information, Culture, Policy, Education. Explore the impact of new media information dissemination and policy with this blog.
74. Slashdot. Stay on top of news that affects your online rights with this blog.
75. Media and Communications Policy. This blog examines first amendment issues surrounding communications and media.
76. Tech Daily Dose. Keep up with the latest news about politics and policy in the tech world.
77. Bottom-up. Tim Lee writes about technology policy–specifically exploring the power held by large institutions and how to loosen their grip.

Media Censorship and Freedom Issues

Online censorship and freedom are discussed on these blogs.

78. michaelzimmer.org. Michael Zimmer examines ethics, privacy, censorship, and the Internet on his blog.
79. On the Media. Download the stories available here each week from NPR to stay current on news media with a focus on trends risking freedom of information and expression.
80. Freedom to Tinker. From Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy, this blog touches on censorship, open source, government transparency, and much more.
81. Nart Villeneuve. Internet censorship, both ruminations on the subject and actual examples, are the focus of this blog.
82. Infothought. Censorship with a particular eye on Google and Wikipedia is what Seth Finkelstein discusses here.

New Media Working for Social Change

From ecology to non-violent revolutions, these blogs work for social change through new media.

83. Worldchanging. Changing the world for the better through new media is the goal of this non-profit, and they blog about it here.
84. iRevolution. Learn how technology and new media can empower people to protect themselves as well as coordinate non-violent revolutions.
85. Mediacology. New media and ecology combine to make up the posts on this blog.

Gaming Technology

These aren’t your typical gaming blogs, with quality posts offering thoughtful and thought-provoking topics.

86. Futile. Ryan Lane’s video blog provides information about gaming and human interaction.
87. Terra Nova. This collaborative blog about virtual worlds is written by a first-rate team of academics and professionals.
88. Game Girl Advance. This blog explores the intersection of gaming, pop culture, and the perspective of the gamer.
89. Grand Text Auto. Gaming, game design, and the stories behind those who play and design games feature in this blog.
90. GameSetWatch. Get articles, interviews, and opinions about gaming here.
91. Wonderland. Keep up with the latest pop culture gaming news in this fun blog.
92. The Escapist: Featured Articles. Find high-quality content providing news and updates about gaming here.
93. The Brainy Gamer. Find "thoughtful conversation about video games" on this blog.
94. Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Four top gaming journalists from the UK write this blog that is all about PC gaming.
95. Gamasutra Expert Blogs. Read these insightful articles from the experts associated with Gamasutra.
96. Gamespace.nl. Gaming, online journalism, and presentations and talks on new media are the topics most visited on this blog from a PhD student in Amsterdam.

New Media News and Popular Culture

Stay on top of pop culture news and events with these blogs.

97. Valleywag. Get news on popular culture and new media stories on this blog updated frequently during the weekdays.
98. Underwire. Keep up with all the latest in popular culture with a visual media edge to it with this blog from Wired Magazine.
99. Too many topics, too little time. This blog covers music, video, and books as well as the copyright, freedom, and open source issues that surround them.
100. FBHive. Written by two 20-somethings with a passion for Facebook, this blog keeps you in the know with happenings at Facebook.

100 Essential Tips & Tools for Writers of the Future

By Rose Jensen

Writers competing in today’s global market have had to adapt to all kinds of demands that they never used to think about, including outsourcing, personal branding, web marketing, blogging and project management. And while you may have taken some cutting edge courses in college, these writing tips and tools will prepare you for the real-world writing culture of the future. Read below for the essential tools you’ll need to survive in a technology-centric marketplace, even as a creative type.

Marketing and Branding

Learn how to market yourself and your writing just as business professionals do.

1. Know how to pick an agent: Find an agent with experience marketing your genre to top publishers.
2. Start a blog: Start a blog to extend your brand and reach more readers and industry people online.
3. Use LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool for business professionals and writers.
4. Host a book signing: Ask for a book-signing table at a local bookstore or at a writing convention.
5. Post excerpts online: Post a teaser chapter or excerpt on your blog or other social media site.
6. Book interviews: Book yourself on TV and radio shows by pitching your book or your research expertise to producers.
7. Post your resume online: Put it on your website, blog, social media sites and niche job sites.
8. Twitter: Connect with potential readers build up a relationship with industry professionals on Twitter.
9. Do your own market research: Before you send out releases, do research on your target audience so that your pitches are more focused and effective.
10. Suite101.com: Write articles on this site to convince others you’re an expert and build a following.
11. Teach a class: Teach a class or host a presentation at your library to build your brand and bolster your reputation as an expert.
12. MOO: Design your own business cards with MOO to advertise your services on the fly.
13. Pinpoint your genre: What sets you apart? Your writing style, your personal voice or your mastery of a certain genre? Knowing this will help you market your writing.
14. Relate your work and yourself to current events: Bring up key catch words that are relevant to the economy, social trends and tech trends to show that you’re relevant.
15. BookMarketingNetwork.com: Visit this network to meet other writers, agents and more.
16. Set up a blog just for your book’s promotion: In addition to your personal blog, set up a site just for updates on your book tour, signings, interviews and questions from readers.
17. Never compromise on grammar, writing style, punctuation, etc.: Even when you post on forums or on blogs, never get sloppy. Your writing is your craft, and may be your only marketing tool in some cases.
18. Google Trends: Use this app to keep up with the conversation about your genre or expertise.
19. Don’t drift into the background: Even if you’ve hit a dry spell, keep your blog, social media accounts and resume updated and a part of the conversation.
20. Always be reliable: Never miss deadlines and make it a point to market yourself to editors and publishers as someone who is always reliable.

Organization and Project Management

Let these project and organization tips and tools prepare you for the demands of a crazy, chaotic freelance career.

21. Outline your goals often: Every couple of months, come up with a new plan to achieve long and short-term goals based on your current situation.
22. Use a master calendar: Use a master calendar for all of your upcoming deadlines.
23. Keep running to-do lists: Keep a running to-do list, plus daily task lists to stay on track.
24. ubernote: This handy web tool lets you organize notes, research, emails, social media accounts and more from your Firefox browser.
25. Organize your brainstorming ideas in one spot: Use a tool like Wridea to minimize mess and keep all of your ideas in one spot.
26. Use a smart, customizable writing platform: yWriter5 lets writers move around chapters and scenes for easy editing.
27. Get your own home office: An organized home office will minimize distractions.
28. Save your edits: Don’t trash edits until you’re completely finished with a project: you might need them to back up work, make changes or prove that something is your own.
29. Record everything: If your phone doesn’t have a place to keep notes, take a notepad with you everywhere so that you can record deadlines, appointments, contact information and story ideas immediately.
30. Evernote: Evernote is a very handy organization tool for anyone who works on the web. Save, clip and share images, notes, web pages and more.
31. Use mind mapping software: Organize your projects with a visual mind map.
32. Track your time: A time-tracking tool like Paymo helps with invoicing but also helps you stay on task.
33. Get dressed: If you work from home, staying in your pajamas may be tempting, but getting dressed can help you feel more focused and energized.
34. Use web-based tools: Try to use web-based tools when you can so that it’s easier for you to work remotely.
35. Set your own deadlines: Set personal deadlines as well as ones that your editors give you.
36. Communicate with editors and clients throughout the projet: Make sure your clients don’t have any changes and check to ensure that you’re satisfying their needs periodically instead of waiting until you’re finished with the project.
37. Tellico: Tellico is a collection manager that can hold your writings.
38. Basecamp: This heavy-duty collaboration and project management tool will help you keep up with edits, to-do lists, deadlines and more.
39. Document changes, edits and cancellations: Cover your tracks by saving any correspondence or requests to make edits, change a deadline or cancel a project.
40. Create a pre-writing routine: Tap into your creativity faster by creating a pre-writing routine like listening to a certain song or picturing your happy place.

Business and Career

This set of business tips and tools can help you manage your own career as if you’d gotten your MBA instead of your MFA.

41. Be practical: You can have lofty long-term goals, but if you want to achieve success, understand that small steps are necessary in the beginning.
42. Create your own spreadsheets: This article shows freelancers how to create a spreadsheet for DIY invoices.
43. Keep up with emails: Even if you don’t have time to cover a particular story or meet with a contact right away, send them an e-mail acknowledging their message to let them know you care.
44. Highrise: This tool is great for organizing your business tools, contacts and contracts.
45. Become a multi-tasker: The Internet has provided writers with all kinds of opportunities, as long as you’re not afraid to try new media. Write for blogs, news sites and community story boards.
46. PingMe: This interactive tool reminds you to stay on track via e-mail or text.
47. LessAccounting: This web-based invoicing tool also helps you manage your own budget.
48. Learn when to pass up an assignment: Once you’ve been freelancing for a while, you’ll know how much work you can take on at a given time. Learn when to say no when you get overwhelmed.
49. Fluttervoice: Invoice via e-mail with this tool that lets you use your own logo and allows clients to view payment history.
50. Maintain a work-life balance: As much as you can, set up a schedule that allows you to separate work from your personal life.

Collaboration

Writers and project managers in today’s economy may work remotely, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t connected with researchers, vendors, clients and editors from around the world. Knowing how to work with a range of team members is a vital survival skill for freelancers, so use these tips and tools to keep everything straight.

51. Outsource: If you have the finances, outsource some of your work to become more effective.
52. Writeboard: Writeboard is a sharable writing tool that you can use for edits and brainstorming.
53. Get out and network: Network with team members, vendors and other writers by going to business lunches and other events.
54. Exchange links: Promote another writer’s work and have them do the same for you by exchanging links on a blogroll.
55. Set up a tight contract: Outline deadlines, payment, duties and promotion agreements.
56. WhosOff: Keep track of which of your contacts are on vacation with this tool.
57. WriteWith: This simple tool is for group writing projects. Upload documents, share tasks and chat online.
58. GoToMeeting: Hold virtual meetings from your home office with this tool.
59. eFax: With eFax, you can more easily send documents over the Internet.
60. Follow up with e-mail: Make sure you leave a paper trail covering your tracks and documenting what you talk about in chats or phone conversations.

Brainstorming

Here you’ll find tips and tools that help you tap into your creative center without sacrificing productivity.

61. Alter your process: Try writing and then brainstorming to mix things up and consider ideas from a different perspective.
62. Monitor your online time: Digital fiddling — playing on social media and shopping online — keep you from productive brainstorming, so limit your playtime.
63. Learn when you’re most creative: Everyone has a creative cycle: learn what time of day you’re most creative, and schedule your writing time around it.
64. Read blogs: Read blogs to find out what matters to the general public. Make sure to read the comments sections and community pages, too.
65. Start with a question: Start a paragraph or project by asking a question and then coming up with different ways to answer it.
66. Tap into the outside world: Get off your computer and experience real life for inspiration.
67. Pull from personal experiences: Web writers especially can better connect with readers by sharing personal stories.
68. LooseStitch: This sharable brainstorming tool lets you create outlines and organize ideas.
69. The Idea Lottery: With this tool, you can make connections between ideas and random words.
70. Random Picture Generator: This funny tool can help give your creativity a boost through visual association.

Finding Work

Learn how to compete globally by following these tips and maintaining a presence on these writer job sites.

71. Elance: This freelance web marketplace has postings for writing and translation, plus lots of web gigs.
72. 5 Quick Tips for Writer/Agent Negotiations: Learn how to defend yourself against a wily agent by checking out these tips.
73. Have references ready: If you’re pursuing a contract job or even a one-time gig, be ready with references from past editors and clients for your new employer.
74. Prove that you’re trustworthy: Don’t gossip online and always meet deadlines if you plan on cultivating a successful work-at-home career.
75. Keep up with editors: Follow up with editors you’ve worked with in the past so that you stay on their radar.
76. The Freelance Writing Jobs Network: Get writing job leads, learn business tips, job hunting tips and more from this network.
77. Ed2010: Editors and writers can find internships and jobs, principally in New York, on this site.
78. Update your portfolio: Keep your portfolio updated with pieces you write as writing samples to fill in the gaps. For instance, if you can write about sports but don’t have any published sports articles, write a piece and upload it onto your website to show editors.
79. Poe War: Find job postings plus lots of freelance and writing tips on Poe War.
80. Never stop networking: Network on social media sites, through friends, by following up with old clients and with local news or writing outlets to stay on everyone’s radar.
81. Go back to school: Take a class to stay current on all the news trends, tools and topics in your field.

Web Tips and Tutorials

For networking purposes and web writing gigs, you’ll need to have a basic understanding of the Internet and web development. These tutorials will teach you what you need to know.

82. WordPress tips for writers: Here you’ll learn how to use WordPress’ blogging tools for your portfolio.
83. Understand how to pick a theme: Your website’s design communicates a lot about your writing style, genre and professionalism, so choose one wisely.
84. The Bare Bones Guide to HTML: Some web writing gigs may prefer that you already know the basics of HTML coding, so use this guide as a reference.
85. Web Design Training and Certification: Go one step further by becoming a double threat: a writer who knows how to design web pages, too.
86. 50 Useful Twitter Tools for Writers and Researchers: This guide can help you use Twitter to its maximum marketing potential.
87. 10 Tips for Good Web Writing: This guide can help you learn how to write effectively for web audiences.
88. Blogging Tips for Writers: Learn how to reference your brand, writing style and goals through your blog.
89. From Print to Web: Tips for the Transitioning Writer: If you’re new to web writing, consider these tips.

Niche Writing

Writing for niche markets is a smart way to stand out from the crowd when you’re starting out and looking to earn some cash on the side. Here, you’ll find tips related to niche writing.

90. Personal bios: Write personal bios for business execs, newsletters, and anyone who has a website they’d like to market.
91. Become a known expert: If you’ve cornered a particular market, you can become an expert in the field and pitch yourself as a reference for media outlets.
92. Ads: Write copy for ad copy for firms and independent businesses.
93. Finding Your Writing Niche: This article will help you determine your niche.

Staying Cutting Edge

Whether the economy’s in good shape or tanking, you’ll need to compete with all the other writers out there working from home and trying their best to network to make it big. Here are tips for staying cutting edge throughout your career.

94. Fight for face time: Though it might seem outdated, face time is what will set you apart from all the other writers fighting for attention through e-mail.
95. Break the rules: If you want to become a more popular, more engaging writer, break a few rules for the sake of conversational, powerful writing.
96. Keep up with the industry: If you want to know how to get ahead in your niche, make sure you know all the names, trends and buzz words that are influencing the industry.
97. Keep your resume updated: Your resume should always be ready to sent out, and your writing samples should also be in order. You don’t want to blow an opportunity because you weren’t prepared.
98. Share something no one else can: Go out of your way to get the scoop that no one else has in order to prove yourself as an expert resource. You don’t have to be a gossip: just dig a little deeper to find a new angle.
99. Be honest: No one likes a writer who never has an opinion. Don’t just spit out press releases: give your honest, analytical opinion, and your readers will be grateful for showing them a side of something they hadn’t considered.
100. Be confident: Since you represent yourself, your writing and your networking skills have to show that you’re confident. Never second guess yourself in front of editors, agents, other writers, potential clients or even your readers.

How to Not Go Broke in College: 100 Tips, Tools, and Tricks

By Donna Scott

Everyone knows college students aren’t usually rolling in dough. It’s one thing to live frugally and something altogether different to get yourself into financial trouble. Check out this list of 100 tips, tools, and tricks to help you plan and save for college, learn about financial aid options, manage your money and credit, earn money, and save money in a variety of ways specific to your college experience.

Planning Ahead and Saving for College

Even if you are about to head off to school, you can still start planning ahead and saving. Get plenty of ideas here.

1. Do community service. Many scholarships go to those with a proven track-record of strong community service performance.
2. Learn about the cost of college. Learn what to expect when it comes time for paying for your education with this article and sites like onlinecolleges.net that provide information on college costs.
3. Start as soon as you can. Whether you a high school student just looking at college options or are already starting college, start investing now to give yourself time to build as much money as possible.
4. Save often. Put money back as frequently as you can to help build your college fund.
5. Get your finances in order. Make sure you have a good handle on your personal finances and spending habits before you start trying to save for college.
6. Ask for gifts. Ask friends and family to consider contributing to college expenses for birthday and holiday gifts.
7. Invest unexpected income. If you receive a large gift or otherwise come across unexpected money, put that money towards your education.
8. Learn to manage your time. The old adage "time is money" is true. Learn to manage your time so you do well in school and don’t have to repeat classes or drop any classes–both of which cost you money.
9. Get organized. Set up an organized system for papers and files so that you can keep everything straight. This gives you more time for other activities, such as working part-time jobs.
10. Keep an emergency fund. Even if it’s only one or two thousand dollars, this money can help keep you from going into debt if an emergency arises.

Financial Aid

Learn about ways to fund your college education with these tips and resources.

11. FAFSA. Complete your FAFSA online to determine your eligibility for scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities that can help pay for your education.
12. Federal Work Study Program. Learn about this opportunity to work part time through the federal government in order to earn funds for your education.
13. Nelnet. Get an understanding of the different financial aid options with this resource.
14. Learn how you can pay for college. Read articles like this one to help you understand ways you can find money to pay for college.
15. Research scholarships. There are many scholarships available for students attending accredited colleges, but you will need to do the research to find them.
16. Learn about specific types of scholarships. This blog post from Pay for College Blog offers suggestions on applying for specific college scholarships.
17. Beware of scholarship scams. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people with bad intentions who take advantage of students seeking financial help. Learn how to recognize scholarship scams.
18. Learn about grants. College grants are an excellent way to get money for school that doesn’t have to be repaid.
19. eStudentLoan. Learn about student loans and compare some of the major ones with this site.
20. GreenNote. Join this social lending network where members finance loans to individual students at low interest rates.
21. Zopa. Another social lending network, this one connects members who are seeking loans with credit unions who offer low-interest rates.

College Savings Tools and Calculators

Use these tools and calculators to find out how much you should save, what specific schools will cost, what type of investments to use for your college fund, and more.

22. College Savings Calculator. This calculator will help you determine how much you should save and ways to make the most of your saving.
23. School Affordability Analyzer. Find out how much the schools of your choice will cost you, how much aid they typically provide, and the best options for your specific situation.
24. College Funding Calculator. Enter information about your savings, how long you have to invest, and your annual contribution to determine how much you should be investing now to pay for college.
25. College Savings Plan Comparison Chart. This chart offers a break-down of various savings plans and how they are managed.
26. College Savings Calculator. This calculator takes into consideration such variables as the type of school, commuting vs. being on campus, and more when it comes to cost and savings.
27. How much can you save?. This tool helps you calculate how much money you can save over time.
28. Calculate how much you’ll need to save for college. Not only will this tool tell you how much you need to save, but it can offer suggestions for changes you can make to better meet those goals.
29. How Much Should You Save?. Use this worksheet to determine how much you will need to put back for college expenses.
30. Savings Calculator. Find out how much you can save to meet your goals with this tool.
31. Which college savings option is best for me?. Use this tool to help you decide the best type of investment for your college savings goals.

Manage Your Money and Credit Cards

Learn how to manage your money and credit cards with these tips and websites.

32. Have only one credit card–or none. Don’t have a credit card unless you really need one, then only keep one.
33. Manage credit cards wisely. Don’t use your credit card as an instant loan. Don’t charge anything on it you can’t afford to pay for already. Also, get in the habit of paying off your credit card every month.
34. Don’t fall prey to student credit card offers. These offers are an easy way to get yourself into too much debt and you can ruin your credit very quickly. Instead, consider having a pre-paid credit card.
35. Focus on paying off any debt you have before anything else. If you’ve already racked up some debt, focus on paying that off before buying new clothes, going out partying, or putting more expenses on a credit card.
36. Examine spending habits. Track your spending for a few months, then take a close look at where your money is going and determine if you are spending too much in any specific areas, such as eating out.
37. Avoid unnecessary fees. Bouncing checks and using ATMs out of your network can add up quickly. Avoid any fees associated with these activities.
38. Financial Literacy. Find tons of information and links to help you learn how to manage your money for college wisely.
39. Student Finance Domain. This site is dedicated to helping college students make smart financial choices.
40. BudgetTracker, Inc. Budgeting and money management is much easier when you use this tool that helps you get control of bills, bank accounts, and more.
41. mint. This popular personal finance management system connects all your finances to help you gain control.
42. Bank of America Financial Education and Tools. Learn about managing debt, saving for college, budgeting, and more at this site.
43. Wesabe. This social network helps you learn to manage your money while connecting with others.
44. Kiplinger.com. Manage your finances in this community with the tools, articles, quizzes, online forums, and more.

Earning Money

Use these ideas to earn extra money for school.

45. Get a part-time job. Find a part-time job that doesn’t take you away from your studies too much. Not only will you be too busy to spend, but your paycheck can go toward savings.
46. Become an RA. A residential advisor oversees the activities of those in the dorm and typically gets free room and board for their work.
47. Make money online. This article offers four ways to supplement your income online to pay for school expenses.
48. Tutor students. Whatever subject or subjects are your strong ones, use that ability to tutor students who need extra help. Tutoring usually pays top dollar.
49. Sell stuff. Clean out your living space and sell anything you aren’t using anymore. That iPod you replaced last year and the clothes hanging in the back of your closet can bring in some serious cash.
50. Get creative. Learn from other creative entrepreneurs to discover your own unusual ways to earn money.
51. Get a summer job. Find a job related to your field of study or just work in a local restaurant or coffee shop to gain work experience and save money over the summer.
52. Start your own business. The possibilities are endless for starting your own business. From walking dogs to yard care to house sitting to web design, settle on something, line up some references, and spread the word.
53. Get a government job for students. Studentjobs.gov offers an excellent way for students to get their foot in the door for government jobs.
54. Become a personal shopper. Help others shop for clothes, house decor, computers and technology, or anything else you know about.
55. Sell plasma. Plasma centers will buy your plasma, usually up to twice a week, and can be quite profitable.

Saving and Investing

Putting money back is an excellent way to insure you don’t go broke during college.

56. Investing for Broke College Students. Learn if investing is right for you now and, if so, how you can begin investing with less than $1000.
57. How to Save Money in College. This article offers some simple yet effective ways to save money while in college.
58. Join a student discount program. Programs like this one can help students save money on items they may already be purchasing.
59. Join a credit union. Do your banking at a credit union and usually you can save on bank fees, get lower interest rates on loans, and earn higher interest rates on investments.
60. SaveMoney.com. Join this group to get tons of help saving money.
61. How I Save Money.net. Find plenty of tips and tools to help save money here.
62. billeater.com. Learn how to save money and lower your bills with the tips and forums here.
63. Art of Saving. This personal finance network helps members reach their finance goals, such as saving for or getting through college.
64. My.WallSt.net. Beginners can learn about investing on this social site that helps you find out about stocks, trading, and more.
65. Tip’d. Tip’d offers news, tips, articles, and more to it’s members.

Saving Money on School-Related Items

From books to software, learn how you can save money with these tips.

66. Only buy used books. Used books are almost always available and are much less expensive. If no used books are available, see if an earlier edition of that book will suffice.
67. Sell your books. At the end of the semester, sell your books back. You may think you’ll refer back to these books, but chances are you won’t. Get the money instead.
68. Shop for books online. You can often get a better deal on text books online than at the campus bookstore.
69. Test out of classes. Testing out of classes before you start school leaves you with fewer classes you have to take, which reduces tuition, fee, and book costs.
70. Take the basics at a less expensive school. Sometimes you can take classes at schools with lower tuition and fees such as community colleges and online schools that will transfer to your school.
71. Live at home. You can save an average of $6,000 a year on room and board if you live at home rather than staying at the dorm or getting a place of your own.
72. Don’t buy research papers. Not only are these low quality and a waste of your money, you cheat yourself out of the reason you are at school–to learn.
73. Check for student discounts on computers. Some places offer student discounts on computers. Finding these can save you some serious cash.
74. Use open source software. You can download open source software that works as well as many of the expensive ones at absolutely no cost.
75. Keep your stuff secured. Laptops, text books, and other expensive school items can disappear quickly. Keep a close watch on your stuff and keep it locked up when you can’t. Buying replacements is expensive.

Saving Money on Food, Drink, and Entertainment

Food, coffee, alcohol, and more may be as much a part of school as classes, so use these suggestions to save money in these areas.

76. Pack a lunch. If you pay $7 a day for lunch, you can save over $500 a semester by packing a lunch instead.
77. Skip Starbucks. Another hidden expense that adds up fast, a $4 coffee every day of the year costs you $1460. Make your own at a fraction of the cost.
78. Eat vegetarian every few days. If you can’t go no-meat all the way, have healthy vegetarian meals one or two days a week and save on the expense of meat.
79. When eating out, drink water. Soda can add up quickly, has no nutritional value, and is also full of high fructose corn syrup and unhealthy chemicals.
80. Grocery shop wisely. Buy store brands, use coupons, and compare prices to ensure you are paying less for groceries.
81. Make a grocery list. Have a list of the necessities and stick to it. Buying off the list is expensive and unnecessary.
82. Have fun with inexpensive or free activities. Hiking, biking, hanging out with friends, or exploring the town where your school is located are all fun and very inexpensive.
83. Don’t join a gym. Most campuses have access to facilities such as weight rooms, running track, swimming pool, and often tennis, racquetball, and other courts.
84. Take advantage of on-campus activities. Many campuses have movie nights and other fun activities that are free of charge for students.
85. Watch free TV. Most networks will stream the latest episodes and entire seasons, and there are plenty of places on the Internet that offer TV shows, too. There is really no reason to pay for cable.
86. Listen to free music. Don’t buy music when you can enjoy it for free from places like Pandora and Last.fm.
87. Take advantage of beer and drink specials. If you want to spend an evening out with friends, plan around the many specials that bars around colleges usually have such as ladies’ night and college night.
88. Stay in with friends. Better yet, spend an evening in. A six-pack of beer is probably close to the price of one beer at a bar.

Saving Money on Clothing and Extras

Clothes, gifts, furnishings, trips, and more can add up quickly. Find out how to save with these tips.

89. Go vintage. Find clothes and footwear at second-hand and vintage stores. Not only will you have a one-of-a-kind, you will be spending much less money.
90. Make clothes. If you can’t sew, collaborate with a buddy who can (maybe he or she needs your design techniques) to make original clothes.
91. Go canvas. Canvas book bags are sturdy and last a long time. Pay less for these and skip the expensive leather or name-brand bags. Better yet, make your own from this pattern or from old blue jeans.
92. Buy on tax-free days. If your state has a tax-free weekend , wait until then to make big purchases.
93. Cancel magazine subscriptions. Your library will probably have all the latest editions of any magazine you are currently paying to get.
94. Make gifts. Gift-giving at holidays can add up quickly. Make presents instead of buying them. Your friends and family will enjoy getting unique gifts made just for them.
95. Take graduates’ stuff. At the end of the semester, especially in May, graduates frequently give away the furniture and other stuff they don’t want to move with. Take advantage of these freebies.
96. Skip the car. Especially if you live on or near campus, you don’t need the expense of a car. Use public transportation instead and save a bundle.
97. Be careful with Spring Break. Just because it seems everyone else is taking a great trip for Spring Break doesn’t give you a good reason for going into debt. Plan a reasonably-priced trip or stay behind and enjoy the quite with everyone gone.
98. Use student discounts for travel. If you just absolutely have to go somewhere for Spring Break, then use one of the many online resources for student travel discounts.
99. Plan dates with an eye to affordability. An inexpensive date doesn’t have to be cheap. Think creatively, look for ideas from others, and enjoy the time with your date rather than wasting money on extravagant meals.
100. Be aware of your cell phone plan. Make sure you know how many minutes you have to use each month and how many text messages are included in your package. Going over what’s already included can add up to hundreds of dollars each month.

50 Useful Mind-Mapping Tools for College Students

By Emily Thomas

As a hardworking student, you’ve got a lot to organize, including essays, exams, deadlines, and class schedules, not to mention your social and personal life–plus any part-time jobs you may have taken on. In an effort to keep you more organized, we’ve generated this list of 50 useful mind-mapping tools that are designed to help you see your ideas more clearly, analyze and outline research papers, become more efficient when you study, and get inspired to be more creative in your work.

Free or Open Source

Online college students depend on open and free programs like these when balancing school work and a tight budget.

1. FreeMind: FreeMind is a popular mind mapping software written in Java that allows you to technically outline essays, personal goals, and more.
2. Pimki: This personal information manager will help you be more productive.
3. Cmap Tools: Create concept maps with this free program, as long as it’s for personal use only.
4. MAPMYself: This web-based mind mapping tool is all about the organic mind mapping experience with ideas that literally branch out.
5. Mindomo: Mindomo is another online mind mapping software program that features a simple, streamlined interface.
6. WikkaWiki: This PHP software program is described as “lightweight” and designed for speed.
7. RecallPlus LITE: The LITE version of this study notes software is free and can keep you organized.
8. DeepaMehta: This open source knowledge management tool is designed according to cognitive psychology principles, helping you learn more effectively through mind mapping.
9. Semantik: Semantik is a mind mapping tool designed for students who need help with essays and other papers.
10. Labyrinth: This open mind mapping tool is written in Python and designed to be simple and easy to use without sacrificing advanced features like copy/pasting from a clipboard, saving as an image, and more.
11. View Your Mind: VYM is a thinking and planning tool that helps students and other users with time management, creativity, organization, and other skills.
12. MindRaider: MindRaider is a personal notebook and organizer that lets you use clips from the web, your files, and your brain to stay organized.
13. VUE: Visual Understanding Environment is an open source project created by Tufts University for students and teachers. The mind-mapping program depends on highly visual, digital images and tools to help you stay organized and to boost creativity.

Collaboration

Use these tools to work with classmates, share notes, prepare a presentation, and work on the web.

14. XMind: This social mind mapping tool is great for group projects.
15. Mind42: Mind42 is a mind mapping tool that sits in your browser and lets you work with friends.
16. MindMeister: This bright and colorful online mind mapping system has individual, business (or group), and academic plans.
17. WiseMapping: WiseMapping is all about the free creation of shareable mind maps from your browser. There’s no space limit, either.
18. DropMind: Choose to use a desktop or web-based version of DropMind for real-time collaboration or the ability to add hyperlinks and images.
19. Mindjet: Mindjet is expensive, but when you use the online version to work with friends, you can split the cost.
20. Wridea: Wridea is an idea and content manager marketed towards writers but can work for any individual or group wanting to organize projects, papers and more.
21. Dabbleboard: Dabbleboard is an online white board that lets you create mind maps, sketches, project outlines and more with your group.
22. Mindquarry: Mindquarry is an open source collaboration tool for group editing, file sharing, task management and brainstorming.
23. Comapping: Comapping lets your whole group add notes and plan out projects from one map.
24. Stixy: Use photos, notes, documents and to-do lists to create your mind map with other students.
25. writewith: This collaborative writing tool is great for working on research papers and presentations.

Brainstorming and Project Management

When you need to work on your ideas for a big project, use these tools to organize all of your ideas, edits and deadlines.

26. iMindMap: This software program allows you to use colors and images to create all kinds of projects and presentations.
27. ConceptDraw MindMap: This tool uses visual diagrams to map out ideas and plans.
28. HeadCASE: This artistic, flowing mind map lets you import text from the web and Microsoft Office. Works on Windows only.
29. Mindcad: Mac users especially will benefit from Mindcad’s ability to accept images and text from Word and the Desktop.
30. eminec MYmap: This brainstorming tool lets you link to other documents on your computer and share your notes.
31. Edraw Mindmap: This free mind map depends on a brainstorming diagram and ready-made symbols to help you analyze papers, notes and projects.
32. Personal Brain: The lightest version of Personal Brain is free and works with Mac, Windows and Linux.
33. BraineMine: BrainMine is a mind mapping tool for Windows that is equipped to manage research projects, help you organize presentations, and review exam material.
34. 3D Topicscape: The basic version of 3D Topicscape lets you stay on track with to-do lists and mind maps.
35. Twiddla: With Twiddla, you can brainstorm with graphics, photos and web tools.
36. Project2Manage: This online project management tool lets you work with other team members managing task lists, ideas, and more.
37. yWriter5: Use yWriter 5 for writing projects for which you need help organizing, editing and outlining.

Multitasking Study Tools

These mind-mapping tools are about more than brainstorming and outlining. Add images, import data and more.

38. bubbl.us: Create a mind map with bubbl.us and then embed it into your site or blog; save it as an image; or share it with friends.
39. Aibase CS: The Aibase CS is a data manager for outlining, brainstorming, studying and editing graphics.
40. i2Brain: This information manager lets you create as many dimensions off a certain idea or subject as you want, boosting efficiency and creativity.
41. MindGenius: Use this sophisticated mind mapping tool for help with essays, organizing presentations, mastering test concepts, and more.
42. Aviz ThoughtMapper: Create mind maps with this tool, and then convert them to PowerPoint, Word, HTML or PDF.
43. MindVisualizer: With this tool, you can edit text notes, use icons to mark your notes, add hyperlinks and attachments, and more. The price decreases when you add more users to each account.
44. NovaMind: NovaMind lets you create your mind map branches separately before making connections. You can also use animations, create customized themes, and more.
45. MindDecider: This advanced tool generates potential consequences and outcomes for your proposed actions and decisions.
46. Nozbe: Nozbe is a project manager that lets you move around tasks and notes when your ideas and priorities change.

Miscellaneous

These highly specialized mind-mapping tools are great for mobile users, engineering students, and more.

47. Gliffy: Math, business, science and engineering students can create flowcharts and technical drawings with Gliffy.
48. Weilgut MindPlan: This sophisticated program is designed to help Lotus Notes users organize brainstorming, project materials and deadlines.
49. Instaviz: Take mind mapping to your iPhone with Instaviz.
50. MindBerry: BlackBerry users enjoy note-taking organization and mind mapping with this tool.

100 Best Social Sites for Students, Academics and Educators

By Donna Scott

The recession has not been tough on everyone. Products such as Campbell’s Soup and Ramen Noodles have seen significant boosts in sales. Movie theaters and museums are seeing higher attendance as people decide to skip the vacation in favor of staying home. Perhaps no one field or industry has benefited from the recession more than education. As the economy retracts, the number of applicants to colleges and universities rise. Schools may have seen the value of their endowments fall but layoffs have yet to strike the industry. A number of schools are even hiring to accommodate the increase in students. For those heading back to school, here are the 100 best social sites for students, academics and educators.

Students

Young people have always been quicker to adapt to new technology. The Internet has made it especially easier for students to study and share their work, much to the dismay of teachers everywhere. From finding old friends to online collaboration with current classmates, social networks are a powerful tool for modern students.

1. Classmates.com: Keep track and up to date with people who went to school with you. One of the rare sites actually using real names rather than user accounts.
2. College Tonight: A social site specifically for college students, an account requires a college email address with the "edu" ending.
3. Playboy U: A social networking community much like others, offering features such as photo sharing and instant messaging. However, since it is operated by Playboy, the site also offers sex advice geared toward college students.
4. B4Class: A social site primarily aimed at high school and college students.
5. Campusbug: A social learning website for college students. Tries to help students coordinate notes and study sessions.
6. College Classifieds: A community of college students attempting to sell various items such as textbooks and furniture.
7. Graduates.com: A social site helping graduate students stay in touch with old classmates. Excellent for finding that next job or organizing a class reunion.
8. LocalSchools: An interactive education community linking local US colleges and universities. Find your school and connect with users about any common interest or activity.
9. Pazap.com: A student trading site for buying and selling books as well as trading course notes and party information.
10. Quizilla: Quizilla is a social site for teens still in middle and high school.
11. RateMyProfessor.com: Connects students taking similar courses and has them rate past classes. Never deal with attendance grades or tough professors again.
12. Student.com: An online community for the MTV set that also contains information on grants and student loans.
13. StudentSN.com: A social network for students allows users to create home pages sharing contact information and photo albums.
14. Uloop.com: Allows students to trade books, promote parties and other activities. However, it’s limited only to college students with "edu" email addresses.
15. eCRUSH: A social site for college dating, eCRUSH is designed to minimize the hurt of rejection.
16. eSpinTheBottle: A site for high school students to swap advice, photos and create their own profiles.
17. Piczo: A little slice of pop culture heaven, this is a social network for music, movie and TV loving teens. Also offers helpful tips for homework and studying.
18. Faces.com: Highly customizable profiles combined with a youthful community make this a great place for students to spend their spare time.
19. Meetup: Find people near you with similar interests. Rather than developing a distant online relationship, the goal here is to meet up at some point. An awesome site for new students or graduates moving to a new city.
20. MyYearbook: A yearbook meant to follow users for the rest of their lives, this colorful social site is aims to be a part of everyday life offering advice and tools for navigating tenuous social waters.
21. ConnectU: An online community of college students and alumni from schools and universities around the world.
22. Wamba: A world wide Spanish social networking site, Wamba allows Spanish speaking users meet and connect anywhere.
23. Black Planet: The largest online community for African Americans.
24. StudiVZ: A resource for German students studying internationally.
25. CampusBooks: A social network giving students the ability to buy, sell and donate textbooks with little frustration.

Academics

The Internet has undoubtedly changed the way people share information. Sorting through the data has proven to be an extremely difficult task perfectly suited for the collaboration of social networks. These social sites are tailor made so academic users can share reviews, summaries and collaborate on work.

26. Shelfari: A way for book lovers to connect, this networking service allows users to create and share their own virtual book shelves.
27. Revish: Another community letting book lovers review their favorite books, form groups or update their current reading status.
28. Good Reads: A book reader’s community allowing members to review ans share books they read.
29. Connect Via Books: This clever social site connects book lovers based on their reading list and allows them to discover similar interests.
30. Zoetrope: From Francis Ford Coppola’s production company, this site allows poets, musicians, playwrights and a variety of other artists to post their works in progress and get feedback.
31. Pronetos: Seeking to link scholars with the hope of facilitating academic research, Pronetos is free and extremely helpful
32. Academici: A knowledge network for professors and general academics. Includes networks for nearly any subject from gravitational physics to US history.
33. Financial Academics Network: A social site for finance geeks, FAN seeks to connect professors and students financial academics. Search forums, groups and blog postings.
34. Graduate Junction: A social site specifically to help graduate students with their research, Graduate Junction also connects members with industry contacts.
35. Academia: A far reaching connection of academics at universities from around the world. Chat with academics in similar fields or find old classmates.
36. Humanities and Social Sciences Online: Individuals in the science and math sector tend to gravitate to new technologies first often leaving the humanities in the dust. No anymore with this social service dedicated to liberal arts academics.
37. Social Science Research Network: A research network aiming to disseminate information among social scientists and researchers.
38. Access Research Network: A non-profit research network connects researchers in science, technology and society. This site focuses on controversial issues such as abortion and evolution.
39. Rare Diseases Network: From the University of South Florida and supported by the National Institute of Health and the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, this excellent social site connects scientists and researchers working on rare diseases.
40. FUMSI: A powerful research tool that harnesses social networking technology to improve research quality.

Educators

Social networking has certainly made students’ lives easier. Students share homework, notes and test information before teachers and school administrators even know about it. Grade books and lesson plans have been digital for a while but teachers (much like older people in general) have been slower to visit social sites. These social sites for teachers are going to change some outdated thinking.

41. TeachAde: Find other teachers and get resources to help develop professional skills at a great social site for new teachers.
42. 4Teachers: Offers a social community along with tools and information for teachers, this site wants to bring technology to the classroom.
43. Twitter For Teachers: A website and community helping teachers learn how to use Twitter for classroom use with discussions, photos and videos.
44. Classroom 2.0: An active social site for teachers focusing on web 2.0 and collaborative technology for beginners to online networking.
45. Edutagger: A social bookmarking site allowing users to save interesting articles related to education to share with colleagues.
46. The Schools United: This social networking site brings schools together from around the world through videos, blogs and other features.
47. NextGen: This site seeks to supports the worldwide efforts of teachers to make a positive impact in education with technology.
48. Education Leadership: A social networking site aimed at creating and connecting new leaders in education.
49. Passionate Teachers: Share work ideas and strategies with teachers who care deeply about their work and promoting quality teaching.
50. Teachers Network: A social network with great information, videos and podcasts to help teachers. Also includes a section specifically for new teachers.
51. BONy: A European education social network offered for free by the European Union.
52. Global Classroom: A social network of students and teachers seeking access to quality education. Provides free online classrooms for teachers to help integrate the internet into classrooms.
53. EDU4DRR: A social network by and for teachers who want to make a difference in disaster prevention.
54. Learning 2.0: An invitation only learning community for teachers and educators.
55. Comenius Program Network : A network for teachers across Europe to seek support and share ideas to help ensure successful projects.

General

Social sites have come to dominate the Internet. Recently, social networking sites even supplanted pornography in terms of traffic. While there are social networks for virtually any topic or category, an account at one of these major sites is a must to keep your surfing current.

56. Facebook: One of the most popular social networking sites in the world, Facebook has sustained the social networking revolution in the face skeptics and doubters. Currently the king of social sites with over 200 million users worldwide.
57. Bebo: This site combines the connectivity of social sites with blogging, even allowing musicians to upload songs and authors to post chapters of books.
58. MySpace: It’s the social site that made Tom everyone’s friend. Though its popularity has stymied a bit in the face of fierce competition from other sites, MySpace is still popular for its customizable profiles.
59. tribe.net: This site has waxed and waned in popularity among its users. Members join and surf the site to join "tribes" based on their interests. The Burning Man tribe, for example, has over 20,000 members.
60. Tumblr: A blog that lets users post video, articles, images and other interesting material. The site makes it really easy to share content from different users profiles.
61. Twitter: The site that made micro-blogging famous, Twitter has proven itself invaluable to celebrities and media companies looking to share information quickly and easily.
62. Wasabi: A European social site with members primarily from France, Spain, Germany and Italy. Since its founding in 2001, the site has grown with Internet technology adding Web 2.0 functionality like photo sharing and blogs.
63. Friendster: A social network aimed at keeping both old and new friends connected. While having sizeable members in the U.S. the site is mainly popular in Asian countries such as Singapore and the Philippines.
64. LiveJournal: A community of blogs, journals and diaries. The site has drawn a number of notable users such Billy Corgan and Dmitry Medvedev.
65. Multiply.com: The concept is a little foreign to most users online: a social site based real world relationships. Share content and keep up with people you know in real life with an easy and fun interface.
66. Hi5: The Web’s third most popular social networking site links friends along with friends of friends. Extremely popular in Latin American countries.
67. Friends Reunited: Popular in England, Friends Reunited links people with common school or military experiences but also links based on common interests.
68. Xanga: This site offers its users weblogs, photoblogs and videoblogs. Combined with 60 million users, Xanga is top notch social network site.
69. Flingr: Feeds, forums and blogs combined with shared user content make Flingr fun for everyone regardless of age, however users tend to be younger.
70. WorldStuffer: Free classified and social networking sites for your city.

Book Sharing

While it seems the Internet has been slowly replacing paper books for years now, nothing could be further from the truth. Through the collaboration of social networks book lovers are sharing reviews, summaries and lists of favorite books. Some are even swapping their books with others around the world to completely overhaul their personal libraries.

71. America’s Bookshelf: A book exchange community with networks extending across the US.
72. Books Connect: A paid service, social site, BooksConnect shares thousands of books among members.
73. Book Crossing: A community of users from over 130 countries that meet to trade books in public places.
74. Book Ins: A book sharing website giving member a real time used book exchange.
75. Book Mooch: Users exchange books with one another based on a point system. Gain points giving books to other users.
76. Book Sale Scout: An online community of online book sellers based in the US.
77. Book Swim: Most book borrowing services require members to pay for shipping. This site, on the other hand offers free shipping with a couple of catches.
78. Paper Back Swamp: Pay the delivery charge and swap books with other members. Great for rare or obscure titles that are out of print.
79. Read It Swap It: A free service allowing users to exchange books with others.
80. Socialbib: Book swapping network between students.LI>

Professional and Job Opportunities

Employment is unique for those in the education field. Students can rarely work full time schedules and education professionals often fill niche roles. Specific circumstances makes finding work harder but social networks help solve the problem by making easy connections. These social sites are great for helping individuals in education get the jobs they want.

81. AlumWire: AlumWire has been created to assist college students, alumni with professional opportunities.
82. iHipo: An international community for college students and business professionals looking for networking opportunities.
83. Zumeo: On online search database just for students. Find information on internships, post resumes or search for jobs. Easy to use and packed with features.
84. Tapped In: A social network for educational professionals to meet and discuss the finer nuances of their industry.
85. Konnects: This site enables members to create their own networking communities based on profession.
86. LinkedIn: A community of over 40 million professionals exchanging information, ideas and contacts.
87. MEETin: A fun and friendly community for professionals to gather without the pretense of making business connections.
88. Ryze: Business networking for an array of industries. This site offers professionals from over 200 countries a unique, quality networking service.
89. Xing: A network of over seven million professional in industries such as education. The site also offers great organizational tools.
90. Ecademy: Share knowledge, opportunities and contacts with friends and colleagues around the world.

Miscellaneous Social Networking Tools for Students, Academics and Educators

Most major research universities are practically cities unto themselves. Keeping track of updates and events used to be the sole territory of campus newspapers. Social networking sites are making it easier to keep up with obscure university information from sports teams not covered by mainstream press to the latest in research news.

91. YouNoodle: A social networking site designed to connect people involved in university innovation and research. Includes neat little tools like a "Startup Predictor" calculating the potential value of an invention or business after so many years. This is a really great site.
92. Takkle.com: This site offers student athletes the chance to interact with college recruiters and ask questions regarding college sports.
93. Sodahead: Get answers to questions from a range of topics including money, music, schools, research and a lot more. The site also lets users share news stories and voice opinions.
94. diigo: This social tool saves research, highlights and annotates important pages while also managing group projects and sharing content.
95. Fark: A social bookmarking and social networking site with sections for sports, business, showbiz, politics and more.
96. Cramster: This site offers help with math problems, answers to textbook questions or study help. Their premium service makes experts available to answer random questions.
97. Internshipratings.com: Internships have become an increasingly important part of the college experience. Before you apply find out if a particular company is the right fit for you with this helpful social site.
98. Zimride: This carpooling and cab share networking site can save users thousands in fuel costs every year.
99. Box.net: A social network site that allows users to upload files they can make available to other members. Great for group projects or parties.
100. Gradefund: Students with good grades can create their own accounts where sponsors pay money for academic accomplishments.

100 Excellent Language Lessons on You Tube

By Caitlin Smith

Learning a new language from a book is certainly helpful, but it’s even better when you can hear pronunciation and see interaction between those speaking the language. Luckily, there are plenty of people who have videos on You Tube offering excellent language lessons that are totally free for you to watch. Save your money for your travels instead of on language schools and check out this sampling of the many videos teaching Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, and American Sign Language.

Spanish

Whether you are just visiting or studying abroad you can get a good start on the basics of Spanish with these videos, some of which are specialized by country.

1. Spanish Lesson 1 Introductions. Learn how to say hello no matter what time of day it is, ask someone’s name, and more in this video.
2. How to Speak Spanish : Common Spanish Phrases for Events. These helpful phrases will be handy if you are attending an event in Spain.
3. Spanish For Beginners. This video teaches important basic phrases, numbers 1-10, and days of the week for those learning to speak Spanish.
4. SPANISH LESSONS: EL VERBO ESTAR – THE VERB TO BE. Learn how to use this important verb, including forms specific to certain countries.
5. Spanish Lesson 5 The Alphabet. Asking how to spell someone’s name and the Spanish pronunciation of the alphabet are the focus of this video.
6. Learn Spanish Lesson video. Using the direct method, this video teaches Spanish in Spanish and focuses on several modes of transportation.
7. 01 Spanish Lesson – La ropa. This video teaches vocabulary of the different types of clothing.
8. 02 Spanish Lesson – Reflexive Verbs (part 1). Learn what a reflexive verb is and how to use them correctly in Spanish.
9. Learn Spanish with Joaquin Chacon, the video lessons …. From Spain, this teacher provides basic Spanish questions and answers that are translated in subtitles below.
10. 01037 Spanish Lesson – La Familia. Learn vocabulary for family members in this video.
11. Spanish classes – Clases de español 3. Explore what’s in a typical house by learning these vocabulary words.

French

Learn pronunciation, basic phrases, and even how to say "I love you" with these videos.

12. Basic French Lesson 1: Learn basic French. Start with some basic French such as learning pronouns and some beginning verbs in this video.
13. French lessons on numbers. Not only can you learn the French words for 1-30, you also get two different camera angles showing the proper shape of the mouth while saying the numbers.
14. Common French Phrases : Useful French Words & Phrases. Learn basic phrases such as "Please," "That’s right," and "You’re welcome."
15. Common French Phrases : French Phrases for Getting to Know Someone. The phrases in this lessons include questions and answers useful when getting to know someone.
16. Common French Phrases : Common French Phrases for Restaurants. From asking for a recommendation to making a reservation to ordering food, learn what to say here.
17. ParisByPod French lessons – pronunciation exercise n°5. Listening and pronunciation are the focus here where you see photos and hear French as you attempt to identify two target words.
18. Months in french pronunciation. Learn the months of the year and how to pronounce them in this video.
19. BY REQUEST: French: the language of love (1). Perhaps recognized as one of the most romantic languages, learn the French to tell someone you love them.
20. French Lesson Video: French Lesson 6. Learn how to ask questions with some basic sample questions here.
21. French lesson: Using the superlative in French. Take your descriptions to the next level by learning how to use superlatives for adjectives and adverbs.
22. Learn French for free with Coffee Break French – episode 5. This video teaches how to say the words describing family and a few other words, too.

German

From straightforward language lessons to fun on-the-street interviews, these videos will help students of German.

23. German Lessons Unit 1. Learn German by listening to real people on the street responding to the same question from this popular and entertaining series.
24. German pronunciation 1-R. This video offers pronunciation demonstrations of how the letter "r" is used in various places of specific words.
25. Learn German – Lesson 1. Get a basic German lesson including identifying in which city you are located and personal pronouns.
26. Learn German – Lesson 2. Continue the previous lesson with this one that puts your newly-learned words into action.
27. Learn German – Lesson 3. This video will teach you about plural definite articles and plural nouns.
28. Learn German numbers, "How much?" + "I’ll take it!". Listen to this song to learn numbers and how to ask how much something costs.
29. Learn How to Speak German. Get some basic vocabulary with this video, including "Thank you" and "Good."
30. German Verbs haben & sein. Learn about these two "foundation" verbs to help provide a good basis for your German language skills.
31. Traveling Germany: Basic German Phrases & Tips for Travelers : Dining & Ordering in a Restaurant: German Phrases for Travelers. This video will help you know how to order food and beverages as well as other necessary phrases for use in a German restaurant.
32. German language: greetings. Find out the different ways to introduce yourself and greet others in both formal and informal methods.
33. Traveling Germany: Basic German Phrases & Tips for Travelers : German Phrases for Traveling By Train. Explore Germany by train with the helpful language and cultural lessons in this video.

Italian

These videos are from both native and non-native speakers and offer a great beginning to speaking and understanding Italian.

34. Italian Lessons: Lesson 1. This video offers Italian basics from non-native speakers who provide plenty of energy with their helpful lesson.
35. learn Italian – learn numbers in Italian & how to tell time. From the LearningLikeCrazy series, this video teaches numbers and telling time.
36. Learn Italian – Time expressions in Italian. Take the previous lesson further with more time expressions in Italian.
37. Learn Italian – Learn The Days Of The Week. Get pronunciation and written versions of the days of the week here.
38. italian lesson 1. This video offers basic words and phrases such as "Yes," "Thank you," and "Excuse me."
39. Basic Italian Conversation. Learn to introduce yourself and how to exchange greetings with this video.
40. My Daily Phrase Italian – Lesson 73. With this lesson, find out how to order wine and beer at an Italian bar.
41. Learn Italian – Vocabulary: Colors. Learn how to say the basic colors in Italian here.
42. The Travel Linguist – Italian 101. Get ten basic words and phrases to start you off with your Italian lessons.
43. ITALIAN LESSON – GRAMMAR – part 1 [Definite Articles]. Learn about the six definite articles in Italian from this video.
44. italian lessons 4. Visit the airport and learn how to get around with these airport phrases.

Russian

From learning the alphabet to counting to greetings, these videos offer a glimpse into the Russian language.

45. Russian Language Lesson :01 Formal Greetings. Learn formal greetings in Russian for situations with people you don’t know.
46. Russian Language Lesson :02 Informal Greetings. Continue your greetings lesson with this video which teaches you how to greet those you know well.
47. Russian Alphabet – Russian Language Lesson :03. Discover the history of the Russian alphabet as well as how to read and pronounce each letter.
48. Learn Russian: Useful Phrases. Get a quick look at a few useful phrases for beginners with this video.
49. Beginners Russian, the best tips and Learn another language. This video helps you learn more about proper usage of formal and informal while also teaching some usage and vocabulary for basic Russian.
50. The Best of Russian – Easy Tour. Learn how to say phrases such as "No, thank you," "Pardon me," and "Do You Speak English?" with this video.
51. Learn how to count in Russian. This video will teach you how to count from 1 to 20 in Russian as well as how to read the numbers.
52. Russian survival words. From "Hello" to "Where is the bathroom?" are taught on this video.
53. Tips for Learning Russian. This Russian tutor offers several tips on making learning Russian a bit easier and understanding how to approach grammar and pronunciation.
54. RL102 – 1 Basic Russian grammar lesson 1. Start learning the basics of Russian grammar with this video.
55. animals in russian. Learn the Russian words for many common animals here.

Japanese

Get a start of the three writing systems used in Japan, learn vocabulary, and find out how to use greetings with these videos.

56. Japanese Lesson 1. This video offers a good introduction to understanding how Japanese grammar works.
57. Japanese Lesson 2. Continuing from the previous lesson, this lesson explains how to ask questions.
58. Japanese Lesson – Hiragana 1. Learn to read the Japanese writing system, hiragana with this lesson that starts with the vowel sounds and also offers some vocabulary.
59. Japanese Lesson – Hiragana 2. Move to the next hiragana lesson with ka, ki, ku, ke, ko and related vocabulary.
60. Japanese Lessons – Katakana 1. Katakana is the Japanese language system that includes all foreign words. Get started learning katakana with this video.
61. Japanese Lessons – Katakana 2. Keep going with basic katakana lessons here.
62. Japanese Kanji Lessons. Get some practice listening to Japanese as well as learning about the kanji for "car" as well as other related kanji. They also present the words in hiragana.
63. Speak Japanese Fast – Parts of the Face. Listen to the parts of the face spoken by a native Japanese speaker and see the words written in hiragana also.
64. Japanese lesson – The weather. The Japanese like to discuss the weather, so brush up on these Japanese weather phrases that are spoken, written in kanji and hiragana, and in romanji.
65. Japanese lesson – Fruit Names. This lesson provides names of fruit spoken in Japanese accompanied by the hiragana and English written names.
66. Japanese Lesson – Adjectives. Learn some basic Japanese adjectives in this lesson.
67. Basic Japanese Greetings. Listen to these common Japanese greetings that also include when you should use each.

Mandarin Chinese

These videos provide some basic lessons including greetings, family members, how to navigate a hotel front desk, and more.

68. Learn Mandarin Chinese Lesson 1 – Introduce yourself. This first lesson in Mandarin provides the basic greetings and how to introduce yourself.
69. Learn Mandarin Chinese Lesson 2 – Greetings. From "Good morning" to "See you tomorrow," learn some simple greetings in this video.
70. Learn Mandarin Chinese Lesson 4 – Courtesy. Learn how to say polite words such as "I’m sorry" and "Excuse me" in Mandarin.
71. Chinese Lesson #1. This video offers some basic Chinese words and how to write these words.
72. Learn Chinese Mandarin Lesson 8 – In the restaurant. Knowing what to say at a restaurant is important in China. Learn how to order, how to ask for what you need, and more.
73. Learn Chinese Mandarin Lesson 11 – Family Members. Learn how to say and read the Chinese words for family members here.
74. The Travel Linguist – Mandarin 101. This video provides you with ten important words in Chinese including "Hello," "Goodbye," and "Do you speak English?"
75. China-8.com Chinese Lesson – Hotels: At the Front Desk. Focusing on the interchange at a hotel front desk, this lesson will familiarize you with what you can expect to hear and say.
76. Chinese Lesson 2: Time. Learn how to talk about time in Chinese with this lesson.
77. Chinese Lesson 4 – Day of the Week (Monday- Sunday). This video provides the pronunciation of the days of the week. The Chinese characters are written in the "more info" section to the right of the video.
78. Chinese Lesson 5 – Seasons. Learn how to say the four seasons in this video.

Thai

Get started with the complex Thai alphabet and pronunciation as well as learn some basics such as ordering at a restaurant and helpful travel phrases.

79. Learn Thai Language Lesson: Introduction to Thai. Learn about how to be polite and how to use basic phrases in this video.
80. Thai Language Lessons: Thai Vowels, Part 1. With so many vowels in the Thai language, this is an important introduction to learning them all.
81. Thai Language Lessons: Thai Vowels, Part 2. Utilizing what was learned in Part 1, this video looks the vowels in use with Thai words.
82. Thai Language Lessons: Tone Rules Explained. This video explains tone rules as they are associated with written Thai and is the precursor video to understanding the next one.
83. Thai Language Lessons: Understanding Haw Heep. Learn how this consonant is related to Sanskrit, why it is needed, and how it modifies tone.
84. Thai Language: Some basic Thai words/phrases. With handy phrases as "Hello," "Thank you," and "Excuse me," this video will come in handy for learning the basics.
85. Let’s learn Thai with James. From Klik Magazine, James shares some basic Thai phrases.
86. The Travel Linguist – Thai 101. These ten words provide an introduction to Thai and are handy for travelers.
87. Thai Alphabet. Listen and watch as each symbol of the Thai alphabet is spoken and shown together in this video.
88. Learn-Thai-Podcast.com: Thai Food. Learn how to say common phrases about eating in Thai.
89. "Restaurant Phrases" Learn Thai with Langhub.com. The phrases here will help you know how to order in a restaurant.

American Sign Language

Video is a great way to learn about ASL, and these videos will help you with the alphabet, to learn ASL etiquette, vocabulary, and much more.

90. ASL Sign Language Alphabet. This video shows you how to sign the alphabet in American Sign Language.
91. Sign Language Basics: Sign Language: Numbers 1-20. Learn to sign the first twenty numbers with this video.
92. Sign Language Basics: Sign Language: Etiquette. In this video, find out how to get a deaf person’s attention, why you should make eye contact, and the importance of facial expressions.
93. Sign Language Basics: Sign Language: Names. Assigning sign names are the topic of this video.
94. American Sign Language Emotion Words: American Sign Language: Friendly & Unfriendly. These emotion words explore "friendly" and variations of this word.
95. American Sign Language Emotion Words: American Sign Language: Indifferent & Tired. Focusing on negative emotion words, you can learn such words as "indifferent," "tired," and "weak."
96. American Sign Language Food Words: American Sign Language: Colors. Learn how to sign colors so that you can define foods with this video.
97. American Sign Language Food Words: American Sign Language: Grocery Shopping. Another video in the food series, this one helps you learn grocery store signs.
98. American Sign Language Food Words: American Sign Language: Food Types. From American to Chinese to French, learn how to sign different types of foods.
99. American Sign Language Food Words: American Sign Language: Restaurants. Now that you can communicate what type of food you want, learn how to order in a restaurant with these signs.
100. American Sign Language Home Words: American Sign Language: Street, Avenue & Address. Learn how to sign different types of living spaces as well as how to give your address.

25 Amazing Features of the Wolfram Alpha Knowledge Engine

By Meredith Walker

The new Wolfram Alpha Knowledge Engine is the first web tool to compute knowledge based on your simple query. It is capable of answering systematic questions based on quantitative principles, like science, units and measures, and places and geography. Unlike a search engine, the Wolfram Alpha pulls from its own knowledge base and actually responds to questions, instead of spewing out reference material for further review. It’s revolutionizing the way we can use the Internet as an information resource, and our list of 25 of its most amazing features proves that.

Overview

Get a basic understanding of what makes the Wolfram Alpha so special.

1. It contains over 10 trillion pieces of data: As of its start date, the Wolfram Alpha Knowledge Engine contains over 10 trillion pieces of data that it sorts through to compute answers to your questions. It also features over 50,000 types of algorithms and models, and more than 5 million lines of code from Mathematica.
2. It’s not a search engine: The Wolfram Alpha team clarifies that its new tool is a "computational knowledge engine" that actually digs through its own knowledge base to compute solutions and responses, unlike a search engine.
3. It works with other search engines: According to the Wolfram Alpha FAQs page, you can use the tool with a regular search engine by adding the box to your regular desktop.
4. It’s always finding new stuff: The Wolfram Alpha is always in development, and is always adding new information to its database. If it couldn’t find an answer to your query the first time, keep checking back in the future.

What it Can Find

Discover how the Wolfram Alpha can work for you by playing around with these example queries.

5. Weather: Find weather forecasts, records, charts, and even local sun rise and set times.
6. Books: Compare books and get information about different books and college textbooks, including interpretations, author information, and more.
7. Maps and Projections: Look up maps according to all kinds of criteria, including life expectancy and more.
8. View your results in all types of formats: Depending on your search, you will find your results displayed in all sorts of formats that make the answer easier to process, including pie charts, bar representation, word definitions, percentages, fractions, and more.
9. Compute dates and times: Look up important information about specific dates in history; calculate time differences, generate calendars for past dates, and more.
10. Compare people: Compare basic facts about people, including their profession, degree, full names, and birth and death dates.
11. Discover genealogy lines: The Wolfram Alpha can compute family relationships and quickly tell you how you’re related to someone by generating a genealogic tree.
12. It can turn you into a stock whiz: Get all kinds of analytics and information on specific stocks. You can even use the engine to compare stocks, do mortgage computations, compute future values, and more.
13. It’s a cheat sheet for hash codes, CAPTCHA, web characters and more: The Wolfram Alpha computes all kinds of web and computer systems data and acts like a cheat sheet when you don’t feel like doing it yourself.
14. It can teach you about music: Use the engine to learn about musical note, chord and scale properties. You’ll find out standard frequency, music notation, keyboard locations, major scales for particular notes, and more.
15. It knows all about genetics: Look up specific genes to find their location, alternate names, sequence length, nearby genes, splicing structure and processes, displayed and explained in clear graphs and definitions.
16. Compute life expectancy: Find out how long you’re expected to live based on your sex, age and geographic location.
17. It’s a statistical genius: Well, sort of, The Wolfram Alpha doesn’t think for itself, but its knowledge base of statistics and probability is enviable.

Tools and Capability

These tools and features make the Wolfram Alpha even more user-friendly and convenient to use.

18. iGoogle Gadget: This download lets you add Wolfram Alpha to your iGoogle page, for convenient Q&A surfing.
19. It works on an iPhone: Wolfram Alpha is already equipped to work and display appropriately on an iPhone.
20. It’s customizable: This program involves Wolfram Alpha creating a database that pulls information from your data and integrated with its own knowledge base. Use the customized version to compare and cross-reference information.
21. Toolbars: You can also add Wolfram Alpha to your Internet Explorer, Firefox 2, or Firefox 3 toolbar.
22. You can add a Wolfram Alpha box to your own site: By choosing to add a box to your own site, you can let visitors search the knowledge base more easily.

How Wolfram Alpha Works

Learn more about how the Wolfram Alpha works and how it can be used below.

23. It’s free: The Wolfram Alpha is free to use for everyone.
24. You can always find primary sources: If you want to know how Wolfram Alpha found your answer, follow the Source Information button to find primary and other resources.
25. It’s considered its own primary source: Wolfram Alpha considers itself a primary source, worthy of being cited in