Larry Krumenaker's Science Writing and Net Resources Links

Net Resources Search Engines, Listserves, Newsgroups, Resources, FAQs, How-to's

Science/Writing Resources Journals, University News Sites, Science News, Listserves for Science Writers, Resources by Science Area, Science Miscellany

University Science Journalism Education Home Pages!

Search Engines

All these have various strengths and weaknesses--the size of their databases, the power or lack of power in their search programs. Some do single word searches better than Boolean. Some rank sites in "relevance", others just list. Try several for completeness.
• Lycos -- Despite others' claims, probably still the largest search site and finds things most others don't.
• Yahoo! -- Lists sites by category and can search the Web. Good starting point but sometimes out of date.
• Einet Galaxy -- Even searches gophers!
• InfoSeek See under Newsgroups (there are some charges on this service).
• Alta Vista -- Also claims to be the largest. Certainly gives you the most hits!

Listservs

To find listservs for a particular topic of interest:

• Subject index to listservs at NeoSoft

Newsgroups

Newsgroups (Usenet) discussion groups are similar in form to the CompuServe and consumer service forums/conferences/BBSs. They are also often considerably less rigid and formal and have a high noise -to-signal ratio. Nevertheless, they can be good tools for identifying stories, finding people, and getting questions answered.
But have your flame-resistant keyboards ready.
• Keyword search newsgroup *messages*:
• Google Groups (formerly DejaNews)
• InfoSeek--Also offers a ranked list of WWW sites with your search words shown in context.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)are a goldmine of useful and hard-to-find information. Nearly every newsgroup has has a collection of these, published every once, week, or as needed. Ohio State University has a repository of FAQs located on the Web. OSU Usenet FAQ collection

Useful "References"

• Martindale's Science Tables/Dbases
• Pending Leglislation
• Cornell Law School
• Library of Congress
• Fedworld -- The US government's collection of its BBSs. *telnet* client required.

How to Use the Internet-Miscellany

• People Finders - Telephones
• Switchboard
• Business Finders -
• (NYNEX) the Big Yellow PhoneBook
• Hytelnet --Directory of Telnet Accessible Sites Hytelnet
• Beginner's Guide to HTML

Fee-based Services for Research

• Electric Library - $59.95/year for Individuals - General Periodicals in full text
• Micropatent
• BioMedNet WWW Club for the Biological and Medical Community

Other useful resources for Science Writers

• Find a lawyer mentioned in the news
• Yanoff's List of Useful Net Resources Return to the top of the page

 

 
 
 
 
 



Science Writing Resources

These resources have been recommended to be, or I've discovered these to be, good general sites for scientific information or journalism. All resources are subject to address changes, server downtimes, closure or "too busy" signals without warning.

Science News

News Compilations Sites

• Eurekalert!
• Science Daily
• National Science Foundation

Science/Writing Listservs

• ASJA Contract Watch - Send subscribe ASJACW-L to majordomo@eskimo.com
• NIST Updates - Send subscribe nist_update to mailserv@nist.gov
• PCST-L Public Communication of Science list from Bruce Lewenstein, Cornell - Send the message subscribe PCST-L your name to listproc@cornell.edu
• The nasw-x lists. The NASW Web site maintains 3 public lists for persons interested in science journalism:

nasw-talk - the main discussion page
nasw-freelance - for freelance science writers
nasw-pr - for public information officers and science public relations people at universities and laboratories.

 Send subscribe nasw-x to majordomo@nasw.org where you substitute the appropriate discussion listname for the "x", i.e. nasw-talk instead of nasw-x.

Science Resources on the Internet

       Astronomy

From my article "Roboscopes", in Internet World
There were four telescopes available (or planned to be) to the Internet user; these are all that are still left (12/02):
 
1. University of California, Santa Barbara

Used by UCSB students plus schools in the area. Recently received a grant to bring astronomy to inner-city and minority school children. A Celestron 14", observations are keyed in and the telescope operated by remote control from a lab room.
2. University of Iowa

A 7" refractor in the Iowa physics department, the most astronomically versatile of the roboscopes. Observation requests are prioritized by computer and then overseen by a computer operator. A completely controllable remote telescope accessible from the Internet is being built. (No response Dec 2002)
3. Mt. Wilson 24" Remotely Controlled Telescope

The only telescope that the user controls in real time but requires modem access. Web access, using "The Sky" and other software from Software Bisque, is anticipated by year's end. (Note: May only be a central site for Telescopes In Education now. Could not find actual "use this telescope" links in December 2002).

Astronomical Net Activities, from my article "Net Around the Clock", in StarDate Magazine
 

1. Daily Solar Images you can string together for a "movie"

Mees Solar Observatory (visible light images)
NASA Solar Data Analysis Center (SOHO)
2. Satellite Passage Predictors

SatPasses Home Page (the six brightest artificial moons and Shuttle)
3. Not in the article but the acknowledged leader in this area these days-- Heaven's Above

Chemistry

• ACS ChemCenter

Environmental Sciences

• EPA

Geological Sciences

• American Geophysical Union - AGU
• USGS maps info

General

• National Academy of Sciences News No response 12/02
• YAHOO National Laboratories Page
• Yahoo's Science Section

Marine Science

• Ocean Drilling Program

Medical

• Bioethics Centers
• National Institutes of Health
• This Week at the NIH

Physics

• HEP lists of Newsletters

Publications

• ChemWeek
• Journal of the National Cancer Institute
• Nature
• New Scientist
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Science

Other useful resources for Science Writers

• ProfNet

 

 

From my article "Best Business Sites on the Web", from Online User March/April 1997.

• American City Business Journals

More than 40 Weekly Business journals.www.bizjournals.com
• EDGAR

10Ks, 10Q's and dozens of corporate paperwork, for free! edgar.sec.gov
• Hoover's Online

The basics on any company plus links to EDGAR, CNNfn and more--for more.www.hoovers.com
• Micropatent

The least expensive site for patent and trademark information on the Net! www.micropat.com
• PR Newswire

The corporate newswire--one week archive is free. www.prnewswire.com
• Return to the top of the page

 

 
 








The Science JournalismEducation Area

Links to Science Writing Programs Home Pages

Anybody know of these or other URLS???

• Knight Center for Science and Medical Journalism at Boston University www.bu.edu/com/jo/science.html
• Lehigh University
• University of California, Santa Cruz
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Last update: 12/24/02