Bibliographic information:
Encyclopædia Britannica eb.com (2010). Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/
Site Summary:
Encyclopædia Britannica has long been a source for information, recently the online version has taken the level of information up a few notches. The site itself contains links to world newspapers, atlases, a dictionary, and quite a few other services. The content of the encyclopedia seems to be well researched and the site links the concepts together nicely. There is a special section for kids and another for games which a user can play on the site. Another feature is a learning calendar which allows the subscriber to learn something new every day of the year. The site is divided into a few headings for one to search; there is an A-Z feature, as well as a type-in query search. An important addition to every article is that the encyclopedia automatically generates the proper citation for the user in different styles. During my search of the site I copied following, which is the Britannica-generated APA citation from the entry for Omar Khayyam: Omar Khayyam. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved December 04, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/428267/Omar-Khayyam . There are a number of other features that are worth a look and could be of great use to any researcher.
Critical Evaluation:
The encyclopedia’s online version seems to be much more expansive than either its paper or CD forms. The internet gives the reader the possibility of getting the most up-to-date information. The information is researched by the experts at Britannica so it is usually pretty accurate. This can not be compared to Wikipedia, where the information is not always of the best quality. However, Wikipedia has many more contributors who may have a better insight on topics like current popular culture than do the Britannica experts. The pages and entries in Encyclopædia Britannica are easily navigated and give plenty of links to related topics, to video and audio files and to images. A really cool bit was that they give the reference for the article at the bottom of the page so it is easy to cite sources. The downside of Encyclopædia Britannica is the cost to those who do not have access through schools or their local library, though some material is available online for free and there is a trial use offer.
Viewers Annotation:
The world’s most renowned encyclopedia goes digital and allows access on a subscription basis.
Genre:
Encyclopedia
Curriculum Ties:
All
Research Level/Interest Age:
All
Challenge Issues:
Perhaps some content could relate to any challenge issue.
Why did you include this website? :
I have long been a fan of Encyclopædia Britannica’s print version, but after looking at the electronic version, I am even more impressed.
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