YCCC: Scientific Inquiry: Websites

Web Sites for Scientific Inquiry

National Science Digital Library
Educational resources for use by those in Community and Technical Colleges including biology, chemistry and earth sciences topics. Includes OER
Plant Database from the United States Dept. of Agriculture
The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.
North American Mycological Association
Learn about fungi!
Gray's Anatomy
Anatomy of the human body
US Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment.
National Human Genome Research Institute
The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) led the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) contribution to the International Human Genome Project, which had as its primary goal the sequencing of the human genome. With the successful completion of this project in April 2003, the NHGRI's mission has expanded to encompass a broad range of studies aimed at understanding the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease.
Tree of Life Web Project
Our goal is to contain a page with pictures, text, and other information for every species and for each group of organisms, living or extinct.

Statistics in Scientific Inquiry

Statistics can be a valuable information resource for many of your Scientific Inquiry projects. However, finding statistical information on the web can be tricky. Fortunately, most government agencies that collect statistical data make that information available online. Here are some top-notch sources for statistics:

FedStats
"Gateway to statistics from over 100 U.S. Federal agencies." Browse or search thousands of statistical tables maintained by the U.S. government.
United Nations Statistics Division - Environmental Indicators
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Compiles global environment statistics on ten indicator themes: Air & Climate, Biodiversity, Energy & Minerals, Forest, Governence, Inland Water Resources, Land & Agriculture, Marine & Coastal Areas, Natural Disasters, and Waste.

Evaluating Web Sites

Ask these questions to determine whether the resources you find are credible and reliable:

Who created the page? Does the person or organization have the appropriate credentials?
What is the purpose of the site? For example, is it sponsored by a company that has a financial interest in the topic?
When was the page last updated? How current is the information?
How does the author support his/her argument? Does the author cite trustworthy sources?

Learn more about evaluating websites from Cornell University; or print out our handy tipsheet.