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Post by Lib on Sept 13, 2013 11:01:11 GMT -5
Yay, my 20th post! LOL. Seriously, though, do y'all have other favorite websites you use for research? Things like how to tan hides, or how to make weapons, how many sassafras plants does it take to make one cup of sassafras tea, or whether you can actually saddle an ostrich. I'm not really looking for that last one, it's just an example. I do come across some strange things when I'm trying to write, and I like to find 'the real thing' rather than just hearsay.
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Post by Bird on Sept 15, 2013 6:48:18 GMT -5
Congratulations on your 20th post. I like to know "the real thing," too. But the things I look for are so uncommon (to my browsing habits, at least) that I never have a bookmark or favorite site to begin my search with. I guess I'm something of a cheat; I just Google. It might take a dozen searches, changing terms as I run across new things, and hours of reading, scanning, hunting through pages of information on multiple browser tabs... But I think I've always found what I was looking for. Or a way to contact someone who knew what I was looking for (which has led to more than a few awkward phone calls). For my NaNo Camps project, I needed some info on California, and, when I couldn't find what I wanted online, I called CHiPs (no Eric Estrada, unfortunately). I also ended up e-mailing two police agencies in Los Angeles, all very polite and helpful. But I started, as always, with the Big G.
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Post by Lib on Sept 19, 2013 7:55:28 GMT -5
My starting place, too. I just wish it was quicker to find what I wanted. I get so distracted by other links and other subjects that I forget what I went to look up in the first place, lol.
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Post by boomboom on Sept 19, 2013 12:46:41 GMT -5
Ya, me, too. lol. Sometimes I'm up all hours following one story to the next, none of which are worth anything in real life, but catch my eye via headline or interest.
Not sure what you mean by one place for research. That's kind of like asking if there is one book in the library that has everything. Google (and other browsers) are the equivalent of the library catalog. Each site it sends you to should be judged on its own for its quality of information. You can try different search engines to see if they come up with better listings.
An encyclopedia comes the closest to a "one place" for research. In a study I read years ago, Wikipedia was found to have fewer errors than Britannica, actually. Don't know if it is still like that. At the bottom of each article can be links to other sites about the topic. I find it a good place to go for a quick overview of a topic.
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Post by Lib on Sept 22, 2013 21:50:31 GMT -5
Somewhere I've seen a forum where people were listing their favorite research sites. Can't remember where, unfortunately. I must have bookmarked it on my old computer and then not copied the bookmarks to the new one.
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Post by Bird on Sept 25, 2013 22:05:38 GMT -5
It probably doesn't count as research, but I just ran across an interesting site index (via live binder; like a 3-ring binder of bookmarked webpages to flip through, all "live" in-screen). It has a collection of sources and resources for map making, world building, characterization, plotting, and other things. It's kind of a one-stop-shop for novel-y stuff, most helpful in outlining or planning a new novel, I'd say. With Nano on the way, I thought it worth a mention. Edit: Aaaand I just realized it might help if I actually linked the site. FireFallon's Resource Binder
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Post by Lib on Sept 26, 2013 20:55:55 GMT -5
I'll check it out. Thanks for the link, lol.
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Post by mllersil on Sept 28, 2013 0:21:50 GMT -5
Now that's a really useful site. Thank you Bird!
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