LearningXL

If you love to do research but don’t have the degree or credentials to be truly called a scholar, then you probably fall into the category of a hobbyist scholar. This doesn’t mean that you can’t take advantage of the numerous resources for scholars online. They can help you with anything you might be interested in finding out more about, from science to your family genealogy. We’ve put together a list of 100 of these resources to get you started on your next just-for-fun research project.

Search Tools

These online tools can be a great place to start your college research, with many focusing solely on academic publications and information.

1. Google Scholar: Narrow your Google searches down to scholarly results with this special version of Google geared towards papers, abstracts and citations in a variety of subjects.
2. Online Journals Search Engines: This scientific search engine allows you to make searches in a wide range of online databases (60 altogether) with just one search query.
3. Research Crawler: Use this search engine to find relevant images, articles, videos news and more that can help you in your research.
4. Footnote: Want to find original source documents? This site provides a place where users can upload their documents and people like you can browse them to find a whole wealth of information not available anywhere else.
5. InfoMine: This search engine makes it possible to look for scholarly information in fields ranging from business to the performing arts in one easily accessible place.
6. CiteULike: Search through this site to find articles that others have marked as being worthy of note or citation.
7. Clusty: Clusty is a great alternative to a traditional search engine, combing through several search engines to give you integrated results, clustered by topic so they’re easy to use.
8. Trexy: If you want to be able to save your search queries, Trexy makes it easy, so you won’t have to do the same search twice.
9. Cite Steer: This site is home to a collection of scientific information that you can search using this handy tool.
10. Scirus: With Scirus, you’ll find just what you’re looking for in science and technology articles.
11. Academic Index: This specialized search engine makes it easy to get only reputable results in your searches.
12. Fields of Knowledge: Don’t waste your time with less than reputable search results. This search engine of sorts gives you results filtered through the lens of professors, academics and experts who know what’s good and what not to waste your time with.

Reference Sites

Use these reference sites to find out basic information you’ll need in your research.

13. Bartlett’s Quotations: Got a great quotation in mind but can’t remember who said it? Check out this site for comprehensive listings of well-known quotations.
14. Roget’s Thesaurus: If you find yourself using the same word over and over again, mix things up by using this popular thesaurus.
15. Alta Vista Babelfish: It’s likely that you’ll need to translate things at some point during your research and Alta Vista makes it easy to do so, both for single phrases and whole webpages.
16. Merriam Webster Dictionary: Avoid the embarrassment of using a word that means something different than you think it does by checking with this online dictionary first.
17. Diana Hacker: Diana Hacker publishes a variety of style manuals and you can find a good amount of information on conforming to things like MLA or Chicago Manual of Style on her site.
18. Virtual Reference Shelf: Need reference materials online? This site provides everything you could possibly need in one easy-to-use place.
19. Infoplease: This site is home to encyclopedias, dictionaries, useful facts, and much more on a huge range of subjects making it a great resource for quick searches and fact checks.
20. Citizendium: If you have your doubts about the accuracy of Wikipedia, check out this site as an alternative. It’s written with much stricter editing rules and the full discloser of the writer’s name.
21. CredoReference: Search multiple reference sites at once with the integrated search features offered through this site.
22. RefDesk: This site is a great place to check those little facts from science to historical information.

Library Tools

For students at online universities, searching through library material is easier than ever with these online tools.

23. Library of Congress Online Database: Make the most of one of the biggest libraries in the world with this search feature for the LIbrary of Congress. You can browse through their impressive digital collections and see what they have stored away in the building itself as well.
24. WorldCat: WorldCat is an indispensable tool for anyone planning to do research in a library. Simply type in the name of the book you’re looking for and you’ll get a list of all the libraries in the world and in your area that carry it.
25. Smithsonian Libraries: The Smithsonian has loads to offer through it’s online collections, and you can search and browse through them using this site.
26. LibWeb: Need to find a library in your area? This site provides a fairly comprehensive guide to libraries around the world and makes it easy to get right to their webpage.
27. National Library of Medicine: For those who are researching medical issues, this large national library is an indispensable resource.
28. Library Elf: Don’t get stuck with late fees on all those library books you’ve got checked out. This handy tool makes it easy to keep track of where you’ve checked things out and when they’re due.
29. National Gallery of Art: If art is more in line with your research, the National Gallery of Art has a great collection, some of which you can search through and see online.
30. Internet Public Library: On the IPL site, you’ll find all kinds of resources in fields from business to science, reference materials, and even books you can read online.
31. Gateway to Library Catalogs: This site makes it easy to find the online access points for library catalogs all over the US and beyond.

Databases and Journals

These sites are great destinations for find a wide range of information, from scientific research projects to art historical papers.

32. Intute: Don’t spend your time searching blindly through the Internet for reputable and relevant resources. Intute has a great database of resources they’ve hand selected to be used in research and education in science, the humanities, social science and technology.
33. All Academic: This search engine, maintained by Dr. Michael Bell, allows researchers to search through several major online databases at once.
34. Journal Seek: Journal Seek is the "largest completely categorized database of freely available journal information available on the internet" making it easy for you to find what you need at no cost to you.
35. Article City: Check out Article City to find a large collection of articles available to you free of charge from sites all over the Internet.
36. Directory of Open Access Journals: With this helpful tool, you’ll be able to easily search through the range of free journals that are available on the Web.
37. DocSource: Geared towards scientific and medical information, this site allows you to search by author or title to find relevant information available on the Web or through ordering a copy of the document.
38. Fulltext Resources Online: This site brings together almost 41,000 full-text resources from newspapers, journals and magazines of all kinds.
39. HighBeam Research: This search engine is an awesome tool, allowing you to look through articles and information from sites like the New York Times, NPR, The Economist and much more.
40. Highly Cited: Have someone that just keeps showing up as a cited source in the things you’re reading but have no idea who they are? This site provides a way to find the individuals, departments and labs that have made significant contributions to science and research.
41. Internet Archive: The Internet Archive is a collection of important websites and cultural information in a digital form, giving you easy access for research.
42. ERIC: The Education Resources Information Center is a useful place to start looking for information related to education in the United States, and the online database makes searching through it’s collections easier and more productive.

Note Taking

These helpful online tools can be a great place to keep track of your research information and jot down your thoughts as you go.

43. Evernote: Evernote is one of the most comprehensive online note taking applications, allowing users to clip, save and share information from the Web as well as providing access online and off to notes.
44. JotCloud: If you need to jot down some simple notes while using the web, this sticky note app can be a great way to do that with very little effort.
45. SpringNote: If you need to do more than jot a quite note down, then consider this note taking application. It’s similar in format to a regular word processor and comes complete with templates and plugins to make customization of your content simple.
46. UberNote: With features like archived changes to notes and the ability to integrate tasks and bookmarks into notes, this application can be a great tool to keep track of research information.
47. Luminotes: For those who’d like to integrate their notes into a wiki, this site can be a perfect solution. You can even create hyperlinks in your one part of your notes that link to information in another part of your notes.
48. Stikkit: Stikkit sticky notes are much smarter than your usual little yellow paper note. Over time, they gather information from the content you jot down on them and can put together to-do lists, contacts, and much more, cutting down on the amount of work that you have to do.
49. FruitNotes: If you don’t have your computer with you but still want to get an idea down try using this program. Users simply call a number and get their voice messages recorded for use later.
50. Notefish: This note taking app is full of cool features like drag and drop, resizing, coloring and sharing your notes. If you find yourself hooked on it, you can even add a plug-in to Firefox to further integrate it into your research process.
51. MyStickies: Just because you’re researching on the Web doesn’t mean that you can put sticky notes all over the material you’re looking at. This program allows you to decorate web pages with your personal notes so you can come back to them later and remember what was important or relevant.
52. WebAsyst Notes: Part of a larger online suites of programs, this notebook allows users to jot down thought, save them, share them, and organize them for later.
53. NoteMesh: If you’re looking for an easy way to share your notes with someone else for advice or collaboration, this online tool uses wikis to make it easy to work together on a collection of information.
54. YourDraft: For those who have gotten to the point of creating a draft of their work, this site makes it easy to type one up and share it with an editor who can give you helpful feedback.

Bookmarking and Citation

To-Dos and Organization

Whether you want to keep track of your research project or just organize your thoughts, these tools can give you a leg up.

67. ToDoList: This simple to-do list application can make it easier to keep track of all the things you want to get done for a research project.
68. TreeLine: TreeLine can be an indispensable tool for the disorganized researcher. It allows users to store almost any kind of information in one easily accessible place, creating a small database that can be saved or printed for use.
69. TuxCards: TuxCards is a hierarchical notebook allowing you to keep track of your research in a format that highlights what is more important and what can get less attention.
70. FreeMind: If you need a little help mapping out your thoughts or brainstorming ideas, give this Java-based mind mapping program a try.
71. Bubbl.us: Check out this online mind mapping tool to help get your thoughts in order.
72. Listingly: This tool allows you to create lists about anything that you need and not only access them from your computer but share them and read them on your phone as well.
73. iPheed: Turn your iPhone into a helpful research tool with this program. It allows you to take notes and make lists on your computer and later access them right on your phone so you’ll have the information at your fingertips even when you’re on the go.
74. Manage My Ideas: Create an account on this site to help you create a digital collection of your ideas so they won’t get lost in the shuffle simply jotted down on a piece of paper.
75. VoodooPad Lite: This application is a great place to keep notes organized and it comes with a feature that many other apps don’t– you can access it right from your iPod.
76. Journler: Mac users can take advantage of this journaling software to help them keep track of daily progress, take notes, or create work plans.
77. ThinkTank: This site is designed to help organize a research project by generating possible topics and subtopics related to an idea.
78. iubo: If you’ve got a lot of digital information for your research, this can be a really helpful tool. It allows you to create your own search engine that will troll through all that information and allow you to easily find what you need.

Working Together

If you don’t plan on working alone on your project, these web tools make it easy to collaborate.

79. Campfire: Take your instant messaging to the next level with this tool. It makes it simple for groups to work together by chatting and sharing text, files and images.
80. Google Docs: For those with a Gmail account, this tool makes it super easy to create documents and share them with others for group editing and collaboration.
81. Thinkature: Want to work in real-time over the web? You can with Thinkature. You can chat, draw diagrams and share your ideas as they come to you.
82. Writeboard: Writeboard gives users the ability to create documents, share them with others, make changes and even roll back to previous versions.
83. Zoho Notebook: Part of a larger suite of tools, this application is perfect for working together on projects small and large.
84. Yakkle: From instant messaging to desktop sharing, this downloadable tool makes it easy to work with anyone, even if they’re a world away.
85. PBWiki: Wikis can be a great way to give easy access for a collaborative project and this site provides some of the best.

Browser Extensions

Trick out your browser with these extensions that can make it easy and pain-free to do research.

86. Zotero: Check out Zotero to organize, bookmark and even get help citing information you find on the Web right from your browser.
87. Customize Google: Don’t limit your searches just to Google. This extension allows you to easily get your search results from Google in Yahoo, Ask.com, Technorati, Wikipedia and others.
88. Read It Later: If you plan on doing a large amount of research you know you can’t read every page you come by right away. This tool makes it easy to save these bits of information for later when you have more time to read them by storing them in an easy-to-manage menu in your browser.
89. Yoono: Don’t browse in the dark ages. Yoono will suggest other webpages you might be interested in based on your browsing and makes it easy to save and find information you find relevant.
90. Bookstack: Just like you pile up books from the library to look through later, this tool lets you create a collection of sites to visit later when you have time to give them your full attention.
91. eReader: With great resources like project Gutenberg providing free ebooks, use this extension to make it easy to read them right in your browser.
92. Clusty Toolbar: Clusty makes it easier to search, allowing you to search several sites at once as well as giving you buttons for encyclopedias and dictionaries right from the web page you’re looking at.
93. Better Search: Better Search allows you to make your search engine experience a little better by adding previews and options to open search results in new tabs.
94. Snap Links: If you’re doing a search and more than one good site comes up, Snap Links allows you to open several search results at once.
95. Googlepedia: Install this add-on to get some helpful split screen information with your search results. For every search you do in Google, this extension will give you the relevant Wikipedia article as well.
96. gTranslate: For those pesky times when you come across a site that you think is really great but you can’t read it because it’s in a foreign language this tool is ideal, letting you easily make translations.
97. Book Burro: From time to time you’ll likely need to buy some books to further your research. This extension will give you results on where to get the best deal on the book you’re interested in buying.
98. HyperWords: Turn any word, anywhere into a hyperlink with this great extension, allowing you to easily look it up in a thesaurus, dictionary or encyclopedia.
99. AutoCopy: If you find yourself frequently using ctrl+alt+delete to copy information then this tool may save you some time. This tool adds anything you highlight to the clipboard so you can paste it into your word processor or email.
100. WiredMarker: If you’re addicted to your highlighter when you read a book then this tool is just for you. It allows you to easily highlight important information on any webpage you visit.

Both students and professional writers use the web for research, marketing and more. Our list of 100 different search tools can help you manage your business, become a better biz tech or web writer, find primary sources, look up translations, and find the more authoritative information out there with minimal effort. Bookmark your favorites to take full advantage of everything they have to offer.

Meta Search Engines

Meta search engines are especially useful because they bring maximum results to you efficiently and accurately.

1. Draze: Draze compares searches from Google, Yahoo and MSN all at once.
2. Dogpile: This multi-search engine features a toolbar, SearchSpy tool and more.
3. ChunkIt!: This sophisticated tool finds hidden content and is great for serious researchers.
4. Mamma: Let Mamma help your search. You can search for the web, videos, shopping pages, jobs, the Yellow Pages and more.
5. WebCrawler: This tool features a toolbar as well as the ability to search Google, Live Search, Yahoo! and Ask all at once.
6. Clusty: This meta search engine groups similar results together for easier browsing.
7. MsFreckles: Super organized writers can use MsFreckles to streamline their search and pull up all kinds of results, including definitions, text translations and more.
8. Trexy: Even absentminded writers can manage their research with Trexxy, a search tool that saves your memory without having to bookmark.
9. ixquick: This tool is very popular in Europe and keeps your personal information private.
10. Jux2: Find the most relevant information from Google and Yahoo! when you use this tool.

Favorites

These old and new favorites are worth using for general searches.

11. Google: Still one of the most popular tools, Google is fast and easy to use. Newest versions allow you to set up your own personal page, too.
12. Alexa: Use the general search tool while comparing site traffic and checking up on your competitors.
13. Live Search: MSN’s search has gotten quite a makeover. Live Search is a sleek design that can pull up web results, images, video, maps and more.
14. Yahoo!: Yahoo!’s shortcuts and individual channels make it easier to pinpoint what you’re looking for.
15. Wikia: For a simple, clean search that depends on community recommendations and input, Wikia is a good choice.

Business Writers

Business majors and writers who work for marketing or public relations firms can use these tools to research new industry trends, stay on top of business news and more.

16. Jayde: This business-to-business engine can connect you to what competitors are doing and keep you current on the most up-to-date content, language and discourse in business.
17. ThomasNet: ThomasNet is primarily used to search for businesses and products, but writers can use it as a research tool to learn more about brands and business news.
18. TechWeb: This engine contains links and resources about business technology media.
19. Business.com: Writers can quickly learn about anything pertaining to business using this tool, helping them write with greater authority and understanding.
20. Zibb: Zibb is a global business engine that features channels like construction, retail, health care and medicine, agriculture, travel and more.

Web Writers

If your writing requires you to know about web references and trends, use these tools for guidance and information.

21. Webopedia: Look up computer and Internet-related definitions here.
22. search.internet.com: Search IT, developer and Internet terms and tutorials here.
23. Writer’s Web Topic Index and Search Engine: Look up articles, grammar and style guides and more here.
24. Marketing Terms: Look up Internet terms and web marketing definitions here.

Medical and Technical Writers

Medical students and technical writers will find definitions, journal articles and more resources with these search engines.

25. Acronym finder: Search definitions of different acronyms and abbreviations here.
26. Questfinder: Get connected to authoritative websites only when you use Questfinder.
27. PubGene: Look up genes, proteins, biology terms and more here.
28. Healia: Healia connects you to medical journals, clinical trials and more for primary source materials.
29. OmniMedicalSearch: Look up conditions and diseases, medical news, images and more when you use this tool.
30. GoPubMd: Sort your searches more easily with this social medical search tool.
31. Nextbio: If you write for the life sciences industry, you’ll find lots of research support here.

Multimedia Engines

Give your writing another dimension when you integrate multimedia into your posts or pieces. You’ll also find interactive search engines in this list.

32. OAIster: Look up hidden digital content here.
33. Picsearch: Search for web images for your blog or marketing campaigns here.
34. Download.com: Find and download the web tools that can enhance your writing process here.
35. Podscope: This audio/video search engine features a fun design.
36. SeeqPod: Find music files here.
37. MsDewey: MsDewey waits for you to ask her to find web content while she flirts, plays the air guitar and gets bored.
38. Live Radio: Listen to the radio while you work.
39. YouTube: Find silly videos and authoritative news stories here.

People and Job Searches

These search engines will help boost your marketability, expose your own writings and even search for jobs.

41. InfoSpace: InfoSpace is a white pages search, yellow pages search, web search, tool for finding maps and getting directions, and more.
42. The National Diversity Newspaper Job Bank: This search engine is great for writers from diverse backgrounds.
43. JournalismJobs.com: Search for jobs by location or medium here.
44. Craigslist: Search for jobs, social events and more on Craigslist.
45. Wink: Wink is a free people search that lets you run background checks, find phone numbers and more.
46. PeekYou: Create a PeekYou profile to give your portfolio, projects and websites more exposure. You can also use the account to search for other people.
47. IAF.NET: Run background checks and do reverse phone number searches here.
48. The Real Estate Agent Directory: A searchable database which includes anyone involved in the housing market.
49. Pandia People: Pandia People is a great resource full of tools and links for conducting people and e-mail address searches.
50. SearchBug: This people and company finder can connect you to new gigs and vendors.

Publication Searches

Get full-text access to books and scholarly journals from top colleges and best online universities here.

51. Google Scholar: When you only want authoritative information from scholarly journals, turn to this source.
52. Google Books: Find information and full-text for fiction, non-fiction and other works.
53. Essay Finder: You can search over 50,000 essays on a number of topics here.
54. JournalSeek: Access thousands of journal articles here, including categories like Social Sciences, Sports and Recreation, Earth Sciences, Law, and more.
55. JSTOR: This popular library tool is available online if you have an account.
56. Questia: Conduct your research on Questia, a site that lets you search library journals and books in categories like education, history, economics and business, art and architecture, and more.
57. Yahoo! Journals: Search journals about geology, health, humanities, law, medicine, music, science and more.

Foreign Language, Regional and Multicultural

If you need to report on foreign affairs, if you’re writing for a global audience, or if you want to extend your research beyond traditional American sources, these search engines are for you.

58. Search Engine Colossus: Click on a country from Nigeria to Denmark to access search tools for that region.
59. Foreignword: This search tool includes a translator.
60. elanex: This translation search engine could be useful for writers who translate texts or who are searching for primary sources.
61. Web Wombat: This is a large search engine with a mostly Australian and New Zealand focus.
62. uk+web+search: This meta search engine searches many UK and European engines at once.
63. Cultural Heritage Search Engine: If your work requires you to know a lot about an ancient or preserved culture, use this tool to connect to museums and other sources.

Desktop

Easily search your own computer for contracts, lost chapters and brainstorming documents with these tools.

64. Easyfind: Mac users will like EasyFind’s ability to find invisible files and files inside packages.
65. dtSearch: This Windows tool can find embedded links and converts file types.
66. Google Desktop: If you’re already a Google addict, this tool can help you stay organized offline.
67. Ask Desktop Search: This tool finds your e-mails, photos, files and music.
68. Recoll: Linux users can take advantage of this free search tool.
69. Yahoo! Desktop Search: This search even finds your instant messages from the archives.

Inspiration and Fun

These nontraditional search engines are more interactive, providing inspiration and fun during your research.

71. Mooter: Your results are categorized using a mind map to give your experience a little more variety.
72. ChaCha: If researching online drains your creativity and inspiration, use the personality-driven ChaCha for help.
73. Searchbots: This fun search engine lets you personalize your search experience.
74. Trooker: Browse and search for videos on Trooker to get your creative juices flowing.
75. Yahoo! Kids: Even if your prime audience isn’t just for kids, you can catch up on the latest in pop culture here.
76. Rollyo: "Roll your own search engine" with Rollyo, a tool that lets you specify categories and websites.
77. AskMeNow: Here you’ll find a slightly more personable system for searching.
78. Ask Me Help Desk: You can either pose your questions to the experts on this site or become an expert yourself as a personal marketing strategy.

Libraries

You don’t have to head to the library to do your research. These search engines are either compiled by, recommended by or sponsored by librarians.

79. Library of Congress: This massive library resource has lots of search tools and materials for online use.
80. Librarians’ Internet Index: Access quality websites when you use this search.
81. Digital Librarian: Click on a category or type in your search. Touted as "a librarian’s choice of the best of the Web."
82. PINAKES: This site connects to a lot of different library materials and authoritative sites.
83. The WWW Virtual Library: Click on a category like Education, Society, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, or The Arts to start your search.
84. hakia: Librarians recommend the sites archived here.
85. WorldCat: If you’d rather visit the actual library, use this tool first to make sure what you want is already there.

Blog Searches

When you want to reference blogs or find out what people are talking about, use these search engines.

86. Google Blogs: Refine your Google search so that your results only include blog posts.
87. Icerocket: Icerocket offers a blogs-only search.
88. Technorati: Technorati has one of the best blog directories out there.
89. AOL Search Blog: AOL will help you find the posts you want.
90. Sphere: Sphere aims to connect bloggers and readers, as well as those looking for content from articles, videos and photos.

Specialty Searches

From Shakespeare to mythology to trend watches, these specialty searches can help you with your special projects.

91. Google Trends: This is a great tool for writers who want to know what everyone is blogging and talking about.
92. factbites: Access only factual information here.
93. Google Product Search: If you’re supposed to review a certain product, look it up here.
94. Shakespeare Search: Search Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies, most popular lines and more.
95. Godchecker: Learn more about mythology with this search engine.
96. Complete Planet: Access over 70,000 databases and specialty search engines here.
97. Bartleby: Great for checking quotations or getting inspiration.
98. All Academic: Here you can access academic journals and publications.
99. The CIA World Factbook: This is a great tool for journalists and anyone wanting to check factual information about another country or culture.
100. Showbizdata: Entertainment reporters and those writing about the entertainment industry can start their research here.