CHEM 355: Advanced Laboratory in Chemistry: Websites

Using websites can be tricky. Ask these questions to get a sense for whether the website is reliable:

• Ask who is responsible for the information.
  Are they qualified to teach you? Why are they providing this information? Does someone take credit for the information by name? Can you contact them if you have questions?
• Ask whether the information is objective.
  Does it present both sides of an issue? Is it designed to persuade you? Does anything about the information seem fishy?
• Ask how current the information is.
  Is the site dated? Has it been updated recently enough to provide good information? Are there old or out of date links?

ACS: Chemistry for Life 
Web site of the American Chemical Society. The tabs across the top of the page link to information for professionals (including career information, publications, and continuing education), educators & students, chemistry enthusiasts, and more.

ChemWeb.com
Calls itself “the largest online chemical community in the world.” Provides access to over 350 journals, a number of databases, career and conference information, a bookstore, and more. (Membership is required to access some of these, but it is free to become a member. Some databases do have added costs.)

General Chemistry Online
Excellent resource for first semester chemistry students or those needing a refresher. Site includes a compound library, construction kits, calculators, simulators, and tutorials.

IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology
Defines chemical nomenclature, terminology, symbols, units, and more.

Martindale’s Chemistry Center
Contains information on and links to chemistry journals, a chemistry overview, periodic tables and databases, chemical and biochemical databases, chemistry tutorials, and more.

Organic Chemistry Resources Worldwide
An excellent resource which has organized organic chemistry web sites by categories, such as literature, synthesis planning, reaction components, structural analysis and more.

Periodic Table of the Elements
Provides information on the elements easily accessed by clicking on the element in the periodic table. Also contains a glossary of chemical terms, several calculators, programs for chemists and non-chemists, and links for chemists and chemistry journals.