User:BlankVerse/TAGT

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The International references resource, aka The anti-Google test


Because of my dissatisfaction with the Google test, and especially in how it is often used in arguments and disputes on the Wikipedia, I am creating an alternative way of looking for information that is more authoritative than the Google test. Although I will probably be creating a separate page enumerating the reasons that I think the Google test usually should not be used as the primary method for determining issues related to an encyclopedia such as the Wikipedia (with examples), for now I will just say that I think that it yields lowest-common-denominator results that often shows the bias, ignorance, and laziness of webpage writers, and overemphasizes the importance of the United States and American English.

One major area that I need help with is finding references sources outside of the United States and Great Britain. I especially want to add references from Canada, Australia, and India. (As a side project, I want to create a page that lists all the countries that use English as one of the official languages, or as a de facto official language.)

As this is just of the working version of the page, I am included many notes that will probably be commented out or moved to the Talk page in the final version.

Contents

[edit] References


[edit] Encyclopedias


[edit] Dictionaries

  • MacquarieNet] Macquarie Online (Australia-based) (one free month)
  • Wordsmyth (Integrated Dictionary & Thesaurus): simple definitions, good for synonyms and similar words (US-based but includes UK spellings, requires registration for some advanced features)
  • yourdictionary.com With links to dictionaries for roughly 300 languages and over 50 specialty dictionaries. The English words are from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language 4th edition 2000


[edit] Style Guides


[edit] Books


[edit] Online style guides

  • The Times (of London) Style and Usage Guide [4] (United Kingdom)
  • Search Bartleby's English Usage, Style & Composition (incl. American Heritage® Book of English Usage. 1996, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993, Strunk, William, Jr. 1918. The Elements of Style, Fowler, H. W. 1908. The King’s English, 2nd ed. and other related books)


[edit] Downloadable style guides


[edit] Newspapers

For a list of online English-language newspapers and government websites around the world: The Guardian's World News Guide.

  • Christian Science Monitor website (Moderate, Centrist, Free, US/International)Although affiliated with the Church of Christ, Scientist, the newspaper is essential secular in its reporting and most of its editorials (see their about us webpage). The newspaper is known for its attention to accuracy and global perspective as well as its generally upbeat tone.


[edit] Atlases, maps, gazetteers, and other country information resources

  • US CIAWorld Fact Book (updated periodically)


[edit] Academic resources

Google Scholar


[edit] Links to reference sources


[edit] Unique

  • The Hobson-Jobson Anglo-Indian dictionary Yule, Henry, Sir. Hobson-Jobson: A glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological, historical, geographical and discursive. New ed. edited by William Crooke, B.A. London: J. Murray, 1903.

[edit] Foreign language dictionaries


[edit] More Resources


[edit] UK vs US English


[edit] Country-specific searches

[edit] Google

"Google supports more than 104 languages or dialects and offers a personalized version of his engine for 113 countries. 2 types of access are so possible...: by national, regional language or dialect; or by countries" http://c.asselin.free.fr/french/googleworldwide.htm

Non-English Google country searches

Non-English Google language searches

[edit] Resources in the Wikipedia

[edit] Notations

[edit] Emphasis and/or bias

If a reference has a specific emphasis or bias, that should be noted. For example, it should be noted when a dictionary or encyclopedia, such as the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, is primarily American English. If a newspaper, especially on its editorial pages, is more conservative or more liberal, or has a close association with a particular political party, then that also should be noted. (Please be moderate in describing a newspaper's political position (so, for example, both the New York Times and Los Angeles Times should be described as center-left, rather than liberal).)

  1. US = United States
  2. UK = United Kingdom
  1. Lib = Liberal
  2. C/L = Center-left
  3. Cent = Centrist
  4. Mod = Moderate
  5. C/R = Center-Right
  6. Cons = Conservative


[edit] Cost:

Although the emphasis should be on references sources that provide all or most of their information free of any charge, there are valuable websites on the internet that require payment to see results. Those websites should be included since there are individuals who will have access to those websites through their college or business (for example, quite a few colleges have a license for the Oxford English dictionary with the entire dictionary on a local server).

  1. F = free
  2. F/$ = some free content, with some payed content
  3. I/$ = the introduction or beginning is shown free, but to see the rest requires payment
  4. S/$ = search results are free (usually showing titles, and sometimes abstracts), but payment is required to see anything else
  5. $only = information only shown after payment
  1. Reg = Registration required to use the website
  2. Reg+ = Registration required, with no way to opt-out of marketing emails from the website and/or partners

[edit] See also