Research in Preparing

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DHT1999
Posts: 274
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:00 pm
Location: Alabama

Research in Preparing

Post by DHT1999 » Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:46 pm

What is your favorite resource to use for the research projects in Preparing? We use and enjoy Wikipedia. My son is very familiar with it as he's spent alot of time there in the last couple of years. We have two sets of older encyclopedias. They haven't been very helpful. I keep thinking I should splurge on a new set of encyclopedias but they really are expensive. We have done research at the library before but not for any of his Preparing assignments. I need another resource that's just right at our finger tips.

Any suggestions?
2011-2012: Creation to Christ & Bigger Hearts

"He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children." - Psalm 113:9

Carrie
Site Admin
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Research in Preparing

Post by Carrie » Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:16 pm

Donna,

This is such a tough question, as we've yet to find an encyclopedia that we love enough to recommend. Most of the encyclopedias have quite a bit of evolutionary content at the beginnings. Some have more than others. I'll link you to a past thread on that discussion: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3027

We do like the Usborne Internet-linked Ancient World encyclopedia that we carry on our website in the Extension Package of Preparing Hearts. The Usborne Internet-Linked Medieval World is another good encyclopedia. It is purple on the cover and is a slim volume. A Bible dictionary is also a helpful thing to have on hand (or even several different ones). We've often used those for the Bible-related research portions, simply consulting several of them to get a fuller picture. I believe I listed one that we have in the thread linked above. :D

We do use wikipedia for research, knowing that some of the topics are not correctly cited or verified. However, we were careful when choosing topics for research in our guides to make sure that the wikipedia content for that topic was not inappropriate and had not been called into question.

We typically have several different encyclopedias and Bible dictionaries that we utilize for research at our house along with wikipedia. We simply vary the source we use each week. :D

I rarely purchase used books, unless I am purchasing an out-of-print or hard to find title, however encyclopedias and Bible dictionaries are often available quite cheaply used, allowing you to purchase several different ones to have on hand for not much money. Hope that helps!

Blessings,
Carrie

DHT1999
Posts: 274
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:00 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: Research in Preparing

Post by DHT1999 » Fri Oct 02, 2009 3:16 pm

Thank you, Carrie! I appreciate the response. What do you think about the World Book Encyclopedia for Windows? Are you familiar with it?
2011-2012: Creation to Christ & Bigger Hearts

"He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children." - Psalm 113:9

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8128
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Research in Preparing

Post by Carrie » Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:41 pm

Donna,

We do have a version of it, however I have not been diligent about using it. I've not seen the newer versions, so I'm not sure how they are content wise. I know at one point Sonlight used it for one of their cores, and my older sister found it very dry reading in that context. I'm actually more of a book gal, if I can get my hands on a good one! :wink:

I was thinking there was a past thread on this topic that I'll see if I can find and link. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8128
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: Research in Preparing

Post by Carrie » Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:29 pm

This may help a bit: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4861

Blessings,
Carrie

homeforhim
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 4:18 am

Re: Research in Preparing

Post by homeforhim » Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:58 pm

Hi there,

I just wanted to mention that we picked up a set of 1977 Encyclopedia Britannica last year for $20. It has the Junior Brittanica set with it as well and we have found that set (the Junior) just perfect for answering all the research questions in Preparing thus far. They seem to be well written, have good pictures or drawings and are quite interesting to just sit and read. We do not permit the kids access to the internet yet (they do other things on the computer like tying and games) so we aren't using Wikipedia but have been very pleased with Brittanica. I expressly wanted an older set not only for the price but I just figured much of the objectionable material (topics that we aren't dealing with yet, KWIM) that is likely to be in current editions would be absent and from everything I have seen, it is. The kids have gotten very good at looking up things on their own and quite frequently go and look something up that they are interested in themselves :D .

The adult set has come in handy now and then too. For instance, the cave art entry in the junior set was lacking but in one of the adult volumes we found a color picture of the very cave in Lancaux, France that "Life in the Great Ice Age" had referred to. It really helped. That is my commercial for Brittanica!! :D

Rachael
DS 15 M2MM
DS 12 M2MM
Enjoyed Preparing, CTC, Res2Ref, & Rev2Rev

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