ACADEMIC WEB RESOURCES

             ACADEMIC WEB RESOURCES

Academic Web Resources are very useful for teaching learning process. They  play an important  role in educational field . Moreover,  web resources enhance the learning level of students. Two common academic web resources are e-journals and online dictionary.

E- JOURNALS

◆ E-journals(Electronic journals) are magazines that can be accessed via electronic transmission

◆Usually published on web

◆ They have the purpose of providing materials for academic research and study

◆Some e-journals are online only journals, some are online versions of printed journals

◆ An increasing number of journals are now available as online open access journals, requiring no subscription and offering full-text articles and reviews to all.

Electronic journals have several advantages over traditional printed journals:

1. You can search the contents pages and/or the full text of journals to find articles on a certain subject.

2. You can read journal articles on your desktop, you don't have to be in the Library.

3. You can e-mail articles to yourself or download them for printing.

4. The article that you want to read will always be available, even when the Library is closed.

5. Hypertext links allow you to move to different sections within individual journals or articles and can link you to related resources on the Internet.

6. Journals can include more images and audio-visual material.

7. Journals can be interactive - you can e-mail the author or editor with your comments.

Categories of E-Journals:

Based on the level of content e-journal can be classified as:

a. Scholarly or research e-journal.

b. Popular or general public e-journal.

c. Industry or Trade e-journals.

Based on availability and pricing e-journals may be categorized  as followings:

Free online e-journal: The journals, which are totally free in online. Such as Full text Database/ service.

Free along with print subscription e-journal: The journals, which online access are free and also provide print subscription.

Disadvantages of e-journals

◆Need special equipment (PC) for reading and a good internet connection for fast access.

◆ Very expensive

◆License agreements are complicated and varies from publisher to publisher.

◆Require skills and training to use

ONLINE DICTIONARY

Online dictionary is a dictionary that is available on the internet or World Wide Web and accessed through a web browser using a computer or a mobile device, primarily by typing a query term into a search box on the site. Online dictionaries like Dictionary.com offer immediate, direct access through large databases to a word's spelling and meanings, plus a host of ancillary information, including its variant spellings, pronunciation, inflected forms, origin, and derived forms, as well as supplementary notes on matters of interest or concern about how the word is used.

Furthermore, online dictionaries can be used for a wide array of purposes and provide lots of benefits to people, some of which are:

Free

While the price of a dictionary might not be too high, it can create a lot of expense when people buy dictionaries for different subjects. There are numerous dictionaries online that are available for free and people don’t have to pay a dime for using them.

Quick 

The popularity of online dictionaries also increased because people don’t have to flip through its pages tiredly when they want to check up a word. It takes only a second for them to find the word they want as all they have to do is type it in the search box and press search. Hence, the efficiency offered by online dictionaries allows people to have free time to read additional material.

Legible 

As compared to print dictionaries, the font size of online dictionaries is far more legible. People don’t have to strain their eyes when they are looking up a word in an online dictionary.

Multifunctional 

A great benefit of using online dictionaries is that they are multifunctional. Print dictionaries have limited space so they cannot go into extra detail regarding every word. Online dictionaries, on the other hand, have the ability of providing a wealth of information that’s related with the word such as its synonyms, antonyms, sentences, slang words etc. This information can prove to be highly useful.

Learning Tool 

Online dictionaries are an excellent tool for individuals who are hungry for knowledge.

Disadvantages of online dictionary

• Lack of access to use e-dictionaries. 

• Incomplete definitions provided.

• Distraction in the classroom.