Homework & Research Help for Teens

Homework Tips

There are loads of resources to help you with your homework. Library databases have lots of useful information that’s not necessarily available through Google. Plus, you know you can trust this information. Many websites can also help you with your homework, but make sure you’re safe while surfing the Internet, that the websites you find are from reliable sources, and learn how to cite those sources.

Library Databases

The “databases” here have lots of information not typically available through the Internet. You’ll need your library card to log into some of them.

	Teen Health & Wellness database – Real life – real answers.
	Explora Canada – Information for students of all ages on a wide variety of topics, from history and current events to science and technology. Search a variety of sources such as magazines, encyclopedias, primary source documents and more.
	Khan Academy – “Learn almost anything for free.” 3300 videos explain many subjects.
	LearnNowBC is a single point of entry to distributed learning in British Columbia through the use of Edmark Learning Software.

Websites

The following websites that have been reviewed by librarians and are recommended as good starting points to help with your homework:

Smithsonian Learning Lab	"More than a million images, recordings, and texts from the Smithsonian's 19 museums, 9 major research centers, and the national zoo. It is easy to find something of interest because search results display pictures rather than lists. Whether you’ve found what you were looking for or just discovered something new, it's easy to personalize it. Add your own notes and tags, incorporate discussion questions, and save and share."
LearnNowBC	A single point of entry to distributed learning in British Columbia through the use of Edmark Learning Software.
Khan Academy	"Learn almost anything for free." - 3300 videos explain many subjects.
Ask Dr. Math	The Math Forum
BC Archives Time Machine	Includes chapters on the Cariboo Gold Rush, First Nations in BC, and Art in BC History.
Royal BC Museum Learning Portal	The Learning Portal is the place for learners of all ages to explore British Columbia’s natural and human history through the Royal BC Museum collections.
BC Government - Education	Provides loads of support topics, including curriculum and assessment, diverse student needs, and more.
Community Learning Network’s Subject Areas	Compiled by BC’s Community Learning Network, the resources on this site are divided by subject areas linked to BC’s curriculum.
Multnomah County Library	Homework Guides - This site is a great resource for homework guides on a variety of topics.
GradeSaver	Study guides and essay help.
Smart Scholar	Resource site for finding scholarships

Can You Trust That Website?

Anyone can build a website, so you need to make sure the ones you’re looking at are from people you can trust. Here’s how...

Evaluating Information Sources	From UBC
Evaluating Websites	A checklist [PDF]

Internet Safety

Internet Safety Resources	Created by the RCMP
Internet Saftey from MediaSmarts	Topics range from cyberbullying, cell phones & texting, Internet & mobile, queer representation, and more...

Citing Sources: Writing a Bibliography

What’s a bibliography?

It’s a list of all the books, articles, websites, interviews or movies that you used to create your project or report.

Why do I need a bibliography?

It’s important to give credit to the people whose work you used for your report. And it gives you, your teacher and anyone else who reads your report a chance to refer to those sources for more information.

How do I write a bibliography?

There are different ways you can do this and your teacher will tell you which they prefer (if they haven’t, just ask them).

How to Write a Bibliography	By A Research Guide for Students
Write a Bibliography	By infoplease

Looking for more information?

Check our Teens page for more information on library programs for teens and other websites to help support teens as they grow up.