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Ask An Expert One way to utilize the Internet is by using experts to help students with research questions they might have. There are more and more sites showing up which list names of individual and groups which will help students. Tips to make the most of "experts" online Try to find an expert that best fits the area of expertise that your question relates to. Check their web page if they have one to be sure of any specific qualifications or conditions they might have for questions. Also check and see if they have a FAQ section (Frequently Asked Questions) which may have the answer you are seeking. Have students submit, edit and discuss the questions they wish to submit with you prior to sending them. Trivial questions or ones whose answers could be easily found in text material or other sources should not be submitted. Save the tough questions or ones dealing with more recent research for the experts. Be sure questions are edited and worded to be clear. Rather than having every child send questions, try to use groups/teams and have questions sent that way. Try to combine questions which are asking similar things. Be patient - these folks have other things to do and are usually volunteering their time. Most sites will give you a general time line so you know when to expect responses. A brief "thank you" after you receive your information will be appreciated.   There are many links to "experts" but here are a few to get you started. Find an expert by searching in the appropriate section at these sites: * Ask an Audubon Expert is a site specifically for bird interests at http://www.audubon.org/educate/expert. * Wildbird Experts will answer your questions at Wildbirds Unlimited. * Florida Museum of Natural History offers its own Ask the Experts site. * Stevens Institute of Technology list of experts organized by subject including science, health, computing, history, economy, literature, and language arts at http://k12science.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/aska.html. * Ask a Scientist or Engineer if you can not find an answer at http://www.nsf.gov/nstw_questions/start.htm * Pitsco's Ask an Expert Page -- extensive list of experts organized by subject http://www.askanexpert.com/askanexpert/cat/index.html * Ask an Expert Sources -- other places to look for experts http://www.etc.bc.ca/tdebhome/int_expert.html * Ask Science Questions -- many science experts from which to choose http://www-hpcc.astro.washington.edu/scied/sciask.html * The MAD Scientist Network -- try looking at some of the recently answered questions http://madsci.wustl.edu/ * ECHS Homework Help: Science -- small but good list of science experts http://www.ccnet.com/~shep15/hw_science.htm February 1999 Carla Schutte Technology Specialist, Moton Elementary