FAQ

SciLinks helps science educators harness the vast resources of the Internet by connecting key textbook subjects to NSTA-approved web pages that enrich student learning both inside and outside the science classroom. By linking to a brief call-out found in the margin, which lists the topic, a code, and a URL (www.scilinks.org), teachers and students can access vetted web pages that provide real-time information and new content on a host of science topics.

The service points to 15,000 vetted web pages, each of which was selected after a thorough review against eight rubrics and then aligned to a specific topic and grade level. The topics are then featured as extensions in hundreds of textbooks and supplemental titles, as well as in selected NSTA publications.

Since its debut six years ago, SciLinks has registered more than 156,000 teachers and nearly 640,000 students at no cost to use the site, and countless more use it as “Guests.” NSTA’s premier Internet technology product supports the specific needs and interests of the different user groups—NSTA Members, Teachers/Parents, Students, and Guests – each of whom use SciLink tools unique to their needs.

For example, all registered teachers and members can use the My Favorites tool, where they may save their searches as Favorites for quick access whenever and wherever they log in. When their students login, they will see a link that reads “Your Teacher’s Favorites.” Clicking on this link will reveal the topics the teacher wants them to view, and a list of vetted web pages for those topics is only one more click away.

Teachers also want to know that students are finding the SciLinks information helpful, so NSTA has developed the “SciLinks Assignment” tool. Registered teachers can assign codes or selected web pages to individual students or to the whole class. To ensure that students are reading and interacting with the content thoroughly, teachers can create a series of questions that tap the information students will find when they visit the selected pages. Students may enter their answers within SciLinks and return them to their teacher, who will then see students’ answers in a workbook for his/her classes.

NSTA members can use both SciLinked texts as well as the SciLinks keyword search to fine-tune an Internet search of web pages to a manageable number of vetted web pages. Submitting “simple machines” to a popular search engine yields 2.6 million possibilities; submitting the same key words to SciLinks yields 18 web pages. Of these, five are selected just for teachers (lessons plans, activities, etc.), while the remainder are useful to students (simulations, animations, and other interactive opportunities).

Publishers subscribe to feature the SciLinks service in their books, so readers of SciLinked texts are able to access the service for free. NSTA members are able to access the service at no extra cost by virtue of their membership in NSTA. SciLinks is a great service to use in your classroom, whether you found it through the printed page of a textbook or accessed it through the members-only keyword search.

Who pays for SciLinks?

SciLinks is a free service for textbook users, but obviously someone must pay for it. Participating textbook publishers pay a fee to the National Science Teachers Association for each book that contains SciLinks. The program was also supported by a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Why do you use "SciLinks Codes" instead of keywords or phrases?

When designing the SciLinks system, we tried to make it as simple as possible to use. The SciLinks Code serves several purposes:

it uniquely identifies the textbook the SciLinks visitor is using;
it designates the grade level of the textbook, so that appropriate Web pages can be provided to users of that textbook;
it correlates with one or more specific concepts that are addressed at a particular point in the textbook.

Also, by requiring users to enter a relatively short “code” rather than a scientific word or phrase, we hope to minimize typing mistakes that would cause the SciLinks system to respond with an error message.

How are Web pages selected for inclusion in the SciLinks database?

The selection process involves three stages:

First, a cadre of web spotters search the World Wide Web for resources on particular topics.
Next, the addresses of these web pages are sent to teacher-Webwatchers with expertise in given fields and grade levels. The teacher-Webwatchers review the submitted web pages against eight rubrics. This team correlates each of these submitted sites to the National Science Education Standards. (NSES)
Finally, NSTA staff approve web pages submitted by the teacher-Webwatchers and edit the information for accuracy and consistent style.

Web links on SciLinks.org

Our web pages cover a lot of territory! The SciLinks.org search team has located, evaluated, and organized tens of thousands of web pages, and we are adding more every day.

We do our best to screen all links and select only those that meet our stringent rubrics and review process. However, SciLinks does not operate or control the content found on such third-party sites, so we are not always aware when this content changes. If you discover a third-party link that contains inappropriate information, please contact us immediately.

In addition, please be aware that each of these third party sites maintains its own data collections and use policies. If you visit a web site linked to from SciLinks, you should consult that site's privacy policy before providing it with any of your personal information.

For more information about keeping kids safe online, please read about the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

What textbooks feature SciLinks?

For a complete list of publishers that feature SciLinks, click here.

How do I get a password?

Registration with SciLinks is easy.

Both students and teachers can register via the registration form, or teachers may register for their students and hand out user names and passwords fait accompli (already completed).

We collect a minimum amount of information from students (enough to identify them uniquely, such as first name, last initial, zip code). We also ask them a selected question which allows the Web site to automatically retrieve their password if they misplace it.

Having both teachers and students register enables the SciLinks utilities (Assignments, Favorite SciLinks, Usage tracking) to work. Each registered student is linked in the database to his/her teacher, so that information passed through those utilities will go to the right person.

Finally, we request more information from teachers/parents to help us identify where SciLinks is being used and improve our services. We also offer teachers/parents the opportunity to add their e-mail address to a list for receiving news and information from the National Science Teachers Association.

I have registered, but my password doesn't work...

There are a few reasons why your user name or password might not work:

User name and password are case-sensitive. Please make sure you are entering them EXACTLY as you entered them when you registered.
Do you have your browser set to accept cookies? SciLinks uses cookies to provide information appropriate to your user designation, that is Teacher/Parent, Student, or Guest. If turned off, it won't remember who you are, so it can't provide appropriate information.
Checking your cookies:

Netscape Navigator: In the PREFERENCES menu, usually under the edit menu, find the advance tab. You should see a cookies setting tab. Place this to ACCEPT COOKIES.

Internet Explorer: Look under the INTERNET OPTION Menu or PREFERENCES menu (depending upon which version and OS). In some instances, you will see a COOKIES tab. Set this to NEVER ASK. In some versions of I.E., you will see a sliding bar under a security preference. Try setting this to a lower setting and then enter your password again.
If you are entering SciLinks through a network (as opposed to a dial-up Internet Service Provider), does your network allow cookies? Are you using some type of content filtering or blocking software? Contact your Network administrator to find out.

I forgot my password ...

You can obtain your password at http://www.SciLinks.org/password.asp

You must enter the e-mail that you used for registration and we will send your registered password.

If you are a student and did not answer the selected question (mother's maiden name or birth city) when registering, you need to re-register.

I don't have a textbook. Can I get a list of links?

There are two ways to access the SciLinks materials:

Through a SciLinked textbook;
Or, as a member of NSTA via the keyword search.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide a master list of topic and SciLinks codes. You need a SciLinks text to use the publisher-supported service in its entirety, or you need an NSTA member ID # to access the keyword search version of the service.

That is because SciLinks is paid for by the textbook publishers or through NSTA membership fees. It is a service, with expenses, that NSTA provides free of charge to those using the printed material which contains SciLinks.

If you are a member of NSTA you can benefit from many of the features of SciLinks including:

SciLinked articles in every journal issue
Selected NSTA Press offerings.
Keyword Search

If you are not a member of NSTA and would like more information, click here!

I am not a member, can I still use SciLinks?

SciLinks is a feature that is paid for by the textbook publishers. It is a service, with expenses, that NSTA provides free of charge to those using the printed material which contains SciLinks.

If you are a member of NSTA you can benefit from many of the features of SciLinks including:

SciLinked articles in every journal issue
Selected NSTA Press offerings.
The member-only keyword search.

If you are not a member of NSTA and would like more information, click here!

Samples

Here are some sample SciLinks topics for you to try.

How do I view my Teacher's Favorites?

To learn how to view your Teacher's favorites, please visit here.

How do I register?

To learn how to register, please visit here.

How do I view my SciLink assignments?

To learn how to view your SciLink assignments, please visit here.

Can I change the title of the test from the one that is already there?

Yes, though some of the information will already be filled in, you have the option of changing it.

Can I change the title of a question pool later if I decide to make a new pool for the same keyword?

Yes.

Can I create more than one kind of question in the same question pool?

Yes. You may create all of the four types of questions in one pool.

How many Matching questions can I create within one question?

You can create as few as two pairs or as many as ten pairs in one question.

Can Scilinks automatically grade my short answer questions?

No. If you include short answer questions when creating a test, you will need to score those questions before the test gets a final grade.

Can I customize tests to make different versions of the same test?

Yes. You can rearrange the questions and omit any you don’t want to include on a particular test, enabling you to customize each test according to the needs of your students.

Will Scilinks grade my students’ tests?

Yes. Scilinks will automatically grade your students’ tests and give students immediate feedback, showing them the correct answers. You can choose not to allow students to see their scores upon completion of the test. If you include short answer questions when creating a test, you will need to score those questions before the test gets a final grade.

Can I assign a test to specific students instead of the whole class?

Yes. On the final step, you will be given the option to specify whether the test will be assigned to all students or to specific students.

When I click on a link, the new browser window is too small. Can I resize it and move it?

Yes: grab any edge of the browser window by moving the mouse pointer over it, pressing the mouse button, and holding it down; now drag the edge to make the window larger or smaller. If you grab the lower right corner of the window, you can move the right and bottom edges at the same time.

To move the whole window, click in the colored bar at the top of the window and, keeping the button down, drag the window to where you want it.

You can maximize the new window to fill your entire screen by clicking on the middle button at the upper right of the window; but we recommend that you resize the new window, leaving some of the main SciLinks window visible. This will remind you to close the second window when you’re done. (Having multiple browser windows uses up more of your computer’s resources. If you have too many browser windows—or other applications—open, you may find your computer behaving oddly, or processing requests more slowly; it may even lock up or "freeze.")

The text is too small, can I resize it?

Yes, you can resize the text.

If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, goto to the INTERNET TOOLS option under the TOOLS menu. Select ACCESSIBILITY from the GENERAL TAB. Once under ACCESSIBILITY, check the "Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages"

Next, goto the TEXT SIZE option under the VIEW menu. Make a size selection from this menu.

If you are using Netscape Navigator or Communicator, goto to the PREFERENCES option under the EDIT menu. Select APPEARANCE and FONTS from the CATEGORY MENU.

Once under FONTS, make your font size selection (use 16 pixels or higher) Then, check the box "Always use my font settings, overriding the web page fonts".

Why are some browser controls missing when I click on a link to an external Web page?

The primary aim of SciLinks is to take students to Web pages that will enhance their understanding of a particular topic in their textbook. To that end, we have tried to minimize the temptation to wander off into the uncharted waters of the World Wide Web. We cannot at this point restrict them entirely to a specific page or set of pages—many of these pages contain links to additional pages; also, students are free at any time to type in their favorite Web destination in the Location Box of their browser.

Some might argue that it runs counter to the spirit of the the Web to attempt to keep users where we put them. But, again, SciLinks is meant to provide a more focused experience than the usual Web “surfing.” Students who are given wide latitude in their use of the Internet, and who possess the necessary skills, can use other resources (like search engines) to perform broader, independent research.

Contact NSTA

Do you have a question about something not covered here? Please contact us at info@scilinks.org.

Why Register