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Research
Research can play a big part in writing fiction so here are a few links to websites you might find useful. If you need more in-depth research it's always a good idea to speak to someone who is an expert in the field you're writing about.
Wikipedia - the one-stop information shop, although it's always best to verify from additional sources.
MEDICAL
NHS Direct - medical information from UK National Health Service, including health encyclopedia (A-Z) and faqs.
NHS Careers - great A-Z of medical careers and professions.
Medical Jargon - from Medical Library Association.
First Aid - guide to first aid for a huge range of injuries.
Pregnancy Guide - by trimester and week.
Pregnancy Week-by-Week Guide - maternal and fetal development.
Suicide and Trauma Injuries - includes graphic pictures.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Infections - factsheets for each.
CRIME
UK Police Ranks - complete with pictures of uniform epaulettes.
UK Police Forces - overview of geographical boundaries of each constabularly.
UK Police Acronyms - as in ABH=Actual Bodily Harm, etc.
UK Police Overview - from the Home Office, including police powers .
US Criminal Justice Reference Service - includes overview of crime catergories, criminal justice system and faqs.
True Crimes Library - US notorious crimes and criminals.
True Crime Library - UK-skewed database of notorious crimes and criminals.
Jack the Ripper Casebook - large resource on all information related to the 1880s London murderer.
The Old Bailey - searchable database of nearly 200,00 court cases at the Old Bailey 1674 - 1913.
SOCIAL WELFARE
Overview of Social Services - UK
LANGUAGE
NATO Phonetic Alphabet - as is a=alpha, b=bravo, etc.
History of the English Language - covering all periods, including middle English dictionary
Online Dictionary and Thesaurus - UK English
Dictionary of UK Slang and Colloquialisms - UK English
Dictionary of US Slang and Colloquialisms - US English
Elizabethan Dictionary - language used by Shakespeare
Regency Lexicon - common word usage in Regency England.
Cockney Rhyming Slang - translations English to Cockney Rhyming Slang and vice versa.
Irish Gaelic Pronunciation - Beginners guide to Irish Gaelic pronunciation.
Text Message Abbreviations - translations for over 1200 text message abbreviations.
Urban Dictionary - pretty comprehensive dictionary of common UK and US street terms
Lexicon of Teen Speak - beware that this will quickly become outdated!
Lexicon of US Marines - through the ages.
Babelfish - language translation - useful but not as reliable as asking someone who speaks the language!
First Names - Etymology and history of first names.
Surnames - History of UK surnames.
Shakespeare - quotes, history, etc - great resource but generates a lot of pop-ups!
RELIGION
The 1662 Common Book of Prayer - still the official prayer book of the Church of England.
Guide to Gods - listing nearly 3000 deities.
Celtic Mythology - guide to Celtic and Gaelic gods.
Encyclopedia Mythica - mix of summaries and links to articles on a huge range of world myths, folklore and religions.
TIMES AND MONEY
British Currency - pre-1971.
World Bank Notes - a gallery of bank notes from around the world - past and present.
Currency Converter - all contemporary currencies converted.
Measuring Worth - convert the value of money between time periods.
Money, Tax & Benefits - A guide to British money, tax and benefits produced by HM Government.
Calendar - find out what day any date in the past fell on. Includes world clock, astronomical information (eg lunar phases) and time zones.
GEOGRAPHY
The World Factbook - from US intelligence agency the C.I.A. Includes information on the history, people, government, economy, geography,
communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for
266 world entities.
World Atlas - great atlas, maps, geographical facts (rivers, ocean depths, mountain ranges etc).
Earthquakes - faqs answered by British Geological Survey.
Natural History - searchable database of UK plants and animals and overview of all things earth and space.
Climate History - UK climate from 4000BC to present, searchable by year.
PSYCHOLOGY
Overview of Psychology - from BBC Science team.
Myers Briggs Personality Types - overview and questionnaire.
Personality Types - overview of personality types including questionnaire.
Criminal Pyschology - summary of criminal pyschology.
POLITICS
UK Electoral System - summary of the UK Parliament including information on visiting
UK Intelligence Community - summary of the UK Intelligence organisations provided by The Cabinet Office.
U.S Elections - overview of the electoral system in the USA
How to Take Over The World - in seven easy steps!
British Public Services
- great resource from HM Government including information on policing,
criminal justice systems, health, education, social welfare, travel,
environment, community.
VARIOUS
Architecture in Britain - Timeline of styles and key architects.
English History and Heritage - culture, history.
Castles of Britain - great collection of information on castles, including glossary of castle terms.
Types of Psychic Ability - list of psychic abilities.
How Stuff Works - idiot's guide to how things work - electronics, communications, nature, etc.
This Day in Music History - music history.
Crazy Fads - 20th century crazes and fashions.
HISTORY
History Learning Site - a huge resource with summary articles on a wide range of historical periods, countries and conflicts
Military History Encyclopedia
- covers major conflicts around the world from 1200BC to present day.
Includes information on history, timelines, weapons, battles,
campaigns, treaties and biographies of key players.
The National Archives - the UK Government's National Archive for England, Wales and the United Kingdrom. Includes a summary of historical periods and events and their related documentary evidence.
British History Online - collection of primary and secondary sources of medieval and modern British history. Searchable by subject, period and place.
British Monarchs - summary of Monarchs from 800AD to present.
The Aztecs - aimed at children so quick, easy to read basic summaries.
The Ancient Egyptians - overview from BBC History team.
Ancient Rome - overview from BBC History team.
The Vikings - accessible overview from PBS.
The Tudors - pretty comprehensive guide to this period of British history with bibliography for more in-depth research.
Medieval English Towns - an in-depth but accessible resource on the subject.
Medieval Timeline - significant people and places, including maps and pictures.
Regency Resources - a list of links to detailed resources by subject for everything Regency.
The Regency Collection - great collection of information by subject for the Regency period.
American Civil War - guide to the American Civil War.
American Wars - summary of all major conflicts involving the USA
Victorian Britain - comprehensive overview covering politics, social history, science, literature, economy, etc.
World War One - summary and in-depth analysis by BBC History team
World War Two - summary and in-depth analysis by BBC History team
Battle of Britain - the RAF's resource on the Battle of Britain including Daily Reports and a Roll of Honour.
Concentration Camps -
Northern Ireland - politics and conflict.
Vietnam War - detailed but accessible look at the conflict.
The Cuban Missile Crisis - summary of the near-conflict of 1962.
The Gulf War 1990-1991 - from PBS Frontline.
London Bombings 7/7 2005 - the BBC's Special Report.
Madrid Train Attacks 2004 - BBC's summary report.
Hurricane Katrina 2005 - report from US Department of Health and Human Services.
The Iraq War - from CNN News Team.
On This Day - historical events, literature and music.
On This Day - BBC reports on a host of significant UK and world events 1950-2005.
20th Century History
- includes crimes, scandals, disasters, fads, timelines, wars &
conflicts, scientific & medical advances, important people and
photographs.
The People History - 20th century summary by decade and searchable by subject. Also includes homes, prices, costs of living, etc.Also well worth checking out Lucy V Hay's blog on researching for drama 'Research Or Die'
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