Fact Monster
{{Infobox website
| name = Fact Monster
| url = {{URL|www.factmonster.com}}
| screenshot =
| commercial = Yes
| type = Fact center
| registration = none
| launch_date = 2000
| owner = Infoplease
| author = Infoplease
}}
Fact Monster is an educational technology website geared towards children.{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://www.infoplease.com/about-us|access-date=2021-05-14|website=Infoplease|language=en}} It is owned by Infoplease and, like the Infoplease site, it contains several reference works under one umbrella, including the Columbia Encyclopedia, Random House Dictionary, an atlas and an almanac. It also features quizzes, flashcards, a homework center and Flash-based games.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
Fact Monster launched in 2000, initially as Infopleasekids.com.{{Cite web |title=Getting a jump on homework help |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-07-30-0107300014-story.html |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2006-12-14 |title=MARSBestRef2003 |url=https://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/mars/marspubs/marsbestfreewebsites/marsbestref2003 |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=Reference & User Services Association (RUSA) |language=en}} In August 2000, Pearson PLC acquired Family Education Network (FEN) which included infoplease.com.{{Cite web |last1=staff |first1=eSchool News |last2=Reports |first2=Wire Service |date=2000-08-01 |title=Pearson PLC acquires FamilyEducation Network |url=https://www.eschoolnews.com/2000/08/01/pearson-plc-acquires-familyeducation-network/ |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=eSchool News |language=en-US}} In May 2015, Pearson sold FEN to Sandbox Partners.{{Cite web |last=Rosen {{!}} |first=Judith |title=New Owner for Poptropica and FEN |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/66692-new-owner-for-poptropica-and-fen.html |access-date=2022-04-25 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}
The website contains facts on thousands of subjects, including sports, entertainment, geography, history, biography, education, and health.{{Cite web |title=Fact monster |url=https://lccn.loc.gov/2003533055 |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}}
Reception
In March 2001, it won a Webby Award for best youth site.{{cite web |title=The Webby Awards |url=http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=5#webby_entry_youth |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307220258/http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=5 |archivedate=7 March 2013 |accessdate=21 March 2015 |website=webbyawards.com}} In 2003, it was on the annual list of the Best Free Reference WebSites by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) to recognize outstanding reference sites on the World Wide Web.{{Cite journal |last=(MARS) |first=RUSA Machine-Assisted Reference Section |date=2003 |title=Best Free Reference Web Sites: Fifth Annual List |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20864105 |journal=Reference & User Services Quarterly |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=52–58 |jstor=20864105 |issn=1094-9054}}
In 2001, Lev Grossman wrote a positive review in Time ending with, "It's so cool that kids will forget it's educational."{{Cite magazine |last=Grossman |first=Lev |date=2001-09-10 |title=In Brief: Sep. 10, 2001 |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1000757,00.html |access-date=2022-04-25 |issn=0040-781X}} In 2016, Michelle Breckon from Kent State University Libraries wrote in Reference Reviews that the website is "visually appealing" and has a variety for "kids of all ages"; but its navigation can be difficult, lacks citations, and the simple games may be a distraction.{{Cite journal |last=Breckon |first=Michelle |date=2016-01-01 |title=Fact Monster |url=https://doi.org/10.1108/RR-01-2016-0021 |journal=Reference Reviews |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=6–8 |doi=10.1108/RR-01-2016-0021 |issn=0950-4125}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.factmonster.com Official website]
Category:American educational websites
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