Frequently Asked Questions
Fact Monster is a kids' reference website brought to you by the editors at Information Please. The editors have compiled this page of frequently asked questions to help you better understand how to use our site.
Content
What will I find on the Fact Monster site?
Fact Monster is an ideal reference site for kids ages 8-14 that provides entertainment and educational resources. It combines the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas, and several almanacs loaded with statistics, facts, and historical records. A single search engine allows you to search all these sources at once.What sources are featured on Fact Monster?
In addition to an electronic database that is continuously updated and expanded, the Fact Monster site includes information from the following reference works:- The TIME for Kids Almanac®, edited by Beth Rowen of Fact Monster and published by Time Inc.
- Selected content from The TIME Almanac, with Information Please®, edited by Borgna Brunner of Information Please and published by Time Inc.
- The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, published by Columbia University Press.
- Infoplease Dictionary, based on the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
- The Infoplease Atlas, which includes several hundred maps from Magellan Geographix.
What is an almanac?
An almanac is a reference book that is published every year and contains current facts on a wide range of topics.Are you associated with any publications?
The Information Please editors also create two print almanacs on an annual basis: The Time Almanac and The Time for Kids Almanac. You can order these almanacs from our site.How often is your content updated?
That depends on the type of information. Some is updated daily (e.g., the home page and daily features), some biweekly (e.g., countries of the world), and some annually (e.g., census and other statistical data published once a year).Browsing Fact Monster
How can I browse Fact Monster by category?
You can go to any main subject instantly by clicking on the buttons at the left side of the Fact Monster web page. You will find the contents of the almanacs plus links to other Fact Monster features for that subject. To find information from the encyclopedia and dictionary, you need to use the search box.
Do you have a site map?
Yes, please visit our site map to see a full list of offerings and to better understand how our site is structured.Search Tips
How do I search Fact Monster?
To search, simply type the words you want to search for in the box near the top of the page and click the "go!" button. This will search all of the almanacs, plus the Columbia Encyclopedia and Infoplease Dictionary, in one click. The Search Results page will list everything that relates to that term. Click on any of the search results to find out more about your topic.Hint: It is best to search for a key word or topic rather than ask Fact Monster an entire question. If you want information about the capital of Brazil, just search for Brazil. See these Search Tips for more hints.
You can search just one of these sources individually by using the links at the top right of any Fact Monster page.
Almanacs
Encyclopedia
Dictionary
How do I search for biographies?
Use the Biography search to find articles about famous people. Biosearch is a search engine just for biographies that gives you easy access to multiple entries on a particular person (e.g., the site offers three separate bios on Lincoln—from the dictionary, almanac, and encyclopedia).Features
What are the daily features?
From the Fact Monster Home page, you can find our most popular features that, with a few exceptions, change daily:- Today's Birthdays
- This Day in History
- Today's Word Quiz
- Spelling Bee
- Today's Analogy
- In The News
- Featured Articles
- Monster's Poll (changes regularly)
Do you have archives of your features?
We offer archives of the following features:Click on the "print this page" icon (
) located at the bottom of every page (see bottom of this page).Permissions, Citations, and Copyright
Is the information on the site copyrighted?
Yes—please see our copyright notices.Click on the "cite this page" icon (
) located at the bottom of every page to learn how to cite the page you are viewing. See Citing Fact Monster for more information. Remember, almanacs, encyclopedias and dictionaries have editors, not individual authors. Only our feature articles have authors.How do I request permission to reprint text, photos, or maps from your site for use in other publications?
Fact Monster content cannot be used commercially or on the Web without first obtaining our permission. Please address your request to our contact form. Make your request as detailed and specific as possible, and cite the relevant URL. Note, however, that most of the maps and photos on our site are obtained from third parties and we do not hold the rights to license these.Can I link to Fact Monster?
Yes, you can add a Fact Monster logo to your site and link to Fact Monster. Please see our linking instructions on how to do this.Can I put an Fact Monster search box on my web site?
Yes, we offer a couple of search box designs. Please see our search box instructions on how to do this.Contacting Us
What if I find an error on your site, have a question, or want to comment on your content?
We appreciate your interest. Please write our editorial staff using our contact form.More Info About Fact Monster
What does the press have to say about Infoplease?
Please see our online press clippings and awards page.