This page contains links to Web sites with useful communications information.
The resources on this page are organized in the following categories:
This page will be updated frequently as more sites are discovered and suggested.To suggest a site, email Kevin Leigh Smith.
Graphics and Photos
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Images Library
www.cdc.gov — click on “Image Library (PHIL)”
This site contains photos, illustrations, and video from the CDC. Many of the images contained in the library are public domain, but have rules regarding credits and use. See the site's FAQ's for details.
FEMA Photo Library
www.photolibrary.fema.gov/photolibrary/index.jsp
This site contains images from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. While many of these images are public domain, they mostly involve disaster situations. Be sure to read their terms of use.
Library of Congress American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
This site contains many historical photos in a variety of categories — from Ansel Adams to Wright Brothers. Be sure to carefully read their legal statements before using any of these photos.
Microsoft Clip Art and Media
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart
This site contains photos and clip art suitable for use with Microsoft Office programs. When you download images, be certain you read the end-user agreement carefully.
Morgue File
www.morguefile.com
This site includes a number of stock photos. You can search for specific images or browse by category. Don’t forget to read their terms of use.
National 4-H Online Photo Library
http://4hphotos.umd.edu
This site contains images that are available for the staff, volunteers, and youth of 4-H and its affiliated programs. In other words, if it isn’t related to 4-H, don’t use images from this site.
NOAA Photo Library
www.photolib.noaa.gov
This site contains many current and historical photos from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Many of the images contained in the libraries are public domain, but have rules regarding credits and use. Click here for details.
Purdue Marketing Communications University Photos
http://www.pmc.purdue.edu/photos.html
This site contains selected photos of Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.
stock.xchng
www.sxc.hu
This is another source of stock photos that allows you to search or browse by category. Be sure to read their terms of use.
USDA-ARS Image Gallery
www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos
This site contains many current and historical photos from the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Many of the images contained in the libraries are public domain, but have rules regarding credits and use. Details and contact information are provided with each photo.
USDA-CSREES Image Database
http://csrees.umd.edu
This site includes images from CSREES programs. You may search for specific images or browse by category.
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Image Gallery
http://plants.usda.gov/gallery.html
This site contains many current and historical photos from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Many of the images contained in the libraries are public domain, but have rules regarding credits and use. Click here for details.
USDA On Line Photography Center
www.usda.gov/oc/photo/opclibra.htm
This site contains images of various USDA programs. Terms of use are provided here.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Digital Library System
http://images.fws.gov
This site contains the Service’s collection of public domain photos. You can search or browse individual collections. Copyright information is located here.
Language, Documentation, Style Guides
Acronym Finder
www.acronymfinder.com
Find out what PDQ stands for ASAP by using Acronym Finder. Just type in an acronym and the site generates a list of the most common meanings.
Common Errors in English
www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors
This site, maintained by a Washington State University English professor, helps writers point out word usage issues. For example, find out when to use “sometime” and when to use “some time.”
Grammar Traps from On Target
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/ontarget/grammartrap
Hey, you’re already here. You may as well check out Purdue AgComm’s archive of thorny grammar issues.
Merriam-Webster OnLine
www.merriam-webster.com
This site combines the popular dictionary and thesaurus online. Fun, word-related feature articles are also posted occasionally.
The Oxford English Dictionary
www.oed.com
This is the online version of the venerable granddaddy of lexicography. Look up words to find their current definitions as well as their definitions in 1458. Requires a subscription, but Purdue has one, so you’re all set if logging on from a Purdue domain.
Purdue Extension Style Guide
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/publishing/styleguide.html
This document provides the official guidelines for using and applying the Purdue Extension brand on all communications.
Purdue Marketing Communications Editorial Style Guide
www.pmc.purdue.edu/pages/communications/edit_style_guide.html
This is the “official” style guide for Purdue University. It is structured much like The Associated Press Stylebook, and lays down such standards as how to list course and department names.
Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu
This site offers handouts and materials on all sorts of writing topics (from grammar and punctuation rules to professional writing advice). The site also offers e-mail tutoring for brief questions and a weekly newsletter.
Research and Documentation Online
www.dianahacker.com/resdoc
This site provides the rules and shows examples of the alphabet soup of academic-style documentation: MLA, APA, Chicago and CBE.
News, Periodicals, and Public Affairs
Purdue Agriculture Backgrounders
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/backgrounders
This site from Purdue AgComm provides background information on a variety of agricultural issues. Resources include news stories, feature stories, Extension publications, Purdue experts, and related Web sites.
Purdue Agriculture News
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/news/public
This site contains the latest news on Purdue Agriculture and allows you to sign up for RSS feeds.
Purdue Extension Expertise Guide
www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/expertiseguide
The Expertise Guide is aimed primarily at journalists. It's a list of Purdue Agriculture specialists who can provide information on a variety of topics.
Additional Resources
CIA World Factbook
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
This site provides a “snapshot” of the world with each update. To that end, there are various world maps; appendices of organizations, international agreements, and geographic names; and lists of foreign leaders.
Purdue Extension Communication Survival Guide
www.extension.purdue.edu/ktgmarketing/comsurvivalguide
The Communication Survival Guide contains ideas, examples, tools, and help for various areas of communication. The overall purpose of the guide is to brand and market Purdue Extension so that people are familiar with Purdue Extension and will be able to use the resources it provides.
You Send It
www.yousendit.com
This site can help solve the problem of sending large attachments. Upload your files to the site and your recipients receive an e-mail saying the file is ready to download.
