Frequently Asked Questions

What will I find on the Infoplease site?

Infoplease is a comprehensive reference source that 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 Infoplease?

In addition to an electronic database that is continuously updated and expanded by a team of reference, entertainment, and sports editors, the Infoplease site includes the contents of the following reference works:

• The TIME Almanac, with Information Please^®, edited by Borgna Brunner of Information Please and published by Time Inc.
• The ESPN/Information Please Almanac^®, edited by Gerry Brown and Michael Morrison and published by Hyperion.
• 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 and other sources.

We also have a separate site for kids, Factmonster.com, that includes the contents of The TIME for Kids Almanac, edited by Beth Rowen of Fact Monster and published by Time. Fact Monster also includes much of the content found on Infoplease.

How often is your content updated?

That depends on the type of information. Some is updated daily (e.g., the home page and daily almanac), some biweekly (e.g., countries of the world), some quarterly (the encyclopedia), and some annually (e.g., census and other statistical data published once a year).

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.

How do I search Infoplease?

To search, simply type the words you want to search for in the box near the top of the page and click the "search" button. This will search all of the almanacs, plus the Columbia Encyclopedia and Infoplease^® Dictionary, in one click.

See also: further tips on searching

Are there any special search features I should know about?

Biosearch

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).

HotWords^®

HotWords^® is a special search feature in which there's no need to type in a term—just highlight it! Highlight any word on our site and click the "HotWords" icon () found on the bottom of every page.

What's the "Daily Almanac?"

The Daily IQ is a collection of some of our most popular features that, with a few exceptions, change daily:

• Today's Birthdays
• This Day in History
• Today's Word Quiz
• Today's Weather Fact
• Ask the Editors
• Featured Articles
• BBC Breaking News
• Astronomical Outlook
• Infoplease Link of the Day
• Quote of the Day
• Did You Know?
• The Top Ten (changes weekly)
• Quick Poll (changes weekly)

Do you have archives of your features?

We offer archives of the following features:

• Feature articles
• Quizzes
• Polls
• Timelines
• Ask the Editors

Do you have interactive tools?

We offer the following tools:

• Periodic Table
• Conversion Calculator
• Perpetual Calendar
• Year by Year

What does your site offer kids?

Infoplease is an ideal reference site for kids, providing them with entertainment and educational resources, particularly at the Homework Center.

But kids will really love our separate, award-winning site Factmonster, which is tailor-made for kids ages 8–14.

Does Infoplease offer printer-friendly pages?

Yes. You can convert any page into a printer-friendly version by clicking on the "Print this Page" icon () located at the bottom of every page (see bottom of this page).

Does Infoplease offer an easy way to email a page to a friend?

Yes. Click on the "Email this Page" icon () located at the bottom of every page (see bottom of this page).

Is the information on the site copyrighted?

Yes—please see our copyright notices.

How do I credit material found on Infoplease in essays and bibliographies?

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 Infoplease for more information.

How do I request permission to reprint text, photos, or maps from your site for use in other publications?

Please complete a Permissions Request 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 Infoplease?

Yes, you can add an Infoplease logo to your site and link to Infoplease. Please see our linking instructions on how to do this.

Can I put an Infoplease 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.

What if I find an error on your site, have a question, or want to comment on your content?

We appreciate your interest. Please go to the Contact Us page and send us a message.

How do I contact you about technical issues, public relations, advertising, partnerships, or other matters?

Please send us a message using our Contact Us page.

What does the press have to say about Infoplease?

Please see our online press clippings and awards page.

Could you give me an overview of your company?

You can read about Infoplease here.