June 15, 2017 (Vol. 37, No. 12)
URL:
http://labworm.com
Rating:
Strong Points: Large collection of online tools
Weak Points: Free versus fee-based services not differentiated
Summary:
Want to burrow deep into the world of online research tools? LabWorm is a very handy website that aggregates online tools (as suggested by registered users) into one place. The result is an expansive database that users can quickly search by keyword. The listing for each tool is accompanied by a brief description, a discussion forum (though this feature seems to be largely unused), options to up-vote or share the resource, and a link to the tool’s external website. Usefully, relevant publications are also listed on the page, as is a scrolling selection of similar/related tools. Thus, the website makes it easy for users to rapidly find relevant tools. The site, however, does not distinguish between free tools and fee-based services. In addition to the database itself, the LabWorm website also includes a blog from which users can learn even more about the variety of tools that are out there.
