As a middle school student, you may have started taking your first steps into the field of research through school assignments. Whether you are working on a science project, history report, or literature paper, research is key and will only continue to become more important through the years.

The research process generally involves searching for facts, organizing data, analyzing it, and using it to present a clear argument or solution. This is where research websites come in. As an online resource, research websites are easy to access and often provide valuable information. They also come with interactive tools that make it easier to learn. But with all the various websites out there, you have to make sure the information is reliable and comes from a reputed source.

Here are 10 reliable research websites for middle school students in 2024-2025:

1. Google Books

Type: Books and magazines

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: Free access to a limited set of books

Google Books is a platform that offers access to over 40 million books and magazines, at least 10 million of which are free to read. You can input any topic, and the website will search through book titles and even individual chapters to find results. This is a great way to find credible sources for any major research topic that might not be available in your school or neighborhood libraries.

2. National Geographic’s Education Resources

Type: Multiple  

Subject area: Multiple  

Cost: Free

National Geographic has an entire section devoted to educational resources, and you can use it to find articles, encyclopaedias, interactive maps, infographics, and even live classes taught by scientists and researchers. While the website has material in most STEM and humanities fields, it is most reliable for topics under geography, biology, earth sciences, and social sciences.

3. SmARThistory

Type: Videos, essays, books 

Subject area: Art, World History

Cost: Free

SmARThistory is a non-profit that collaborates with people and institutions in order to make art and art history easily accessible to anyone interested in it. The website has information on art all the way from prehistoric times to the modern era and also offers curated guides for specific subjects. The platform does have a heavy focus on art, but the material is also useful if you’re researching topics within history, culture, and other subjects within social studies.

4. Library of Congress

Type: Multiple   

Subject area: Multiple, although there is a stronger focus on humanities fields like history, art, culture, and religion

Cost: Free

The Library of Congress is a federal cultural institution in the U.S., and its website (including about 15 million digital objects) serves as a similarly resourceful digital archive. It hosts historical documents, photographs, videos, books, maps, broadcast recordings, notated music, periodicals, and software, as well as information on 3D objects. If you’re working on a project or research paper that needs primary source materials, this website is a great place to start looking. 

5. Smithsonian Learning Lab

Type: Multiple

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: Free   

The Smithsonian’s Learning Lab not only provides access to all of the Smithsonian Institution’s digital products—ranging across audio, video, text, and other learning resources—but also offers a platform for users to create their own content and share material with others using the lab. The Lab allows you to personalize your findings by adding your own notes and making individual collections of material, so you can keep track of all your research. You will find resources from several fields, such as language, art, science, mathematics, and more.

6. WorldCat

Type: Books, articles, images, and more 

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: Free

While WorldCat doesn’t host any research material by itself, it’s a useful means of discovering libraries near you and even searching through their catalogs. You can go through books, maps, and recordings and head out to the physical location with a list of what you need. The website also gives you direct access to the libraries’ digital works. WorldCat covers a wide range of fields like automobiles, sustainability, women’s history, archaeology, astrophysics, and much more. Additionally, you can use WorldCat’s Lists section to group items by research or mark important items you’d want to refer to again.

7. Fact Monster

Type: General knowledge

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: Free   

Fact Monster is an online encyclopedia that has information on a variety of subjects like math, science, world history, current events, language arts, and more. The material here is fairly basic and can be used as a quick reference for general research or to gather background information. The website also has an almanac, dictionary, atlas, place finder, and multiple calculators to help with further research. Its simple layout and reliable data make it easy for younger students to navigate, but it might not be the best choice for students working on more complex projects.

9. Britannica Education

Type: Multiple

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: This platform requires your school/educational institution to pay an annual subscription (the cost depends on the products you choose and the number of students)

Britannica Education has several different educational products that can help you with research, including Britannica School (a digital learning platform), Britannica Library (which has a children’s version for young learners), and Britannica Academic (which features exclusive articles written directly by experts). These products span several different subjects and will be useful to you during the research process. Despite the need to get your school involved, Britannica Education’s multiple offerings can be a valuable source of research and interactive learning.

9. TEDEd

Type: Videos and lessons 

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: Free   

TEDEd provides free educational videos on various topics that you can use to expand your knowledge of a certain topic, whether as an individual or while working on a group project. The lessons come with a Q&A section, additional resources related to the topic, and guided discussions that offer a deeper understanding of the subject. The platform also has collections curated by theme and interactive tools to help you learn.  

10. Bill Nye: The Science Guy

Type: Information guides and videos 

Subject area: Multiple

Cost: Free   

While this website doesn’t have educational articles, it does have episode guides to Bill Nye’s show covering topics like gravity, fossils, ocean currents, and others spanning STEM and humanities fields. If you’re looking for the foundational principles of any topic, this website is a good source of information. The website also has a page on home demos with detailed instructions on simple experiments that can be conducted at home—a solid resource if you are looking to get into hands-on, practical research.

One more option—The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about.  Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE.

The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need-based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure! 

To learn more, you can reach out to our Head of Partnerships, Maya, at maya.novak-herzog@lumiere.education or go to our website.

Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application link! If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts + deadlines for 2024, you can refer to this page!

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.