Finding a Category
Categories are listed on the What Works home page. Click on a Category name to view more information about that Category, including a list of available Topics.

Navigate to a Category from the pull-down list at the top of any page other than the home page. Select a Category name and click Go.

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What is a Description?
A Description is a set of answers to questions we've designed to bring out objective advice about a specific Topic. Descriptions have names reflective of their Topic -- for example, in the Topic "Books for Kids," the Description is named "Book"; in the Topic "Choosing a Tutor," the Description is named "Resource."

Finding a Description
To read a Description, just click on its title where you find it on a list.

Browsing Topic lists: Descriptions are listed on Topic pages. For example, to find advice on discipline techniques, click on the Topic name Discipline Techniques in the Category "Parenting Challenges." Click on any Description title in the list.

Using the Search feature: To find a specific Description, use the Search function that appears at the top of every page in What Works. Type in one or more words you think might be part of the Description title. The Search function lists all Categories, Topics, Descriptions, and Reviews that match the word(s) you typed. Click on the match that most closely fits your needs. See Search, below, for more information.

Adding a Description
Each Topic page links to a form to use to submit your ideas related to that Topic. Click the link next to this icon: to get a form that will guide you in adding the information that will most help other parents.

The Add a Description form also invites you to add a Review of the idea you're submitting. Check the box indicated to access the Review form immediately after submitting your idea Description.

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What is a Feature?
A Feature is a Category, Topic, Description, and Review set, selected by us to help you find the most timely or topical information in What Works. We will feature Categories, Topics, Descriptions, and Reviews that have special product offers available, are timely due to a specific season, or offer assistance related to a specific current event.

Finding a Feature
A full Category, Topic, Description, and Review set is Featured on the homepage.

On a Category page, you can find a Featured Topic, Description, and Review set related to that specific Category.

On a Topic page, you can find a Featured Description and Review set related to that specific Topic.

On a Description page, you can find a set of Featured Reviews related to that specific Description.

Click on any text link in any Feature area to navigate directly to that featured page.

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What is a Helpfulness Rating?
Visitors are encouraged to vote on the helpfulness of Reviews. This allows other parents to easily locate the Reviews that contain the most helpful information. Reviews are rated as "Very Helpful," "Helpful," or "Not Helpful." Helpfulness Ratings are displayed on Review list pages and Review pages. The Helpfulness Rating is the average rating of all ratings submitted.

Finding a Helpfulness Rating
Helpfulness Ratings appear in the table on the Review List page and on the Review page. All displayed Helpfulness Ratings show the average of the Helpfulness Rating given by all parents who voted on each Review.

Adding a Helpfulness Rating
Look for this icon on the page that displays the full text of the Review you wish to rate. Click Yes if you found the Review to be helpful or click No if you found the Review to be unhelpful. You can only vote once on the helpfulness of a Review.

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Editor's Choice
Look for the "Editor's Choice" icon to see ideas or suggestions selected by our editorial staff as particularly noteworthy, helpful, or interesting.

Award Winner
Look for the "Award Winner" icon to see suggestions for products that have received prestigious, industry-specific awards, such as "Parent's Choice Award," "Caldecott Honor," or "Newbery Medal."

New Item
Look for the "New" icon to see the most recently submitted Descriptions and Reviews in What Works.

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An index appears at the bottom of any list of Descriptions, Reviews, or Search Results that are longer than one page. The index provides easy and fast navigation to the section of the list most relevant to your interest. To navigate to the page listing those Descriptions, Reviews, or Search Results, click on the alphabetical or numerical grouping in the index most appropriate to what you're looking for.

Lists sorted alphabetically by Contributor name or by Description title provide alphabetical indexes. Lists sorted by number of Reviews, Star Rating, or Helpfulness Rating provide numerical indexes. The Previous and Next links at the beginning and end of each index allow quick navigation one page forward or backward through a list.

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Contributor Profile Pages help you locate Descriptions and Reviews posted by specific contributors. Click on the underlined contributor's name on a Description or Review page (or on a Description, Review, or Search Results list), to find other Descriptions or Reviews from that contributor, and his or her average Helpfulness rating.

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Related Links connect you to different types of content available in the Family Education Network Parent Channel, such as articles, Expert Advice, and Message Board content, matched by our keywording system.

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What is a Review?
A Review is a set of answers to questions we've designed to bring out subjective opinions about specific What Works Descriptions. Reviews are also referred to by similar terms such as "Commentaries" or "Opinions."

Finding and Reading a Review
To read a Review, click on its title in the list of Reviews for specific Descriptions.

Browsing Review Lists: Descriptions link to lists of associated Reviews (when available). Click the Review list link on the Description page to navigate to a list of all Reviews submitted for that Description. Click on any Review title in the list to read the full Review.

Using the Search feature: To find a specific Review, use the Search function that appears at the top of every page in What Works. Type in one or more words you think might be part of the Review title. The Search function lists all Categories, Topics, Descriptions, and Reviews that match the word(s) you typed. Click on the match that most closely fits your needs. See Search, below, for more information.

Adding a Review
Each Description page and Review list links to a form you can use to submit a Review of the related Description. Click on the link to get a form that will guide you in adding the information that will most help other parents.

You can also add a Review by checking the box indicated on a Description form. Checking this box on the Description form will provide you with a Review form immediately after you click Submit on the Description form.

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The Search function in What Works locates all text contributed to What Works by users that matches the words entered in the "Keyword" field.

If you enter more than one word in the Search box, the results include text matching each of the words you entered. To search for an exact phrase, enclose the words in quotation marks. If you wish to find each instance of each of more than one word entered into the Search box, use the "+" symbol between the words. If you wish to find all instances of a particular word, but not entries with another particular word, use the "-" symbol between the words.

Invalid Words: No results will generate for a search conducted on certain articles, pronouns, prepositions, very common verbs or adverbs, individual letters, or individual numbers.

Click Go to produce a Search Results page, listing information found to match your query.

Detailed Search
Click Detailed in the Search box to display a page that will help narrow your search.

Select a Category name to locate all information that matches your word in the selected What Works Category only.

Enter words you wish to find as part of a Description or Review Title to locate all information in only those What Works Description and Review Titles that match your word entry.

Enter information in the "Contributor Name" field to locate information from selected Contributors only.

Select a Category, and enter words in the "Description or Review Title" field and the "Contributor Name" field to search for information that matches all those criteria. Enter information in both the "Description or Review Title" field and the "Contributor Name" field to search for titles contributed by the selected user only.

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Search Results display in a table formatted to provide you with information on the type of content found to match your search query, any special designation the content may have received (such as Editor's Choice or Award Winner) the contributor's name (when applicable), the average Star Rating for the Description (when applicable), the Review Rating (when applicable), and the date on which the content was added.

Search Results pages display indexes to provide easy and fast navigation to the section of the list most relevant to your interest. To navigate to the page listing those Descriptions, Reviews, or Search Results, click on the alphabetical or numerical grouping in the index most appropriate to what you're looking for.

Search Results are presented in up to 15 sets of 10 links that most closely match the search criteria you entered. To refine your search, use the Detailed Search form at the bottom of your Search Results page, which is pre-populated with the information you entered for your initial search.

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You can sort any list of Descriptions, Reviews, or Search Results by any of the column headings. Click on the column heading you would like to use for sorting. The table will rearrange to reflect your sorting preference.

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Viewer submissions are reviewed constantly and edited periodically by staff for grammar and word choice. Our editors do not change the writer's intended meaning. Material found in What Works that is inappropriate for our audience is deleted. See our sitewide Terms of Use for more information.

We encourage you to notify us of inappropriate material found in What Works. Click Send Us Feedback in the "Tell Us!" box, and fill out the form. We review each notification of inappropriate material as soon as it is received and make a decision regarding the material's adherence to our Terms of Use. Users who notify us receive a reply explaining our decision about the appropriateness of the material.

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What is a Star Rating?
Descriptions are rated for usefulness by other parents, on scale of one to four stars. A four-star rating is the highest rating.

Finding a Star Rating
Description lists on Topics pages show the average Star Rating for each Description. The average rating is based on the total Star Ratings given by all Reviewers for that Description. The average Star Rating for a Description also appears on the Description page, where you can read the complete text of that Description.

Review lists and Review pages show the individual Star Rating given to a Description by a specific parent-reviewer.

Adding a Star Rating
To rate a Description, select a number of stars when filling out the Review form. See "Adding a Review."

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Send Us Feedback

Inappropriate Content

You might occasionally find a user Description or Review in What Works that you feel is inappropriate for our audience. Our feedback form allows you to quickly and easily let us know what you've found and where it's located.

Click Send us feedback in the "Tell Us!" box. From the pull-down list, select Inappropriate Content. The Topic and Description title or Review title from the page on which you selected Send us feedback will appear in the Message area. You can make further comments about the material that concerns you, or simply add your email address and click Submit.

We ask for your email address so that we may contact you if we have questions about your comment.

If you would prefer that we not contact you regarding future improvements to What Works, select No for "Future Notification."

Topic Recommendation

We rely on our users to help us identify Topics and issues of most interest and usefulness. When you have an idea for a Topic you would like to have added to What Works, click Send us feedback in the "Tell Us!" box. Select Topic Recommendation from the pull-down list and add your idea in the Comment section. Click Submit.

We ask for your email address so that we may contact you if we have questions about your idea.

General Feedback

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think of What Works and our site in general, and how we might improve. To contact us, in the "Tell Us!" box click Send us feedback. From the pull-down list, select General Feedback. Add your idea in the Comment section, then click Submit.

We ask for your email address so that we may contact you if we have questions about your idea.

If you would prefer that we not contact you regarding future improvements to What Works, select No for "Future Notification."

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Topics are, whenever possible, grouped into subsets to help you easily find the Descriptions of most interest to you. For example, a Topic might be broken down into age groups to help you locate the Descriptions most helpful to parents of specific aged children; a Topic on recipes might be broken down into food groups to help you locate the Descriptions of recipes for particular types of foods.

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What is a Topic?
A Topic is a set of ideas, submitted by parents, regarding specific parenting needs.

Finding a Topic
Topics are grouped together by Category and listed on the Category page. To find a specific Topic, select the appropriate Category from the What Works home page and select the Topic from the list found on that page.

You can navigate to another Topic by selecting a different Topic name from the pull-down list provided on Topic pages, Description pages, and Review pages. Select the new Topic name and click Go to navigate to the new Topic page. Or, return to the Category page to view all other Topics and Descriptions within the current Category.

Recommending a Topic
In the "Tell Us!" box, click Send us feedback. Fill out the form to share your ideas, then click Submit.

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