This was a extremely helpful source that explained the differences of the three cortical fibers. Though I knew about the roles that white fibers fulfilled, it was clarifying to read this source on the differences among the specific fibers. The commissural fibers connect the two hemispheres of the brain. Association fibers connect different gyri together. Since gyri gyrate in an up and down fashion, the association fibers create a U-shape, so they are sometimes called U-fibers. Projection fibers connect the cortex to the lower brain and brainstem. This article was extremely helpful, as parts of the basal ganglia and limbic systems had been confusing me. In particular the corpus callosum and fornix in these systems had been confusing me as to what they did. This source explained that they just bus the information, and do not have a complicated internal structure, like many of the nuclei in that region. This really helped me understand these two systems, and the roles that each component plays within them.

This site told me more about the cortex. The differences in how the depth of the cortex changes in different parts of the brain is explained, as its role changes as the white fibers below it have different input locations depending on where in the brain you observe. The different neural layering patterns are shown with colored images, and the differences in how the neurons are connected in varying parts of the brain are also shown. The article also explains the advantages of having gyri in the brain, and how the general structure of the cortex is set us so as to maximize space efficiency. Compared to a mouse brain, which is smooth and does not have any sulci, it makes clear how these oscillating structures provide higher levels of cortical processing. This source also gives insight to how the cortex works, and proved to be of use when I was creating my brain portfolio.

This article cleared up the confusion I had revolving around subcortical fibers. I was unclear on where the white matter was in the brain, what it did, and other information about it. This PDF answered my questions by explaining the roles of the white matter in the brain. It explains that the white matter is right under the gray matter of the cortices of the brain, and transfers information to and from the cortex, to other parts of the brain. It also explains the proportion of the different white matter fibers to each other, which play different roles. The long fibers that go across the brain are long, but there are not as many of them. The shorter fibers that connect closer distances are much shorter, but there are many more of them. This source was used in my brain portfolio, and gave me a generally clearer understanding of the structure that is directly below the cortex.

This site makes finding the major and finer structures of the brain easy. The intuitive layout lets the user go through the brain, slice by slice, to reveal actual MRI data and drawn pictures that are clearly labeled to indicate surface and subcortical structures. You can zoom in on actual microscope pictures to reveal cells in the brain and see detailed pictures of how they connect. The detailed pictures use horizontal axis (top of brain to bottom), coronal axis (front to back), and sagittal axis (side to side) scans so that you are able to develop a picture of a three dimensional map of the human brain, in your mind. One of the hardest things to picture when I first began researching about the anatomy of the human brain, was picturing where all the subcortical structures were positioned in relation to each other. By using the many informative anatomical and chemical maps, I was able to clear up the issues I had had with trying to visualize a three dimensional model. This source is very reliable, as it uses real images for the slices you see as you navigate the brain. This source also comes from the University Institut für Anatomie, so the data was observed first hand there, making it reliable. I will be using this information that I have gathered to add to my brain portfolio document, and will be a useful tool if I decide to make a three dimensional model of the brain.

This site was helpful for visualizing the Basal Ganglia. It has diagrams and depictions of the size of the basal ganglia system to the rest of the brain. It was useful when I was not sure what the basal ganglia system looked like, or what it did. Since the basal ganglia system is a main component of the brain (with the cortex and limbic system being the other important ones in the cerebrum) it is important to understand. I used this source in my brain portfolio, and I also plan to use it in a three dimensional model of the brain that would use the diagrams on the site to create an accurate depiction of the inner brain.

This internet archive of a very informative book on the human body provided further insight to contextualized material on the inner brain structures. Many sites have in-depth information that is very thorough, but sometimes it can be a bit too much. This book progresses in a logical order, covering all topics of the human body. The information on the brain is great for putting everything in place from other sites. Since the information in the book is in context, I found it useful to match the more specialized information I had acquired from other sources to the book, which helped me understand how it connects to the other parts of the brain. An example of this is when I was researching the basal ganglia and limbic system. The two systems are very closely connected, and while I knew about the separate systems, it was hard to visualize how they fit together. This book showed how they were joined together, which was helpful even when I knew a lot about the separate systems, because it was hard to understand them as a whole working component.

This site really helped me understand how the limbic system was laid out. It shows diagrams of the limbic system, and detailed descriptions of what each of the parts do. It also describes how the limbic system influences the sympathetic nervous system, which is important in vigorous movements connected to preparing for danger, or fleeing. This is also known as the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response, and the sympathetic nervous system will help by dilating large muscle blood vessels, dilating the eyes, and increasing heart rate.This source helped me understand the limbic system better and what roles it plays. This source is used in my brain portfolio, as it has a lot of great information.

This site helped me get the basic understanding of the brain, before I got into more specific study. It covers a wide variety of topics, including general descriptions of the cortex and inner brain. The different parts of the brain are labeled, and neurotransmitters are briefly explained to give the reader a general sense of the brain. The article helped me on the right track when researching the inner brain and its structures, as it summarized the basal ganglia and limbic systems. It explains that the basal ganglia is responsible for conscious movements, and the limbic system controls memory and emotion. This site is reliable because it is a government site that takes data straight from Health and Human Services, which is well known for its great research. This site was used when I made my brain portfolio, which is the compilation of research I have done in an organized document.

This is a site that is supposed to help people learn about the structure of the atom. It is also supposed to clear up any misconceptions about how the atom is organized and what it is made up of. This article talks about the particles that make up the protons and neutrons in the nucleus, and how electrons really orbit the an atom. This site is all about atoms and how the forces within them work, allowing them to bond together. I would recommend this site to anyone who wants to learn more about atoms, it has more information than we go into in class, so it would be helpful to anyone who wants to do extra work.

This site talks all about chromosomes. Its point is to educate people more on how chromosomes work. This site has an index of all 23 chromosomes and what disorders each individual one can hold. It also has information on genes, and has many different diagrams on chromosomes. It also displays what each chromosome looks like, its genes, and different facts about it. I would recommend this site to anyone who wants to learn more about how chromosomes carry genes. This site shows just how complicated genetic disorders are.

This site displays the planets orbiting the sun in realistic sizes and orbits. It also shows the stars and constellations, and how they change over time. This site is supposed to get people to realize the actual proportions of the solar system, because many people have an inaccurate picture of it in their mind. I would recommend this site because it is so clear about all its information, is educational, and looks cool. This site really made me understand both the solar system and the stars.

This site has all sorts of information on cells. It talks about all the different chemical reactions that happen in cells, where they get their energy from, and how proteins run many processes. Anyone who has trouble with cellular processes in Biology might be able to learn from this site, and benefit from doing better. I would recommend this site to anyone who is having trouble in Biology, or who wants to go the extra step to really understand the information.

This is a site that I found when having trouble with JavaScript code. This site is incredibly helpful to anyone having problems with JavaScript. I couldn't believe it when I found this many explanations and helpful guides on so many topics. The site covers most of the more advanced concepts of JavaScript, or if it does show simple code it explains its more complex applications. This site came in handy for many times in my Programming and Logic class when I was having trouble. I find the information on the site very reliable because when I fix my code according to its instructions it always solves the problem. I would recommend this site to anyone who has a grasp on the basics of JavaScript and wishes to expand their knowledge.

This site has hundreds of videos on school material. I use this for learning in math outside of school. The videos are great quality; thoughtfully planned and packed with information. Each video gets information across thoroughly by presenting it in an interesting and captivating manner. It is a great tool for both excelling knowledge or just for help. This is a very reliable site, because the information has been tested by the many users, and when I myself researched the topics outside of the site I got similar results to what they were teaching me. I would recommend this to anyone who wants personalized learning in the field of their choosing.

This is a great site for helping you with writing. I breaks down essays into all the necessary parts and gives you advice on how to be affective with your writing. It tells you everything from how to research properly, to making an outline and a thesis. This was helpful for me when we were assigned essays in English. The site prompted me to complete my essays before they were due so I wouldn't be rushed. This would be very applicable to classroom environments to help struggling and proficient students alike. I find this site extremely reliable because even though this is subjective information, the reservoir of information greatly improved my writing. I would recommend this to anyone who wishes to become a better writer.

This site allows you to look at hundreds of questions written by other people. There are many categories of questions, everything from Biology, to Mathematics, to computers, to Physics. Each question is answered by an expert in that field, and you can create your own questions if you are curious about something. Each question can have many replies, so you can see all sides to the answer, and it gives you a deeper understanding of the topic. I find this a useful source because it gives you interesting information by showing you popular questions. I find this site reliable because it is a government site with college professors responding, and because the information they give is consistent with what I get if I research outside of the site. I would recommend this to anyone doing scientific research for school, or to anyone interested in science in general.