Resources

Learn. Explore. Research. Grow.

Welcome to the YOUth Health Literacy Initiative’s Resource Page, a collection of trustworthy websites, research tools, educational platforms, and multimedia resources for students interested in STEM, biotechnology, public health, health science, research, wellness, and lifelong learning.

Whether you're looking for a reliable source for a research project, trying to understand a health topic, exploring a career in science, or simply want to keep learning outside the classroom, this page is a place to start!

Just a quick note on credibility: Not every health or science resource online is created equally. Whenever possible, prioritize information from government agencies, universities, scientific organizations, peer-reviewed journals, and other established institutions. Always check who created the information, when it was published or updated, what evidence supports it, and whether the source has a clear purpose.

Science & Biotechnology

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Best for: Biomedical science, health research, genetics, diseases, laboratory science, and student research.

NIH is one of the best starting points for learning about biomedical research. Its educational resources cover topics ranging from cells and molecules to the brain, genetics, disease, and scientific methods.

Explore:

• Biomedical science

• Genetics

• Cells and molecules

• Human health

• Research careers

• Educational activities

Website: NIH Science Education Resources

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

Best for: Finding scientific literature, genetics information, biomedical databases, and research papers.

NCBI is especially useful once you're ready to move beyond introductory information and start exploring actual scientific research.

Explore:

• PubMed

• Gene

• Genome

• Protein

• Bookshelf

• Clinical and biomedical databases

Website: NCBI

Research tip:

If you're researching a scientific topic, try searching the topic in PubMed rather than relying only on Google. Look for review articles first to understand the field before diving into individual studies.

Research database: PubMed

Khan Academy: Biology

Best for: Reviewing biology concepts before or alongside AP Biology, college biology, or independent study.

Useful topics include:

• Cell biology

• Genetics

• Molecular biology

• Evolution

• Human biology

• Ecology

Website: Khan Academy Biology

National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)

Best for: Science activities, teaching resources, classroom ideas, and STEM education.

Website: NSTA

Research & Scientific Literature

PubMed

Best for: Peer-reviewed biomedical and life-science literature.

PubMed is particularly useful for research projects involving:

• Diseases

• Genetics

• Microbiology

• Biotechnology

• Public health

• Pharmacology

• Molecular biology

Website: PubMed

Google Scholar

Best for: Broad academic literature searches across scientific disciplines.

Website: Google Scholar

How to search more effectively

Instead of searching:

“Does food dye affect health?”

Try:

"Allura Red" AND "gut health"

or:

"food additives" AND microbiome

*Use quotation marks for exact phrases and AND/OR to combine concepts.

NCBI Bookshelf

Best for: Free access to textbooks, manuals, and other biomedical literature.

Website: NCBI Bookshelf

Health & Public Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Best for: Disease information, epidemiology, prevention, statistics, public health, and health education.

CDC is one of the most useful resources for understanding how health issues affect individuals and communities.

Explore:

• Diseases and conditions

• Public health data

• Outbreak information

• Vaccines

• Health topics

• Environmental health

• Global health

• Public health careers

Website: CDC

World Health Organization (WHO)

Best for: Global health, international disease trends, health policy, health emergencies, and worldwide public-health information.

WHO provides fact sheets, health data, multimedia, podcasts, reports, and information about health topics around the world. (World Health Organization)

Website: WHO Resources

Especially useful for:

• Global health

• Infectious diseases

• Malaria

• Tuberculosis

• Antimicrobial resistance

• Nutrition

• Environmental health

• Health equity

• Social determinants of health

MedlinePlus

Best for: Easy-to-understand health information.

MedlinePlus is produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and provides health information from authoritative organizations, including NIH and other federal agencies. (National Library of Medicine)

Website: MedlinePlus

Why I recommend it

Scientific papers aren't always written for the general public. MedlinePlus can be a helpful first stop when you're trying to understand a health topic in plain language before reading more technical research.

Health Data & Statistics

CDC Data & Statistics

Best for: Understanding health trends using actual data.

Use it when you need information about:

• Disease prevalence

• Mortality

• Public health trends

• Demographics

• Epidemiology

• Health behaviors

Website: CDC Data & Statistics

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER

Best for: Exploring public health datasets and statistics.

Website: CDC WONDER

Data.gov

Best for: Finding publicly available U.S. government datasets.

Website: Data.gov

Global Health

WHO Global Health Observatory

Best for: International health statistics and indicators.

Website: WHO Global Health Observatory

Our World in Data

Best for: Exploring global trends through interactive charts and visualizations.

Topics include:

• Global health

• Infectious diseases

• Life expectancy

• Population

• Poverty

• Education

• Climate

• Demographics

Website: Our World in Data

Data tip:

When using a chart online, don't just copy the number. Look for:

1. Who collected the data?

2. What years does it cover? Is it outdated?

3. What population was studied?

4. How was the measurement defined?

5. What are/were the limitations?

Student STEM & Learning Resources

NASA STEM

Best for: STEM activities, challenges, educational resources, and hands-on learning.

NASA provides STEM resources organized for different grade levels and learning environments. (NASA)

Website: NASA STEM Engagement

U.S. Department of Education: STEM Resources

Best for: Finding free federal STEM learning opportunities and educational resources.

The Department of Education maintains a collection of federal STEM resources that includes student learning tools, activities, and opportunities. (U.S. Department of Education)

Website: Federal STEM Education Resources

Health Literacy & Student Wellness

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

Youth Health Education

Best for: Understanding health education and health-related skills for middle and high school students.

CDC emphasizes that quality health education helps young people build health knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills. (CDC)

Website: CDC Youth Health Education

MedlinePlus: College Health

Best for: Students preparing for college or navigating college life.

Topics include:

• Preventive care

• Vaccinations

• Sleep

• Physical activity

• General health

• Finding reliable health information

Website: MedlinePlus College Health

Podcasts, Videos & Multimedia

Learning doesn't have to look like reading a textbook.

Podcasts

World Health Organization (WHO) Podcasts

WHO offers podcasts covering global health topics, interviews, current health issues, and public-health discussions. (World Health Organization)

WHO Podcasts

Educational Videos

TED-Ed

Best for: Short animated lessons explaining science, medicine, psychology, and other complex topics.

TED-Ed

Khan Academy

Best for: Structured educational videos and lessons.

Khan Academy

NASA

Best for: Space science, engineering, Earth science, technology, and STEM careers.

NASA Learning Resources

Books & Open Educational Resources

OpenStax

Best for: Free, peer-reviewed college-level textbooks.

Especially useful for:

• Biology

• Anatomy & Physiology

• Chemistry

• Psychology

• Statistics

Website: OpenStax

MIT OpenCourseWare

Best for: Exploring college-level courses for free.

You can find course materials from MIT across science, engineering, mathematics, humanities, and more.

Website: MIT OpenCourseWare

Laboratory & Biotechnology Learning

HHMI BioInteractive

Best for: Biology activities, animations, virtual labs, datasets, and scientific investigations.

Website: HHMI BioInteractive

Great for learning about:

• Genetics

• Evolution

• Ecology

• Disease

• Cell biology

• Experimental design

• Data analysis

Addgene

Best for: Learning about molecular biology and biotechnology resources.

Website: Addgene

-> Safety note: Laboratory work should always be performed in an appropriate supervised laboratory using approved procedures and safety protocols. Online resources are for learning and should not replace laboratory instruction or institutional safety requirements.

STEM Careers & Roles

National Institute of Health (NIH): Careers & Training

Best for: Exploring biomedical research careers, fellowships, training opportunities, and scientific career paths.

Website: NIH Careers & Training

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Careers

Best for: Learning about careers in epidemiology, laboratory science, public health, data, and health policy.

Website: CDC Careers

Academic & Research Skills

Purdue OWL

Best for: Writing research papers, citations, grammar, academic writing, and formatting.

Website: Purdue Online Writing Lab

Zotero

Best for: Organizing research papers and creating citations/bibliographies.

Website: Zotero

Research workflow I recommend 

(from my high school AP Seminar and Research courses)

Question → Background research → Peer-reviewed literature → Evaluate evidence → Take notes → Organize sources → Write → Cite

Don't wait until the end to figure out your citations!

How to Tell If a Source Is Credible

Before sharing or citing something, ask:

1. Who published it?

Is it from a:

• Government agency?

• University?

• Scientific organization?

• Peer-reviewed journal?

• Established medical organization?

2. Who wrote it?

Look for the author's credentials and affiliation.

3. When was it published?

Science changes. Check the publication or update date.

4. What evidence supports the claim?

Look for references to:

• Scientific studies

• Systematic reviews

• Official datasets

• Established scientific evidence

5. Is the source trying to sell you something?

Be especially cautious when a website makes dramatic health claims while simultaneously trying to sell a product.

6. Can you find the same information elsewhere?

For important claims, compare multiple credible sources.

*This ties into Health Literacy 101.

Some Red Flags When Evaluating Health Information

Be cautious when a source:

• Promises a "miracle" cure

• Says doctors or scientists are hiding information

• Uses dramatic language instead of evidence

• Makes one study sound like definitive proof

• Doesn't identify its sources

• Relies heavily on testimonials

• Uses outdated research

• Makes sweeping claims from a small study

• Confuses correlation with causation

• Tries to sell a product immediately after making a health claim

Remember: A professional-looking website isn't automatically a credible source!

Social Media & Science

Social media can be an excellent way to discover scientific ideas, but it shouldn't automatically be treated as a primary source.

If you see a health or science claim online:

Pause → Find the original source → Check the evidence → Compare credible sources → THEN share.

A viral infographic may be useful for starting a conversation, but a peer-reviewed paper or government report is usually a much stronger source for supporting a scientific claim.

Types of Media to Explore

Don't limit your learning to just articles!

Articles

Great for detailed explanations and background information.

Research Papers

Best for exploring scientific evidence and methodology.

Data Visualizations

Useful for understanding trends, statistics, and population-level health information.

Videos

Helpful when learning complicated processes such as DNA replication, PCR, cellular signaling, or disease transmission.

Podcasts

Great for hearing scientists, clinicians, researchers, and public-health professionals explain their work.

Interactive Maps

Useful for exploring geographic patterns in disease, environmental health, demographics, and public health.

Virtual Labs

Helpful for visualizing experiments and practicing scientific reasoning.

Textbooks & Open Courses

Best when you want a structured introduction to an entire subject.

Infographics

Great for quick summaries, but always check the original source behind the graphic.

My "Start Here" List

If you're overwhelmed by all the resources, start with these:

For health information:
MedlinePlus

For public health:
CDC

For global health:
WHO

For scientific research:
PubMed

For biomedical databases:
NCBI

For biology learning:
Khan Academy Biology

For interactive biology:
HHMI BioInteractive

For free textbooks:
OpenStax

For STEM learning:
NASA Learning Resources

For academic writing:
Purdue OWL

Important Disclaimer!

The resources on this page are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Health information can change as new research becomes available. Always check the original source, publication date, and current guidance before relying on information for an important health decision.

The inclusion of a resource does not mean that the YOUth Health Literacy Initiative endorses every statement, opinion, product, or service associated with that organization.

And Remember!

Keep learning. Keep questioning. Keep checking the evidence. 

Author: Robyn Asbell

Founder

8/24/2026

*This page was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) for research support and drafting. ALL resources and information have been reviewed and curated by the YOUth Health Literacy Initiative before publication. AI was used as a tool to support the process, not as a replacement for human judgment, research, or fact-checking!