Also known as discussion boards, discussion groups, discussion forums, or message boards, Internet forums are online discussion sites where people can engage in conversation through posted messages.
These forums act as centralized locations for topical discussions, similar to Usenet and BBS forums, but on a larger scale and in more specialized ways.
Internet forums originated on Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) and function similarly.
Some forums are general, allowing for discussions by any registered member about a wide variety of topics, while others are specialized, either to the topics under discussion or the membership. In other words, some forums discuss specific topics, while others are restricted to specific groups of people, such as a seniors forum or one intended for employees of a particular company or organization.
This portion of our web guide is for forums and discussion related to science or scientific topics. Some might be restricted to people within the various fields of science, while others might accept members who are not in the field but who wish to discuss science topics.
Internet forums differ from chat rooms in that messages are generally longer than one line of text, and are at least temporarily archived.
Forums are generally tree-like in structure, and may contain subforums, each of which may have several topics. At the top end are categories (sometimes known as forums within the forum). Under the category are subcategories (sub-forums). Within a forum topic, each new discussion is known as a thread and can be replied to by any member of the forum. Replies are known as posts, and the first post in a thread is often referred to as the opening post, or OP, describing the desired topic of the thread.
Most forums require participants to register with the forum and log into their account in order to participate, although the majority allow anyone to read existing forum posts without logging in. Some forums may charge a fee or a subscription price for membership, while others are free.
Some forums are moderated by members who have been granted moderator privileges. Moderator duties will vary from one forum to another, but, in general, the moderator's job is to arbitrate disputes and keep the forum clean of spam and objectionable content. Essentially, the moderator manages the day-to-day affairs of a forum or board. Moderators are often unpaid volunteers, but they may paid employees.
Forum administrators manage the technical details required for running the site and have the authority to appoint and revoke members as moderators, manage the rules, create categories and sub-categories, and perform database operations. Administrators often also act as moderators.
Forums on science-related topics are this category's focus.
Recommended Resources
Launched in 2001, the Naked Scientists was one of the first podcasts and is now a popular science show syndicated globally. Based at Cambridge University's Institute of Continuing Education, it consists of a team of scientists, doctors, and communicators. Its forum is powered by Simple Machines Forum (SMF), and includes categories for General Science, Non Life Sciences, Life Sciences, On the Lighter Side, and General Discussion. Membership is free but required for participation.
https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/
Physics Forums aims to provide a community of students, scientists, educators, and hobbyists to learn and discuss science as it is currently generally understood and practiced by the professional scientific community. Although its chief focus is physics, the forum also caters to other STEM fields, including engineering, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and others. STEM homework help for students and academic and career guidance are also available. Participants must register and log in.
https://www.physicsforums.com/
Created to inspire and educate students of all ages with hands-on STEM explorations that reflect their unique personal interests, by providing highly personalized educational experiences, Science Buddies hopes to drive student discovery, engagement, and learning in STEM subjects. Its sponsors and partners are acknowledged. Its forum is divided into grade (K-5, 6-8, 9-12) categories, as well as subject categories for STEM activities, interview requests, Raspberry Pi projects kit, and others.
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/
Hosted on Tapatalk, which offers free forum hosting and a mobile application for online communities, The Science Forum is dedicated to science discussion and the promotion of science education. Interested people may register for an account via their Facebook, Google, or email accounts. Science news, the. hard sciences, the social sciences, technology and engineering, and other topics that are not necessarily science, such as science fiction and pseudoscience.
https://thescienceforum.org/
ScienceForums.net is the pioneer in science discussions, providing science discussions at all levels for beginners and researchers. The website covers various topics, from biology and physics to computer science and mathematics. It is also a great resource for students looking for homework help. Powered by Invision Community, the discussion forum requires participants to create an account and log into it in order to participate in discussions, but membership is free. Its guidelines are posted.
https://www.scienceforums.net/
Operating on a XenFor script, the Internet forum covers a variety of topics, including general science and technology, physics, mathematics, astronomy, cosmology, human science, biology, Earth science, linguistics, chemistry, and comparative religion, as well as computer science and culture, intelligence and machines, architecture and engineering, philosophy, world events, policies, science fiction, and pseudoscience. Registration is free, but it is a requirement for participation.
https://www.sciforums.com/
