Welcome to the 'Short Tour' around h2g2, this is especially for those whose time is restricted and maybe can only be here during tea breaks or lunch time (we promise not to tell your boss if you are here any other time). Better still, bookmark the page and you can come back anytime!

Here you will find out about Life, the Universe and Everything! - Sorry, we got carried away for a moment, we don't have time for all that here. Alternatively, you could try the Scenic Route.

Understanding the Front Page

Let us go straight on to the Front Page: to the left hand side you will see the most recently published Edited Guide Entries , these have been written by our members and, with the help of others in Peer Review, have been polished and primped until they are finally selected by a Scout to be prepared for viewing on the Front Page. Do you have hidden talents? Could you write for the Edited Guide? Perhaps you could help someone in Peer Review? When you have time just click on the links, but not just yet; we haven't finished our Tour.

To the right of the Front Page you will see our Showcase presentations, these are previously published articles from our archives. They are a mix of Entries previously published in the Edited Guide, the Underguide and our very own h2g2 magazine - The Post. Researchers can nominate their favourite articles to be Showcased.

There are many other sections to look at on the Front Page, do please take a look through them all at your leisure...

The standard of the work in The Post is exceptionally high and it is up to the individual researcher if they choose to publish in The Post or via the Edited Guide. There are factual articles, stories, poems, recipes and cartoons. Researchers have also enjoyed collaborating with Beeblecast. There have been 'How to..' videos and even our own version of radio plays! We hope to bring this facility back soon. - If you want to send something in, just follow the links at the bottom of the magazine page.

Peer Review has its own paragraph because it plays such an important part in building the Edited Guide. Without our reviewers and authors the Guide would grind to a halt. Your participation in this process will be appreciated by all.

Create is our new feature. We hope to put out creative challenges to our researchers. If you have any ideas you think might be useful, please let us know.

Not actually mentioned on the Front Page, yet not to be forgotten, is the Alternative Writing Workshop. You might prefer to write short stories or poems, the researchers in this area will help you to polish your articles for The Post or future h2g2 challenges.

Topical Entries is another delve into the archives for something related to current news items or an anniversary - keep watching!

Community Central

You might not realise just how vast h2g2 is, it is important that you are able to read, write and communicate at your leisure. We are currently working on more 'Help' pages, bringing them up to date.

We mustn't forget to mention Ask h2g2. You may want an answer to some everyday query, or you might wish to debate something topical with your fellow researchers - this is the place to do it! Be prepared for some robust debates!

And now for SEx! Okay, who thought that was a typo? It stands for Science Explained and our team of experts will attempt to answer your questions.

We are almost at the end of our 'Tour'. Next we have the Infinite Improbability Drive - go on, you know you want to click on the link! You are guaranteed something different to read every time!

You may still find this site a bit overwhelming; it has been in existence since 1999, so it has a lot of history and sections that we cannot cover in detail in this little introduction. However, if you sign up as a member you are guaranteed a personal mentor in the form of an ACE who will send you a personal greeting and help you to find your way around the site in much more detail.

Is your break almost over? Not to worry, we have reached the end of our 'Short Tour'.

The following links can be perused at your leisure:

Writing Guidelines. Explains more fully about the Edited Guide and other types of Entries.

Edited Guide Writing Workshop. Researchers can work on their Guide Entries here until they are ready to move into Peer Review.

Peer Review. The next stage to becoming an Edited Entry in the Guide.

Create. Do you have any ideas to pass on?

Showcase.

The Post.

Beeblecast/Aviators.

Alternative Writing Workshop. Researchers receive assistance to polish their Fictional Entries and Poetry.

Ask h2g2.

SEx - Science Explained.

Misc Chat.

Games Room.

The h2g2 Volunteers.