Guides: Question prompted guides through desicions of most appropriate software. Tutorials: Instructions on the use of programs, selection of parameters, and evaluation of results. Links:      Homepage and submission page for recommended bioinformatics programs and servers.

The goal of this site is to:

• Assist the user in defining the question at hand.
• Train the user in the use of bioinformatics technology available. (theory, parameter selection, databases, etc.)
• Locate the most appropriate and most efficient programs available.
• Direct the user to the programs most efficiently linked for multi-step processes.
• Keep the user abreast of the newest, state-of-the-art research programs.

Guides:

BimCore's Guides are an approach to direct the novice user through the myriad of bioinformatics software available. Not just listing the software that is available, but through a series of questions, helping the user decide the exact question he or she is trying to ask, the results he or she wishes to obtain, and thus the program and paramaters best suited to answer this question.

The user is prompted to answer certain questions about the problem in hand. Each answer selects a path through the flowchart and returns additional questions. Each answer narrows the route. The end result is a list of applicable programs, discussion of important aspects and parameters to consider, statistics on each program and comparative results. A link to individual program tutorials is given.

Directions for use:

Select answers to the questions either using the left expandable outline or select the appropriate answer in the main window. The left outline highlights the choices that have been made.

Throughout the guide, notice the information highlights. Details are available for the following topics using pop-up windows or opening new browser windows: hints, definitions, detailed explanations, statistics, results, etc.

Note: Once you select an appropriate program, you can return to that tutorial simply by selecting Tutorials on the top right menu and then selecting the program of choice from the list in the left outline.

Tutorials:

BimCore's Tutorials are written to include all of the standard sequence analysis topics. Individual topics are broken down to list multiple, available programs. Selection of an individual program directs the user to a step-by-step tutorial for submission of the query(ies), retrieval and evaluation of the resutls, and post-processing. Tutorials include: hints, definitions, detailed explanations, sample queries and results, and relevant links to post-processing tutorials. This section is designed for the frequent user who knows the preferred program name.

Directions for use:

Select Tutorials in the top right menu. Then, in the left window or main window, select a specific sequence analysis topic. The available programs or servers will be listed. Begin a tutorial by clicking on its program name in the left expandable outline or the icon in the main window.

Links:

BimCore's Links provide an organized list of links to the homepage and submission page for the recommended bioinformatics programs and servers. The links are categorized according to sequence analysis topics.

Preference ratings are given for each ( = best, = better, = good), and XX (i.e. A1, A2, A3, etc.) marks programs to be used consecutively.