Comparing and Contrasting Research-Based and
Commerce-Based Sources of Wellness Information
1. View at least 2 of these videos: Evaluating health information from websites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvDNbA_bL14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enitVkpCUL0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOKZS4YlDLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ig20cOGQYU
2. Review the Trust it or Trash it website at http://www.trustortrash.org/
Click each step, the arrow to the right, and the drop down menu.
3. Complete either Set “A” or Set “B.” Then choose one of the resources you read and answer all the questions on the Website Resource Worksheet.
Set “A”
Read
http://www.ncaa.org/health-and-safety/sport-science-institute/defining-and-timing-healthy-snacks
and
http://www.nutrition.org/ Type in key words: Sports Nutrition
Set “B”
Read
http://www.health.harvard.edu/ Type in key words: ADHD
and
adhd.com Click: About ADHD
WEBSITE RESOURCE WORKSHEET—TYPE ANSWERS PLEASE
NAME THE RESOURCE YOU USED
RESOURCE:____________________________________________________________________________
TYPE ANSWERS HERE
| Authorship Type: Specify whether authors are researchers, educators, or health practitioners OR a national health organization, government agency, educational or medical institution.
Author Identification and Credentials: Provide the author’s name. Also, list degrees, certifications, and their professional affiliations related to health and wellness. OR Specify if this is an agency, national health organization, or medical institution. If so, provide mission statement. |
|
| If author is an organization, is it recognized as a reliable source/authority? How do you know? Is the information reviewed by an editorial board that includes medical or health experts? Are names/credentials of reviewers easily found (perhaps in the “About Us” link)?
List research publication date, date of study, and website’s “Last Modified Date.” |
|
| Funding: Who is funding the site? Is the website operated by a pharmaceutical company or business endorsing a specific product? Is the site trying to sell you something? Does the site include advertisements? Are they clearly labeled, or do they blend with the general information? | |
| Bias/Frame of Reference/Agenda: Does the author appear to have a social or political agenda? Read the disclaimer to learn about the conditions under which the information is made available. The disclaimer can usually be found at the bottom of a site’s homepage or in the “About Us” section. | |
| Website accreditation: The URAC and the Health On the Net Foundation (HON) examine and verify websites for quality. Is one of those seals present? Which? Check the “About Us” section or the bottom of the homepage. | |
| Does the website ask for personal information? If so, how will that information be used and how will your privacy be protected?
Does the site require you to register, enter your e-mail address, or answer personal questions before you can view health information? Does the site encourage you to get a second opinion? |
|
| Purpose of this wellness information: | |
| Did you find any of these in the information?
· Anecdotes, testimonials, stories · Misleading language · Exaggerated claims of effectiveness · Claims of “amazing”, “quick”, or “secret” information or “scientific breakthroughs” · Simplistic conclusions drawn from a single study |
|
| Empirical or conceptual research?
Empirical articles report research based on actual observations; are generally published in academic, scholarly, or professional journals; have a title that focuses on specific aspects of the study; are written by authors reporting on their own research; feature an abstract including a problem statement, purpose statement, description of the group or phenomena studied, methodology and instrumentation (i.e. survey, test, etc.) or interviews, observations, experiments, etc., mention the study’s results and include words such as “empirical research”, “experiment” or “study”. The article itself generally includes these sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results/Findings, Discussion, Conclusion, Recommendations for Future Study Practice, References. Conceptual articles are generally written by authors reviewing or summarizing findings from other research studies; cover a broad area; but do not define separate methods and findings sections. They may be published in academic or professional journals or websites. They will identify references. |
Do you think this is empirical or conceptual research? Explain: |
| Corroboration: What other sources verify or confirm information in this research-based resource?
Was the research peer-reviewed? How do you know? |
