Finding Health Information Online

Textbooks

• Core textbooks summarize current standards of care, based on the experiences of expert clinicians and the results of research studies.
• Textbooks are concise and easy to scan for relevant information, but ...
• Textbooks are expensive and take several years to publish, so information in them may be incomplete or inaccurate if new knowledge has been developed, which is especially likely regarding therapies.
• Locate textbooks using:
  • HealthLinks: Textbooks for electronic textbooks
    • The Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice | Sample Search
    • Harrison's
    • MD Consult | Search Tips | Sample Search
  • UW Libraries Catalog for print textbooks | Sample Search

Journal Articles/Databases

• Articles in journals generally provide much more detail about a much narrower topic than core textbooks.
• Healthlinks Databases  includes links to approximately 150 health-related databases that index journal articles.
• Review Articles are journal articles that summarize a number of studies on the same topic.
• Reviews can lead you to extensive lists of research articles on a similar topic, but ...
• It may not be possible to tell what criteria the author used in selecting the studies to be included or excluded.
• Locate review articles using:
  • PubMed | Search Tips | Sample Search
  • CINAHL | Search Tips | Sample Search Video
• Check availability of journals using:
  • HealthLinks: Journals for electronic journals | Sample Search
  • UW Libraries Catalog for print journals | Sample Search

Web Searching

• The Web is a good place to find information generated by sources such as: professional associations, government agencies, or educational institutions.
• It is also a good way to discover what other individuals and groups have to say about a particular topic.
• It is important to remember that information on the web is essentially unregulated.

• Search engines allow you to search through huge indexes of Web sites created by computer programs called robots or spiders and display results according to relevance. Use search engines to find:
  • Unique keywords or hard to find information
  • Combinations of unique key words
  • Pages buried deep in a Web site
• Example: Google |
  Google Image Search

• Subject directories allow you to search through lists of categories of Web sites created by human indexers. Use subject directories to find:
  • General topics
  • Commercial topics
  • Current events
• Example: Yahoo

Evaluating Web Sites

• Problems with Web Sites
  • Almost anyone can publish on the Web.
  • It's often difficult to determine the author of a site.
  • There's a lack of basic quality standards.
  • Most information is unfiltered.
  • The Web often functions as a soapbox.
  • Users face the "garbage in, gospel out" phenomenon.
• Evaluation Strategies
  Web sites should be evaluated similarly to print resources.
  • Evaluate using the Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites checklist below.
  • Determine the type of site by analyzing Web Site Addresses.

Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites

Authority

• Is the author clearly identified?
• Are the author's credentials listed?
• Is there an institutional affiliation?
• What authority does the author have to write about the subject?
• Can you easily contact the author for clarification of information?
• Example: Smoker's Home Page
• Example: The Smoking Section
  

Accuracy

• Is the information accurate?
• Does the site offer a list of references or links to support the information presented?
• Is the source of information clearly stated?
• Is there an explanation of the research method used to gather data?
• Example: MMWR

Objectivity

• Is the purpose of the site clearly stated?
• Is the information impartially presented?
• Is sponsorship acknowledged?
• Example: Melatonin Central

Coverage

• Does the site satisfy the needs of its intended audience?
• Is the subject coverage comprehensive?
• Does the site offer extra features not available in other formats?
• Example: MEDLINEplus
• Example: Pediatrics

Currency

• Is the site current?
• Was the site updated recently?
• Are the links kept up-to-date?
• Example: CNN Health
  

Design

• Is the site clearly organized?
• Is there an internal search engine?
• Is the site user friendly?
• Can the site be accessed reliably?
• Do visual effects enhance the resource?
• Are there interactive features that increase usability?
• Can the site be accessed without additional viewers or plug-ins?
  
  
• Example: OncoLink
• Example: Dihydrogen Monoxide - DHMO Homepage

Web Site Addresses

• URL: The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) includes the name of the host computer, which can indicate the purpose of the Web site.
• Tilde: The tilde character (~) often indicates a personal Web site.

Citing Electronic Resources

• APA
  • Electronic References from the American Psychological Association
    Authorized APA format, 2001
• MLA
  • MLA Style: How do I document sources from the World Wide Web in my works-cited list?
    Authorized MLA format, May 15, 2002

• Janet Schnall: (206) 543-7474 schnall@u.washington.edu
• Joanne Rich: (206) 616-6601 jrich@u.washington.edu