Kinesiology & Exercise Science: After Graduation

It is important to be critical of health information found on the web. When you locate a health website, you first need to evaluate the resource to determine if the information is trustworthy.

Questions used to evaluate a website:

• Who created the information? Is there an "about us" page?
• When was the web page created? Or do you know when it was last updated?
• Does the information come from medical research? Are sources cited?
• Can you tell who funds the web page?

For a more detailed checklist, MedlinePlus has a Guide to Healthy Web Surfing

Also, the tool Trust It or Trash It can help you think critically about the quality of health information found on websites, handouts, booklets, and more.

Use these questions to determine whether the source is credible. Many websites are not "good" or "bad," but somewhere in the middle. These questions will help you decide whether the website is trustworthy.

Who created it?

• Can you tell who wrote or created the content?
• Is there an "about us" page?
• Are they an expert on the topic? How can you tell if they're an expert? [Hint: Google their name to see if you can find out anything else about them.]

When was it created?

• When was the web page created? Or do you know when it was last updated?
• Was it published recently? Can you tell how old the information is? [Hint: For some topics, this is very important.]

Who sponsors the information?

• Can you tell who funds the web page?
• What can you tell about the organization sponsoring the information?
• Do they have any conflicts of interest? [Hint: Google the organization to see if you can find any other information about them.]

Is it relevant?

• Is the information relevant to your topic or assignment? 
• What is the purpose of the website or information? Entertainment? Education? Something else?

Resources from the National Library of Medicine

• MedlinePlus -  information on health conditions, wellness issues, and more in easy-to-read language.
• DailyMed - information about marketed drugs in the United States.
• Drug Information Portal - selected drug information from the National Library of Medicine and other key government agencies

Resources from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• NIH Health Information - links to health information from across the National Institutes of Health
• NIDA for Teens - scientific facts about drugs and addiction, drug use among teens, and how drugs affect the teen brain and body.
• Senior Health Information - information on health topics specifically for older adults, including Alzheimer's and dementia, health eating, and caregiving from the National Institute of Aging
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements - science-based answers to your questions about dietary supplements
• We Can! - a national program designed to provide parents, caregivers, and communities a way to help children stay at a healthy weight.
• NIDDK Health Information - information for improving public health on topics including diabetes, kidney disease, and digestive diseases.
• NCCIH Health Information - information on complementary health approaches and practices including acupuncture, herbs, alternative health care, and natural medicine.

Other Government Organizations

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Minneapolis Health Department

Private Foundations (these are just a few examples)

• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - health resources for people with type 1 diabetes and their families
• Sickle Cell Disease Foundation - has health information on sickle cell disease
• American Heart Association - information on healthy living and heart attack and stroke symptoms

As you search in the library, you will find articles that fall into three general categories: Scholarly, Trade, and Popular. See below for more information about distinguishing between each category and tips for filtering for the different articles in library databases.