This document provides guidance on evaluating online health information sources. It outlines 7 steps to take when assessing a source: 1) examine the authority and credentials of authors and publishers, 2) consider potential biases, 3) check for available contact information, 4) determine the intended audience, 5) review content update policies, 6) make an overall evaluation, and 7) consult a doctor if still uncertain. Taking these steps will help ensure online health information is trustworthy, accurate, and appropriate for the user's needs and understanding. Regularly reviewing and updating content is important because medical knowledge is constantly progressing.

1. Evaluating Sources
Before we dive into search strategies for finding online
health information, we first need to consider what makes a
good source. We will consider whether a source is
trustworthy and whether it will provide information that is
helpful for you.
Because of the vast quantity of information that may be
found online, both good and bad, it is crucial that we are
able to evaluate a source so that we can make informed
decisions about our health.
The skills you learn in this section will help you to evaluate
any online source, and may be useful to you when seeking
other types of information as well.

2. Steps for Evaluating Sources
Evaluating an online source may seem daunting at first
because so many diverse resources are out there.
However, with practice, source evaluation will only take a
few minutes if you go through the following steps:
1. Examine authority
2. Consider the source’s bias
3. Check for contact information
4. Consider the site’s intended audience
5. Check the content’s review process
6. Use what you learned to evaluate the source
7. Ask your doctor if you are unsure

3. Step 1: Authority
The first step in evaluating an online source is to
consider its authority. Ask yourself the following
questions:
• Who wrote this information?
• What organization or group is responsible for this
content?

4. Authority: Who wrote this information?
Authors of health information should meet the following
criteria:
• Have medical credentials
▫ Look for MD, LPN, or similar abbreviations after their
name to ensure that they are qualified to provide
medical information
• Are recognized experts in their field
▫ Try searching the author’s name on Google to see if
they have publications that have been cited by other
professionals.

5. Authority: What organization is responsible for
this content?
In addition to having a well-educated author, content should be
published by a reputable organization. Assess authority by doing the
following:
• Check the web address.
▫ In general, .gov, .edu, and .org are best
• Check the About Us section of the website. It is often linked at the
bottom of the page.
▫ This section should give you information about what the
organization does and can help you determine its reputation.
▫ If there is no About Us section, visit the website’s homepage to
learn more about the organization.

6. THINK!
Why should you prefer websites that have .gov, .edu,
and .org addresses?

7. Answer:
Websites with these address are run by the following:
.gov = the government
.edu = educational institutions
.org = professional organizations
These groups generally have high accountability and are
likely to have current, accurate information.
Websites that end in .com are usually owned by private
companies. These companies may not carefully curate the
information they provide, and they also may be trying to
sell you something.

8. THINK!
The following slide contains an example of a
webpage’s About Us section.
What is information about the website does it provide,
and what is effective about this page?

11. Step 2: Bias
You should always check potential sources of bias to make
sure that the information you find is accurate and truthful.
Ask yourself the following questions:
• Why is this organization providing this information?
▫ The best sources will provide information for the purpose
of educating patients.
▫ Avoid sources that may be driven by profit, as they may be
motivated to provide biased information
• Who funds this research or this website?
▫ Avoid sources that are funded by partisan groups, as they
may feel pressure to promote a particular viewpoint
▫ Check for sponsored content, as this may also create bias

12. Step 3: Contact Information
Contact information provides another layer of
accountability.
Trustworthy websites will have clearly marked
contact information so that you may get in touch with
the organization if you have questions or concerns.
Untrustworthy websites may have no contact
information, or their contact information may be hard
to find.

13. Step 4: Intended Audience
To determine whether a source is right for your needs,
consider its intended audience. If the information is not
intended for individuals like you, it may not be useful for
your purposes.
Sometimes, this information is listed on a site’s About Us
page or its homepage.
Stick to sources intended for your age group and level of
health knowledge.
▫ Information intended for doctors will contain medical
terminology that may be difficult to understand.
▫ Information intended for children will be too basic and
leave many questions unanswered.

14. Step 5: Review Process
The best medical websites review their content regularly
to make sure that it is accurate and up to date.
You may find information about a website’s review policies
on its About Us page, or it might have a specific Policies
page that outlines the process. Some sites also list their
medical editors.
Some websites list when an article was last updated,
which can give also you an idea of how regularly content is
reviewed.

15. THINK!
Why is important to review and update articles about
medical information regularly?

16. THINK!
Why is important to review and update articles about
medical information regularly?
ANSWER: Medical research is expanding rapidly,
so our knowledge of medicine is constantly
changing. A good review policy shows that an
organization is committed to providing current,
accurate information to patients.

17. Step 6: Evaluate the Source
Consider the information you gained from the previous
steps and make an overall assessment of the source.
Note that some sources that do not perfectly meet all
criteria may be okay to use.
Keep minor concerns in mind when you consider how
to use the information you find.

18. Step 7: Check with a Doctor
If your evaluation of the source leaves you with
unanswered questions, ask your doctor about his/her
opinion.
Your doctor may be able to provide you with a list of
trustworthy sources as well.

19. Review: Steps for Evaluating Sources
• Review the following steps to
evaluating sources listed on the
right, and try to follow each step the
next time you search for health
information.
• Keep in mind that source evaluation
is a holistic process. If a source
meets most but not all of your
criteria, it is often still okay to use.
• As always, when in doubt, talk to
your doctor.
Source Evaluation Checklist:
1. Examine authority
2. Consider the source’s bias
3. Check for contact information
4. Consider the site’s intended
audience
5. Check the content’s review
process
6. Use what you learned to
evaluate the source
7. Ask your doctor if you are
unsure