Describe at least 5 ways in which the article is either reliable or worthless using your readings as reference. “How to Determine Whether a Website is Reliable”
Several factors are used to determine whether an article is reliable or not in terms of the nature and content of written information. In this case, a reliable article should answer questions such as who, when, where, why, and what (Whitney et al 29). It is certainly imperative to understand whether the individual responsible for a certain nutrition article is a qualified professional or not. In this case, one needs to review the credentials of the author of the article to ensure that the content is accurate (Whitney et al 29).
It is also essential not able to consider the date on which the article was last updated. This is because nutrition information is subject to change with time. Moreover, one needs to know the source of published information. Generally, an individual should check the site affiliations to ensure that information in the article is derived from reliable sources. For instance, an online article with a web address ending with “edu”. “govt” and “org” is often reliable (Whitney et al 30).
In most cases, nutrition articles might provide information to help the public while others are on commercial deals. Therefore, it is advisable to consider whether the message being conveyed by the article is reliable or contradicts the common knowledge of an individual (Whitney et al 31). In any case, reliable articles should assist individuals to have a quest for knowledge on nutrition matters. A credible article should bear sound information that is not exaggerated or displayed as a piece of advertisement.
It is against this backdrop that this essay explores the article entitled Diet and Nutrition authored by Shriver (par. 1-6) under the umbrella body of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NCHID). After thorough consideration of what makes a reliable article, it is arguable that this article contains a reliable piece of information on nutrition that can be beneficial to any other audience. This is because the author is a recognized personality who has published several articles since 1962. Thus, it is evident and without a doubt that the article was published by qualified health personnel. The fact that the date of publication of the article is relatively current, implies that its credibility is less doubtable bearing in mind that an updated article is more suitable as a point of reference than the other which is not.
Some of the most important information that is contained in the article includes a definition of the term diet and nutrition, how to exercise as well as good nutrition and tips for a healthy diet. The article also contains a list of education programs that can help people to improve their dietary intake and general nutritional well-being. Therefore, there is a general assumption that in case there have been some changes in regards to diet and nutrition, then such changes could have been incorporated in the article before the publishing date. Indeed, this is an important attribute of any article that should be considered credible.
In addition, the affiliation details including important links indicate that this article has reliable sources of information for the clients. The fact that the article’s link has its address being identified with the suffix “gov” is clear evidence that the information provided is highly dependable. That notwithstanding, the article’s information has no likelihood of becoming biased. This is because the information provided is meant to intrinsically motivate individuals on how to exercise good nutrition and diet. In this case, the article is not primarily motivated to make any monetary gains.
Besides this, Shriver is connected with other reliable sites which provide credible information. Therefore, the article serves as a source of knowledge to supplement the already existing piece of information to the reader. Certainly, the information provided in the article is reputable since the author has full permission to publish health-related information by the United States government.
Explain if you would recommend this to a friend, why or why not?
I would recommend the article to a friend. The reason lies in the fact that the article is reliable, credible and it provides accurate information. Moreover, it has all the necessary credentials and site affiliations that make it qualify to be reliable for use as a reference (Rothe 54). Further, it is profound to note that the article contains the most updated information on diet and nutrition which would be necessary as a point of reference for any avid researcher. Finally, the content of the article both in terms of quality and quantity is indeed suitable bearing in mind that much of the data provided is quite conclusive and equally supported by other source materials.
Works Cited
Roth, Ruth. Nutrition & Diet Therapy. Delmar: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
Shriver, Kennedy Eunice. Diet and Nutrition. 2011. Web.
Whitney Ellie, Eleanor Noss Whitney and Sharon, Rady Rolfes. Understanding Nutrition Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.