Running Head: EVALUATION OF CDC WEBSITE FOR CREDIBILITY 1

Credibility Evaluation of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website

Parita Dhingani

Chamberlain College of Nursing

NR500: Foundational concepts and Applications

January 2015
EVALUATION OF CDC WEBSITE FOR CREDIBILITY 2

Credibility Evaluation of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website is a primary communication

channel for national health related news and conditions. This website is created for anyone and

everyone including health-care professionals interested in health related topics. CDC website can

be located easily by typing the words CDC on google search engine. CDC is a government

sponsored website and hence is assigned a .gov domain, making its complete web address

http://www.cdc.gov/. This website is viewed approximately 500 million times each year and

averaging about 41 million viewers per month (About CDC, 2015). With this kind of

popularity and importance this site can have major influence on our daily lives and it is very

important to know if this website is a credible source of information. Commented [DBM1]: Your introduction section clearly defines
your website. Great job!

Evaluation with Empirical Evidence

To analyze any website, it is important to cover all aspects of that particular site, author

and/or organization for credibility. Usually a systemic review includes factors like accuracy,

completeness, readability, design, disclosures, and references that are used to evaluate a source

(Golterman & Banasiak, 2011). The criteria used to evaluate this site consists of authority,

information, objectivity, ease of navigation, and privacy and security (Hebda & Czar, 2012;

Anderson & Klemm, 2008; Thede & Sewell, 2010). Authority simply means how qualified the

author is and if they are expert in the subject matter. According to Miller, Graves, Jones, and

Sievert (2010), healthcare professionals must make care decisions on best practice evidence from

peer-reviewed research literature. CDC routinely seeks the input of highly qualified peer

reviewers on the propriety, accuracy, completeness, and of its materials (Information Quality,

2015). The website also provides contact information in form of physical address, phone

numbers, and email option that can be directed to specific department. In addition to examining
EVALUATION OF CDC WEBSITE FOR CREDIBILITY 3

the authority of a website, it is essential to research on accuracy, readability, and

comprehensiveness of the information (Golterman & Banasiak, 2011; Hebda & Czar, 2012).

CDC has developed very specific guidelines to maintain their high quality of public information.

They also have administrative policies in place to seek corrections on the agency providing

noncompliant information. All reports obtained on CDC website are expected to clearly state

how results are generated and using what kind of data, assumptions, methods, and statistical

procedures. Hence all information on CDC is very transparent (Information Quality, 2015).

Objectivity is the next step in determining quality of a website. Doing this helps in

deciding where the information found on website is bias and/or will funding have any impact on

the information provided (Anderson & Klemm, 2008). CDCs mission is to conducts critical

science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous

health threats, and responds when these arise (Mission, Role and Pledge, 2015). CDCs

pledge to American people include placing benefits of society over benefits of their organization

and providing highest quality of health data that is obtained objectively and openly (Mission,

Role and Pledge, 2015). Moving on to the next topic about ease of navigation CDCs main page

have a very detailed index that covers A to Z information and can be easily accessed in

alphabetical order. The graphic on this site are very professional and are accompanied by labels.

Final step in evaluation of a website is its privacy and security policy. It is of utter importance to

review this section of the website as it describes how the information provided will be used and

if it keeps detailed record of it. CDC has a very clear policy regarding privacy. It does not
Commented [DBM2]: You have addressed all five criteria:
automatically collect any personal information while surfing the website unless one chooses to authority, information, objectivity, ease of navigation, and privacy
and security policies.

provide that information to them. Any private information provided is fully protected (CDC
Web Privacy Policy Notice, 2015).
Empirical research is a way of gaining knowledge by means of direct
and indirect observation or experience. The empirical evidence
supporting the website evaluation is current (within the past 5
years), and a minimum of two scholarly articles are included. Great
job!
EVALUATION OF CDC WEBSITE FOR CREDIBILITY 4

Professional Application

CDC has a lot of great information that can help healthcare providers such as nurses in

their daily activities while on and off duty. CDC has very detailed information on disease-states

and conditions that can be useful as reference. For example it has section on heart disease that

shows number of cardiac related death per county and also has a section specifically for

providers on how to approach particular cases based on demographics and conditions. CDC

website also provides detailed travel information that can be useful to nurses in providing

particular vaccines and also preparing a patient/traveler for their upcoming trip. Finally CDC

website is one of the top resource for nurses when it comes to emergency preparedness.

Considering current issue as an example, CDC has a very good section on how to be prepared in

case of Ebola outbreak in United States and also has up to date information on tracking this

disease throughout the world. Commented [DBM3]: These are good examples, but three
distinct examples of how the website could be applied to nursing
practice were needed. In future papers, when distinct examples are
requested, it would be best to say for example, Nurse A works on
Conclusion the med surg unit and has a case load of 15 patients. In other
words, make the examples clear and distinct.

By using a systemic approach in analyzing five major criteria of authority, information,

objectivity, ease of navigation, and privacy and security, it can be said that Center for Disease

Control and Preventions website is a credible source for health related information. It has all the

aspects required for a credible source including peer-reviewed articles by experts, un-bias

information and funding, detailed and easy to access information right from the home page, very

strict privacy and security policies, and guaranteed accuracy and reliability. CDCs website has

up to date and detailed information that can be a very useful to a health-care professional in their

daily research on or off duty. Commented [DBM4]: Concluding statements summarizing

content are present with rare inaccuracies
EVALUATION OF CDC WEBSITE FOR CREDIBILITY 5

References

About CDC.gov. (2015, January 20). Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/Other/about_cdcgov.html

Anderson, A., & Klemm, P. (2008). The Internet: Friend of foe when providing patient

education? Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 12(1), 55-63

CDC Web Privacy Policy Notice. (2015, January 20). Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/Other/privacy.html

Golterman, L., & Banasiak, N. (2011). Evaluating Web Sites: Reliable Child Health Resources

for Parents. Pediatric Nursing Journal, 37(2), 81-84

Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2012). Handbook of information for nurses & healthcare professionals

(5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Information Quality. (2015, January 20). Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/quality/support/info-qual.htm

Miller, L., Graves, R., Jones, B., & Sievert, M., (2010) Beyond Google: Finding and Evaluating

Web-Based Information for Community-Based Nursing Practice. International Journal

of Nursing Education Scholarship, 7(1), Article 31. doi: 10.2202/1548-923x

Mission, Role and Pledge. (2015, January 20). Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/mission.htm

Thede, L., & Sewell, J. (2010). Information and nursing competencies and applications (3rd ed.).

Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.

EVALUATION OF CDC WEBSITE FOR CREDIBILITY 6

Category
A quality paper will meet or Points Points
Comments
exceed all of the above Possible Earned
requirements.

Provides an introduction to 29 29 2. Introduction section includes 6 elements:

the website, including six a. clearly names the website
(6) elements b. describes the purpose of the website
c. The search engine used to locate the
website is named.
d. The domain of the website is identified.
e. The rationale for the selection of the
website is discussed.
f. The Web Address, also known as the
URL or uniform resource locator, is provided. This
typically begins with http://...

Analyzes the website using 29 29 Addressed all five criteria: authority,

five criteria information, objectivity, ease of navigation,
and privacy and security policies. Needed to
fully analyze the privacy policy of your
chosen website.

Discusses empirical 29 29 Empirical evidence supporting the website

evidence to support evaluation is current (within the past 5
evaluation years), and a minimum of two scholarly
articles are included.

Discusses ways the website 29 24 Discusses applicability of website to nursing

is applicable to nursing practice, but only examples given relate to how
practice patients could use the website.

Summarizes content in 29 29 Concluding statements summarizing content are

concluding statements present with rare inaccuracies

Text, title page, citations, 9 9 There are 0-1 APA format errors in the title page,
and references consistent and/or reference page(s).
with APA 6th edition format

Ideas and information are 9 9 Ideas and information from other sources are
cited correctly cited correctly

Grammar, spelling, word 7 7 Grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation

usage, and punctuation are are consistent with formal written work, with no
consistent with formal exceptions
written work.

Total Point possible:

170 165 = Your Score -- Great work Parita!