Introduction
The issue of sources’ credibility is of great importance in both educational and non-academic spheres. Particular attention of scholars is paid to the reliability of announcements in the area of medicine provided by various canals of information. An example of the mass controversy caused by the misuse of resources is stem cell research studies. The news about it contributes to the spreading of false messages and creates difficulties in distinguishing between valid and questionable notions (Marcon, Murdoch, & Caulfielnotions, 2017). Thus, several evaluation criteria for verifying scientific information should be used for articles oriented for a broad audience on such a specific topic as stem cell research.
Main body
The illustration of the correct distribution of information and reliable source of news concerning stem cells’ possible use in medicine is an article on the News-Medical website. According to the research by Sun, Zhang, Gwizdka, and Trace (2019), markers of trustworthiness of an article include website structure, presence of evidence, the authority of the institution publishing the content, and the language used to deliver the news. In writing mentioned above, the source of information is provided (Henderson, 2021). The language of the article is concise; the organization is an old-established and reputable one (News-Medical.net, n.d.). Therefore, the presented text responds to the demands of the examination for credibility and serves as an adequate source of information about scientific achievements in stem cells.
Another case is a webpage that recommends procedures for the treatment of numerous diseases. Specifically, Stem Cells Transplant Institute (2019) presents an overview of general knowledge about stem cells. The text does not provide references to papers that would show its reliability. The attitude towards the spread of information may be biased because of the apparent financial interests of the institution. Additionally, the data from the previous article demonstrates that the methods of therapies utilizing stem cells are in the stage of development only (Henderson, 2021). Accordingly, the website cannot be considered dependable, illustrating how a qualitative design and mention of participation in reputable medical organizations are yet not provable of an institution’s credibility.
Conclusion
To conclude, stem cell research remains a controversial one as a vast amount of unreliable information is posted on the internet about it. The standards for identifying a valid source are website layout, details of the topic’s explanation, references to scientific papers, and the prominence of the publishing organizations. The compared web pages showed different results in the analysis of credibility, the first one being an illuminating resource and the other—a possible fraudulent company.
References
Henderson, E. B. (2021). Study could serve as guidepost for developing new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. Web.
Marcon, A. R., Murdoch, B., & Caulfield, T. (2017). Fake news portrayals of stem cells and stem cell research. Regenerative Medicine, 12(7), 765–775. Web.
News-Medical.net. (n.d.). About us. Web.
Stem Cells Transplant Institute. (2019). About stem cells. Web.
Sun, Y., Zhang, Y., Gwizdka, J., & Trace, C. B. (2019). Consumer evaluation of the quality of online health information: Systematic literature review of relevant criteria and indicators. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(5), e12522. Web.