Assessing Reliability and Credibility of Cam Essay Example

Assessing Reliability and Credibility of Cam Essay Example Assessing Reliability and Credibility of Cam Essay Assessing Reliability and Credibility of Cam Essay Research is an important part of finding the appropriate CAM therapy that will help the patient’s symptoms. The information that is obtained during research could be full of opinions and not facts. Since we want factual information instead of opinions it is important that we are sure the information we are looking at is a reliable and credible source. Criteria for Reliability and Credibility  CAM therapies are being used more today than in years past. The use of CAM has become helpful for many patients to elevate symptoms of their ailment. When studying which CAM therapy is right for the symptoms that are presented we need to be sure that the source of information is reliable and credible. There are several things we can ask ourselves to ensure the information we are using is reliable and credible. These criteria should be considered: 1)Does the source provide (Harris, Robert, June 15, 2007): a.Author’s name b.Author’s title and position c.Author’s organizational affiliation d.Date of the document 2)The documentation provides the information we are looking for (Harris, Robert. June 15, 2007): a.Facts b.Opinions c.Arguments d.Statistics e.Narratives f.Descriptions 3)Has there been cited information within the document that we are reviewing (Montecino, Virginia, August 1998). 4)What type of website is the information provided on (Montecino, Virginia, August 1998): a.A personal page b.Special interest site c.Professional site d.News or journalistic site e.Commercial site 5)Does the website contain information that is (Harris, Robert, June 15, 2007): a.Fair b.Objective c.Quality information d.Lacking hidden motives Website for Review The website that I am going to use for review is a website regarding fish oil: http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4chunkiid=21684#P3. The website homepage is from iherb.com/default.aspx?. The homepage offers information on herbs, supplements, conditions, drug interactions, homeopathy, and it has a medical library that you can look up all kinds of information. Consumer’s Attitudes and Beliefs about CAM Consumers are skeptical of using CAM therapies to heal the symptoms that are present or to help prevent symptoms of different diseases from appearing in their health. For some consumer’s their religious beliefs or beliefs they have been raised with do not support the use of CAM therapies. Cases where a consumer’s beliefs do not support the use of CAM the consumer would not even consider the possibility of using CAM therapies. Consumers have set opinions and attitudes about different things within their lives. For some they hold these opinions and attitudes to a stern heart and cannot be persuaded to change for any reason. Consumer’s that are set in their opinion and attitude often will not even consider change even with facts in front of them that the change can be a good change. Conclusion about Website For the purpose of this paper I have focused my research on fish oil. The webpage on fish oil has been reviewed by EBSCO CAM Medical Review Board in April 2009. The author of the source is not revealed; with the webpage being reviewed by the EBSCO CAM Medical Review Board it can be considered a reliable and credible source. If the information provided on this webpage is  not correct information the Medical Review Board would not support the information. According to the website the page was last updated April 1, 2009, therefore the information is a year old and not extremely outdated. The webpage provides factual information and discusses studies that have been done on fish oil. The beginning of the webpage gives alternative names for fish oil, which can be helpful to the consumer when being sure they are not allergic to another name of fish oil. The webpage has 271 references where the information has been gathered for the purpose of this webpage. Throughout the webpage it allows the person reviewing the information to click on different terms for a further explanation of the term that has been used. The webpage allows the researcher to see and click on different proposed uses of fish oil to review. The information on other proposed uses is useful when looking at other possible symptoms of diseases that the consumer may have, in some cases the use of fish oil could help the consumer with more than one ailment. Through the review of this webpage I would consider it a reliable and credible source of information. Increase Credibility The website I have reviewed on fish oil seems to be a credible website. The information is full of factual information along with studies that have been conducted regarding the use of fish oil. The website even has a disclaimer regarding the use of fish oil, which many websites that discuss different CAM treatments does not include. The website could contain testimonials from consumers that have already used fish oil for the different aliments it helps. The testimonials could give consumers first hand information from consumers that have already used fish oil for the symptoms that the consumer doing the research is trying to elevate. I do not know of any other way that the site could increase the credibility any more than it already has contained within the website. Conclusion CAM can help consumer’s improve symptoms they may be experiencing and in some cases help to prevent a disease by the use of different CAM therapies. Consumer’s read information about different CAM therapies but the consumer needs to be sure that the information they are reading is from a reliable and credible source. Information obtained on the internet can be placed on the internet and contain nothing but opinions. Ensuring that the information is factual and reliable is something a consumer should consider before using any type of CAM therapy. Following the criteria discussed within this paper can help consumers be sure that the information they have found and are considering is credible and reliable, and most of all information that can be used when making decisions on their health. References Harris, Robert. (June 15, 2007). Evaluating Internet Research Sources. Retrieved April 24, 2010 from: virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm iHerb.com. (2010). Fish Oil. Retrieved April 25, 2010 from: http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4chunkiid=21684#P3 Montecino, Virginia. (August 1998). Criteria to Evaluate the Credibility of WWW Resources. Retrieved April 25, 2010 from: http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/web-eval-sites.htm

The Definition of a College Super Senior

The Definition of a College Super Senior The term super senior refers to a student who attends a four-year institution (either high school or college) for more than four years. Such students are sometimes called fifth-year seniors, as well.   The name stems from the fact that high school and college students typically take four years to get their diplomas. Each year of school has its own name: Your first year is your freshman year, your second year is your sophomore year, your third year is your junior year and your fourth year is your senior year. But theres another category of student that doesnt fit those labels: People who arent done with college after their senior year.   Enter the term super senior. Perhaps because its becoming increasingly common for students to take 5 (or more) years to finish college, the term super senior is becoming increasingly common as well. Who Qualifies as a Super Senior? The connotations of super senior vary a bit and depend on an individual students situation. Calling someone who is double majoring in chemistry and biology and then planning on going to medical school a super senior merely acknowledges they are in their fifth year. In contrast, calling someone a super senior because theyve failed multiple classes  and perhaps enjoy the party scene rather than work to finish in four years is, indeed, a bit of a put down. There can be legitimate reasons why people take more than four years to finish college. Classes, particularly at bigger schools, can be difficult to get into, making it a challenge to complete your degree requirements by the end of senior year. That becomes even more  difficult if youve changed your major a few times, effectively cutting down the amount of time you have to get everything done. And from time to time, people encounter personal challenges or medical situations that delay their ability to graduate. Sometimes being a super senior is part of the plan. There are a variety of schools and programs that offer things like dual degrees, a fifth-year masters degree, or a fellowship that requires extra enrollment beyond four years. Or maybe youll come across a great semester-long internship program that requires you to take a reduced number of credits: Taking the job may mean you graduate later than planned, but youll do so with experiences and a resume that will make you more competitive in the job market. Super seniors are simply another part of a college community. Is It Bad to Be a Super Senior? Taking more than four years to graduate college isnt inherently bad - employers generally care whether or not you got the degree, not how long it took you to earn it. That being said, one of the greatest consequences of taking longer to complete college is the financial burden. Scholarships are sometimes limited to the first four years of study, and there are limits on federal student loans to undergraduates. No matter how you figure out how to pay for it, an extra year or more of tuition payments wont come cheap. On the other hand, doing a fifth-year masters program could actually help you save money. In the end, the most important thing is that you reach whatever goals brought you to college in the first place.