Medical Education Subject Guide

Goggle Scholar's search tips can help you improve your results

An animation which explores the hidden curriculum of surgery, from medical school to successful surgical student

The 5Cs website evaluation provides a structured guide to evaluation, giving tips and suggesting key considerations. The 5Cs are the key areas that need to be addressed in a comprehensive evaluation: credibility, currency, content, construction and clarity.

Credibility

• Is it obvious where the information has come from, i.e. can you clearly identify the author or organisation involved in producing the information?
• Does the resource contain sufficient detail about the author.organisation?
• Are the author/editor/organisation and publisher well-established and reputable?
• Is the author acknowledged as an expert in the field?
• Is the information published in a quality source (a peer-reviewed journal or a credible personal/organisational website)?
• Look at the web address for clues. Is it ac.uk or .edu (educational), for example, or .com (commercial)?

Currency

• Is it clear when the resource was published?
• If the resource is a website, is it updated regularly?
• Does the date of publication meet your requirements?
• Is the information current or obsolete?
• Are there broken links?

Content

• Is the information accurate and free from errors? (Check spelling, grammar, calculations etc.)
• Is the information complete?
• Are there adverts for products? The aim of the website may be commercial, and the information biased towards these products
• Is there anything missing from the website, which you would expect to see?
• Does the website give a balnced view, or is it positively or negatively biased?

Construction

• Are the graphics and fonts appropriate for the level of information you require? As you would expect?
• Can you find information easily?
• Are there pop-ups, adverts, flashing lights and graphics, which distract you?
• What are your first impressions?
• Is the information well organised and easy to find?

Clarity

• Is the level of writing appropriate for the target group? Secondary school or University level?
• Who is the website aimed at? Professional group or the general public?
• Is the information accessible in different formats?

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