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WAHealthQuick questions
Unit 4: Globalisation, Consumer and Personal Health
Quick questions on Reliability and validity of health information: WACE Year 12 Health Studies Unit 4
2short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is judging the credibility of a source?Show answer
Beyond the data itself, the source matters. Useful questions include who produced the information and what expertise they have, why it was produced and whether there is a commercial or political interest that could bias it, when it was published and whether it is current, and whether the claims are supported by evidence or reviewed by others. A government health body or peer-reviewed study generally carries more weight than an advertisement, a personal blog or a brand promoting its own product, because the latter have a motive to persuade rather than inform.
What is common weaknesses to look for?Show answer
Several specific weaknesses reduce trust. Bias is any influence that skews the information toward a particular conclusion, including funding by a party that benefits. Sampling problems, such as a small, unrepresentative or self-selected sample, mean the findings may not generalise to the wider population. Currency matters because health knowledge changes, so out-of-date information may have been superseded.
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