Internet Search Synopsis Essay

The first website, National Institute of Mental Health, deals with different mental illnesses including eating disorders. This website is considered to be credible because of many factors. The number one factor would be that it is recently updated. It is indicated that the website was last reviewed on April 22, 2009. This is important because it means that the latest news regarding mental illnesses and eating disorders can be found. It also means that the people behind the website checks the site if there are errors. It also has an About Us page and a Contact Us page so people can obtain further information about mental illnesses. The organization also has a Privacy Policy, which is important because â€Å"the presence of privacy policies also appears to influence the perceptions of website credibility† (Lazar, Meiselwitz, & Feng, 2007, p.18). The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) offers assistance to people who may have gambling problems. They promote public awareness regarding the problem and can be contacted to obtain counselors who deal with this type of problem. Unlike the previous website, NCPG does not have a privacy policy nor does it indicate when the website was last updated. However, it has an About Us page and contact details are posted on the web site’s homepage. It also has a domain extension of .org, which can be a determinant of the site’s credibility. The National Eating Disorders Association is the third website to be reviewed. The About Us page contains videos that talk about what the organization is all about. It does have a Contact Us page for those who want to avail of the organization’s services. The site also offers users links to other resources that might be helpful when researching about eating disorders. It appears that the three websites are accurate and authoritative, which make them credible. â€Å"†Accuracy is one indicator of quality and suggests the author or host feels a degree of responsibility for the image or content that’s put forth† (Friedman, 2004, p.159). However, the National Institute of Mental Health’s website is the most credible of all three websites reviewed due to the completeness of the requirements of a good website.