American Cancer Society, Research Paper Example

I have selected to research cancer for this topic. From this research, I discovered that there are many different types of cancer with a variety of causes. If an individual wishes to protect his or herself against cancer, it is important for them to exercise, eat properly, and avoid smoking. Cancer is related to obesity. A majority of the websites I searched for this assignment were written to educate individuals who know nothing about cancer, so very simple language was used. A few of these sources were written for doctors, so it was very difficult to understand what was being described.

The first website was hosted by the American Cancer Society, and it appears that the information was accurate. The information is intended for individuals who may know someone with cancer or have the disease themselves. None of this data is harmful to children, but it may scare them. Cancer statistics are available for educational purposes. The website is easy to use, but it is not unique in any way. This information can be used in the classroom to educate students about the disease, which is important because it’s so common. The website has many additional links for reference purposes.

The second website I visited was MedlinePlus, and the information it contained was very complex and I was unable to determine if I felt it was accurate or not. This website is intended for medical professionals or individuals who are studying biology or medicine. This information is not harmful to children, but would not be understood. The page is easy to navigate, but would not be ideal for classroom use, and does not have additional links.

The third website I visited was called “Kids’ Stories”, in which children with cancer tell their tales. This seems to be a reliable source. It is intended for both children and adults who want to learn how this disease impacts others. None of this information is harmful to children and statistics are provided for teachers to be able to present the information to their students. It is easy to navigate, child friendly, and has additional sources that can be used.

References

American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/

Cancer: MedlinePlus. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cancer.html

Children’s Cancer Research Fund. (n.d.). Kids’ Stories. Retrieved from  http://www.childrenscancer.org/main/kids_stories/