Mayo Clinic Website Evaluation

Website Evaluation: Mayo Clinic With the preponderance of misleading healthcare information on the Internet, it is important to become a discerning reader with strong science media literacy skills. The Mayo Clinic website has strong search engine optimization and arrives at or close to the top of Google searches for any health-related topic. Therefore, it is important to vet the Mayo Clinic website for strengths, weaknesses, and overall credibility. The Mayo Clinic is an actual medical group, with clinics, hospitals, and research centers located throughout the United States.

It is a credible source, and therefore an authoritative site in general. In a section of the Mayo Clinic website called “About This Site,” the authors (who refer to themselves as the Mayo Clinic Staff) explain their content development policy. Their content development policy effectively clarifies how the articles published on the Mayo Clinic website are written and edited, then developed for the web audience. Furthermore, the content development policy explains how the content is optimized for web searches such as including the metadata.

The Mayo Clinic admits that its articles are written not by scientists, doctors, or researchers directly, but by researchers and writers who cite “best available source material,” (“About This Site” 1). While not the epitome of peer review, the process by which the Mayo Clinic staff develops and presents its content is acceptable, especially considering the clinic’s brand and reputation is at stake, preventing false or misleading data from being published on the website.

Therefore, the Mayo Clinic website relies on its organization’s authority and credibility in the field of medicine. The Mayo Clinic website blends medical commercialism with information, research, and education. While it may seem that the purpose of the website is solely to inform consumers about medical conditions and available treatments, the ultimate goal would be to encourage readers to seek medical interventions, thereby supporting the industry.

The presence of advertisements for Mayo Clinic products and services on the website is the clearest indication that the site has a commercial purpose as well as an educational one. In spite of its commercial underpinnings, the Mayo Clinic website content is not persuasive but objective and there are sections devoted entirely to medical professionals and researchers. The topics covered by the site are clearly organized, making it easy to navigate.

If readers are dissatisfied with the plain language used in most of the articles on the website, there are links to peer-reviewed journals that provide the primary source data used such as epidemiology reports or experimental research. Therefore, the website does offer an abundance of accurate, credible information for each of the topic areas covered. Readers can confirm the veracity of any information by conducting independent research for corroboration. Furthermore, all articles are dated, as are the links to external resources.

Emotionality and pathos are not the primary purpose of the Mayo Clinic website. Instead, the authors rely on the rhetorical power of logos, plus the authoritative power of ethos and perceived credibility. Except for content promoting Mayo Clinic programs and services like the Healthy Living Program or the Mayo Clinic Diet, the language used does not rely on emotional triggers. The promotional content does use diction like “life-changing” and “inspiring” to lure consumers, though (“Healthy Lifestyle” 1).

Visitors to the Mayo Clinic website often locate articles through a Google search, leading to the vast database of content related to symptoms and conditions. The symptom checker allows individuals to self-diagnose, potentially causing hypochondria. Each entry includes sections like causes, treatments, and risk factors, all of which is written in plain language distilled from scientific papers. The reader can then perform further research by clicking on the “in depth” tab or in the research section of the website.

At the bottom of each information sheet is a link to an appointment booking at the Mayo Clinic: which reminds the reader of the commercial purpose for the website. The primary persuasive tactic used is that of medical authority and expertise. On the main page of the site, the Mayo Clinic is touted as offering “more experience...the right answers...seamless care...unparalleled expertise,” (MayoClinic.org 1). To substantiate these claims, the authors refer to media sources using ranking systems for healthcare centers, including publications like the U.S.

News & World Report. The Mayo Clinic also relies heavily on statistics to lure consumers, such as by stating, “In a recent study, 88 percent of patients who came to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion received a new or refined diagnosis,” (MayoClinic.org 1). Without offering a link to this consumer study, the authors know that readers will be impressed by the large number and therefore more likely to make an appointment. Proudly displaying Mayo Clinic awards.