Improving Web Searches for Teen Smoking Cessation
Author Information
Author(s): Malcolm Koo, Harvey Skinner
Primary Institution: University of Toronto
Hypothesis
What are the characteristics of Web sites retrieved by search engines about smoking cessation for teenagers and how does information quality correlate with search ranking?
Conclusion
Less than half of the sites found through simple searches on smoking cessation for teenagers were directly relevant.
Supporting Evidence
- Only 14 of the 30 Web sites are of direct relevance to smoking cessation for teenagers.
- The readability of about two-thirds of the relevant sites is below an eighth-grade school level.
- Higher-ranked sites were associated with the presence of contact information and annotated hyperlinks.
Takeaway
When teens search online for help quitting smoking, many of the websites they find aren't very helpful. It's better to use specific search terms or check trusted directories.
Methodology
The top 30 sites returned by 4 popular search engines were examined for relevance and quality characteristics.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the selection of search terms and the evaluation of site characteristics.
Limitations
The study only evaluated the top 30 search results, which may not represent all available information.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on websites relevant to teenagers seeking smoking cessation information.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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