Credit the Source

Sometimes the content on one website comes from a syndicated provider such as A.D.A.M. or Healthwise. In those cases we like to credit that source first, then the site where it was published. Not only does this correctly credit the source of the content, it also eliminates duplicated information on your WisdomCard.

The format for correctly crediting the source is:

* Healthwise (via WebMD): [http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/ringworm-of-the-skin-topic-overview Ringworm of the Skin - Topic Overview]

MedlinePlus & WebMD are the primary sites that you need to check each and every time for licensed content. They both use various licensed sources, as well as their own material.

MedlinePlus uses A.D.A.M., American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Natural Standards, as well as other sources and sometimes is "just" MedlinePlus. WebMD uses Healthwise, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Natural Standards, First DataBank, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and their own in-house writers. With just these two examples, you can see why we use the "via" notation to correctly credit the source and eliminate duplication.

Watch the video: Credit the Source

Of course, most sites do not need any "via" to correctly credit the source. For instance, if one site is owned by another, or the site name is not the same as the name of the company, business, or hospital that runs the website, there is no need to use a "via" to credit the source.

For instance, KidsHealth is owned by Nemours Foundation. In this case you would not use "Nemours Foundation (via KidsHealth)" since KidsHealth is Nemours Foundation. Just as FamilyDoctor is owned by the American Academy of Family Physicians, so you would not use "American Academy of Family Physicians (via FamilyDoctor)."

Another example is that WebMD owns eMedicine and Medscape. These sites are what we might call "sister sites" so do not generally need "vias" to credit one another. An exception to this is that sometimes Medscape has news articles that say "from the WebMD news archive." In those cases, you should first see if you can find the same article at WebMD (since WebMD does not require a log-in and Medscape does); if you can not find the article at WebMD, it is acceptable to use the lead-in of "WebMD (via Medscape)" in these rare cases.

Like the above, HealthCentral and Healthcommunities both publish networks of health sites. You would not need a "via" for any of them, like MyBreastCancerNetwork or OncologyChannel. Unless, of course, they're getting their content from yet another source, other than their "parent sites" HealthCentral or Healthcommunities.

You will also want to use the "via" notation when using news articles that are hosted somewhere other than their original source. For instance, magazine articles or individual journal articles should be credited to the magazine or journal where the article was originally published. For instance:

* Better Nutrition (via Bnet): [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_8_67/ai_n14814313 Prickly Pear Cactus] {{linkdate|Aug. 2005}}

Drug WisdomCards are a special case where you may have to do research to figure out where exactly the information is coming from. While some sites do write their own drug information, many use licensed content. There are only a few licensed libraries of drug content: Micromedex, Cerner Multum, First DataBank, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, MedFacts, PDR and a couple others. Sometimes websites do not make it clear where their drug information is coming from -- some even list multiple sources or use different sources on different pages -- in those cases you will need to compare the links that you include within each section, just to be sure that you're not duplicating information.

There will be cases where it isn't clear if you should use a "via" to credit the source or not. It is always OK to email guides [at] organizedwisdom.com to ask if you have a question! Remember, this notation is not meant to be confusing, it is actually to help eliminate confusion and duplication. It is much more important that duplicate information is avoided than worrying about every single "via" being correct.