So let's say you search up a "quick and easy workout guide". I found this website called www.freeworkoutsguide.com. Let's grab a look at the first page. First of all, I quickly notice the second paragraph, "The workouts on this site are more effective than workouts you'll find on other sites because they are based on the latest, cutting edge research, as well as extensive experience working with real women and men just like you." So, what research? What experience? There is no reference anywhere explaining those two things.
Right after that, you'll also quickly see that THE number 1 step is to sign up for their newsletter, with the incentive of receiving killer workouts. Sounds enticing right? Now look at the left side. Notice that the words "secrets" and "quick" appear. Click those and you'll hit a page with a lot of links, a good chunk of them being 3-15 minute workouts. It all sounds great but nowhere does it say in any of those workouts any warnings, any precautions, nothing.
It doesn't have research references, no documented experience, and incompletely detailed "quick/secret" workouts. So who wrote this website? Let's click the "About Us" link. The first paragraph reads, "I'm Monica Neave an ISSA Certified Fitness Therapist, fitness writer for various websites, and owner/editor of FreeWorkoutsGuide. I also have a B.A. in Psychology..." ISSA stands for International Sports Science Association, a distance education provider. B.A. in Psychology where? Fitness writer for which websites? All of those are just signs that question the credibility of this website.
Sound sketchy enough for you? Let's check out the disclaimer link. It reads "This website and its contents are provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind...including fitness for a particular purpose..." What's that supposed to mean?
The main reason behind me pointing out all of these mistakes is for the credibility of the website. The things mentioned in it might be accurate, and actually useful, but how do we know that? There are no references to anything. Here is a website that takes care of two things that I've pointed out earlier: http://www.rps.psu.edu/0009/fitness.html
First of all, there is a complete and detailed portion at the bottom that tells us who these people are, where they're from and what they have studied, as well as where to contact them. The second thing that you'll notice in the article that it mentions that a certain exercise is not for everyone, something the previous website did not mention. Instead, the previous site just mentioned to do this, this and that, while hiding in the disclaimer that they're not responsible for what they said.
Neave, M. (2011). Fatloss workouts, toning workout routines & workout plans. Best Fatloss Workouts Toning Workout Routines & Workout Plans That Work. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from http://www.freeworkoutsguide.com.
Holding, C. (2000, September). Ultimate fitness. Ultimate fitness. Retrieved June 13, 2011, from http://www.rps.psu.edu/0009/fitness.html.
