Article Review: Evaluating Health Claims and Critical Literacy

This report is an article review focusing on the importance of critical literacy in evaluating health information, particularly in the context of social media. The review analyzes an article by Ockham's, which discusses how false claims can harm individuals. The reviewer highlights the author's use of critical language, catchy titles, and emotional appeals to promote critical thinking and media literacy. The article emphasizes the need to question information and discern facts from misinformation to protect oneself from potential harm. The review also assesses the article's tone, evidence, and reliability, concluding that the piece effectively conveys its message through sarcasm and humor. The report emphasizes the importance of analyzing information before accepting it, recognizing the potential for deceptive appearances and the need for critical evaluation to avoid being misled by false claims, ultimately enlightening readers on the importance of critical literacy in the context of health information.

Running head: ARTICLE REVIEW
Article Review
Name
Institution

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Introduction
The 21st century has brought with it an evolution in technology hence the widespread
internet access by more than a half of the world’s population. This has led to faster transmission
of information that may not be so useful since, in most cases, it is difficult to distinguish facts
from fake information. This essay reviews the article by Ockham’s, an article that is an evident
on fallacies that may be shared to people on Facebook or other social media platforms that may
do more harm than god to people. The author points out the aspect of critical literacy is a core
component of information shared in different media platform since it encourages people to
decipher and question beliefs, attitudes and values of oral works, as well as written pieces and
visual applications. Texts are not neutral as there is always a deeper view to any text.
In the article, Ockham’s (2018) aims at enlightening readers on being critical on the
information they access on various social media blogs. It is also aimed at promoting critical
literacy among readers on different health issues. In other words, all information published in the
internet such as articles should be critically analyzed before the information in them is
considered useful to save resources and not subject oneself to more harm. The tone of this article
is critical; the writer says ‘why would a substance made by blood cells be in a banana?’
The article makes the reader critically think about the information they may have come
across on various social media platforms especially in regards to their health. The writer has
represented the idea of critical literacy in a captivating manner using a very catchy title and
colorful images of bananas that are very appealing to the eye. Evidence of a famous Facebook
page with over ten million followers is also a key note. Emotional language has been used to
make the reader have empathy. For instance the statement that ‘how anyone can take money

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from a scared, trusting young woman and tell her such anxiety-inducing bollocks is beyond me!
And yet they do.’ The writer connotes that some people post fallacies purely for business
purposes when he says that the website’s modus operandi is simply to attract the eyeballs of the
reader with appealing content hence sell advertising to companies who want your eyeballs.
Sarcasm used in the article makes the reader bitter about the fact that the bananas were
tested on mice, yet it is well-known that mice do not feed on bananas. The publication was a
mouse study, not a human trial. Sardonic humor also adequately drives the message home for
readers that appreciate it. The writer says; ‘at best, the meme is gross misinterpretation of
clinically insignificant research’. From the article, it is almost evident that most readers are
ignorant to the fact that things are not always the way they appear to the eye. Seemingly, looks
and outward appearances even of words can also be deceiving as supported by the article.
The article does not support the dominant position since in most cases, people fail to
critically analyze information and very few people are critically literate. The source of this article
is highly reliable since the writer has used a very relatable situation, a real life event. The writer
intends to pass first-hand information to the audience which may save some from the agony of
fallacies. Readers who run blogs with unproven information may be resistant to this article since
for them this means no business.
Conclusion
At a personal point of view, there are several lessons one can learn from Ockham’s piece
of writing. The writer connotes that some people post fallacies purely for business purposes. The
article is based on well-founded fear of fake information since the writer’s own sister was a

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victim of false information. The research by the writer is evidently intensive with reliable
sources as the Facebook page of the self-proclaimed expert is put to the readers’ disposal.
However, the writer seems to be too cautious on the sharing of some information to family and
friends. Maybe the information could be a proven fact that may save a life, who knows? I think
this article has achieved its purpose of enlightening people on critical literacy. Personally, I am
enlightened by the article and the fact that the writer has used sarcasm and sardonic humor to
pass the intended message (which I fully appreciate, I know not everyone does), makes this
article deserve a thumbs up.

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References
Ockham’s, R. (2018). Cancer and ripe bananas: How bogus claims can harm your health and the
people you love, Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2018-09-16/cancer-
and-ripe-bananas-how-bogus-health-claims-hurt/10237738