Before information is used or cited, it is important to check out external evidence that indicates it can be trusted.

 

Evidence about the author, publisher, dates and 'links from' can be considered internal evidence, mainly about the source of the information. External evidence can inform the credibility of the content of the information. The most helpful external evidence tends to be:

Information on the same subject written by other authors

Reviews of the information by other authorities

Third parties that demonstrate confidence in the information

Facts or claims in the content that can be verified (fact-checking)

Next: Techniques to locate external evidence