Skip to Main Content

GEW 101A: Writing as Critical Inquiry

Credibility and Authority

image that describes the difference between authority. Authority is the command someone has over the subject, including their credentials, expertise and experience, and is easy to identify. Credibility is a writer's honesty. Their claims are supported by trustworthy evidence, and they don't pretend to know more than they do. They know their audience and respect their readers. Credibility is harder to identify. Not everyone with credibility has authority, and not everyone in authority has credibility.