A contributor's expertise and credentials should relate to your subject. A credible journal author might:

• Report on his or her own original research
• Work at a lab doing research in this field
• Hold a relevant position at a college or university
• Have an advanced degree in the subject of the article

Every author has opinions and a worldview that shape his or her treatment of a subject. As you read the journal, ask yourself how the author's views and affiliations might affect the presentation or omission of information.