When you use a statement from a source in your genealogical writing, there’s more to it than just creating a citation to indicate precisely where you found that statement. You also must determine the perceived reliability of that statement before you decide to include it in your genealogical writing.
Just because a statement appears in a document, record, book, or website does not make it true. Just because you know how to cite that document, record, book, or website does mean that statements from it are true either. Evidence must be evaluated as well as cited.
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So true! I am currently working on a set of 5th great-grandparents. All the written material out there about them says they were married at age 16 and 14. The date of their marriage and the date of his birth does not support this statement. I will need to find more documentation to sort out the truth.