Validation

Validation"---the process of determining whether a statement is in fact true, or valid.

You might be surprized to come across a statement that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) [web site] "astronomers have been able to confirm that the Moon is made of green cheese". Given the authoratative nature of NASA, you might be inclined to accept this piece of information as factual, after (of course) duly checking to see that they really did make this statement (See Verification). If, however, you are one of those hard headed types that want to make sure that even though NASA did say this, that the statement is actually true. You might do this by checking to see what basis they had for making this statement, and then independently evaluating whether you thought their evidence was sufficiently strong to warrant the conclusion reached. In doing this, you would be carrying out an exercize in "validation".