Question

You are researching Queen Elizabeth I and, as you go through the checkout line at the grocery store, you see a tabloid that claims that, although history has proclaimed that she was "the Virgin Queen," there is new proof that she had had a child. Pitfalls in credibility?

Answer 1

She may have had a child  but i do not think she ever married.

Answer 2

Answer:

In the case that, while you are researching Queen Elizabeth I you find a tabloid that claims that, although history has proclaimed that she was "The Virgin Queen" she had a child, this would most likely will not be considered as a pitfall in credibility.

Explanation:

Although when researching a topic or a historical person it is good to read as much information as possible, tabloid journalism is often not considered a reliable source, as it is often based on gossip, options, sensationalism and even fabricated stories. So, finding a tabloid article that proclaims that Queen Elizabeth I was not in fact a virgin and that she was a mother, will not be a strong enough source on its own to serve as a pitfall in credibility for all of the research that proclaims the opposite.