How do I identify an appeal to authority fallacy?

Identifying an appeal to authority fallacy begins with paying attention to any quoted experts and asking the following questions:

  • Does the individual or group cited have expertise on the specific subject at hand?
  • Is there a consensus among the experts, or is there significant disagreement? If there is an alternative view held by some experts, can your opponent justify choosing one position over the other?
  • Can any evidence of bias be found that might cast doubt on the expert’s credibility?