As nouns the difference between credentials and references
is that credentials is plural of lang=en: Documentary evidence of someone's right to credit or authority, especially such a document given to an ambassador by a country while references is plural of lang=en.
As a verb references is
third-person singular of reference.
credentials
English
Noun
(head)
: Documentary evidence of someone's right to credit or authority, especially such a document given to an ambassador by a country.
references
English
Noun
(head)
Verb
(head)
(reference)