Determining Accuracy

Just the facts, please!

Unless you're a firsthand witness to an event, you must rely on the reports and observations of others to figure out what happened.

Considering that witnesses to the same event often report conflicting stories (due to their own particular perceptions, vantage points and interpretations), discerning accuracy is no easy task.

Your best bet is to consult sources that have established a reputation for credibility.

For example, you're usually better off relying on information published in the Encyclopaedia Britannica than Wikipedia.* Your next best bet is to find at least two other credible sources that corroborate the information in question. In other words, you must seek out evidence to confirm or refute the facts.

* While it is true that Wikipedia offers incredible breadth and multiple perspectives, one should use it with caution. For example, members of Congress, not to mention other contributors here and there, have been discovered making false entries in it.

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