Lexipedium:Ensuring historical accuracy

Historical accuracy is important when attempting to cover a period of history without bias or incorrect assumptions. To ensure this, the following should be practiced.


 * Avoid obviously biased sources or inserting your own - Biased sources are poison concerning objective historical analysis. For instance, a source from a Nazi apologist concerning any event in World War II or a source that is pro-nationalist towards any participant in the conflict would prejudice the analysis and result in skewed datum that would not completely cover an event. Also, while difficult, resisting the urge to include your own biases on any subject will prevent the finished analysis from being tainted.


 * Do cover all sides of the event - For instance, when covering a war, describing the objectives of all sides of the conflict would give a better picture to the reader of what the war was fought for. When covering a movement like the First or Second Great Awakening (religious movements that occurred in the United States), describing its effect on all the religions and their adherents is better than simply focusing on one group affected by those events, since they had consequences that encompass a great many entities.


 * Include as many supplementary sources as possible - As long as the first point is adhered to, this is never a bad idea, as it allows the readers of the analysis to verify your information and obtaining secondary information that may be of further interest beyond those directly covered in the subject of the historical analysis.