Laura’s Go-To Sources for Fact-Checking a Range of Subjects

Facts matter. Fact-checking is one very important quality control. (For what it is and why, see here my blog.) Here are some sources, both online and hard copy. Note that this list is regularly updated and expanded. It will shift and grow as time and projects permit (hence many “to come” notices). The goal: it will serve fact-checking for a range of subjects, audiences, and uses. (For example, fact-checking a bird’s wing span and hatching schedule for an expert’s tome is different from simply checking the species name for spelling.) These are merely suggestions; please evaluate for your own needs their usefulness and authority. If you have suggestions or comments, please contact me. Also note that full URLs are given here for online sources rather than shortened links; this makes for easier checking by you and faster updating by me, plus there won’t be any confusion about ownership.

Thanks to my colleagues in the Editors’ Association of Canada for some suggestions.

Animals, Birds, Fish, Dinosaurs, and More

US Facts—about cities, states, capitals, etc. TO COME

Canada Facts—about cities, states, capitals, etc. MORE TO COME

Metric (SI) TO COME

Books Published

Quotations
Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations
Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations

General facts and figures, by subjects:
Oxford Dictionary of Economics
Oxford Dictionary of the Bible

Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia 
The Oxford Companion to English Literature

Oxford Dynasties of the World  — great to check names, dates, and spellings of historical figures

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in Canada [with many more to come]

© Laura Edlund 2010