Does the author have direct, first-hand knowledge of the primary sources?
You will feel rather sheepish if someone corrects you, and your only defense is: “I didn’t use any sources that knew anything about this. I only used a popular encyclopedia, or a childrens’ story, and I believed they would be accurate enough.” Moreover, what are your chances of finding out something new or unexpected, unless you rely on those with first-hand knowledge? If one cannot have first-hand experience oneself, the next best thing is to talk with someone who does. To talk with someone who has only remote, second-hand knowledge (as in popular sources) is not a great way to find out something new or unexpected. #2. Does the publication give the author’s name? One way to know for sure that something was written without first-hand knowledge of the primary sources is if the publication does not indicate an author’s name. Articles found in popular sources are often written by anonymous committees, and rarely by people who actually work in the field or area. Even worse, an uninformed e
