sorting out conflicting references

Look at the author's credentials, where you found the reference (online = questionable, generally) and compare them. If all else fails, go with the majority and your common sense. Above all, read critically, even if your source is a respected and well credentialed authority.

Keep in mind that a real expert:

1. Is aware or the limits of his or her knowledge, and is not afraid to say, "I don't know that."
2. Labels speculation as such.
3. Is will to admit to error.
4. Values their integrity more than a reputation for being right. As the head of the Geology Department taught us in my  undergrad days: "Invest in your work. Your work will stand the test of time. Your theories are disposable."

This is just "my way",,,,,it's not the only way by far, but it works for me

I use the "old musty books" without many pictures, the books on the subject that came before, and the Navy Historical center to sort out some of the conflicts,,,,,,sometimes by combining the sources I can find cruises that one source skips or says "no cruise for that date"

when a photo is captioned in a book,,,,you can look at the BuNo to sort it out,,,,if it says 1966, but that plane wasn't built until some 1970 block of production,,,,,,that's an oops

or when it says "F-4J in Ferris camo",,,,,and has a nose sensor and AF serial on the tail,,,,,sorry, but that's an F-4C or D

one online source says "no cruise for Forretstal in 1976",,,,,but, everyone and his brother remembers the Blue tailed F-4J's at New York Harbor during the July 4th festivities,,,,and the rest of the wing's colors, too

mine is easy, though,,,,,,the only "guesstimates" I have to do are with things that started after the 1st of the month and ended before the 30th,,,,,,LANTFLEX's and the like

I go by the rule of thumb that ordering pics cost $12 each from people that sell them,,,,,,so if a book costs $36, it only needs to give me 3 new pics,,,,,anything more than that is a bonus,,,,,,,,and I'm not afraid to write in the margins in red sharpie

all ties are broken by using the primary source,,,,,,,and even my method is limited to 1945 to about 1984 or so,,,,,after 1984, I have to use a little trust

hth

Rex

oh, and don't underestimate what you can learn by a little back and forth in a thread

about a year ago, a modeler asked about some kit decals,,,wondering if they were real or not

through a few messages, a couple of us found the pic the decals were produced from,,,,,,and in an old "mostly text" book from 1969,,,,,we found a reference to a USS Intrepid cruise in a mid month exercise,,,,,when it was all said and done,,,,I had the squardron listing that "must" have been on board the ship for that short cruise, and that explained some "orphaned, undated" pics that had been published, but didn't match up before to anything

so, message boards help, too

Rex

Sometimes, if I get too many conflicts, I settle for what looks right to me. I don't participate in shows or contests, so the only modeler I have to please is myself. I'm not a rivet counter either, but do enough research to at least attempt some accuracy.