In most cases, when biographical data is found to be completely contradictory, we conduct original research utilizing source documentation, such as birth and/or death records, to conclusively resolve the discrepancy. Yes, we are cognizant of the fact that even these documents sometimes contain errors, and always confirm the data they contain with birth certificates, baptismal certificates, birth announcements, school records, military records, death certificates and/or coroner's reports. Firsthand accounts of the births or deaths are used in rare cases.

Information on additional source data utilized in our research can be found in most of our biographical profiles.

Dozens of different sources are consulted for each biographical entry. The following is a very brief compendium of works consulted.

Internet Accuracy Project's extensive private collection of celebrity birth certificates, death certificates, autobiographies, biographies, interviews, and other private and public documents are utilized. We have personally conducted many celebrity interviews over the years to help clear up inconsistent biographical data, and we glean information from those archives as well.

* The Almanac of American Politics (various editions)
* Americana Encyclopedia (various editions)
* Americana Encyclopedia Annual (various editions)
* Biographical Dictionary of English Literature (various editions)
* The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia (various editions)
* The Civil War Almanac, edited by John S. Bowman (1983)
* Collier's Encyclopedia (various editions)
* Collier's Encyclopedia Yearbook (various editions)
* Congressional Quarterly's Politics in America (various editions)
* Contemporary Authors (various editions)
* Dictionary of American Biography (various editions)
* Dictionary of Indian Biography (various editions)
* Earl Blackwell's Entertainment Celebrity Register (various editions)
* Encyclopædia Britannica© (various editions)
* Encyclopædia Britannica Almanac (various editions)
* Encyclopædia Britannica: Book of the Year (various editions)
* Encyclopedia of Literature (various editions)
* Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters by Bill O'Neal (1979)
* ESPN/Information Please Sports Almanac (various editions)
* Final Curtain - Deaths of Noted Movie and Television Personalities, by Everett G. Jarvis (various editions)
* The First 80 Years: The Christian Science Monitor 1908-1988 (1988)
* Front Page History of the World Wars as reported by The New York Times, edited by Arto DeMirjian, Jr. and Eve Nelson (1976)
* Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia (various editions)
* Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia Annual (various editions)
* Grolier Encyclopedia (various editions)
* Grolier Encyclopedia Annual (various editions)
* Guinness Book of World Records (various editions)
* The Hammond Almanac (various editions)
* The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography, by Trevor N. Dupuy, Curt Johnson and David L. Bongard (1992)
* Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust (1986)
* Information Please / Time Almanac (various editions)
* Information Please Entertainment Almanac (various editions)
* International Authors and Writers Who's Who (various editions)
* International Motion Picture Almanac (various editions)
* International Track & Field Annual (various editions)
* International Who's Who (various editions)
* International Who's Who in Music (various editions)
* John Willis Screen World Film Annual (various editions)
* Journalists of the United States, by Robert B. Downs and Jane B. Downs (1991)
* Liberators and Patriots of Latin America, by Jerome R. Adams (1991)
* The New York Times Page One: Major Events 1920-1995 as Presented in The New York Times (1995)
* Obituaries from the Times 1961-1970: including an Index to all Obituaries and Tributes appearing in The Times during the years 1961-1970, compiled by Frank C. Roberts (1975)
* Permanent Addresses: A Guide to the Resting Places of Famous Americans, by Jean Arbeiter and Linda D. Cirino (1983)
* Reader's Digest Almanac and Yearbook (various editions)
* The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball (various editions)
* Sports Illustrated Sports Almanac and Record Book (various editions)
* The Statesman's Yearbook (various editions)
* Time Almanac - Powered by Encyclopædia Britannica (various editions)
* Twentieth Century Authors: A Biographical Dictionary (various editions)
* Variety Obits: An Index to Obituaries in Variety, 1905-1978, by Jeb H. Perry (1980)
* Who is Who in Rostov-on-Don and Rostov Region (1999)
* Who Was Who (various editions)
* Who Was Who in America (various editions)
* Who Was Who on Screen, by Evelyn Mack Truitt (1984)
* Who's Who (various editions)
* Who's Who in America (various editions)
* Who's Who in Commerce and Industry (various editions)
* Who's Who in Finance and Business (various editions)
* Who's Who in Finance and Industry (various editions)
* Who's Who in the East (various editions)
* Who's Who in the Midwest (various editions)
* Who's Who in the Socialist Countries (1978)
* Who's Who in the Socialist Countries of Europe (1989)
* Who's Who in the South and Southwest (various editions)
* Who's Who in the Soviet Union (1984)
* Who's Who in the West (various editions)
* Who's Who in the World (various editions)
* Who's Who of American Women (various editions)
* Who's Who of Film (various editions)
* Who's Who of Jazz, by John Chilton (1978)
* A Who's Who of Sports Champions, by Ralph Hickok (1995)
* Women in Public Office (various editions)
* The World Almanac and Book of Facts (various editions)
* The World Almanac of U.S. Politics (various editions)


In addition to the above reference books (and many others not specifically designated above), our researchers utilize literally thousands of individual biographies and autobiographies. For a look at some of these titles, visit our page of individual biographical and autobiographical sources.


Internet Accuracy Project welcomes contributions of used books.

If you find value in the work we do, please link to this site from your webpage, blog or website. You can also help support Internet Accuracy Project's work by contributing surplus office supplies, or used books. Alternatively, consider recommending us to your friends and colleagues. Thank you in advance!