The Reliability of the Data
The methods I might use to determine the reliability of the data gathered would depend on how/where I gathered the data from. Should the data be gathered from letters, notes, books, emails, or online I would want to examine the documents for the reliability. With letters, notes, or emails contact with the author could be possible. I would then ask them where they pulled their data from. With books and online it can be tricky. Online there should be some kind of author, title, or reference. With a book it would be like examining a document. Documents have been examined over the ages by historians. However if there are not humans alive to validate the evidence then the documents are there in the only source of data (Potter, 1996).
There is always observation that can be used to determine the reliability of the gathered data. Is there anyone other than I that observed and if so can I interview them to gain insight as to their interpretation of the data.
Mentioned above is the possibility of an interview. Interviewing is a way to determine the reliability of the data you gather. Should there be no written documentation of the data then interviewing would not be the best way to determine reliability.
No matter what method you use to validate the reliability of your data it is important to do so in order to protect the integrity of ones self. Analyzing data to determine the reliability can provide you with credible evidence, shed light on how effective your research to validate is, and shows your commitment to your work.
Potter, W. (1996). An analysis of thinking and research about qualitative methods. Mahwah: NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.