A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: 1. What am I trying to say? 2. What words will express it? 3. What image or idiom will make it clearer? 4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? - George Orwell
Judge, criticize, object before you decide to believe something; but once you believe, you're but an idiot if you need to be scrupulous any more. - Raheel Farooq
Faithfulness to the truth of history involves far more than research, however patient and scrupulous, into special facts. The narrator must seek to imbue himself with the life and spirit of the time. - Francis Parkman