As you focus on where the raw data you need might be located and accessed, always keep in mind that the place you get data is not necessarily the ultimate source of that data. This distinction is too often overlooked yet can be a critical. This means that you may be able to access the data you want without having to contact the data's original source. It also means that you must ensure that you know whether a source of data actually produces the data or merely transmits it. Confusing the data producer with the data provider can have important, sometimes dangerous, consequences. For example, cross-checking past estimates made by a trade publication that prints market predictions with the industry's actual performance might show that this publication is often incorrect in its predictions. If you find that such information in a particular trade publication is consistently wrong, you may decide you cannot rely on it for accurate information about your competitors' plans.