Timeliness and currency: When was the data collected? Over what stretch of time?

Credibility: Who collected this data? For what purpose? 

Relevance: Is the data relevant to your project? Can you use it to answer some aspect of your research question?

Context: Is there documentation available?

Accessibility: Can you access the data in a format with will work for you? What kinds of software do you need? 

There are government-wide guidelines for federal agencies that collect and disseminate date. Read more here:

• BLS Guidelines for Informing Users of Information Quality
• Census Information Quality Guidelines
• NCES Statistical Standards
• NSF Data Quality Standards