How Accurate?

This is something I've often wondered about so I thought I'd ask for opinions.

I was reading a post on Josh Friedman's blog, where he spoke of research. He spoke of getting approached about writing a script for an idea someone was pitching to him and talked about getting offered the chance to research the idea.

Now, no one from a studio has ever come to me and asked me to write for a project, yet alone offered the resources to research the idea. I have a day job that pays the bills and I hardly have the time to write.

As I can hardly spare time to write yet alone the time (and money) to do much detailed research about an idea, how factually accurate does a script have to be?

We all know the rules about format, but for example, if I am writing a script on an English warship in the year 1800 and the captain orders general quarters (really he would say beat to quarters), is that a problem?

It is perhaps a weak example but you get the point. As long as the format is correct, the story flows and works, can the newbie get away with something like that when he/she doesn't have the resources to perform detailed research?