# Check proper format of and for duplicates in column_names
        if isinstance(column_names, str):
            column_names = [column_names]

        # Check proper format and length of reverse
        if not isinstance(reverse, bool):
            if len(reverse) != len(column_names):
                raise ValueError(
                    "Parameter 'reverse' should be either a boolean or a list of booleans with the same length as 'column_names'."
                )
        else:
            reverse = [reverse] * len(column_names)

        # Check whether column name(s) exist in dataset
        for column in column_names:
            if not isinstance(column, str) or column not in self._data.column_names:
                raise ValueError(
                    f"Column '{column}' not found in the dataset. Please provide a column selected in: {self._data.column_names}"
                )