In one embodiment, the method includes performing a read operation on a memory, and determining, by a memory controller, whether to perform a reliability verification read operation based on a count value and a reference value. The count value is based on a number of read commands issued by the memory controller to the memory, and the reliability verification read operation is for reading data from at least one memory cell associated with at least one unselected word line in the memory. An unselected word line is a word line not selected during the read operation. The method further includes performing the reliability verification read operation for the at least one unselected word line based on the determining.