Whats the difference between “original ideas” and “common knowledge”?
“Genesis is the first book of the Bible” is common knowledge. You do not need to cite an outside source for that. “The J-source of Genesis probably lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah and wrote around 900 BCE” is not common knowledge, but specific information you derived from some source. You must therefore cite the source of this information. If youre not sure whether a piece of information is common knowledge or not, err on the side of safety: cite your source of information. You will never be marked down for being too careful.
Related Questions
- Were all reading the same textbook and readings and attending the same class lectures: so doesnt that make information from these sources "common knowledge"?
- Are there any requirements that are considered common knowledge that may surprise novices ?
- Whats the difference between "original ideas" and "common knowledge"?
