Poll of the Day > Is it possible for me to get in trouble for using my own knowledge in a...

(+) Yeah! (+)

80/80

In a research paper? Lets say I'm writing about a subject, and I put my own knowledge of the subject on the paper without using any sources, because I already know things about the subject that I'm writing upon?

I'm asking based on y'alls personal experiences, because I have extensive knowledge about the subject I'm writing about. Is it necessary for me to find a random source and to cite it?
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it'd be much easier to pretend it came from the source
but all they have to do is google it to tell where it came from they also run them against other peoples papers so you can't copy each other
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I think it depends on what exactly you're explaining and how you're phrasing it within the context of the research. How in-depth are you going, for instance?

When in doubt, it wouldn't hurt if you can cite supporting research to whatever knowledge you're putting forth.
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High school or college

Youre missing the point of a research paper if you do that. How would you feel if you read an article that made a claim about something you were unfamiliar with and they stated that it was accurate because they knew it was?
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RCtheWSBC posted...

I think it depends on what exactly you're explaining and how you're phrasing it within the context of the research. How in-depth are you going, for instance?

When in doubt, it wouldn't hurt if you can cite supporting research to whatever knowledge you're putting forth.

I'm just explaining how Muslims radical interpretation of Islam has led to caliphates being created by terror groups.

MICHALECOLE posted...

High school or college

college

Mead posted...

Youre missing the point of a research paper if you do that. How would you feel if you read an article that made a claim about something you were unfamiliar with and they stated that it was accurate because they knew it was?

Because I would assume that it is common knowledge, because my professor said not to cite things that are common knowledge, like the signing of the declaration of Independence, and that George Washington is the first president.
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You know what common knowledge is, right?

RCtheWSBC posted...

I think it depends on what exactly you're explaining and how you're phrasing it within the context of the research. How in-depth are you going, for instance?

When in doubt, it wouldn't hurt if you can cite supporting research to whatever knowledge you're putting forth.

Pretty much this. If it is common knowledge then it is not necessary but if its not it would be better to find something to support your statement.
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MICHALECOLE posted...

You know what common knowledge is, right?

According to google, its something that is known by most people, and I would assume that everyone knows what a Caliphate is because it has been widely discussed on the internet and has been was on the news with ISIS made headlines on the news media.
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thedeerzord posted...

I'm just explaining how Muslims radical interpretation of Islam has led to caliphates being created by terror groups.

You should definitely provide supporting research to this claim.
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and I would assume that everyone knows what a Caliphate is

So no, you dont know what common knowledge is

thedeerzord posted...

MICHALECOLE posted...

You know what common knowledge is, right?

According to google, its something that is known by most people, and I would assume that everyone knows what a Caliphate is because it has been widely discussed on the internet and has been was on the news with ISIS made headlines on the news media.

that's not common knowledge. the word "caliphate" and its meaning is not going to be common knowledge.
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honestly that sounds pretty racist
had the caliphate been around and the ottman empire not dissolved we wouldn't be having these wars in the middle east because all of the muslims would be in the same empire
I don't even like muslim invders in 1200 a.d. but ww1 definitely messed the world up in more ways than one
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Caliphate - noun - some thing or person in the Middle East, probably
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RoboXgp89 posted...

honestly that sounds pretty racist
had the caliphate been around and the ottman empire not dissolved we wouldn't be having these wars in the middle east because all of the muslims would be in the same empire
ww1 definitely messed the world up in more ways than one

is america going to get invaded because we drone bomb countless people? are we going to attack saudi arabia for trying to dissolve iraq and syria?
yeah some messed up stuff happens but religion doesn't put a gun in your hand or explosives that can blow up city blocks, only one thing does that and it's capitalism

what does any of that have to do with their skin color? religion is not a race.
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If it's common knowledge, it's fine. If it's not, you need a source.

Common knowledge - If your car doesn't start you should check the battery
Sourced knowledge - The number of battery related car failures every year is 30,381
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Smarkil posted...

If it's common knowledge, it's fine. If it's not, you need a source.

Common knowledge - If your car doesn't start you should check the battery
Sourced knowledge - The number of battery related car failures every year is 30,381

Based on how you define Common and Source knowledge, I will not use any source
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thedeerzord posted...

Based on how you define Common and Source knowledge, I will not use any source

But your statement isn't common knowledge whatsoever. If this were a peer-reviewed academic paper, it would be questioned.
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Record video of yourself talking about it, upload to youtube, cite it.

Not helping
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Cite PotD. We'll back you up.
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RCtheWSBC posted...

thedeerzord posted...

Based on how you define Common and Source knowledge, I will not use any source

But your statement isn't common knowledge whatsoever. If this were a peer-reviewed academic paper, it would be questioned.

youre a peer reviewed academic paper, and you should be questioned
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It was common knowledge to the Nazis that Jews were the leech on Germany's belly.

No, don't ask me to source that.

Yeah I don't know what a caliphate actually is outside of context. So I'm going to say it's better to err on the side of sourcing.
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Do you have any proof? Then no.

Unless you are proven expert on a subject, you are not a credible source.

I'm pretty sure you're not proven expert.
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Bro, you can't use ellipses for 80/80 and the topic title wasn't even a complete thought

green dragon posted...

Bro, you can't use ellipses for 80/80 and the topic title wasn't even a complete thought

Yeah, if that were the case, you could just type a bunch of random letters and numbers out in the topic title and say "80/80"
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thedeerzord posted...

Is it necessary for me to find a random source and to cite it?

Eh... more context is needed I think.
I mean I happen to know that the sky appears blue because of light refraction but if I was gonna write a paper about the sky Id certainly dig up sources to back up my claim.
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Ask your prof about the specific passages you're wondering about. Their opinion is the only one that really matters here.

thedeerzord posted...

I'm just explaining how Muslims radical interpretation of Islam has led to caliphates being created by terror groups.

You can absolutely find sources to back that up, and probably should because you didn't come up with that knowledge all on your own (and if you did, you should go find sources to flesh out what I imagine would be a very flimsy, poorly-substantiated claim).
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Are you asking if you can just use the word "caliphate" without sourcing something? Or is it more than that.
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Depends on the professor. I had one that was completely cool with it and another that told me to just make some sources up, or cite books that I remember reading over the years.
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