The importance of citation and assigning credit where it is due

In this blog post, I will discuss the topic of citing sources. This topic is very easily applied to the writing process, however, it can also be discussed in regards to copyright issues and many other cases. If we are to borrow something from someone, isn't it only right that we give that person credit for having the creative capacity to produce that specific thing in the first place?

In life, it is often appropriate to borrow concepts from others in order to enhance our personal ideas and/or to provide evidence that backs up a claim that we stand by. For example, when I was young, I would make claims objectively and back up those claims by stating that, "My daddy said so" or "That's what my big brother said." Ideas are always more credible when they are backed up by someone who is looked up to as an expert in his/her specific field. From the mindset of a young boy, the most credible of all sources is generally his father, followed closely by his mother and/or his older brother.

When composing, it is important to understand that we are not a credible source in most areas, because we do not have experience in that field or a degree that puts us in a place of authority on specific topics. Therefore, it is necessary that we employ the expertise of people who have established credibility in certain areas that allows them to make objective claims that are not questioned. However, if we choose to implement these claims or statements in our own writing, it is imperative that we make it abundantly clear that the source of knowledge is not ourselves, but someone much more credible. When we cite the source of the information that we have included in our composition, then that information becomes credible from the viewpoint of the reader. Otherwise, there is no reason for our audience to take us seriously when we make statements that are obviously not our own.

Citing sources not only makes our claims credible, but it also gives credit to those who have worked tediously to produce something that is worthwhile. Have you ever been in a situation where you came up with something, and then a friend of yours went off and told that same thing to someone else, as if they had originally come up with the idea. Maybe it was a funny joke that you thought of. Well, I bet that made you slightly angry because you didn't receive credit for your creativity. In the same way, we ought to give credit to the original creators when we state one of their ideas.

When we choose to suck it up and cite sources, our writings will become more credible and we will be doing a good thing in giving credit to those who have spent time to come up with such brilliant ideas.