Source text:

(Lecture notes)

Writer’s text:

The Realist perspective emphasizes that a causal determinant of the theory is whether or not the theory fits the situation in the real world.

Writer’s comment:

This is from lecture notes by the instructor. I didn’t think that it warranted a citation.

Student’s comment:

1. I cite lecture notes as long as I remember that. It wasn’t what I had thought, wasn’t what I had said, so I deserve to give… I guess if it was from two different professors, so I deserve to tell the professor from reading the paper where that came from, because it wasn’t me. I guess it depends, if it’s direct, you know it’s a quotation from what the professor said in the course in the class, yes, I would always cite it in direct quotation. But if it’s an idea, I think I would inquire, asking whether that professor really want it. (A Master’s student in Library & Information Studies) 
2. I probably wouldn’t cite that. I mean if I set the sociolinguistic perspective on something, if I made a broad statement like that, I don’t think we cite. You know, if it’s broad statement, this is what the general…this particular student here, she is saying it comes from lecture notes. I think it could come from a number of places where you, whatever the final penny is… make sure I understand this is what they say is. This is… I think we do this all the time…This is really broad, general statement, this is like, you know, someone putting, this is postmodernism, you know. (A PhD student in Education)

Faculty member’s comment:

1. If a prof said that there are perspectives, there are people behind that. There are authors. So, students should find out who actually said this. The original author of of this, not just a lecturer. (A professor in Education)
2. I would prefer that the student cite the sources that I was using, in other words to go back behind my lecture, and do a little more work to go to primary sources rather than lecture notes, but it depends how important this piece of text is for the success of the student’s own paper. If it’s a central claim, I would expect the student go behind my lectures to the sources that I have cited in the lectures. If it is a peripheral claim and who knows where the line is, it’s a judgment, just citing lecture notes is a good practice. I don’t require it.  (A professor in Education)