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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Plagiarism Does Not Apply: Which Cases Do Not Need Citation?

Quick, free quiz to test your judgment on which is not plagiarism. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Carlos CordovaUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art quiz illustration on when plagiarism does not apply with papers pen question mark on golden yellow background

This quiz helps you spot when plagiarism does not apply, so you know what needs a citation and what does not. Practice with real examples, then sharpen your judgment with the APA citation quiz, check your values in the academic integrity quiz, and build research skills with the information literacy quiz.

Which of the following scenarios is not considered plagiarism?
Paraphrasing another author's idea without credit
Using an author's unique phrase without quotation marks
Submitting someone else's work as your own
Copying text from a public domain source without citation
Works in the public domain are not subject to copyright restrictions, so using them does not constitute plagiarism, though citation is still good practice. Public domain status means the creator's copyright has expired or been forfeited. You are free to quote or reuse such material without permission. .
Which of these is considered common knowledge and does not require citation?
A unique theory proposed by a modern researcher
The exact number of pages in a specific novel
Statistics from a recent study
The boiling point of water is 100°C at sea level
Common knowledge includes facts universally known and easily verifiable in multiple sources, like water's boiling point at standard pressure. Such facts do not require citation. Unique facts or recent study data are not common knowledge and must be cited. .
Using your own unpublished lecture notes in a conference presentation is not plagiarism because:
Lecture notes are automatically public domain
You hold the original copyright for unpublished material
Unpublished work never requires citation
Conference rules exempt all educational materials
You own the copyright in any unpublished works you create, so reusing your own material is not plagiarism. However, if you previously published it formally, publisher policies may apply. Unpublished notes are not public domain by default. .
Which of the following elements generally does not require citation because it's not subject to copyright?
A unique phrase from the book
A character's dialogue
Long passages of text
The title of a book
Titles, short phrases, and names are not protected by copyright, so they require no citation for copyright purposes. However, academic integrity may still call for attribution in some cases. Quotations of substantial text or unique expressions do require citation. .
Which proverb is considered common knowledge and doesn't require citation?
A line from a modern novel
An uncommon regional saying
Actions speak louder than words
A new proverb coined in a recent blog post
Widely used proverbs like "Actions speak louder than words" are considered common knowledge and need no citation. Unique or obscure sayings do. Modern lines from novels are copyrighted. .
Which U.S. government work can be freely used without concern for plagiarism or copyright?
An article from a federally funded research journal under copyright
A report published by the U.S. Census Bureau
A private contractor's work for a federal agency
A copyrighted photograph purchased by an agency
Works created by the U.S. federal government are in the public domain, allowing free use without citation for copyright. However, attribution is often good scholarly practice. Works by private contractors or published under copyright by government-funded journals still require permission. .
Which example illustrates fair use and therefore is not plagiarism?
Quoting a brief excerpt from a poem for critical commentary
Reproducing an entire poem without commentary
Copying multiple stanzas with no analysis
Posting the full text on a blog without credit
Fair use permits limited quoting of copyrighted works for purposes such as criticism or commentary. Using short excerpts with analysis is typically non-infringing. Reproducing full texts without transformative purpose exceeds fair use. .
Which practice is not considered plagiarism when incorporating someone else's work?
Copying text verbatim without quotation marks
Paraphrasing a source and providing a proper citation
Changing a few words and not citing the source
Using an author's unique idea without credit
Paraphrasing with accurate citation gives credit to the original author and avoids plagiarism. Merely altering a few words or omitting quotes still counts as plagiarism. Unique ideas require citation to acknowledge the source. .
Under what circumstance is independently developed work not plagiarism?
When it resembles published work but isn't cited
When no copying from existing sources occurred
When you read the source but forget to cite
When you paraphrase without referencing
If you genuinely create content without consulting or copying a source, similarity is coincidental and not plagiarism. Plagiarism requires some level of copying. Forgetting to cite or paraphrasing without credit still constitutes plagiarism. .
Which educational use generally qualifies under fair use and is not plagiarism?
Posting full articles on a public website
Selling course packets containing complete chapters
Distributing entire textbooks to students
Including brief excerpts in a nonprofit classroom handout
Nonprofit educational settings can use limited excerpts under fair use. Handouts with short passages for teaching are allowed. Distributing whole works or commercial use exceeds fair use. .
Which of these sources is public domain and can be cited freely?
A photograph by a private artist
A modern novel excerpt
Data tables from NASA's website
A journal article behind a paywall
U.S. government agencies like NASA produce public domain material, so their data tables can be reused without copyright infringement. Paywalled articles and private works are still under copyright. .
Using an image labeled CC0 from an online repository is not plagiarism because:
All online images are public domain
The creator has dedicated the work to the public domain
CC0 still requires permission
You only need to cite CC-BY works
CC0 license means the creator waives all rights and places the work in the public domain, allowing reuse without attribution. Not all images online are CC0; some require permission or credit. CC-BY and other Creative Commons licenses have different terms. .
Which of the following can you include verbatim in your paper without worrying about plagiarism?
Lyrics from a contemporary song
Text from the King James Version of the Bible
A modern translation still under copyright
A private letter you did not write
The King James Version, published in 1611, is in the public domain, so its text can be used freely. Modern translations remain under copyright and require permission. Private letters are also under copyright unless permission is granted. .
Which official document is public domain and can be freely quoted?
U.S. Supreme Court opinions
A research paper under journal copyright
A trademarked company policy
A privately published legal commentary
U.S. Supreme Court opinions are federal government works and thus in the public domain. Private commentaries, trademarked materials, or copyrighted papers remain protected. .
Which mathematical expression is considered common knowledge and not subject to plagiarism concerns?
An unpublished algorithm description
Symbolic notation unique to a textbook
A new proof by a contemporary mathematician
Pythagorean theorem (a² + b² = c²)
Fundamental mathematical formulas like the Pythagorean theorem are part of the public domain as common knowledge. Novel proofs or unique notations are protected by copyright or academic attribution norms. .
Which of the following is a public domain technical document you can reproduce freely?
A design white paper by a private firm
A patent specification published by the USPTO
A recent IEEE conference paper
A proprietary software manual
Once a patent is granted, its full text is published in the public domain by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Private white papers, IEEE papers, and proprietary manuals remain under their own copyrights. .
Which of these sources can be quoted without a citation under U.S. copyright law?
An academic journal abstract
U.S. Census Bureau data tables
A blog post under full copyright
A proprietary market report
The U.S. Census Bureau is a federal agency, so its data tables are public domain. Academic abstracts, blog posts, and market reports remain under copyright unless otherwise designated. .
Which of these is not considered self-plagiarism?
Submitting the same paper to two journals without disclosure
Copying large sections of your thesis into a new article without attribution
Transforming text only by changing a few words
Reusing your own published article with proper self-citation
Reusing your own work with clear citation avoids self-plagiarism because you acknowledge prior publication. Resubmitting identical or slightly altered work without disclosure is self-plagiarism. .
Which of these works is in the U.S. public domain but may still be under copyright in the EU?
A tweet from 2010
A short story published in 2000
A novel first published in 1925
A photograph taken in 1995
U.S. works published before 1927 are public domain under U.S. law, so a 1925 novel is free to use in the U.S. However, EU copyright generally lasts until 70 years after the author's death, so it may still be under copyright there. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Non-Plagiarism Scenarios -

    Recognize situations - such as common knowledge, public domain materials, and original personal ideas - where plagiarism does not apply.

  2. Distinguish Common Knowledge -

    Differentiate between widely known facts and proprietary content that requires citation to avoid plagiarism.

  3. Analyze Practical Examples -

    Examine real-world scenarios in the quiz to determine when plagiarism does not apply and justify your reasoning.

  4. Apply Citation Principles -

    Use established citation guidelines to correctly attribute sources when required, reinforcing proper acknowledgment practices.

  5. Evaluate Citation Skills -

    Assess your mastery of acknowledging sources through targeted quiz questions, identifying areas for improvement.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Public Domain Works -

    Under U.S. copyright law, works published before 1925 are typically public domain and free for use without citation. For example, you can quote Shakespeare's sonnets verbatim in your essay without attribution. (Source: Library of Congress)

  2. Common Knowledge Facts -

    Facts widely known and easily verified - like "water boils at 100 °C" - don't require citation in your writing. Remember the mnemonic "CK = Common Knowledge, no Citation Known" to ace that avoid plagiarism quiz. (Source: Purdue OWL)

  3. U.S. Government Publications -

    Official documents from federal agencies (e.g., Supreme Court opinions) are in the public domain and exempt from plagiarism rules. Citing them can add credibility, but it's not mandatory for plagiarism avoidance. (Source: U.S. Copyright Office)

  4. Titles and Short Phrases -

    Book titles, song names, product names, and brief slogans (under 10 words) are not subject to plagiarism restrictions. You can reference "Titanic" or "Just Do It" freely in your citation skills quiz prep. (Source: Harvard University Writing Center)

  5. Standardized Formulas & Terminology -

    Universal equations like E=mc² or terms such as "photosynthesis" are part of shared scientific language and need no attribution. Keep this rule in mind when tackling "plagiarism does not apply to which of the following" scenarios. (Source: American Chemical Society)

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