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"Should I Cite This?" Poster

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All good writers aim to avoid plagiarism, but knowing precisely what to cite (and when) is not always as easy as it sounds. For this reason, we're sharing this poster-sized flowchart that can help you decide which pieces of information need to be cited! Simply begin at the box marked "Start here" in the upper left and follow the arrows based on your answers to each question.

The poster available via the links below is a printable file you may download and print for use in classrooms and writing centers, or as a personal reference. Please keep in mind that, as a print-quality resource (120 dpi), the poster file is large, so it may take a while to download. You may adjust the print size of the poster from your print menu. Without adjustment, the poster is approximately 27 x 36 inches.

Because the poster is quite large, standard printers cannot print the full-size poster. If you do not have access to a printer that can print large documents, contact a local print shop to print the poster. The Purdue OWL cannot grant requests to print and mail posters.

The Purdue OWL "Should I Cite This" Poster was originally developed by Rachel Atherton in summer 2020. It was adapted from a physical resource used in the Purdue Writing Lab.

For your convenience, the poster is available both as a .jpg and as a .png file. The .jpg file is larger and higher-quality. As such, it may require longer to download.

JPG:

Purdue OWL "Should I Cite This?" Classroom Poster (.JPG)

PNG:

Purdue OWL "Should I Cite This?" Classroom Poster (.PNG)