Is it plagiarizing to write something from your textbook into your notes word for word?

Question

I don't think it is, since I am not selling or distributing my notes, but I don't know. I am literally copying a couple of the sentences from my textbook into my notes, because it's so much easier to understand the way the textbook writes it. It's not quite as clear when I put it in my own words. My teacher may or may not be checking to see if the notes are written in my own words, I don't know. I actually doubt she would do that, but I don't know. 

Also, if it's not plagiarizing to put it in my notes, is it also not plagiarizing to share my notes with other people that ask for a copy? 

Do I source the textbook or what?

tri.du · Accepted Answer

"The act of appropriating the literary composition of another author, or excerpts, ideas, or passages therefrom, and passing the material off as one's own creation."

If the notes are for you to study by or for you to use in writing a paper, then you are fine. If you will be writing a paper using these notes, make sure to identify where the information came from, book and page number. That way, if you do decide to directly quote the information, you will have the citation info at hand. If you give the notes to your friends, then they can look back to the original source for more info if they needed it. Kind of a win-win.

I often quote directly from the book when taking notes so that I know what the original quote was. When I write my paper, I will then put the information into my own words. If I put the info into my own words first then changed it later, I might reword it back into the exact words from the book. Better safe than sorry.

For ease, I just put the book information at the top of my note page and the page numbers down the side. A different book equals a different sheet of paper. If you're doing this on the computer, you could come up with something similar, I am sure.

Is it plagiarizing to write something from your textbook into your notes word for word?

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