I want to add some description of a technology (Node.js = server-side JavaScript) in my thesis. The description is about what exactly this technology is, how it works, what it can do etc.
I want to use Node.js Wikipedia page, a blog page, one of my supervisor's lectures for gathering information.
Should I cite these sources, given the fact that they say pretty much the same things and these things are just observations, not scientific contribution?
If something can be deemed common knowledge in your field there should be no need to cite it.
MIT define common knowledge as;
Broadly speaking, common knowledge refers to information that the average, educated reader would accept as reliable without having to look it up.
There is further detail on that link about Common Knowledge and it's applications. They also say that there best advice is: 'When in doubt, cite your source.'
That said if you are taking something verbatim from a source you should cite it.
Just on your sources; in academia you tend to shy away from citing from wikipedia etc. You can see a discussion on that issue at this question
This is the same as citing any other software; you would follow the standard guidelines for such citations. APA guidelines follow, from this Purdue website:
Computer Software/Downloaded Software
Do not cite standard office software (e.g. Word, Excel) or programming languages. Provide references only for specialized software.
Ludwig, T. (2002). PsychInquiry [computer software]. New York: Worth.
Software that is downloaded from a Web site should provide the software’s version and year when available.
Hayes, B., Tesar, B., & Zuraw, K. (2003). OTSoft: Optimality Theory Software (Version 2.1) [Software]. Available from http://www.linguistics.ucla.edu/people/hayes/otsoft/
As usual, you should check with your journal to see whether they have any specific formatting requirements/require any other specific information for such citations.
This is supplementary information that isn't required for your thesis, but for some readers might be useful for understanding the context.
This isn't realy a citation - most likely you aren't using Node.js documentation as a direct source for something that you are writing there, unless you're comparing details of some API descriptions. You probably are using a part of node.js technology, and the reference is to extra information about that part, for people who don't know a prerequisite. So it's something where using a footnote would be the most appropriate way.
