2

I'm writing part of my Computer Science PhD and I'd like to know whether it is generally acceptable to have a reference to a famous quotation by a famous person without citing a source. For example,

"Program testing can be used to show the presence of bugs, but never to show their absence!" - Edsger W. Dijkstra

Improve this question
3
  • 11
    The world of quoting is full of misattributing famous quotes, so I'd personally suggest it's a good practice to give a citation for those. This doesn't answer your (current) question of whether it's generally acceptable but generally acceptable isn't necessarily the best option.
    – JiK
    Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 17:18
  • Depends on university/department, better ask alumni or check older theses.
    – Mark
    Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 17:20
  • 3
    "Notes On Structured Programming" (EWD249), 1970.
    – JeffE
    Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 19:09

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

But please don't decorate each chapter with a quote you took from a calendar. As JiK said, there are so many misattributions and misstatements around, you need to go to the source if you absolutely must use a quote. But as chapter decoration I find them silly. Okay, Knuth is allowed to do that, but until you reach the god-like status of Knuth, please refrain.

Improve this answer
4
  • I think Knuth used them before having reached the god-like status. Personally, I do like well-chosen and tasteful decorations.
    – Boris Bukh
    Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 23:34
  • 1
    Knuth is allowed to do that — But Knuth sources everything.
    – JeffE
    Commented Aug 24, 2017 at 3:02
  • I meant, Knuth is allowed to use quotes for every chapter, but it looks silly if everyone does it and additionally misattributes everything. Indeed, Knuth's quotations are properly sourced.
    – Debora Weber-Wulff
    Commented Aug 25, 2017 at 10:54
  • 1
    Knuth's (co-written) 1961 paper “Algol 60 Confidential” (written while he was a PhD student at Caltech, and only his sixth publication even counting the one in MAD Magazine) has a pair of quotes at the top. So he's been doing it before reaching any particularly exalted status.
    – ShreevatsaR
    Commented Sep 1, 2017 at 6:36

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .