Chinese phrase
常识需要引用吗？ cháng shí xū yào yǐn yòng ma
Meaning
Does common knowledge require a citation?
When to use it
Asks if information known by most people needs a citation. It is used in academic writing when checking whether a source is needed for a widely known fact.
Example dialogue
老师，我在写论文，常识需要引用吗？ lǎo shī wǒ zài xiě lùn wén cháng shí xū yào yǐn yòng ma
Professor, I'm writing a paper. Does common knowledge require a citation?
如果是大家都知道的事实，一般不用，但重要的论点最好注明出处。 rú guǒ shì dà jiā dōu zhī dào de shì shí yì bān bú yòng dàn zhòng yào de lùn diǎn zuì hǎo zhù míng chū chǔ
A fact that everyone knows usually does not need a citation, but important points are best supported by a source.