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a question for the master
Viojen 2*16+1+3+6=42. Fencing-it's escrime! Started conversation Mar 5, 2003
It's Bartok the Bat, pestering you with questions, just as planned.
How 'detailed' is our research allowed to be? Obviously we're not allowed to copy anything directly, but do we have to name sources, and how far removed from the sources must our writing be? Do we need a bibliography, and if so, under what format? Would MLA format be good?
Thanks
Bartok the Bat
a question for the master
Danny B Posted Mar 5, 2003
Hi Jen 
"How 'detailed' is our research allowed to be?"
What you're not allowed to do is to copy or quote large chunks from other sources. If you want to include small quotations, perhaps from critics about Bartok's music, then you should include some sort of acknowledgement - a name and a date, or a book title and author. Otherwise you should try to rewrite from your sources, perhaps combining two or more, so that the Powers-that-Be are happy that you've written an original piece.
"Stealing from one author is plagiarism. Stealing from many authors is research" - Wilson Mizner 
Most Entries don't have any 'bibliography' in the traditional sense - ie, a list of sources cited - but some have a list of 'further reading' or similar. These aren't generally in any particular format, as long as there's enough information to identify the book, magazine, journal or whatever. Good examples are the 'Thiessen Polygons' Entry (A901937) or the 'Rommel' Entry (A531334). And, of course, if you want to refer to websites, then you can just include the links within the body of the Entry.
I hope that answers the question... but let me know if it doesn't!
And one other point with regard to the amount of detail...
If you find that your Entry is getting very long, you might want to consider splitting it into two (or more) seperate Entries. Maybe one on Bartok himself, and one on his music. The recommended limit for Entries is 2000 words (although that's just a guideline rather than a strict rule). Just a thought...
Danny B.
a question for the master
Viojen 2*16+1+3+6=42. Fencing-it's escrime! Posted Mar 5, 2003
We will look into that. We are only at a notes stage, but already have many headings, and haven't really started the music part yet.
It may be that we end up doing a second entry focusing more specifically on music or on one or two well known pieces.
Thanks.
Bartok the Bat/Jen
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a question for the master
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