i guess i disagree when it comes to a specific #

It's just the nature of academia. You have to give credit where credit is due. You didn't do the original research that figured/found out that that over $145 billion dollars was spent in 2004. Someone else did the footwork.

The professor needs to find out where these facts have been pulled from so if he chosen to verify your paper (facts and all) then he can go to the secondary source where you pulled that number from and verify it.

Also, anybody could simply throw out a set of numbers/make up the numbers as they go along instead of actually doing the research for the paper. Citing your sources is a paper trail showing the professor that you actually did the work and not just made things up in order to either push an academic agenda or simply to take the easy road and do a lazy job on his or her essay.

Jr, your q isn't quite clear. A brief quotation doesn't constitute plagiarism

http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&gs_nf=3&pq=synonym%20for%20australian&cp=26&gs_id=5t&xhr=t&q=brief+quote+not+plagiarism&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=brief+quote+not+plagiarism&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=4ac1328addbff75b&bpcl=35466521&biw=1432&bih=897

i didnt quote it or cite it i just read about it and then later put some info on my paper coming from my brain, it wasnt a research paper, but i hear you... i just thought that it was not like i was taking science and recording it i just knew myself that it was the # and i put that information in my paper to pesuade people to make a plan so that these costs werent so high but thank you

It's not plagarism, it's failure to site sources. As stated above, when you toss a number out there you have to be able to back it up.

... besides, if it's common knowledge, which actually never happens with statistical figures.

You don't really have to

Maybe not when you were in school. But these days, yes. Yes you do have to give the details how you found any given fact that's not considered common knowledge or established fact like George Washington was the first president of the United States.

In school, one has to cite ones sources. In math, one has to show ones work.

Outside of school? You don't have to cite the source of your fact. If you want to add gravity to your debate points here in a2k or elsewhere, you too will cite any relevant source in order to give weight to what you're saying. Especially if what you're saying is controversial or has its doubters waiting to pounce on what you say or write.

thank you all for your input i still agree though that it wasnt like i was plagirizing you know i didnt quote someone and didnt go in to detail just stated a number that is not a fact and not even a specific # it is an estimate

but i guess it is an example of a critical teacher and something you should look out for

That's why I italicized "have," implying no legal requirement