Q. What is common knowledge?

'Common knowledge' is information that the majority of people either know or can find in a number of sources. It is factual information that is beyond dispute.

When referencing your work, you do not have to cite some things because they are common knowledge and are not considered the work of any particular person.  Examples of common knowledge include “There are four seasons in the year”, “There are 365 days in a year”, “The Battle of Waterloo was in 1815”.  If you are not sure whether something is common knowledge or not, provide a reference for it.

More information can be found in the Referencing guide.