Attribution means correctly crediting the source of information, a quote, an image or an idea, rather than presenting someone else's work or words as your own. Journalism ethics require it explicitly, and it applies equally to press releases, photos and any content that draws on outside material.
Attribution is the practice of naming who said something, who created something, or where a fact came from, so that a reader can judge and verify it. Journalism's ethical standards treat this as fundamental: the Society of Professional Journalists' code instructs journalists to never plagiarize and to always attribute, placing this alongside the instruction to identify sources clearly whenever possible.
In press and media relations, attribution shows up in several places: quotes must be attributed to the person who actually said them, with an accurate name and title; images must credit their creator according to standards such as IPTC photo metadata, which includes dedicated Creator and Copyright Notice fields; and any data, statistic or claim borrowed from another source should name that source rather than presenting it as original research.
Getting attribution wrong ranges from a minor correction, such as a misspelled name, to a serious ethical or legal problem, such as presenting someone else's original reporting or analysis as your own, or failing to credit a photographer whose copyright work you have used. Consistent, careful attribution protects both the credited party's rights and the credibility of the person or organization doing the crediting.
How to: 1) Name the actual source of any quote, statistic, image or idea you did not originate. 2) Use the source's preferred or correct name, title and outlet. 3) Embed image metadata, including creator and copyright fields, for any photo you use or supply. 4) Never present another party's original work, wording or analysis as your own. 5) When quoting a publication, use a direct quote and cite it, rather than paraphrasing closely without credit.
QUESTIONS
What does attribution mean in press and media work?
It means clearly crediting the actual source of a quote, fact, image or idea, whether that is a named person, a publication, or a photographer, rather than presenting it without credit or as if it were your own.
What does the SPJ Code of Ethics say about attribution?
It instructs journalists to never plagiarize and always attribute, and separately to identify sources clearly, reserving anonymity only for cases involving genuine risk to the source where the information is not available another way.
How does attribution apply to photographs?
Standard photo metadata, such as the IPTC Photo Metadata Standard, includes dedicated fields for the creator's name and a copyright notice, which should be filled in accurately and kept attached to the image wherever it is used.
Is failing to attribute the same as plagiarism?
Failing to attribute someone else's original work, wording or analysis is generally what plagiarism means. Minor attribution errors, such as a misspelled name, are less serious but should still be corrected promptly and accurately.
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