Attribution

əˈtrɪb.ju.ʃən

Meaning & Definition

noun

The act of attributing something, such as a work or a quality, to a particular person, source, or cause.

The attribution of the artwork to the famous artist was widely debated among critics.

A statement that specifies the source from which an idea, statement, or piece of information is derived.

Proper citation is essential for clear attribution in academic writing.

The process of assigning a characteristic or quality to someone or something.

The attribution of success to hard work rather than luck is a common theme in motivational speeches.

From Middle French 'attribution', from Latin 'attributio', from 'attribuere' meaning to assign or attach.

attribution theory:

A psychological theory that explains how individuals determine the causes of behavior.

intellectual attribution:

Credit given to someone for their intellectual contributions.

source attribution:

Providing recognition to the original source of information or content.

Crediting someone informally

For all that jazz, let's give her some attribution, huh?

Throwing shade on credit claimers

He just took her idea and ran with it without any attribution. Classic.