Final answer:
It is false to claim that citations are not needed when paraphrasing or summarizing information; citations are required whenever someone else's ideas or information are used, to prevent plagiarism and to acknowledge the original source.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that you do not need to cite the source of the material as long as you are not using a direct quote is false. Whether you are summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting directly, it is essential to provide proper citation to acknowledge the original source of the information. This ensures transparency and upholds academic integrity.
When you paraphrase or summarize, you are still using someone else's ideas or information. Therefore, it is important to give credit to the appropriate source. Not acknowledging the work of others is considered plagiarism, which is a serious offense in academia. To avoid this, always include an in-text citation and a corresponding reference on the Works Cited page, as per the formatting style required by your instructor or publication standards. The rule of thumb here is to use information from sources only to support your own argument and maintain a healthy balance between your ideas and the sources.