# Projects question - When is using example code borrowing, inspiration, or just plain plagurisim? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [February 22, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679 "2019-02-22T16:17:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cohors](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/cohors/32/110782_2.png) [@Cohors](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Cohors)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/1 "2019-02-22T16:17:34Z")
So the first project was the tribute project…easy enough as it was simple html and css… The second project I am stumped on where to go…I find myself looking at the code on the sample provided and other codes for surveys I find online. My question is I am finding myself kinda stumped and looking for ideas to build the basic structure of the site, if I use the ideas from other sites code isn’t that just borrowing code and defeating the purpose of the project or am I being too sensitive about “borrowing” code. Also, important to note, that what I am referring to is not copying an entire pages survey code…but looking at how they did their tables, or looking at how they coded a button etc… Any advice is welcome as I do not want to plagiarize someone elses work but its almost hard not to borrow some code as when you look for examples of how to do XYZ they list the code on how to do XYZ… ---
**Author:** ![jenovs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/jenovs/32/60963_2.png) [@jenovs](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/jenovs)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/2 "2019-02-22T16:30:36Z")
> [@Cohors](#): > > looking at how they did their tables, or looking at how they coded a button etc That’s how I learn… ---
**Author:** ![chuckadams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/chuckadams/32/109651_2.png) [@chuckadams](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/chuckadams)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/3 "2019-02-22T16:42:31Z")
Far as I know, inspiration isn’t copyrightable – steal as much of it as you can 🙂. Everything else, there’s unfortunately no clear line, but the fact that these are all learning projects not intended for broad public consumption means you probably don’t need rigorous citations of all sources – this isn’t a thesis paper after all. For code, a good rule of thumb is to just _look_ at others sources, but write it on your own pages by hand rather than copy-pasting it without understanding. At the end of the day (or project) you should still have a clear answer to “did I write this page”? If you don’t, chances are you need to be putting in more of the effort yourself. ---
**Author:** ![orleansd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/orleansd/32/117560_2.png) [@orleansd](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/orleansd)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/4 "2019-02-22T16:45:57Z")
It sounds like you’re learning when looking at other projects. Internally, you’ll know if you just copied and zipped through it, or if you really learned and can do this. When in doubt, try doing a similar exercise all on your own to see if you’ve mastered the concept in question. If you’re cannot, you know what to do next. ---
**Author:** ![1-1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/1-1/32/110348_2.png) [@1-1](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/1-1)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/5 "2019-02-22T17:27:24Z")
If you’re going to take code from something like [w3schools.com](http://w3schools.com), dissect absolutely everything in the code (they have the TryIt Editor for a reason.) That’s how a lot of people (including myself) learn, by reverse engineering. ---
**Author:** ![DennnisDavis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/dennnisdavis/32/110903_2.png) [@DennnisDavis](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/DennnisDavis)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2019, 9:50am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/6 "2019-02-23T09:50:36Z")
It is better to avoid such scales, as they can be taken as plag. ---
**Author:** ![Cohors](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/cohors/32/110782_2.png) [@Cohors](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Cohors)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/7 "2019-02-26T16:11:16Z")
Thanks everyone this is all really great advice! Much Appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![ILM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/ilm/32/363239_2.png) [@ILM](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/ILM)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/projects-question-when-is-using-example-code-borrowing-inspiration-or-just-plain-plagurisim/260679/8 "2021-01-17T20:04:56Z")
Closed on January 17, 2021, 8:04pm UTC