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Information and guidance on researching, referencing and writing for sixth formers and college students

Referencing and Plagiarism

Referencing is important in academic writing. It:

  • allows you to acknowledge your sources,
  • gives academic credibility to your work,
  • demonstrates your knowledge of a subject area,
  • prevents accusations of plagiarism.

You should always reference a source when:

  • using a direct quote
  • summarising a theory
  • discussing someone else's opinion
  • using case studies
  • quoting statistics or visual data
  • but not when stating your own opinion, observation or experience.

Plagiarism is "the process or practice of using another person's ideas or work and pretending that it is your own" (Cambridge Dictionary, undated). 

Referencing style guide

There are lots of different referencing styles available.  Whichever style you use it is important that you follow the guidelines for that style and are consistent.  

One style that is used at the University of Lincoln is the Harvard referencing style. The University of Lincoln Library Referencing Handbook: Harvard provides examples of different information sources: how to cite them within your text and how to include them in your reference list.

A circle with the front cover of the Harvard Referencing Handbook in it and the title around the outside

Reference list

Cambridge Dictionary (undated) Plagiarism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/plagiarism#google_vignette [accessed 7 August 2025].