The Difference Between Referencing and Plagiarism

In academic work, using other people’s ideas is common—if you do it correctly. Problems arise when it becomes plagiarism. Understanding this boundary is a key skill for producing persuasive, well-developed academic writing.

When you directly quote from a source, you must reproduce the words exactly, place them in quotation marks, and give proper credit. The source should be noted either in parentheses immediately after the quote or in a footnote or endnote, depending on the referencing style you are following.

Rules for Direct Quotes:

• Repeat the text exactly—no changes allowed.
• Use quotation marks to show it’s a quote.
• Always provide the source.

Quoting from literature is usually straightforward—few people would claim Shakespeare’s words as their own. However, it can be harder to identify the line between expressing your own thoughts and referencing someone else’s ideas.

What Is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional use of another person’s words or ideas without giving them credit. It is considered intellectual theft and academic dishonesty. At university, plagiarism can lead to failing a course or even being denied a degree.

Many students struggle to distinguish between using research to support their own argument and copying someone else’s ideas. You may read several articles or books and naturally absorb the ideas you encounter, using them to help shape your own argument. That’s how academic research works—ideas build on each other.

However, even when you paraphrase instead of quoting directly, you still need to credit the source. Think of your argument as a structure—every “brick” you add should be clearly traced back to its origin.

Paraphrasing can be just as powerful as direct quoting, unless you find a concise statement that perfectly captures your point. In exam situations, paraphrasing can also save time compared to memorizing exact quotes, except when specific direct quotations are required (such as in English literature essays).

Correct Referencing Practices

Here’s an example:

“As Smith states in his article, Hamlet is essentially a play about ‘the dangers of navel-gazing.’”

Even if you’re not using Smith’s exact words, mentioning him and his article makes it clear the idea isn’t yours. What you can’t do is write: “Hamlet is essentially a play about the dangers of navel-gazing” without saying it came from Smith.

One exception is when you reference personal discussions—such as with your teacher or a friend. For instance, you don’t need to write: “Mrs. Smith, my teacher, believes Hamlet is a play about…”. As a general rule: if it’s published, reference it; if it’s from a personal conversation, you can omit the citation.

How to Avoid Accidental Plagiarism

• Do broad enough research to make sure you’re not unknowingly using a well-known published idea without crediting it.
• Take careful notes while researching. Students often plagiarise accidentally because they forget where an idea came from and end up presenting it as their own.

This mistake is common during heavy study periods, but by always recording the author and source for every idea you note down, you can significantly reduce the risk of plagiarism.