Week 11

Research
Writing
Literature Review
Writing the Literature Review (Part 3): How to Reference, Integrate, and Avoid Plagiarism Without Losing Your Mind
Author

Dr Samuel Blay Nguah

Published

November 1, 2025

“The child who does not consult the elders walks with one leg.”

Looking Back

In Part 1, we learned that the literature review is not a dumping ground for every paper ever written, but a purposeful story that shows where your research fits. We explored how to find, select, and organise the right sources, moving from chaos to clarity.
In Part 2, we learned to analyse and synthesise the literature, not merely summarising what others said, but connecting ideas, identifying gaps, and shaping a logical flow. Together, those lessons built the backbone of your review.

Now, in Part 3, we address the final challenge: referencing, integrating, and protecting your hard work from the threat of plagiarism. It’s the housekeeping that makes your beautiful writing academically bulletproof.

Introduction

If your head spins every time you open Mendeley or Zotero, congratulations, you’re a real researcher. Referencing and integration are the parts of writing that make even caffeine rethink its life choices. But fear not; this final part of our literature review trilogy will walk you through the maze of referencing styles, show you how to weave your sources elegantly, and (most importantly) keep you from the dark abyss called plagiarism.

The Referencing Headache: Why It Matters

Imagine building a beautiful house, only to have someone claim the land isn’t yours. That’s what happens when you write without proper referencing. Referencing is the research world’s way of saying, “I didn’t make this up; here’s who did.” It’s both credit and insurance; credit for others, insurance for you.

Every citation you make tells your reader that your argument rests on solid scholarly shoulders. Without it, you’re just giving opinions in a lab coat. Even worse, plagiarism (intentional or not) can sink your academic credibility faster than a poorly timed meme in a viva presentation.

Think of references as your research family tree; they show your scholarly lineage. You might not like every ancestor, but they all had a role in making your work possible.

Choosing a Referencing Style

APA, Vancouver, Harvard, Chicago: Sounds like the guest list of an international conference nobody wants to attend. Each has its quirks:

  • APA (7th Edition): Loves brackets and dates. Ideal for social sciences and psychology.
  • Vancouver: Minimalist and numeric, great for medicine and clinical research.
  • Harvard: Flexible and widely used in many disciplines.
  • Chicago: Old-school, elegant, and perfect for the humanities.

The trick is to stick to one style and be consistent. Nothing says “I gave up at midnight” like switching from APA to Vancouver halfway through your reference list.

What about GCPS and WACP?

Both the West African College of Physicians (WACP) and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) generally require the Vancouver referencing style for dissertations, research reports, and journal submissions. This style uses numerical citations in the text, corresponding to a numbered reference list arranged in the order of appearance. The Vancouver style is concise, widely used in biomedical literature, and supported by most reference management tools such as Zotero, EndNote, and Mendeley. Adhering to this standardised format ensures consistency, credibility, and ease of cross-referencing across publications within the Colleges and affiliated journals.

Integrating Sources

A good literature review doesn’t read like a shopping list of citations. It’s a conversation between scholars, with you moderating the debate.

Bad integration:

Smith (2010) found that malaria is common. Jones (2015) found that malaria is dangerous. Brown (2020) found that malaria can be fatal.

Good integration:

Several studies (Smith, 2010; Jones, 2015; Brown, 2020) have consistently shown that malaria remains a significant threat, not only in prevalence but also in severity and outcomes.

Notice how the second version flows. It shows synthesis, not just citation. That’s the goal — weaving the literature into a coherent narrative that builds your argument.

Tools That Make Referencing Less Painful

Modern referencing tools are the closest thing to magic we get in academia. Try these:

  • Zotero: Free, flexible, and integrates beautifully with Word and Google Docs.
  • Mendeley: Great for managing PDFs and generating citations.
  • EndNote: A powerful (and pricey) beast loved by many institutions.

Pro tip: Always double-check the formatting. Even robots make mistakes, and no referencing software has yet mastered the dark art of italicising journal titles correctly every time.

Avoiding Plagiarism: The Gentle Art of Giving Credit

Plagiarism isn’t always deliberate. Sometimes it happens because we forget to paraphrase properly or overquote. To avoid it:

  1. Paraphrase smartly: Don’t just replace words with synonyms. Digest and restate in your own words.
  2. Quote sparingly: Direct quotes are like hot pepper, a little adds flavour, too much ruins the meal.
  3. Track your sources early: Don’t wait till the end to start adding references.
  4. Use plagiarism checkers: Tools like Turnitin, Grammarly, or Quetext help identify problem areas.

Remember, referencing isn’t punishment, it’s protection. Proper citation says, “I’ve done my homework.” That alone earns you credibility.

The End of the Beginning

With referencing mastered, you’ve conquered the final boss of literature review writing. You now have the power to craft reviews that are insightful, ethical, and elegantly sourced. You can integrate ideas without fear of plagiarism, defend your arguments with evidence, and even sleep knowing your reference list won’t haunt you in reviewer comments.

Take a bow, your literature review journey is complete (for now). Next week, we’ll dive into the conceptual and theoretical framework where ideas take form and theories meet reality.

References

  1. American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition. Washington, DC: APA; 2020.
  2. Lipson C. Cite Right: A Quick Guide to Citation Styles. 3rd Edition. University of Chicago Press, 2018.
  3. Booth WC, Colomb GG, Williams JM. The Craft of Research. 4th Edition. University of Chicago Press, 2016.
  4. Gibbs G. Analyzing Qualitative Data. SAGE Publications, 2018.