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Quick guide to Harvard referencing (Cite Them Right)

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There are different versions of the Harvard referencing style. This guide is a quick introduction to the commonly-used Cite Them Right version. You will find further guidance available through the OU Library on the Cite Them Right Database .

For help and support with referencing and the full Cite Them Right guide, have a look at the Library’s page on referencing and plagiarism . If you need guidance referencing OU module material you can check out which sections of Cite Them Right are recommended when referencing physical and online module material .

This guide does not apply to OU Law undergraduate students . If you are studying a module beginning with W1xx, W2xx or W3xx, you should refer to the Quick guide to Cite Them Right referencing for Law modules .

Table of contents

In-text citations and full references.

  • Secondary referencing
  • Page numbers
  • Citing multiple sources published in the same year by the same author

Full reference examples

Referencing consists of two elements:

  • in-text citations, which are inserted in the body of your text and are included in the word count. An in-text citation gives the author(s) and publication date of a source you are referring to. If the publication date is not given, the phrase 'no date' is used instead of a date. If using direct quotations or you refer to a specific section in the source you also need the page number/s if available, or paragraph number for web pages.
  • full references, which are given in alphabetical order in reference list at the end of your work and are not included in the word count. Full references give full bibliographical information for all the sources you have referred to in the body of your text.

To see a reference list and intext citations check out this example assignment on Cite Them Right .

Difference between reference list and bibliography

a reference list only includes sources you have referred to in the body of your text

a bibliography includes sources you have referred to in the body of your text AND sources that were part of your background reading that you did not use in your assignment

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Examples of in-text citations

You need to include an in-text citation wherever you quote or paraphrase from a source. An in-text citation consists of the last name of the author(s), the year of publication, and a page number if relevant. There are a number of ways of incorporating in-text citations into your work - some examples are provided below. Alternatively you can see examples of setting out in-text citations in Cite Them Right .

It has been emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill (Harris, 2015).

OR

It has been emphasised by Harris (2015) that good referencing is an important academic skill.

It has been emphasised (Shah and Papadopoulos, 2015) that good referencing is an important academic skill.

OR

Shah and Papadopoulos (2015) emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill.

It has been emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill (Wong, Smith and Adebole, 2015).

OR

Wong, Smith and Adebole (2015) emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill.

It has been emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill (Wong , 2015).

OR

Wong (2015) emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill.

Note: When referencing a chapter of an edited book, your in-text citation should give the author(s) of the chapter.

It has been emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill (The Open University, 2015).

Information from The Open University (2015) emphasises that good referencing is an important academic skill.


It has been emphasised that good referencing is an important academic skill ( , 2015).

Information from (2015) emphasises that good referencing is an important academic skill.

You use secondary referencing when you want to refer to a source that is mentioned or quoted in the work you are reading.

To do this, you add the phrase ‘quoted in’ or ‘cited in’ (depending on whether the author of the secondary source is directly quoting or summarising from the primary source) to your intext citation, along with the details of the source that you are reading.

West (2007, quoted in Birch, 2017, p. 17) state that…
Positive identity can be affirmed in part by a supportive family environment (Leach, 2015, cited in The Open University, 2022).

You would then include full references to Birch and The Open University in your reference list as these are the sources that you have read. There is no change to the structure of the full reference for these sources.

You should include page numbers in your citation if you are quoting directly from or using ideas from a specific page or set of pages.

Add the abbreviation p. (or pp. if more than one page) before the page number(s).

Harris (2015, p. 5) argues that…

In the drying process "polyphenol oxidizing reactions" form new flavour compounds (Toker 2020, pp. 585–586)...

Add a lower case letter to the date in the in-text citation and in the matching full reference to distinguish between the sources.

: Snow is formed in part because the temperature drops enough that rain freezes (The Open University, 2022a), however the freezing temperature of water is often below 0°C under certain conditions (The Open University, 2022b).

The Open University (2022a) '1.2 What are clouds?'. . Available at: (Accessed: 22 November 2022).

The Open University (2022b) '1.3.1 Snow and ice'. . Available at: (Accessed: 22 November 2022).

Note: this only applies when you are using multiple different sources with the same author and year – if you are referring to the same source more than once then you do not need to add a letter to the date. The citation will be the same each time and you only need to include the source once in your reference list.

Online module materials

(Includes written online module activities, audio-visual material such as online tutorials, recordings or videos).

When referencing material from module websites, the date of publication is the year you started studying the module.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication/presentation) 'Title of item'. Module code: Module title . Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).

OR, if there is no named author:

The Open University (Year of publication/presentation) 'Title of item'. Module code: Module title . Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).

Rietdorf, K. and Bootman, M. (2022) 'Topic 3: Rare diseases'. S290: Investigating human health and disease . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1967195 (Accessed: 24 January 2023).

The Open University (2022) ‘3.1 The purposes of childhood and youth research’. EK313: Issues in research with children and young people . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1949633&section=1.3 (Accessed: 24 January 2023).

You can also use this template to reference videos and audio that are hosted on your module website:

The Open University (2022) ‘Video 2.7 An example of a Frith-Happé animation’. SK298: Brain, mind and mental health . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=2013014&section=4.9.6 (Accessed: 22 November 2022).

The Open University (2022) ‘Audio 2 Interview with Richard Sorabji (Part 2)’. A113: Revolutions . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=1960941&section=5.6 (Accessed: 22 November 2022).

Note: if a complete journal article has been uploaded to a module website, or if you have seen an article referred to on the website and then accessed the original version, reference the original journal article, and do not mention the module materials. If only an extract from an article is included in your module materials that you want to reference, you should use secondary referencing, with the module materials as the 'cited in' source, as described above.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of message', Title of discussion board , in Module code: Module title . Available at: URL of VLE (Accessed: date).

Fitzpatrick, M. (2022) ‘A215 - presentation of TMAs', Tutor group discussion & Workbook activities , in A215: Creative writing . Available at: https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/forumng/discuss.php?d=4209566 (Accessed: 24 January 2022).

Note: When an ebook looks like a printed book, with publication details and pagination, reference as a printed book.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title . Edition if later than first. Place of publication: publisher. Series and volume number if relevant.

For ebooks that do not contain print publication details

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title of book . Available at: DOI or URL (Accessed: date).

Example with one author:

Bell, J. (2014) Doing your research project . Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Adams, D. (1979) The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy . Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-ebooks (Accessed: 23 June 2021).

Example with two or three authors:

Goddard, J. and Barrett, S. (2015) The health needs of young people leaving care . Norwich: University of East Anglia, School of Social Work and Psychosocial Studies.

Example with four or more authors:

Young, H.D. et al. (2015) Sears and Zemansky's university physics . San Francisco, CA: Addison-Wesley.

Note: You can choose one or other method to reference four or more authors (unless your School requires you to name all authors in your reference list) and your approach should be consistent.

Note: Books that have an editor, or editors, where each chapter is written by a different author or authors.

Surname of chapter author, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of chapter or section', in Initial. Surname of book editor (ed.) Title of book . Place of publication: publisher, Page reference.

Franklin, A.W. (2012) 'Management of the problem', in S.M. Smith (ed.) The maltreatment of children . Lancaster: MTP, pp. 83–95.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Journal , volume number (issue number), page reference.

If accessed online:

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Journal , volume number (issue number), page reference. Available at: DOI or URL (if required) (Accessed: date).

Shirazi, T. (2010) 'Successful teaching placements in secondary schools: achieving QTS practical handbooks', European Journal of Teacher Education , 33(3), pp. 323–326.

Shirazi, T. (2010) 'Successful teaching placements in secondary schools: achieving QTS practical handbooks', European Journal of Teacher Education , 33(3), pp. 323–326. Available at: https://libezproxy.open.ac.uk/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/log... (Accessed: 27 January 2023).

Barke, M. and Mowl, G. (2016) 'Málaga – a failed resort of the early twentieth century?', Journal of Tourism History , 2(3), pp. 187–212. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/1755182X.2010.523145

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper , Day and month, Page reference.

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper , Day and month, Page reference if available. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Mansell, W. and Bloom, A. (2012) ‘£10,000 carrot to tempt physics experts’, The Guardian , 20 June, p. 5.

Roberts, D. and Ackerman, S. (2013) 'US draft resolution allows Obama 90 days for military action against Syria', The Guardian , 4 September. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/04/syria-strikes-draft-resolut... (Accessed: 9 September 2015).

Surname, Initial. (Year that the site was published/last updated) Title of web page . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Organisation (Year that the page was last updated) Title of web page . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Robinson, J. (2007) Social variation across the UK . Available at: https://www.bl.uk/british-accents-and-dialects/articles/social-variation... (Accessed: 21 November 2021).

The British Psychological Society (2018) Code of Ethics and Conduct . Available at: https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/bps-code-ethics-and-conduct (Accessed: 22 March 2019).

Note: Cite Them Right Online offers guidance for referencing webpages that do not include authors' names and dates. However, be extra vigilant about the suitability of such webpages.

Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of photograph . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Kitton, J. (2013) Golden sunset . Available at: https://www.jameskittophotography.co.uk/photo_8692150.html (Accessed: 21 November 2021).

stanitsa_dance (2021) Cossack dance ensemble . Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/COI_slphWJ_/ (Accessed: 13 June 2023).

Note: If no title can be found then replace it with a short description.

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Write it Right - A guide to Harvard referencing style

  • Referencing

The Harvard Referencing Style

What is citing, citing page numbers in text - some rules, using direct quotations, how to cite in the body of your text, secondary referencing, using charts, images, figures in the body of your text.

  • Paraphrasing
  • Reference List & Bibliography
  • Elements in References
  • Journal articles
  • Online journals
  • Newspaper articles
  • Online newspapers
  • Internet sources
  • Government and legal publications
  • Patents and standards
  • Miscellaneous

The Harvard referencing style (also known as ‘author-date’) is commonly used at TUS Midwest. There are two elements to the Harvard referencing style. This means when you reference using the Harvard system, you have to do two things: 

  • Include an author-date citation each time you refer to a source in the body of your essay. Note: also, include the page number if it is a direct quotation.
  • Compile a complete reference list of all the sources that you cited throughout your essay on a separate page at the end of your essay. Note: this list must be in alphabetical order according to the first author's surname.

In summary, when you are writing up your college projects, you must remember to acknowledge the other authors you are using in two places:

  • in the text of your assignment (in-text citations), and,
  • at the end of your assignment (reference list).

If you have used the author’s exact words (direct quotation) or the author’s ideas (paraphrasing) from a book, journal article, etc. you must acknowledge this in your text. This is referred to as in-text citing:

In-text citations give the brief (abbreviated) details of the work that you are quoting from, or to which you are referring in your text. These citations will then link to the full reference in the reference list at the end of your work, which is arranged in alphabetical order by author (Pears and Shields, 2019, p.7).

Author prominent citing  This citation method gives prominence to the author’s surname (family name) as part of your sentence with the date and page number in parentheses (round brackets).  Note : The page number is necessary if you are quoting directly. 


According to Davidson (2019, p. 370) ‘interest in designing greener meetings and events has been growing among business events professionals’.

Information prominent citing This citation method gives prominence to the information with the required referencing details in parentheses at the end of the citation.


Results revealed ‘interviewees placed a strong focus on the need for better education and promotion of electric vehicles in the Irish context’ (O’Neill et al., 2019, p. 123).

Author(s) name

  • For one author, use surname of author only. There is no need to include initials. Example - (Barr, 2016, p. 22)
  • For two authors, use both authors’ surnames linked by ‘and’.  Example - (Tabrizi and Rahmani, 2021, p. 13).
  • For three or more authors, use the first author’s surname and et al.   Example - (O'Neill  et al ., 2019, p. 120). 
  • Give full four digits for the year.

‘Ireland has contributed to, and being affected by, global warming’ (Robbins, 2020, p. 3). 
‘It has implemented a carbon tax and encouraged renewable energy development’ (Robbins, 2020, pp. 3-4)

According to Williams (2020, p. 12) ‘among the treasures to be collected from the woods are pine cones’.

Williams (2020) inspires readers to experience the natural world for themselves.

Quotations should be used sparingly, selected carefully, used in context, integrated into your text, and reproduced exactly (including the words, spelling, punctuation, capitalisation and paraphrasing of the original writer).  Short quotations Short quotations (fewer than 30 words) should:

  • be incorporated into your sentence without disrupting the flow of your paragraph,
  • have single quotation marks,
  • have the full stop after the citation, and,
  • keep the same font size.

According to Barr (2016, p. 22) ‘sustainability must be analysed on a number of different levels, from principles to concepts and then to application’.

Long quotations   Long quotations (more than 30 words) should:

  • be introduced in your own words,
  • begin on a new line,
  • be fully indented by default (i.e. 1.27 cm) from the left margin,
  • be in single line spacing.

Separate the quotation from the lead-in statement with one blank line. The lead-in statement ends with a colon(:). Separate the quotation from the text that follows it with one blank line.


The situation is described in relation to the West of Ireland: 

The decline of nature and people is no coincidence, although as farming and fishing incomes have declined, tourism has taken up some of the slack. Achill is a popular spot in summer and it is particularly geared towards water-based activities. It lies along the Wild Atlantic Way, billed as the world’s longest scenic drive (Fogarty, 2017, p. 292).

Green tourism is a relatively new phenomenon that is thriving in Ireland, particularly along scenic stretches of the Western seaboard. This type of tourism makes for a more sustainable way of living. It takes an environmentally friendly approach.

Quotation marks

  • Quotation marks are not used for longer quotations.
  • When using an information prominent long quotation, the full stop is included after the last sentence of the quotation after the citation.


The situation is described in relation to the West of Ireland: 

The decline of nature and people is no coincidence, although as farming and fishing incomes have declined, tourism has taken up some of the slack. Achill is a popular spot in summer and it is particularly geared towards water-based activities. It lies along the Wild Atlantic Way, billed as the world’s longest scenic drive (Fogarty, 2017, p. 292).

Words omitted from quotations

  • To omit unnecessary words from quotations, use an ellipsis … (3 dots). Note: Make sure the quotation still has the same meaning.

‘Achill is a popular spot in summer … It lies along the Wild Atlantic Way’ (Fogarty, 2017, p. 292).
  • If the quotation does not begin at the start of a sentence, an ellipsis should be used to convey this.

‘… tourism has taken up some of the slack’ (Fogarty, 2017, p. 292).

When you cite someone else’s work, you must state the author/editor and the date of publication. If the work has two authors/editors, you must cite both names. Don't forget to include page numbers for direct quotations.  There is no need to include the title, place of publication etc. These details are listed in the reference list at the end of your essay .  


As Juniper (2016, p. 16) explains, ‘more people create a greater demand for food, energy, water and other resources, driving pressures on the natural environment’.


As researchers point out, ‘so many aspects of our lives are only possible because we have access to reliable electricity’ (Ockwell and Byrne, 2017, p. 2).

For a work that has three or more authors/editors, the abbreviation, et al . is used after the first author’s name. 


According to Woodruff . (2016, p. 50) ‘the produced electricity from solar power plants is very low’.

For a work that has the same author/editor, and was written in the same year as an earlier citation, you must use a lower case letter after the date to differentiate between the two. 


The negative impacts of climate change pose a significant risk to the coastal areas of the county (Clare County Council, 2019a). Several initiatives have been put in place to help combat this, for example, Clare County Council (2019b) supports the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan with pollinator friendly planting.


Clare County Council (2019a) . Ennis: Clare County Council.
Clare County Council (2019b) . Ennis: Clare County Council. 

Citing from books with chapters written by different authors  Some books may contain chapters written by several different authors. In this case the author who wrote the chapter should be cited not the editor of the book.


‘A conservatory or greenhouse on the south side of a building can be thought of as a kind of habitable solar collector’ (Everett, 2018, p. 75).


Everett, B. (2018) 'Solar thermal energy', in Peake, S. (ed.) . 4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 57-114.

If you are reading a source by one author, for example, Garvey (2019) and he cites or quotes the work of another author, for example, Taylor (1996) you may cite or quote the original work, Taylor (1996) as a secondary reference. Note: It is always best practice to try and locate the original reference and secondary references should only be used if it is difficult to access the original work

Example In-text citation: Taylor’s observations (1996, cited in Garvey, 2019) are based on a genuine respect for nature.  OR  ‘Every living thing has a good of its own’ (Taylor, 1996, quoted in Garvey, 2019, p. 53).

Reference List: Garvey, J. (2019) The ethics of climate change: right and wrong in a warming world . London: Continuum.

Charts, images, figures etc. should be treated as direct quotations in that the author/editor, year and page number should be acknowledged in-text, and the full reference to the item should be listed in the reference list. 


The figure below (Attia, 2018, p. 192, fig. 7.1) illustrates the point.


Attia, S. (2018) Oxford: Elsevier Science & Technology. Available at: (Accessed: 4 September 2023).

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Harvard referencing quick guide: Sample assignment

  • Introduction
  • General guidelines
  • Citing and referencing material

Sample assignment

  • Referencing software

Citing and reference list example

The text to the right shows how citations and the reference list are typically written in the Harvard referencing style.

Note: the text itself is not designed to be a proper example of academic writing and does not use information from the sources cited; it is for illustrative purposes only.

The purpose of this assignment is to show common elements of the Harvard style of referencing in Dundalk Institute of Technology. It is not intended to be an example of good quality academic writing, and indeed may not make sense in general, but it should show you how citations and a reference list are formed in the Harvard style of referencing (Cameron 2021). If you include a “direct quotation from a book you have read” (Giddens and Sutton 2021, p.117) you should include the relevant page number.

You don’t always have to write the author and year in brackets. Cameron (2021) explains that if the author’s name occurs naturally in the text then the year follows it in brackets. If there are two authors you should include both of them in the citation (Levine and Munsch 2021). If there are three or more authors you don’t have to list all of the names in the citation but you should include them all in the reference list (Robbins et al. 2020). The reference list should appear at the end of your assignment and be in alphabetical order based on the first author’s surname (Bruen 2022) rather than the order in which they appear in your assignment ( Papagiannis  2022). If you are using a citation for a second time you do not need to include it twice in the reference list (Cameron 2021).

Referencing an academic journal that you find online requires more information in the reference list but uses the same format for citing as other sources (Tesseur 2022). If referencing a source from a library database you say from which database you found it (Mayombe 2021).

Don’t forget that websites need to be cited too (Dundalk Institute of Technology 2022). We recommend you look at the full version of DkIT’s Harvard referencing guidelines, and contact the Library if you have any questions. Good luck.

Reference list

Bruen, M. (2020). River flows. In: Kelly-Quinn, M. and Reynolds, J., eds.  Ireland’s rivers . Dublin: University College Dublin Press, pp.39-59.

Cameron, S. (2021). The business student's handbook: skills for study and employment . 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Dundalk Institute of Technology. (2022).  Research support  [online]. Available from: https://www.dkit.ie/research/research-support.html [accessed 25 March 2022].

Giddens, A. and Sutton, P.W. (2021).  Sociology . 9th ed. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Levine, L.E. and Munsch, J. (2021).  Child development: an active learning approach  [online]. 4th ed. London: SAGE Publications. Available from: https://books.google.ie/books?id=zlrZzQEACAAJ&dq [accessed 25 March 2022].

Mayombe, C. (2021). Partnership with stakeholders as innovative model of work-integrated learning for unemployed youths.  Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning  [online], 12(2), pp.309-327. Available from: Emerald Insight [accessed 25 March 2022].

Papagiannis, N. (2020).  Effective SEO and content marketing: the ultimate guide for maximizing free web traffic  [online]. Indianapolis: Wiley. Available from: EBSCOhost eBook Collection [accessed 25 March 2022].

Robbins, S.P., Coulter, M.A. and De Cenzo, D.A. (2020).  Fundamentals of management . 11th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Tesseur, W. (2022). Translation as inclusion? An analysis of international NGOs’ translation policy documents.  Language Problems and Language Planning  [online], 45(3), pp. 261-283. Available from: https://doras.dcu.ie/26151 [accessed 25 March 2022].

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Harvard Citation Style: All Examples

  • Introduction
  • Books / E-Books
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  • Lecture Notes
  • Multi-Media Formats
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  • All Examples
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  • Citation Support

In-text citations

Two or more works cited at one point in the text

If two or more works by different authors or authoring bodies are cited at one point in the text, use a semi-colon to separate them:

(Larsen 2000; Malinowski 1999)

The authors should be listed in alphabetical order.

Two or three authors or authoring bodies

When citing a work by two or three authors or authoring bodies, cite the names in the order in which they appear on the title page:

(Malinowski, Miller & Gupta 1995) 

In-Text & Reference List Examples

(Holt 1997) or Holt (1997) wrote that...

Holt, DH 1997, , Prentice-Hall, Sydney.
(McCarthy, William & Pascale 1997) McCarthey, EJ, William, DP & Pascale, GQ 1997, , Irwin, Sydney.
(Bond et al. 1996) Bond, WR, Smith, JT, Brown, KL & George, M 1996, , McGraw-Hill, Sydney.
(A history of Greece 1994) 1994, Irwin, Sydney.
(ed. Jones 1998) Jones, MD (ed.) 1998, , Academic Press, London.
(eds Bullinger & Warnecke 1985) Bullinger, HJ & Warnecke HJ (eds) 1985, , Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

(trans. Smith 2006)

Colorado, JA 2006, trans. K Smith, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
(Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics 2001) Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics 2001, , ABARE, Canberra.
A number of disturbing facts intrude' (Milkman 1998, p. 25) Milkman, R 1998, 'The new American workplace:high road or low road?' in , eds P Thompson & C Warhurst, Macmillan Press, London, pp. 22-34.
(Drafke, 2009) Drafke, M 2009, , 10th edn, Pearson/Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J
(Aghion & Durlauf 2005) Aghion, P & Durlauf, S (eds.) 2005, , Elsevier, Amsterdam. Available from: Elsevier books. [4 November 2004].
'Historical thinking is actually a Western perspective' (White 2002, p. 112) White, H 2002, 'The westernization of world history' in , ed J Rusen, Berghahn Books, New York pp. 111-119. Available from: ACLS Humanities E-Book. [14 May 2009].
(Bond 1991a) (Bond 1991b)

Bond, G 1991a, , McGraw-Hill, Sydney.

Bond, G 1991b, , Irwin, London.

(Conley & Galeson 1998) Conley, TG & Galeson, DW 1998, 'Nativity and wealth in mid-nineteenth century cities', , vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 468-493.
(Liveris 2011) Liveris, A 2011, 'Ethics as a strategy', , vol. 28, no. 2, pp.17-18. Available from: Proquest [23 June 2011].

(Improve indigenous housing 2007)

Available from: http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms?page=10220 . [8 February 2009].
(Jones, n.d.) Jones, MD n.d., . Available from: <http://www.architecture.com.au>. [6 June 2009].
(Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources 2006) Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources 2006, , Government of Australia, Available from: <http://www.innovation.gov.au>. [28 February 2009].
(Australian Securities Exchange 2009) Australian Securities Exchange 2009, . Available from: <http://www.asx.com.au/professionals/market_information/index.htm>. [5 July 2009].
(Newton 2007) Newton, A. 2007, Newcastle toolkit. 16 January 2007. . Available from: <https://elgg.leeds.ac.uk/libajn/weblog/>. [23 February 2007].
(OpenOffice.org 2005) OpenOffice.org, computer software 2005. Available from: <http://www.openoffice.org>. [11 January 2005].
(The Lunar Interior 2000) , 2000. Available from: <http://www.planetscapes.com/solar/browse/moon/moonint.jpg>. [28 November 2000].
(Aspect Huntley 2009) Aspect Huntley DatAnalysis 2009, . Available from: Aspect Huntley DatAnalysis. [20 May 2009].
(Datamonitor 2009) Datamonitor 2009, . Available from: Business Source Premier. [20 May 2009].
(Datastream 2009) Datastream, 2009, . Available from: Datastream. [20 May 2009].
(Riley 1992) Riley, D 1992, 'Industrial relations in Australian education', in Contemporary Australasian industrial relations: , ed. D. Blackmur, AIRAANZ, Sydney, pp. 124-140.
(Fan, Gordon & Pathak 2000) Fan, W, Gordon, MD & Pathak, R 2000, 'Personalization of search engine services for effective retrieval and knowledge management', , pp. 20-34. Available from: ACM Portal: ACM Digital Library. [24 June 2004].
(Brown & Caste 1990) Brown, S & Caste, V 2004, 'Integrated obstacle detection framework' Paper presented at the , IEEE, Detroit MI.
(Ionesco 2001) Ionesco, J 2001, 'Federal election: new Chip in politics', 23 October, p. 10.
(Meryment 2006) Meryment, E 2006, 'Distaff winemakers raise a glass of their own to their own', , 7 October, p. 5. Available from: Factiva. [2 February 2007].
(Hilts 1999) Hilts, PJ 1999, 'In forecasting their emotions, most people flunk out', 16 February. Available from <http://www.nytimes.com>. [19 February 2000].
( 7 January 2011, p. 12) Not required.
(Effective performance appraisals 1994) 1994, (video recording), Melbourne, Educational Media Australia.
(Crystal 1993) Crystal, L (executive producer) 1993, (television broadcast) 11 October 1993, New York and Washington DC, Public Broadcasting Service.
(Van Nuys 2007) Van Nuys, D (producer) 2007, 'The anatomy of a lobotomist [Show 84]', (podcast). Available from: <http://www.shrinkrapradio.com/>. [11 April 2007].
(Kloft 2006) Kloft, M (producer/director) 2006, The Nuremberg trials (motion picture), in M.Sameuls (executive producer), (podcast). Available from: <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rss/podcast_pb.xml>. [4 March 2006].

(Shocked 1992) Shocked, M 1992, 'Over the waterfall', on (CD). New York, Polygram Music.
(Norton 2006) Norton, R 2006, 'How to train a cat to operate a light switch' (video file). Available from: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vja83KLQXZs>. [4 November 2006].
(Cookson 1985) Cookson, AH 1985, , US Patent 4554399.
(Standards Australia 2008) Standards Australia 2008, AS 4758.1-2008. Available from: Standards Australia Online. [1 December 2008].
(Standards Australia/New Zealand Standard 1994) Standards Australia 1994, AS/NZS 3951.10:1994, Standards Australia, NSW.
(Jennings 1997) Jennings, P 1997, 'The performance and competitive advantage of small firms: a management perspective', , vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 63-75. Available from: The University of Western Australia Library Course Materials Online. [1 September 2004].
(Foster 2004) Foster, T 2004, , lecture notes distributed in Financial Accounting 101 at The University of Western Australia, Crawley on 2 November 2005.
(Hos 2005) Hos, JP 2005, Ph.D thesis, University of Western Australia.
(May 2007) May, B 2007, Bristol UK, Canopus Publishing.
(Baril 2006) Baril, M 2006, WU2006.0058. Available from: Australasian Digital Theses Program. [12 August 2008].
pers.comm.
(O'Reilly, cited in Byrne 2008) In the reference list provide the details of the author who has done the citing.
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referencing in an essay harvard

Harvard Style Citation and Referencing: a Detailed Guide from Experts

referencing in an essay harvard

Defining What is Harvard Citation Style and Referencing

From the first time we put our pen on paper, we're taught how important it is to give credit where it's needed. Whether a research paper outline or a doctoral dissertation, proper references, and citations are the foundation of academic work in any field. And when it's time to cite sources, there's one style that stands out: Harvard style. In this article, we will explore the nuances of Harvard style citations and help you navigate the complexity of this important academic tool.

Developed by the Harvard Graduate School for Education, the Harvard style citation is a Ferrari of citations designed for the ultimate advantage of your research. Harvard Style, like a sports car, is streamlined, precise, and designed for speed. From its inception at Harvard at the beginning 20th century, this style has become a standard of academic reference and has been praised for its clarity and sophistication.

Intended to be simple and accessible to all, the Harvard style quickly became popular in the mid-20s and is based upon using the date-author citation in the document text, together with the detailed list of references at the document's end. Nowadays that it has gained universal acknowledgment, Harvard referencing is a critical instrument for scientists in multiple disciplines, owing to its simple yet tasteful design that has endured for many years.

Importance of Using Harvard Style Citation Properly

Using Harvard style citations and references correctly is like putting a hidden weapon in the arsenal of your academics. It'll be more than just following rules; it'll be about proving your credibility and that your work is grounded in solid evidence and reliable sources. Therefore, proper citations and references are crucial for a wide range of purposes:

  • First, by acknowledging your sources, you avoid plagiarism and demonstrate that you've taken the necessary precautions and are not attempting to pass on someone else's work as yours.
  • Secondly, Harvard citation style and references allow readers to track their sources and verify their assertions. This is especially relevant in fields in which precision and accuracy are important, e.g., in the fields of science and technology.
  • Thirdly, using Harvard style citations and references shows you belong to a larger academic community and know their standards and norms. By conforming to the customary citation and referencing guidelines, you can communicate that you are a reliable and trustworthy scholar who values their work.

Before finding out more of the important details about the Harvard referencing style, you might want to delegate your ' Do My Math Homework ' request to our experts!

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Key Features of Harvard Style Citation and Referencing

Below are a few of the principal characteristics of Harvard Style that make it such a popular choice among scholars:

Feature Description Example
In-text citations For in-text citations, the Harvard citation style adopts a straightforward author-date structure, implying that, after a direct quotation or paraphrase, you should provide the author's last name and the date of publication in parenthesis. This way, your readers can quickly identify your sources of information without looking for a specific reference list. There is considerable debate within the literature on sustainable development about the relationship between sustainable development and economic growth (Mitlin, 1992)
Reference List A full reference list with complete bibliographic details for each work you referenced in your text is included at the conclusion of your paper. Reference lists in Harvard Style must follow a certain structure containing the author's name, the work's title, the year of publication, and other details. Example: Mitlin, D., 1992. Sustainable development: A guide to literature. , (1), pp.111-124.
Consistency Consistency is one of the hallmarks of Harvard Style, which means you should adhere to the same structure for all citations and references and include any relevant information.
Flexibility Books, journal articles, web pages, and other sources can all be formatted in Harvard Style. Depending on the kind of source, it also allows differences in the citation style.

How to Use Harvard Style Citation and Referencing

As was already established, references and citations in the Harvard style are commonly accepted. Therefore, you should take the required actions to ensure accurate citation. Let's adhere to these basic guidelines to give credit where credit is due:

Harvard Style Citation

Step 1: Understand the Basics The Harvard style requires a list of references at the end of the document that contains all the information about the sources and a text citation that includes the author's name and the year of publication. Before you begin, be sure you understand these fundamental principles.
Step 2: Collect Your Sources Before you begin, gather all the resources you'll need for the paper, such as books and websites. Make sure to write down all the pertinent details for each source, such as the author's name and title, the publication date, and the publisher.
Step 3: Create In-Text Citations In-text references must be used when using someone else's words or ideas in your writing. Usually, the cited passage or paraphrase is followed by a Harvard style in text citation. As long as it is obvious to whom it refers, it comes at the conclusion of the pertinent phrase. For example, (Neal, 2022).
Step 4: Create a Reference List Make a list of references towards the conclusion where you can discover all the information about each source. The author's last name and first initial appear at the top of the reference entry. Only the first word of the title and any proper nouns are capitalized. Similar to in-text citations, only the first author should be listed when there are four or more; beyond that, add 'et al.' to the end of the list.
Step 5: Check Your Formatting Make sure your references are properly formatted in accordance with Harvard Style Guidelines.

Harvard Style Guidelines include:

  • Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial in size 12.
  • Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
  • Use double spacing throughout the document, including the reference list.
  • Place a header on each page, which should include the title of your paper and the page number, located in the top right-hand corner.
  • Make sure to include a title page with your paper title, your name, the name of your institution, and the date of submission. Or you can always find out more on how to title an essay from our expert writers!
  • Use headings as a way to organize and simplify your paper with bold or italic letters.
  • Include in-text citations
  • Include a reference list at the end of your paper.

By selecting the button below, you may get a template from our research paper writing services that includes a sample of an essay cover page, headers, subheadings, and a reference list.

How to Reference Sources Without an Anchor on Date

In Harvard referencing, if you're citing a source without an explicit date, you can still provide as much information as possible to identify the source and omit the date. Here's how you could format it:

Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year, if available). Title of the work. Publisher. (if applicable) URL or DOI (if available).

For example, let's say you're citing a web page authored by John Smith, but there's no publication date available:

Smith, J. (n.d.). Title of the Web Page. Retrieved from http://www.example-website.com

In this example, "n.d." stands for "no date." This indicates to your reader that the publication date is unknown. It's important to include as much information as possible to help your readers locate the source themselves. If you're citing a printed source with no date, you can simply omit the date and provide the rest of the information as usual.

harvard citation tips

Common Errors and Pitfalls in Using Harvard Style

While the Harvard Style citation may seem straightforward, there are several common errors and pitfalls that students and researchers should be aware of to ensure they are using the style correctly.

One common error is forgetting to include page numbers when referencing a source. Harvard style requires that page numbers be included when citing a direct quote or paraphrasing from a source. Failing to include page numbers can make it difficult for readers to locate the information being cited and can result in lost points on an assignment or paper.

Another pitfall is the improper formatting of references. Harvard style requires specific formatting for different types of sources, such as italicizing book titles and using quotation marks for article titles. Failure to follow these guidelines can result in a loss of points and confusion for readers.

Another common mistake is inconsistency in formatting and citation styles. It is important to use the same style throughout a document, including in-text citations and the reference list. Mixing different styles can make the document difficult to read and may result in a lower grade. And, if this problem sounds familiar and you wish 'if only somebody could rewrite my essay ,' get our essay writing help in a flash!

Finally, another pitfall to avoid is relying too heavily on online Harvard referencing generator tools. They can be useful for creating references, although they are not always reliable and might not adhere to the exact rules of Harvard style. To guarantee that the references produced by these tools are accurate and in the right format, it is crucial to carefully review and adjust them.

Meanwhile, if you're not really feeling like dealing with the nitty-gritty of referencing your character analysis essay using Harvard style, no sweat! We've got your back on that one too.

Key Takeaways

In conclusion, knowing what is Harvard citation style and how to properly cite sources using this style is an essential ability for any student or researcher writing academically. The main lesson to be learned is that accurate citation not only shows academic honesty but also strengthens the authority of your work and backs up your claims. You may make sure that your writing is correctly referenced, structured, and accepted in the academic world by including these important lessons in it.

And if you feel like you need extra help, our expert paper writing services will provide you with a high-quality Harvard style citation example paper that demonstrates correct citation and formatting, giving you the knowledge and confidence to cite sources effectively in your own work!

Struggling to Write a Paper in Harvard Style Citation?

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How Do You Format a Citation in Harvard Style?

What is harvard citation and example, is harvard citation mla or apa, how to cite a source with multiple authors in harvard style.

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  • A-Z of Harvard references
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  • Journal article
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  • Newspaper article
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  • Radio and internet radio
  • Television advertisement
  • Television programme
  • Ancient text
  • Bibliography
  • Book (printed, one author or editor)
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  • Chapter in a book (print)
  • Collected works
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  • Thesis or dissertation
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  • Mathematical equation
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  • Installation
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  • Interview (on the internet)
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To be made up of:

  • Student name.
  • Year of submission (in round brackets).
  • Title of essay/assignment (in single quotation marks).
  • Module code: module title (in italics).
  • Institution.
  • Unpublished essay/assignment.

In-text citation:

(Jubb, 2014)

Reference List:

Jubb, A. (2014). 'Did the Allies win the battle of the Atlantic because of superior air power?',  L252: War Studies . University of Birmingham. Unpublished essay. 

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In APA style, you use parenthetical citations within the text of your paper to credit your sources, to show how recently your sources were published, and to refer your reader to a more detailed citation of the source in the reference list at the end of your paper. You should use parenthetical citations when you paraphrase, quote, or make any reference to another author's work. A parenthetical citation in APA style includes the author's last name as well as the year in which the work was published, with a comma between them. If you are referring directly to a specific page in the source, you should also include the page number in your parenthetical citation. APA requires you to cite page numbers when you are quoting directly from the source. If you are paraphrasing, which is more common in the social sciences, you generally do not need to include a page number. If you have questions about whether you should include page numbers when citing in APA, you should consult your instructor.

If you mention the author's name and/or the year of publication in the sentence preceding the citation, you do not need to include them in the parenthetical citation. When you name the author in the sentence, you should include the publication year in parentheses right after the author’s name—do not wait until the end of the sentence to provide that information.

When you include a parenthetical citation at the end of a sentence, the punctuation for your sentence appears after the citation.

Citing author and date in a parenthetical citation

When you don’t mention either the author or the date of publication in your sentence, you should include both the author and the year, separated by a comma, in the parenthetical citation. 

Colleges and universities need to create policies that foster inclusion for low-income students (Jack, 2019).         

Citing when author’s name is mentioned in body of paper

When you mention the author’s name in your sentence, the year of publication should immediately follow the author’s name.

Anthony Jack’s (2019) study of low-income students on an elite college campus revealed that these schools are often unprepared to support the students they admit.

Jack (2019) studied the ways low-income students experience elite college campuses.

Citing page numbers

When you cite a direct quote from the source or paraphrase a specific point from the source, you should include the page number in the parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence. When you refer to a specific page or pages of the text, first list the year of publication and then list "p." followed by the page number or "pp." followed by the range of pages. If you refer to a specific chapter, indicate that chapter after the year.              

The author contends that “higher education in America is highly unequal and disturbingly stratified” (Jack, 2019, p. 4).

Jack (2019) contends that “higher education in America is highly unequal and disturbingly stratified” (p. 4).

Citing sources with more than one author

When you cite a source that has two authors, you should separate their names with an ampersand in the parenthetical citation.

The authors designed a study to determine if social belonging can be encouraged among college students (Walton & Cohen, 2011). 

If a work has three or more authors , you should only include the first author's name followed by et al. ( Et al. is the shortened form of the Latin et alia , which means “and others.”)

The implementation of postpartum contraceptive programs is both costly and time consuming (Ling et al., 2020).

Attributing a point to more than one source  

To attribute a point or idea to multiple sources, list them in one parenthetical citation, ordered alphabetically by author and separated by semicolons. Works by the same author should be ordered chronologically, from oldest to most recent, with the publication dates separated by commas.

Students who possess cultural capital, measured by proxies like involvement in literature, art, and classical music, tend to perform better in school (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977; Dumais, 2002; Orr, 2003).

Citing multiple works by the same author 

If your reference list includes multiple works by the same author in the same year, identify them in your parenthetical citations and in your reference list by a lowercase letter after the year, assigning each letter in alphabetical order by the title of the work. When establishing the alphabetical order of works in your reference list, do not count the words "A" or "The" when they appear as the first word in a title.

One union-endorsed candidate publicly disagreed with the teachers' union on a number of issues (Borsuk, 1999a).

Citing multiple authors with the same last name        

If your reference list includes sources by multiple authors with the same last name, list each author's initials before their last name, even when the works were published in different years.

The question of whether a computer can be considered an author has been asked for longer than we might expect (B. Sobel, 2017).

Citing when no author is listed           

To refer to a work that is listed in your reference list by title rather than by author, cite the title or the first few words of the title.

The New York Times painted a bleak picture of the climate crisis (“Climate Change Is Not Negotiable,” 2022).

Citing when no date is listed

If the work you are citing has no date listed, you should put “n.d.” for “no date” in the parenthetical citation.

Writing research papers is challenging (Lam, n.d.). 

Citing a specific part of a source that is not a page number

To refer to a specific part of a source other than page number, add that after the author-date part of your citation. If it is not clear whether you are referring to a chapter, a paragraph, a time stamp, or a slide number, or other labeled part of a source, you should indicate the part you are referring to (chapter, para., etc.).

In the Stranger Things official trailer, the audience knows that something unusual is going to happen from the moment the boys get on their bicycles to ride off into the night (Duffer & Duffer, 0:16).

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  • Referencing home

Your reference list in Harvard style needs to include all the works you have cited in your assignment. It is placed at the end of your essay on a new page and has a specific format you need to follow.

This is an overview of the rules given in the  Style Manual  for creating a reference list.

Setting up your list

Page

Start your reference list on a new page, after the body of the work and any appendices

Order of list

Alphabetical by first author surname or the organisation's name

Author names

Preserve order of names in the publication

URLs

Include the URL at the end of the reference rather than hyperlinking the title, as the suggests, so that your readers/markers can easily locate your references if necessary

PDFs

If you’re citing a PDF, link to the page where the PDF is hosted instead of directly to the PDF

Titles

Capitalise the first word of the title of an article, chapter or book, as well as any proper nouns (e.g. person, place or entity)

Titles of parts of a publication (e.g. journal articles, newspaper articles, or chapters in an edited book) should be placed in single quotation marks

Titles of complete publications (e.g. journals, newspapers, books, reports) should be presented in italics

Punctuation

Use commas to separate elements after the title

Use a full stop at the end of the reference, except when the reference ends with a DOI or URL

Use an en dash and no spaces between page numbers (e.g. 72–74)

Uses parentheses around the year of publication

Formatting rules and examples

Author A (Year) 'Title of journal article', Title of Journal , Vol No.(Issue No.):page–page, doi:10.xxx

Alexander JC (2015) ‘Measuring, counting, interpreting: our debate on methods continues’, American Journal of Cultural Sociology , 3(3):309–310, doi:10.1057/ajcs.2015.13

Two or more authors

Author A and Author B

Author A, Author B and Author C

Poulin J and Matis S (2019) Social work practice: a competency-based approach , Springer. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/monash/reader.action?docID=5968733

Nankervis AR, Baird M, Coffey J and Shields J (2017) Human resource management: strategy and practice , 9th edn, Cengage Learning, South Melbourne.

Organisation as the author

Abbreviation of organisation (full name of organisation)

DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) (2021) Australia in brief , DFAT, accessed 21 July 2023. https://www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/australia-in-brief

  • The Style Manual states to use the abbreviation for the organisation's name in all in-text citations.

Anonymous/unknown author

Make sure that your in-text citation and reference list entry match. If you have used the name of a blog, website, newspaper, or magazine in your in-text citation in place of the author, use the same name in your reference list. If you have used the title of the work in place of the author in your in-text citation, use the title in place of the author in your reference list.

Multiple works by the same author

Author A (Yeara)

Author A (Yearb)

Smith A (2007a) 'Emerging in between: The multi-level governance of renewable energy in the English regions', Energy Policy, 35(12):6266–6280, doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2007.07.023

Smith A (2007b) 'Translating sustainabilities between green niches and socio-technical regimes', Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 19(4):427–450, doi:10.1080/09537320701403334

  • If there are multiple sources by the same author, arrange them in chronological order by publication year.
  • For more than one entry by the same author published in the same year, add a lower-case letter to the end of the year in both the citation and the reference list entry

Multiple works by different authors with the same surname

Miller A (2018) It’s a Matter of Fact : Teaching Students Research Skills in Today’s Information-Packed World, Taylor and Francis, doi:10.4324/9780203731680

Miller V (2021) Child sexual abuse inquiries and the Catholic Church: reassessing the evidence, Firenze University Press, http://digital.casalini.it/9788855182799

  • The order of appearance is determined by the author's initial.

Editors and translators

If the main creator of the source is an editor, reference the source under their name and include the abbreviation ed. (or eds. for more than one).

Translators

For translated works, complete the reference, and order the reference list based on the name of the original author of the work, not the translator.

DOIs and URLs

Reference with a doi.

Tharoor S (1990) ‘The universality of human rights and their relevance to developing countries’, Nordic Journal of International Law 59(1):139—152, doi:10.1163/157181090X00288

Reference with a database

Tharoor S (1990) ‘The universality of human rights and their relevance to developing countries’, Nordic Journal of International Law 59(1):139—152. (HeinOnline).

Reference with a URL

Tharoor S (1990) ‘The universality of human rights and their relevance to developing countries’, Nordic Journal of International Law 59(1):139—152, accessed 17 December 2020. https://brill.com/view/journals/nord/59/1/article-p139_15.xml

  • Many sources published online, including journal articles , government and industry publications , ebooks, and reports, have a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Include DOIs in your reference list if they exist as they are more stable than URLs.
  • DOIs sometimes have the form of a URL. If so, you don’t need to include the HTTP, etc., start at doi:10.xxx (etc).
  • If there is no DOI, include the database or the URL instead.

Example reference list

Gilman CP (2004) Social ethics: sociology and the future of society (Hill MR and Deegan MJ eds), Praeger, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/monash/detail.action?docID=494814

Halloran JT (2018) Population dynamics in the child welfare system , University of Chicago, accessed 1 February 2021, Proquest Dissertations Publishing.

Tsetsura K and Valentini C (2016) 'The “holy” triad in media ethics: a conceptual model for understanding global media ethics', Public Relations Review , 42(4):573–581, doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2016.03.013

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  • Next: Articles >>

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  • Reference a Website in Harvard Style | Templates & Examples

Reference a Website in Harvard Style | Templates & Examples

Published on 19 May 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 7 November 2022.

To reference a website in Harvard style , include the name of the author or organization, the year of publication, the title of the page, the URL, and the date on which you accessed the website.

example (Google, 2020)
template Author surname, initial. (Year) . Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Reference example Google (2020) . Available at: (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

Different formats are used for other kinds of online source, such as articles, social media posts and multimedia content. You can generate accurate Harvard references for all kinds of sources with our free reference generator:

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Table of contents

Online articles, social media posts, images, videos and podcasts, referencing websites with missing information, frequently asked questions about harvard website references.

Blog posts and online newspaper articles are both referenced in the same format: include the title of the article in quotation marks, the name of the blog or newspaper in italics, and the date of publication.

Harvard referencing: Blog
Template Author surname, initial. (Year) ‘Article Title’, , Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Rakich, N. (2020) ‘How does Biden stack up to past Democratic nominees?’, , 28 April. Available at: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-does-biden-stack-up-to-past-democratic-nominees/ (Accessed: 29 April 2020).
Harvard referencing: Newspaper article
Template Author surname, initial. (Year) ‘Article Title’, , Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Rayner, G. (2020) ‘Boris Johnson sets out three-step plan to end lockdown on long road to freedom’, , 10 May. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/05/10/go-back-work-boris-johnson-says-britons-set-long-road-freedom/ (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

The format for a magazine article is slightly different. Instead of a precise date, include the month, season, or volume and issue number, depending on what the magazine uses to identify its issues.

The URL and access date information are included only when the article is online-exclusive.

Harvard referencing: Magazine article
Template Author surname, initial. (Year) ‘Article Title’, , Volume(Issue) or (Month) or (Season). Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Taylor, P. (2020) ‘Susceptible, infectious, recovered’, , 42(9). Available at: https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n09/paul-taylor/susceptible-infectious-recovered (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

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To reference posts from social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, include the username and the platform in square brackets. Write usernames the way they appear on the platform, with the same capitalization and symbols.

If the post has a title, use it (in quotation marks). If the post is untitled, use the text of the post instead. Do not use italics. If the text is long, you can replace some of it with an ellipsis.

Harvard referencing: Social media post
Template Author surname, initial. [username] (Year) ‘Titleor text. [Website name] Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Dorsey, J. [@jack] (2018) We’re committing Twitter to help increase the collective health, openness, and civility of public conversation … [Twitter] 1 March. Available at: https://twitter.com/jack/status/969234275420655616 (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

Online content is referenced differently if it is in video, audio or image form.

To cite an image found online, such as an artwork, photograph, or infographic, include the image format (e.g. ‘Photograph’, ‘Oil on canvas’) in square brackets.

Harvard referencing: Images
Template Author surname, initial. (Year) [Medium]. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Taylor, P. (2020) [Photograph]. Available at: https://flic.kr/p/2iZBKhY (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

Online videos, such as those on YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo and Dailymotion, are cited similarly to general web pages. Where a video is uploaded under the name of an individual, write the name in the usual format. Otherwise, write the username of the uploader as it appears on the site.

If you want to locate a specific point in a video in an in-text citation, you can do so using a timestamp.

Harvard referencing: Videos
Template Author surname, initial. (Year) . Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Scribbr (2020) 23 January. Available at: https://youtu.be/Uk1pq8sb-eo (Accessed: 14 May 2020).

(Scribbr, 2020, 1:58)

For a podcast reference, you just need the name of the individual episode, not of the whole series. The word ‘Podcast’ is always included in square brackets. As with videos, you can use a timestamp to locate a specific point in the in-text citation.

Harvard referencing: Podcasts
Template Author/presenter surname, initial. (Year) [Podcast]. Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Example Carlin, D. (2017) [Podcast]. 24 January. Available at: https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-59-the-destroyer-of-worlds/ (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

(Carlin, 2017, 25:55)

Online sources are often missing information you would usually need for a citation: author, title or date. Here’s what to do when these details are not available.

When a website doesn’t list a specific individual author, you can usually find a corporate author to list instead. This is the organisation responsible for the source:

Harvard referencing: No author
Example (Google, 2020)

Google (2020) . Available at: (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

In cases where there’s no suitable corporate author (such as online dictionaries or Wikis), use the title of the source in the author position instead:

Harvard referencing: No corporate author
Example (‘Divest’, 2020)

‘Divest’ (2020) Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divest (Accessed: 29 April 2020).

In Harvard style, when a source doesn’t list a specific date of publication, replace it with the words ‘no date’ in both the in-text citation and the reference list. You should still include an access date:

Harvard referencing: No date
Example (Scribbr, no date)

Scribbr (no date) . Available at: https://www.scribbr.co.uk/category/referencing/ (Accessed: 11 May 2020).

It’s important to assess the reliability of information found online. Look for sources from established publications and institutions with expertise (e.g. peer-reviewed journals and government agencies).

The CRAAP test (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose) can aid you in assessing sources, as can our list of credible sources . You should generally avoid citing websites like Wikipedia that can be edited by anyone – instead, look for the original source of the information in the “References” section.

You can generally omit page numbers in your in-text citations of online sources which don’t have them. But when you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a particularly long online source, it’s useful to find an alternate location marker.

For text-based sources, you can use paragraph numbers (e.g. ‘para. 4’) or headings (e.g. ‘under “Methodology”’). With video or audio sources, use a timestamp (e.g. ‘10:15’).

In Harvard referencing, up to three author names are included in an in-text citation or reference list entry. When there are four or more authors, include only the first, followed by ‘ et al. ’

In-text citation Reference list
1 author (Smith, 2014) Smith, T. (2014) …
2 authors (Smith and Jones, 2014) Smith, T. and Jones, F. (2014) …
3 authors (Smith, Jones and Davies, 2014) Smith, T., Jones, F. and Davies, S. (2014) …
4+ authors (Smith , 2014) Smith, T. (2014) …

A Harvard in-text citation should appear in brackets every time you quote, paraphrase, or refer to information from a source.

The citation can appear immediately after the quotation or paraphrase, or at the end of the sentence. If you’re quoting, place the citation outside of the quotation marks but before any other punctuation like a comma or full stop.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2022, November 07). Reference a Website in Harvard Style | Templates & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 24 June 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/harvard-website-reference/

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Free Harvard Referencing Generator

Generate accurate Harvard reference lists quickly and for FREE, with MyBib!

🤔 What is a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator is a tool that automatically generates formatted academic references in the Harvard style.

It takes in relevant details about a source -- usually critical information like author names, article titles, publish dates, and URLs -- and adds the correct punctuation and formatting required by the Harvard referencing style.

The generated references can be copied into a reference list or bibliography, and then collectively appended to the end of an academic assignment. This is the standard way to give credit to sources used in the main body of an assignment.

👩‍🎓 Who uses a Harvard Referencing Generator?

Harvard is the main referencing style at colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also very popular in other English-speaking countries such as South Africa, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. University-level students in these countries are most likely to use a Harvard generator to aid them with their undergraduate assignments (and often post-graduate too).

🙌 Why should I use a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator solves two problems:

  • It provides a way to organise and keep track of the sources referenced in the content of an academic paper.
  • It ensures that references are formatted correctly -- inline with the Harvard referencing style -- and it does so considerably faster than writing them out manually.

A well-formatted and broad bibliography can account for up to 20% of the total grade for an undergraduate-level project, and using a generator tool can contribute significantly towards earning them.

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's Harvard Referencing Generator?

Here's how to use our reference generator:

  • If citing a book, website, journal, or video: enter the URL or title into the search bar at the top of the page and press the search button.
  • Choose the most relevant results from the list of search results.
  • Our generator will automatically locate the source details and format them in the correct Harvard format. You can make further changes if required.
  • Then either copy the formatted reference directly into your reference list by clicking the 'copy' button, or save it to your MyBib account for later.

MyBib supports the following for Harvard style:

⚙️ StylesHarvard, Harvard Cite Them Right
📚 SourcesWebsites, books, journals, newspapers
🔎 AutociteYes
📥 Download toMicrosoft Word, Google Docs

🍏 What other versions of Harvard referencing exist?

There isn't "one true way" to do Harvard referencing, and many universities have their own slightly different guidelines for the style. Our generator can adapt to handle the following list of different Harvard styles:

  • Cite Them Right
  • Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
  • University of the West of England (UWE)

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Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

referencing in an essay harvard

Example essay extract with citations and references list: Home

Example essay extract with citations and references list.

Below is an example essay, complete with citations and references.

Please remember this is a fictional essay purely designed to demonstrate how and when to reference. 

Embedding experiences and voices in research can “challenge [the] studied ignorance” around race (Arday and Mirza, 2018, p.v) and the academy’s role as gatekeeper of what is considered “relevant knowledge” (Lillis, 2003). Academic conventions around skills such as writing can be excluding, forming “constructions of difference […] that deepen misrecognitions and inequalities” (Burke, 2018, p.366). Lillis (2003) and Arday et al. (2021) both use narrative to listen to the ways in which black students’ experiences are ignored and the marginalising effect of a refusal to validate multiple ways of knowing.

References:

Arday, J., Belluigi, D. Z. and Thomas, D. (2021) Attempting to break the chain: reimaging inclusive pedagogy and decolonising the curriculum within the academy.  Educational Philosophy and Theory .  53 (3), pp.298-313.

Arday, J. and Mirza, H. S. (eds.) (2018) Dismantling race in higher education:  racism, whiteness and decolonising the academy . London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Burke, P. J. (2018) Trans/forming pedagogical spaces: race, belonging and recognition in higher education. In: Arday, J. and Mirza, H. S. (eds.) Dismantling race in higher education: racism, whiteness and decolonising the academy . London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.365-382.

Lillis, T. (2003) Student writing as ‘academic literacies’: drawing on Bakhtin to move from critique to design. Language and Education. 17 (5), pp.192-207.

  • Last Updated: Sep 22, 2023 12:51 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.northampton.ac.uk/harvard/exampleessay

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Harvard Referencing Guide

Appendix guidelines.

  • An appendix (plural appendices) contain material that belongs with your paper, rather than in it. They go at the very end of your paper, after your reference list.
  • The appendix can include text, tables, figures, or a combination of these.
  • Each appendix starts on a separate page.
  • If you have one appendix in your assessment, label the section, Appendix. If there are two or more, label each appendix with a capital letter (e.g. Appendix A, Appendix B etc).
  • … showed higher participation rates (see Appendix A).
  • As shown in Appendix B, the results …
  • If you have written the appendix and used outside materials, just insert the citations in the text of your appendix as normal, and include the full reference in the main reference list for your paper.
  • << Previous: Reference list
  • Next: Books >>
  • Last Updated: May 28, 2024 1:25 PM
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  • Referencing

Referencing explained

Why and when to reference.

Referencing is an important part of academic work. It puts your work in context, demonstrates the breadth and depth of your research, and acknowledges other people’s work. You should reference whenever you use someone else’s idea.

View video using Microsoft Stream (link opens in a new window, available for University members only)

These webpages explain what referencing is, why it is important and give an overview of the main elements of how to reference. Our Referencing made simple tutorial opens in a new window and covers how to identify your source and create a reference with interactive examples.

Why reference?

Referencing correctly:

  • helps you to avoid plagiarism by making it clear which ideas are your own and which are someone else’s
  • shows your understanding of the topic
  • gives supporting evidence for your ideas, arguments and opinions
  • allows others to identify the sources you have used.

When to reference

Whenever you use an idea from someone else's work, for example from a journal article, textbook or website, you should cite the original author to make it clear where that idea came from. This is the case regardless of whether you have paraphrased, summarised or directly quoted their work. This is a key part of good practice in academic writing.

Read more on:

  • academic integrity
  • quoting, summarising, paraphrasing, and synthesising
  • citing direct quotations in Leeds Harvard or citing direct quotations in Leeds Numeric styles.

University and school policies

The University referencing policy (PDF) sets out the referencing requirements that all taught students and tutors are expected to follow.

Each school in the University requires students to use a specific style of referencing. Check the referencing style used in your school before you begin.

All your citations and references should match the style you are using exactly, including any punctuation, capitalisation, italics and bold, and you should use the same referencing style throughout your assignment.

Model of a massive particle in the dynamic medium of reference theory. Explanation of the wave-corpuscle duality and de Broglie wavelength

  • Pignard, Olivier

The theory of the Dynamic Medium of Reference has already been presented in several articles, in particular O. Pignard, "Dynamic Medium of Reference: A new theory of gravitation" [Phys. Essays 32, 422 (2019)]. The objective of this article is to present a model of a massive particle within the framework of the Dynamic Medium of Reference theory. A concept of elementary wave on the subatomic level is introduced. An elementary wave is always identical to itself while being constantly renewed by new gravitons (entities that make up the medium of propagation of the wave). This elementary wave propagates in its medium (Dynamic Medium of Reference) at the speed of light, whatever its trajectory. A possible model of the elementary wave called vortex is presented in Appendix B. Then, the concept of line of vortices is introduced. The proposed model of a massive particle is then a set of lines of vortices. This model allows to explain that a massive particle has at the same time a wave aspect (because composed only of elementary waves) and a corpuscular aspect (since the elementary waves remain identical to themselves and that the massive particle remains delimited by the same volume). This model makes it possible to attribute to a massive particle a period T = γ ⋅ T 0 = T 0 / sin  , a pulsation or angular velocity Ω = ( Ω 0 / γ ) = Ω 0 sin  , an energy E = γ ⋅ m 0 c 0 2 = γ ⋅ E 0 = ( E O / sin  ) , and a momentum p = γ ⋅ m 0 V = ( m 0 c 0 / tan  ) , where T 0 , Ω 0 , E 0 , and m 0 are, respectively, the period, the pulsation, the energy, and the mass of the particle at rest in the Privileged Frame of Reference and  designates the angle defined by the relation cos  = V / c 0 , where V is the speed of the particle relative to the Privileged Frame of Reference. This same model also makes it possible to attribute to the massive particle the de Broglie wavelength of expression λ = ( h / p ) = λ 0 tan  with λ 0 = ( h / m 0 c 0 ) and a frequency of expression ν = ( c 0 / λ ) 2 + ( c 0 / λ 0 ) 2 = γ ⋅ ν 0 = ( ν 0 / sin  ) , where ν 0 = ( c 0 / λ 0 ) = ( m 0 c 0 2 / h ) represents the frequency of stationary elementary waves making circular revolutions when the particle is at rest in the Privileged Frame of Reference. Two types of configuration are considered for the particles of matter. In the first type of configuration, the lines of vortices are radial with a spherical envelope. This corresponds to particles of matter free in space, without any field. In the second type of configuration, the lines of vortices are parallel with a cylindrical envelope. This corresponds to nucleons (protons, neutrons) confined in an atomic nucleus by the strong force.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Harvard Referencing / Harvard Referencing Style Examples / How to Reference a Movie in Harvard Referencing Style

How to Reference a Movie in Harvard Referencing Style

This article will help you learn the correct way of citing a film based on the Harvard style of referencing. Specifically, you’ll need to cite your source in two places:

  • In your paper via an in-text citation
  • In your reference list via a full reference

An in-text citation is when you refer to the source material within the body of your work or text. The reference list is usually placed at the end of your work. It has a full reference for every source that has an in-text citation. The reference list goes beyond the in-text citation and gives a complete list of information about the works you have cited, so that the reader can find and read the original source.

If you are trying to cite a source that was posted on YouTube, you’ll instead need to know how to cite a YouTube video in Harvard style .

Here are some examples of how to reference films in Harvard style:

Film seen at the cinema

To reference a film seen at a cinema, you’ll need the following information:

  • Title (in italics)
  • Release year (in round brackets)
  • Director name
  • [Feature film]
  • Place of distribution: Distributor

The Help (2011) Directed by Tate Taylor. [Feature film]. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

For the in-text citation, the title of the film is used, followed by the release year separated by a comma, if the film title is not mentioned already. If the title is mentioned in the text, then only the year should be given, in round brackets.

The characters in The Help (2011) reveal…

The film showcases race relations during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi ( The Help , 2011).

Film from a streaming service

If you are referencing a film you viewed via a streaming service, here’s the information you’ll need for your reference:

  • Name of the streaming service or DOI
  • (Accessed: date)

Changeling (2008) Directed by Clint Eastwood. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 22 September 2020).

For the in-text citation, the title of the film and date are used, separated by a comma, if the film title is not already mentioned. If it is, then only the date is necessary.

In Changeling (2008), Angelina Jolie plays the character…

Angelina Jolie ( Changeling , 2008) plays the character of a mother whose…

Film from a physical copy (DVD/Blu-ray)

If you want to reference a film you viewed on DVD or Blu-ray, you’ll need the following information:

  • [DVD, catalogue number] or [Blu-ray, catalogue number] (in square brackets)

The BFG: Big Friendly Giant (2016) Directed by Steven Spielberg. [Blu-ray, 8042180]. Burbank, CA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

The in-text citation method is the same as in the previous two examples.

Key takeaways

  • The methods for referencing films and videos differ according to the mode of viewing.
  • The name of the film and year suffice for in-text citations of films viewed at the cinema, on DVD or through a streaming platform.

Published October 29, 2020.

Harvard Formatting Guide

Harvard Formatting

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  • In-text Citations
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  • Writing an Outline
  • View Harvard Guide

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IMAGES

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  6. Example with Harvard Referencing Free Essay Example

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VIDEO

  1. Harvard Style Referencing Made Easy Part Two. By Leonard Miller

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  6. How do I Harvard reference a Website?

COMMENTS

  1. A Quick Guide to Harvard Referencing

    When you cite a source with up to three authors, cite all authors' names. For four or more authors, list only the first name, followed by ' et al. ': Number of authors. In-text citation example. 1 author. (Davis, 2019) 2 authors. (Davis and Barrett, 2019) 3 authors.

  2. Harvard Referencing Style Guide

    Harvard referencing is a system that allows you to include information about the source materials. It is based on the author-date system. It includes references: 1) as in-text citations and 2) in a reference list (which is different from a bibliography). In-text citations: (Author Surname, Year Published). Reference list entry: Author Surname ...

  3. Quick guide to Harvard referencing (Cite Them Right)

    There are different versions of the Harvard referencing style. This guide is a quick introduction to the commonly-used Cite Them Right version. You will find further guidance available through the OU Library on the Cite Them Right Database. For help and support with referencing and the full Cite Them Right guide, have a look at the Library's ...

  4. How to reference an article in Harvard referencing style

    The name of the author in a newspaper article is referred to as a byline. Below are examples for citing an article both with and without a byline. Reference list (print) structure: Last name, F. (Year published). 'Article title', Newspaper name, Day Month, Page (s). Example: Hamilton, J. (2018).

  5. Harvard Style Bibliography

    Formatting a Harvard style bibliography. Sources are alphabetised by author last name. The heading 'Reference list' or 'Bibliography' appears at the top. Each new source appears on a new line, and when an entry for a single source extends onto a second line, a hanging indent is used: Harvard bibliography example.

  6. Write it Right

    The Harvard referencing style (also known as 'author-date') is commonly used at TUS Midwest. There are two elements to the Harvard referencing style. This means when you reference using the Harvard system, you have to do two things: Include an author-date citation each time you refer to a source in the body of your essay.

  7. Harvard In-Text Citation

    In Harvard style, citations appear in brackets in the text. An in-text citation consists of the last name of the author, the year of publication, and a page number if relevant. Up to three authors are included in Harvard in-text citations. If there are four or more authors, the citation is shortened with et al. Harvard in-text citation examples.

  8. LibGuides: Harvard referencing quick guide: Sample assignment

    Sample assignment. Sample assignment. The purpose of this assignment is to show common elements of the Harvard style of referencing in Dundalk Institute of Technology. It is not intended to be an example of good quality academic writing, and indeed may not make sense in general, but it should show you how citations and a reference list are ...

  9. Harvard Referencing Style Examples

    Reference example for the above in-text citation: Author Surname, Initials. (Publication Year) Title of the text in italics. Place of Publication: Publisher. Bloom, H. (2005) Novelists and novels. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. Below are Harvard referencing examples of in-text citations and reference list entries for the different ...

  10. Harvard Citation Style: All Examples

    In-text citations. Two or more works cited at one point in the text. If two or more works by different authors or authoring bodies are cited at one point in the text, use a semi-colon to separate them: (Larsen 2000; Malinowski 1999) The authors should be listed in alphabetical order. Two or three authors or authoring bodies.

  11. Example Essay with Harvard Referencing

    Butler et al (2010) assert that in this scenario, the Harvard referencing system stipulates that the citation should be listed alphabetically to avoid confusion. An example of this is as follows; Bach & Edwards (2012a) assert that human resource management is an essential core function and/or support function in any modern organisation.

  12. Complete Guide to Harvard Style Citation: Tips, Examples

    Harvard citation is a referencing style commonly used in academic writing to acknowledge the sources of information used in research papers and essays. In Harvard citation, each in-text citation includes the author's last name and the year of publication, allowing readers to locate the full bibliographic details in the reference list easily. ...

  13. Citing Sources

    First, you must include a parenthetical citation in the text of your paper that indicates the source of a particular quotation, paraphrased statement or idea, or fact; second, you must include a list of references at the end of your paper that enables readers to locate the sources you have used. You can read more about MLA style here and APA ...

  14. Guides and databases: Harvard: Student's own work

    This guide introduces the Harvard referencing style and includes examples of citations. Welcome Toggle Dropdown. A-Z of Harvard references ; Citing authors with Harvard ; Page numbers and punctuation ; ... Unpublished essay/assignment. In-text citation: (Jubb, 2014) Reference List:

  15. In-Text Citations

    In-Text Citations. In APA style, you use parenthetical citations within the text of your paper to credit your sources, to show how recently your sources were published, and to refer your reader to a more detailed citation of the source in the reference list at the end of your paper. You should use parenthetical citations when you paraphrase ...

  16. Reference list

    Reference list. Your reference list in Harvard style needs to include all the works you have cited in your assignment. It is placed at the end of your essay on a new page and has a specific format you need to follow. This is an overview of the rules given in the Style Manual for creating a reference list.

  17. Reference a Website in Harvard Style

    Revised on 7 November 2022. To reference a website in Harvard style, include the name of the author or organization, the year of publication, the title of the page, the URL, and the date on which you accessed the website. In-text citation example. (Google, 2020) Reference template. Author surname, initial.

  18. Free Harvard Referencing Generator [Updated for 2024]

    A Harvard Referencing Generator is a tool that automatically generates formatted academic references in the Harvard style. It takes in relevant details about a source -- usually critical information like author names, article titles, publish dates, and URLs -- and adds the correct punctuation and formatting required by the Harvard referencing style.

  19. Example essay extract with citations and references list: Home

    Below is an example essay, complete with citations and references. Please remember this is a fictional essay purely designed to demonstrate how and when to reference. Embedding experiences and voices in research can "challenge [the] studied ignorance" around race (Arday and Mirza, 2018, p.v) and the academy's role as gatekeeper of what is ...

  20. Library guides: Harvard Referencing Guide: Appendix

    An appendix (plural appendices) contain material that belongs with your paper, rather than in it. They go at the very end of your paper, after your reference list. The appendix can include text, tables, figures, or a combination of these. Each appendix starts on a separate page. If you have one appendix in your assessment, label the section ...

  21. Why and when to reference

    citing direct quotations in Leeds Harvard or citing direct quotations in Leeds Numeric styles. University and school policies. The University referencing policy (PDF) sets out the referencing requirements that all taught students and tutors are expected to follow. Each school in the University requires students to use a specific style of ...

  22. Model of a massive particle in the dynamic medium of reference theory

    The theory of the Dynamic Medium of Reference has already been presented in several articles, in particular O. Pignard, "Dynamic Medium of Reference: A new theory of gravitation" [Phys. Essays 32, 422 (2019)]. The objective of this article is to present a model of a massive particle within the framework of the Dynamic Medium of Reference theory. A concept of elementary wave on the subatomic ...

  23. How to Reference a Movie in Harvard Referencing Style

    Here are some examples of how to reference films in Harvard style: Film seen at the cinema. To reference a film seen at a cinema, you'll need the following information: Title (in italics) Release year (in round brackets) Director name [Feature film] Place of distribution: Distributor; Example: The Help (2011) Directed by Tate Taylor. [Feature ...