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BibGuru Harvard Referencing Generator

Cite websites, books, articles, ...

BibGuru Harvard Referencing Generator citation generator

What is Harvard referencing?

How do i reference in harvard, harvard referencing examples, helpful resources on harvard style, the ultimate guide to citing in harvard.

When you reference a work, you are acknowledging other people's contributions to your research. References can provide key background information, support or dispute your thesis, or offer important definitions and data. Referencing also shows that you have personally read the work.

When using the Harvard referencing style, you identify the sources you have used by citing them in text, enclosing partial citations within parentheses embedded in the text, either within or after a sentence. This referencing system is called the author-date system.

The in-text citations are followed by a full, alphabetised list of references in an end section. We will explain this in further detail below with plenty of examples.

Citing can be very complex, which is why we have created the BibGuru Harvard reference generator to help you focus on the content of your work instead of worrying about how to get your reference list done correctly.

Learn everything you need to know about Harvard citations on this page and in our Harvard citation guide . This guide is based on the 11th edition of Cite Them Right .

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I want to cite a ...

The Harvard style is one of the most widely used referencing styles in the world. This is most likely due to its simplicity and ease of use. There is no official manual, but many institutions offer their own Harvard reference style guides, which of course leads to slight nuances when it comes to punctuation and formatting rules.

The Harvard referencing style uses the author-date system for in-text citations, which means the author's surname and the year of publication in round brackets are placed within the text. If there is no discernible author, the title and date are used.

The reference list outlines all the sources directly cited in your work. It should be ordered alphabetically by the surname of the first author of each work. References with no author are ordered alphabetically by the first significant word of the title. Only the initials of the authors' given name are used, with no full stop and space between the initials.

Here is an example:

EXAMPLE In-text citation

There are five strategies to implement Diversity Management in companies (Cox, 2001).

EXAMPLE Reference list

Cox, T. (2001). Creating the multicultural organization. 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p.50.

When you cite you are referring to someone else's work or ideas in your text. In-text references give brief details of the work that you are quoting from, or which you are referring to, in your text. These references will then link to the full reference in the reference list at the end of your work. Footnotes or Endnotes are not used in the Harvard or other author-date citation styles.

When citing in-text, provide the author's surname and date of publication in brackets right after the borrowed information or at the end of the sentence. If you have already mentioned the author's name in the text, you only need to place the date of publication in brackets directly after where the author's surname is mentioned.

If you are only quoting a particular section of the source, instead of the whole book, you should also include a page number or range after the publication date. If the book has more than four authors, you do not need to write out all of their surnames. Use the first author’s surname followed by the abbreviation ‘et al.’, which means 'and others'.

The reference list at the end of your work should start on a new page and be arranged in alphabetical order. Italicise the titles of books, reports, etc. Beware that for journal articles, the name of the journal should be italicised instead of the title of the article you are citing. Make sure to capitalise the first letter of the publication title, the first letters of all main words in the title of a journal, and all first letters of a publication place and publisher.

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How to use Bibguru for Harvard citations

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  • Printed books
  • Journals and Magazines
  • Webpages and Websites
  • United Kingdom Legal Sources

The general referencing order for a book in Harvard for your reference list is:

  • Author/editor
  • Year of publication (in round brackets)
  • Title (in italics)
  • Place of publication: Publisher
  • Series and volume number (where relevant)

EXAMPLE Book with one author

All of those factors contribute to climate change (See, 2012).

Reference list

See, M. (2012) Greenhouse gas emissions: Global business aspects . Berlin, Germany: Springer.

EXAMPLE Book with two authors

Auerbach and Kotlikoff (1998) explain that a higher level of labor productivity means more output per person.
Auerbach, A. J. and Kotlikoff, L. J. (1998)  Macroeconomics: An integrated approach. 2nd ed. London, England: MIT Press.

EXAMPLE Book with an editor and multiple authors

.. as claimed by the authors (Raab et al., 2015).
Raab, M. et al. (eds.) (2015)  Performance psychology: Perception, action, cognition, and emotion . San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

EXAMPLE Ebook

.. as claimed by the authors (Christian and Griffiths, 2016).
Christian, B. and Griffiths, T. (2016)  Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions. London, England: William Collins. Available at: http://a.co/7qGBZAk.

Many journals have print and online equivalents, or they may just be available in print or in online editions. You should reference the version that you are using. As long as the journal reference provides enough bibliographic information for the article to be located by the reader, other elements - e.g. database title or URL - don't need to be included. However, if the article you are citing is only available online, you have to include the DOI or URL.

The general referencing order for a journal article in Harvard is:

  • Author (surname followed by initials)
  • Title of article (in single quotation marks)
  • Title of journal (in italics - capitalise first letter of each word in title, except for linking words)
  • Issue information (volume (unbracketed), and, where applicable, part number, month or season)
  • Page reference (if available)
  • If accessed online: DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

EXAMPLE Journal article

In their review of the literature (Norrie et al. , 2012)..
Norrie, C. et al. (2012) 'Doing it differently?' A review of literature on teaching reflective practice across health and social care professions', Reflective Practice , 13(4), pp. 565-578.

EXAMPLE Journal article with DOI

(McCauley and Christiansen, 2019)
McCauley, S. M. and Christiansen, M. H. (2019) “Language learning as language use: A cross-linguistic model of child language development,”  Psychological review , 126(1), pp. 1–51. doi: 10.1037/rev0000126.

Magazine articles

To cite a magazine article in Harvard, follow this citation order:

  • Title of magazine (in italics - capitalise first letter of each word in title, except for linking words)

EXAMPLE Electronic magazine article

The southern part of Kalahari has characteristics of a dry savanna ecosystem (Joubert, 2021).
Joubert, L. (2021) 'Rising heat puts the Kalahari’s ecosystem on the edge of survival', National Geographic, 27 July. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/rising-heat-puts-the-kalaharis-ecosystem-on-the-edge-of-survival-feature (Accessed: 28 July 2021).

The citation order for theses is the following:

  • Year of submission (in round brackets)
  • Title of thesis (in italics)
  • Degree statement
  • Degree-awarding body

EXAMPLE Doctoral thesis

Pradhan, S. (2021) Impacts of road construction on landsliding in Nepal. Doctoral thesis. Durham University. Available at: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/14069/ (Accessed: 28 July 2021).

When referencing information from the internet, make sure to distinguish what you are referring to. The internet is made up of a broad range of material - from journal articles to government publications, blogs, and images. This section shows you how to reference internet sites or web pages produced by individuals or organisations.

As always, the information you provide should be just enough for the reader to find the source. As material on the internet can be removed or changed, also note the date when you have accessed the information.

The defining element in referencing a website is the URL. It should be included in your reference list, but not in your in-text citation.

Citation order of a website with individual authors:

  • Year that the site was published/last updated (in round brackets)
  • Title of web page (in italics)
  • Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

EXAMPLE Websites with individual authors

McCarthy (2021) also says that wasted food significantly impacts climate change.
McCarthy, S. (2021) Over 1 Billion Tonnes More Food Being Wasted Than Previously Estimated, Contributing 10% of All Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Available at: https://www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/over-1-billion-tonnes-more-food-being-wasted-than-previously-estimated-contributing-10-of-all-greenhouse-gas-emissions (Accessed: 27 July 2021).

EXAMPLE Websites with organisations as authors

After identifying symptoms (National Health Service, 2018)...
National Health Service (2018) Check your symptoms . Available at: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/checkyoursymptoms (Accessed: 17 October 2018).

EXAMPLE Websites with no authors

.. and is considered a virtue (Altruism, 2021).
Altruism (2021)  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia . Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism (Accessed: August 24, 2021).

Blogs and Vlogs

Beware that blogs and vlogs are someone's opinion, and therefore might not provide objective, reasoned discussion of an issue. Use them together with reputable sources. This is the citation order for blogs:

  • Title of message (in single quotation marks)
  • Title of internet site (in italics)
  • Day/month of posted message

EXAMPLE Blog

Social channels help us share common interests (Liegl, 2021)
Liegl, J. (2021) 'Communicating with humanity', Several People Are Typing , 2 July. Available at: https://slack.com/intl/en-at/blog (Accessed: 28 July 2021).

Social Media

This would be the citation order for an Instagram post, but other social media websites follow the same order:

  • Author (Instagram account holder/poster)
  • Year posted (in round brackets)
  • Title of post (in single quotation marks)
  • [Instagram]

EXAMPLE Instagram post

.. by painting a sea horse (VeganArtShare, 2021).
VeganArtShare (2021) 'Tiny dancer of the sea.' [Instagram]. 25 June. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/CQjWYSWJDqT/ (Accessed: 24 August 2021).

Photographs

To reference a photograph from the internet, follow this citation order:

  • Photographer
  • Title of photograph (in italics)

EXAMPLE Photograph from the internet

His beautiful photograph (Kitto, 2013)...
Kitto, J. (2013) Golden Sunset. Available at: http://www.jameskitto.co.uk/photo_1827786.html (Accessed: 14 June 2018).

Television programmes

When viewing a television programme through a streaming service (e.g. Netflix), use the following citation order:

  • Title of programme (in italics)
  • Year of original broadcast (in round brackets)
  • Name of transmitting channel
  • Date and time of transmission (if available)
  • Available at: Name of streaming service (Accessed: date)

EXAMPLE Programme on Netflix

While this show is set in the Cold war era ( The Queen's Gambit , 2020),..
The Queen's Gambit (2020) Netflix Original, 12 January, 20:00. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 24 August 2021).

There is a multitude of different legal sources in the UK that we can use to explain referencing in Harvard. The safest way to get the correct reference is to use the BibGuru Harvard reference generator .

This is the citation order for papers from the House of Commons and House of Lords:

  • Parliament. House of ...
  • Year of Publication (in round brackets)
  • Paper number (in round brackets) - for House of Lords papers, the paper number is also in round brackets to distinguish it from identical House if Commons paper numbers

EXAMPLE Papers from the House of Commons and House of Lords

Parliamentary reports for the year included the criminal justice system (Parliament. House of Commons, 1999) and renewable energy (Parliament. House of Lords, 1999).
Parliament. House of Commons (1999) Criminal Justice: working together, Session 1999-2000 . (HC 1999-2000 29). London: The Stationery Office.
Parliament. House of Lords (1999) Electricity from renewables: first report from the Select Committee on the European Union . (HL 1999-2000 (18)). London: The Stationery Office.

While there is a multitude of details and specific rules on how to cite various publications or works in Harvard (magazines, online books, the internet, social media, legal sources, movies, etc.), you do not need to worry about getting your citations wrong with BibGuru. Use our BibGuru Harvard reference generator to create the fastest and most accurate Harvard citations possible.

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The APA style is a variant of the Harvard style. Both styles use author-date references in brackets right after the borrowed information or at the end of the sentence, and full references in the reference list. There are a few differences between APA and Harvard, you can learn more about them here .

Your Harvard paper should be double-spaced with smooth left margins. The Harvard Reference list is double-spaced too.

The Reference list is alphabetised by the author's surname and is double-spaced with a hanging indent, meaning that all but the first line have an indent. The margin can vary depending on your institution, but in general is 0.5.

In general, numbers below 101 should be spelled out. The same goes for large round numbers like "one thousand" or "twenty thousand", although 250,000 would be too long to spell out. Very large numbers, like 4.3 billion, should be expressed in figures. What is most important though is consistency. However, you choose to express numbers, be consistent with them throughout your paper. You can read more about this here .

The Harvard citation style uses the author-date system for in-text references, which means the author's surname and the year of publication in round brackets are placed within the text, not in footnotes. Only use footnotes within a Harvard formatted paper for explanatory notes that would not detract from the text, if necessary.

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If you're a student, academic, or teacher, and you're tired of the other bibliography and citation tools out there, then you're going to love MyBib. MyBib creates accurate citations automatically for books, journals, websites, and videos just by searching for a title or identifier (such as a URL or ISBN).

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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.

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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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Is the purpose to entertain, sell, persuade, or inform/teach ? Journal articles are often designed to inform or teach. Books and websites could have any of these or a combination of the purposes above. So it is important to determine why the source was created and if it is appropriate for your research. For websites in particular, looking at their "About Us" page or "Mission Statement" can help you evaluate purpose.

Accuracy is the reliability and truthfulness of the source. Here are a few indicators of an accurate source:

  • Citations or a works cited list. For websites, this can be links to other credible sites.
  • Evidence that backs up claims made by the author(s).
  • Text that is free of spelling and grammatical errors.
  • Information that matches that in other, credible sources.
  • Language that is unbiased and free of emotion.

Based on the above the source could be accurate, inaccurate, a mixture of accurate and inaccurate, or hard to tell.

Authority: Author

The author is the individual or organization who wrote the information in the book, in the journal article, or on the website. If no author is listed, there may be another contributor instead. For example, an editor or a translator. A credible author has:

  • Written several articles or books on the topic.
  • Provided contact information. For example, an email address, mailing address, social media account, etc.
  • The experience or qualifications to be an expert on the topic.

Authority: Publisher

The credibility of the publisher can contribute to the authority of a source. The publisher can be a person, company or organization. Authoritative publishers:

  • Accept responsibility for content.
  • Are often well-known.
  • Often publish multiple works on the same or related topics.

Relevance describes how related or important a source is to your topic. While a source may be credible, it does not necessarily mean it is relevant to your assignment. To determine relevance, you should:

  • Determine the website's intended audience. Look at the level of the information and the tone of the writing. For example, is it meant for academics or the general public?
  • Make sure that the information is related to your research topic.
  • Make sure that the information helps you answer your research question.

A publication date is an important part of evaluating the credibility of a source and its appropriateness for your topic. It is generally best to use content that was recently published or updated, but depending on your assignment, it may be appropriate to use older information. For example, a journal entry from Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War is too outdated to use in a discussion about modern politics and war, but would be appropriate for a paper about the Civil War. Consider the following when evaluating currency:

  • Was it published or updated recently? If a website, is there even a publication date listed?
  • Is the date of the source appropriate or inappropriate for my assignment?

After analyzing your source, do you believe it is credible, not credible, partially credible, or are you unsure? If you are still unsure, it may help to ask your instructor a librarian for assistance.

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Cite a Website in Harvard

Don't let plagiarism errors spoil your paper, consider your source's credibility. ask these questions:, contributor/author.

  • Has the author written several articles on the topic, and do they have the credentials to be an expert in their field?
  • Can you contact them? Do they have social media profiles?
  • Have other credible individuals referenced this source or author?
  • Book: What have reviews said about it?
  • What do you know about the publisher/sponsor? Are they well-respected?
  • Do they take responsibility for the content? Are they selective about what they publish?
  • Take a look at their other content. Do these other articles generally appear credible?
  • Does the author or the organization have a bias? Does bias make sense in relation to your argument?
  • Is the purpose of the content to inform, entertain, or to spread an agenda? Is there commercial intent?
  • Are there ads?
  • When was the source published or updated? Is there a date shown?
  • Does the publication date make sense in relation to the information presented to your argument?
  • Does the source even have a date?
  • Was it reproduced? If so, from where?
  • If it was reproduced, was it done so with permission? Copyright/disclaimer included?
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Cite any page or article with a single click right from your browser. The extension does the hard work for you by automatically grabbing the title, author(s), publication date, and everything else needed to whip up the perfect citation.

⚙️ StylesAPA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard
📚 Source typesWebsites, books, articles
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  • Introduction
  • Finding sources

Evaluating sources

  • Integrating sources

Citing sources

Tools and resources, a quick guide to working with sources.

Working with sources is an important skill that you’ll need throughout your academic career.

It includes knowing how to find relevant sources, assessing their authority and credibility, and understanding how to integrate sources into your work with proper referencing.

This quick guide will help you get started!

Finding relevant sources

Sources commonly used in academic writing include academic journals, scholarly books, websites, newspapers, and encyclopedias. There are three main places to look for such sources:

  • Research databases: Databases can be general or subject-specific. To get started, check out this list of databases by academic discipline . Another good starting point is Google Scholar .
  • Your institution’s library: Use your library’s database to narrow down your search using keywords to find relevant articles, books, and newspapers matching your topic.
  • Other online resources: Consult popular online sources like websites, blogs, or Wikipedia to find background information. Be sure to carefully evaluate the credibility of those online sources.

When using academic databases or search engines, you can use Boolean operators to refine your results.

Generate APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard citations in seconds

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In academic writing, your sources should be credible, up to date, and relevant to your research topic. Useful approaches to evaluating sources include the CRAAP test and lateral reading.

CRAAP is an abbreviation that reminds you of a set of questions to ask yourself when evaluating information.

  • Currency: Does the source reflect recent research?
  • Relevance: Is the source related to your research topic?
  • Authority: Is it a respected publication? Is the author an expert in their field?
  • Accuracy: Does the source support its arguments and conclusions with evidence?
  • Purpose: What is the author’s intention?

Lateral reading

Lateral reading means comparing your source to other sources. This allows you to:

  • Verify evidence
  • Contextualize information
  • Find potential weaknesses

If a source is using methods or drawing conclusions that are incompatible with other research in its field, it may not be reliable.

Integrating sources into your work

Once you have found information that you want to include in your paper, signal phrases can help you to introduce it. Here are a few examples:

FunctionExample sentenceSignal words and phrases
You present the author’s position neutrally, without any special emphasis. recent research, food services are responsible for one-third of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.According to, analyzes, asks, describes, discusses, explains, in the words of, notes, observes, points out, reports, writes
A position is taken in agreement with what came before.Recent research Einstein’s theory of general relativity by observing light from behind a black hole.Agrees, confirms, endorses, reinforces, promotes, supports
A position is taken for or against something, with the implication that the debate is ongoing.Allen Ginsberg artistic revision …Argues, contends, denies, insists, maintains

Following the signal phrase, you can choose to quote, paraphrase or summarize the source.

  • Quoting : This means including the exact words of another source in your paper. The quoted text must be enclosed in quotation marks or (for longer quotes) presented as a block quote . Quote a source when the meaning is difficult to convey in different words or when you want to analyze the language itself.
  • Paraphrasing : This means putting another person’s ideas into your own words. It allows you to integrate sources more smoothly into your text, maintaining a consistent voice. It also shows that you have understood the meaning of the source.
  • Summarizing : This means giving an overview of the essential points of a source. Summaries should be much shorter than the original text. You should describe the key points in your own words and not quote from the original text.

Whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source, you must include a citation crediting the original author.

Citing your sources is important because it:

  • Allows you to avoid plagiarism
  • Establishes the credentials of your sources
  • Backs up your arguments with evidence
  • Allows your reader to verify the legitimacy of your conclusions

The most common citation styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago style. Each citation style has specific rules for formatting citations.

Generate APA, MLA, Chicago,  and Harvard citations in seconds

Scribbr offers tons of tools and resources to make working with sources easier and faster. Take a look at our top picks:

  • Citation Generator: Automatically generate accurate references and in-text citations using Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator, MLA Citation Generator , Harvard Referencing Generator , and Chicago Citation Generator .
  • Plagiarism Checker : Detect plagiarism in your paper using the most accurate Turnitin-powered plagiarism software available to students.
  • AI Proofreader: Upload and improve unlimited documents and earn higher grades on your assignments. Try it for free!
  • Paraphrasing tool: Avoid accidental plagiarism and make your text sound better.
  • Grammar checker : Eliminate pesky spelling and grammar mistakes.
  • Summarizer: Read more in less time. Distill lengthy and complex texts down to their key points.
  • AI detector: Find out if your text was written with ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool. ChatGPT 2 & ChatGPT 3 supported.
  • Proofreading services : Have a human editor improve your writing.
  • Citation checker: Check your work for citation errors and missing citations.
  • Knowledge Base : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.

Harvard Format

Enter website URL

Cite a Website in Harvard

Author
Page Title
Website Name
Year Published
Date Accessed
URL

Cite a Book in Harvard

Author
Year Published
Book Title
Edition
City Published
Publisher

Cite a Journal Article in Harvard

Author
Year Published
Article Title
Journal
Volume
Issue
Pages Used
URL
Date Accessed

Cite a Movie in Harvard

Movie Title
Year Published
Director
City Published
Studio

Cite a YouTube Video in Harvard

Channel
Video Title
Date Uploaded
URL
Date Accessed

Harvard referencing originated in biology but is now more common in humanities, history, and social sciences. Read more on Wikipedia.

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  •  harvard website citation 
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Bibcitation is a free citation generator that creates bibliographies, references and works cited. Automatically generate MLA, APA, Chicago and other citations and create an accurate bibliography in one click.

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Our Complete Guide to Harvard Referencing Style

Laptop with screenshot on screen of manual for Harvard style

In this easy-to-follow guide, we're going to uncover the basics of the Harvard referencing style. You'll learn how to format in-text citations and create a complete reference list, just like the pros do. With our step-by-step examples, you'll quickly get the hang of including accurate Harvard citations in your work.

Find out how a Harvard citation generator can save you time and hassle. Learn how to nail the format of your citations and references every time. And see how building a Harvard bibliography isn't as scary as it seems.

Let's make Harvard citations easy!

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Harvard format overview.

The Harvard Referencing Style , created by Harvard University, is an author-date citation style extensively adopted across numerous academic disciplines. This style, with its clear rules for crafting in-text citations and reference lists, ensures uniformity and coherence in scholarly writing. Following these guidelines amplifies the legibility of your work and simplifies the process for others to comprehend and reference your research.

In the Harvard Style, there are two primary elements of citations: in-text citations and the reference list.

In-text citations are concise references included within the main body of your paper, signifying the origin of your data. They typically consist of the author's surname and the year of publication, with page numbers included when a direct quote is used. For example: (Smith, 2022) or for direct quotes (Smith, 2022, p.15).

The reference list , appearing at the end of your work, provides complete details for all sources referenced in-text, arranged alphabetically by the surname of the first author. It offers detailed bibliographic information, allowing readers to locate each source.

A sample reference list entry might be: Smith, J., 2022. The Art of Referencing. 1st ed. Cambridge: University Press.

This guide aims to simplify your understanding and creation of both in-text and reference list citations using the Harvard Referencing Style, helping you adhere to best practices in academic writing.

At Bibcitation.com, we understand the intricacies of Harvard referencing can be daunting. That's why we've created an intuitive Harvard citation generator. Simply input the necessary details, and we'll produce a perfectly formatted citation!

Insert Harvard In-text Citations

In the Harvard Referencing Style, in-text citations are brief references within the text of your paper, leading readers to the full citation in the reference list. These references usually include the author's last name and the year of publication.

The following examples illustrate in-text citations in the Harvard style:

Basic in-text citation: The most common in-text citation includes the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses, placed at the end of the sentence before the period. For example: (Smith, 2022) .

Multiple authors: If a source has two authors, include both last names in the citation, separated by 'and.' For example: (Smith and Johnson, 2022) . If a source has three or more authors, include the first author's last name followed by 'et al.' For example: (Smith et al., 2022) .

Multiple works by the same author: If citing multiple works by the same author in the same year, include a lowercase letter (a, b, c, etc.) after the year to differentiate between the sources. For example: (Smith, 2022a) and (Smith, 2022b) .

No author: If the source has no author, use the title (in italics) or a shortened version and the year. For example: (Anonymized Title, 2022) .

Citing multiple sources in one sentence: If referencing multiple sources in one sentence, separate each citation with a semicolon. For example: (Smith, 2022; Johnson, 2023) .

Direct quotations: When quoting directly from a source, include the page number where the quote was found. For example: (Smith, 2022, p.15) .

Secondary citations (quotations within a source): If citing a source that is itself citing another source, use 'cited in' before the indirect source. For example: (cited in Smith, 2022, p.15) .

Online sources without page numbers: When citing online sources without page numbers, use the author's last name and the year only. For example: (Smith, 2022) .

Audiovisual sources: If citing a film, television show, or other audiovisual source, use the title (italicized) and the year instead of a page number. For example: (Citizen Kane, 1941) .

For extended quotations , the Harvard style recommends using an indented paragraph without quotation marks. The in-text citation should come after the closing punctuation.

Smith (2022, p. 30) highlights the significance of accurate referencing:

Correct referencing is crucial in maintaining academic integrity and steering clear of plagiarism. By giving due credit to the original authors, you acknowledge their contribution to your work and enable your readers to trace the sources you have utilized.

Format Your Harvard Reference List

The reference list is a fundamental component of any academic paper or scholarly work using the Harvard citation style. It provides a detailed list of all the sources you've referred to in your paper, allowing your readers to locate and validate your research materials.

Here's how to format a reference list in the Harvard style:

  • Title and placement: The reference list should start on a fresh page at the end of your work. Centre the heading "References" (without quotation marks) at the top of the page. Do not bold, italicize, or underline the heading.
  • Spacing and margins: Employ double-spacing throughout the reference list. Keep 1-inch margins on all sides of the page. Each citation's first line should align with the left margin, while any subsequent lines should be indented by 0.5 inches, forming a hanging indent.
  • Organize your citations: Arrange the list of sources in alphabetical order by the author's last name. If a source lacks an author, use the title to order the entry. Ignore definite and indefinite articles ("a," "the") when arranging entries by title.
  • Formatting of entries: Follow the established format for each type of source (e.g., books, articles, websites) as prescribed by the Harvard style guide. Include pertinent information such as the author's name, the title of the work, the year of publication, and other relevant details like the publisher and the place of publication.
  • Pay attention to punctuation and capitalization: Use title case for titles, capitalizing the first word and all other major words. Ensure punctuation marks are consistently applied, following the Harvard style guidelines.
  • Check for accuracy: Always check each reference for correctness, including spelling, punctuation, and proper use of italics and capitalization.

Screenshot of a Harvard reference page

We hope that these guidelines will help you craft a meticulously organized and easily navigable Harvard style reference list.

Cite Books in Harvard

In Harvard style, when citing a book in the reference list, you generally need the following elements: author(s), year of publication, title, edition (if not the first), place of publication, and publisher.

For example:

For multiple authors, list the authors in the order they appear in the book, and separate the authors by a comma:

Remember, in the in-text citation, include the author(s) surname and year of publication. If directly quoting, include the page number as well.

Example: (Rowling, 1997, p.7) or (Martin and Garcia, 2014, p.85) .

Cite an edited book in Harvard: For an edited book, put the editor's name, followed by '(ed.)' after the title of the book.

Cite a book with multiple volumes: When citing from a multi-volume work, you need to include the volume number after the title.

Cite a translated book: For a translated book, list the translator(s) after the title. Use the abbreviation 'trans.' before the translator's name.

Cite a book edition: If the book is a different edition other than the first, you need to include that information in the citation.

Remember to always follow the general structure and adapt it according to these rules when such exceptions come into play while citing different types of books.

Cite Journal Articles in Harvard

When citing a journal article in Harvard format, follow this template:

In your text, you would then cite the work as (Smith, 2020).

When creating a Harvard citation for a journal article without issue or volume number , you can omit this information from the citation.

If you accessed the journal online , you should add the URL or DOI at the end of the citation.

If the journal article you're citing has multiple authors , list them in the order they appear in the article and separate them with commas:

Always tailor the general structure according to these rules when special cases arise while citing different types of journal articles. With this guide in hand, you're well equipped to cite journal articles in Harvard style effectively and accurately!

Cite Websites in Harvard

Citing websites is essential in the digital age, so let's dive into the nuances of citing websites using the Harvard referencing style.

In your text, you would then cite the work as (OpenAI, 2021) .

To cite a website with no publication date , use n.d. ('no date') in place of the year:

When citing a website without a known author , you can use the organization or website name:

To create a Harvard citation where no publisher is identified , use [no publisher] in the reference:

Remember to follow the general structure and adapt it according to these rules when exceptions come into play. With this guide, citing websites in the Harvard style is no longer a perplexing task but an exciting journey into the world of digital academia!

Cite Book Chapters in Harvard

When citing a chapter from a book in Harvard style, the required elements include: author(s) of the chapter, year of publication, title of chapter, in: editor(s) (Ed(s).), title of the book, edition (if not the first), publisher, and pages.

To create a Harvard in-text citation, you would then reference the work as (Johnson, 2017) .

Cite Newspapers & Magazine Articles in Harvard

This section aims to provide an overview on how to cite newspaper and magazine articles in Harvard style, featuring practical examples, as well as various exceptions you might come across.

Your in-text citation would look like: (Patterson, 2021) .

When citing a magazine or newspaper article available online , make sure to include the link to the source at the end of your Harvard citation:

If no page number or issue number is given , you can omit them from the citation:

We hope that our tips should give you the knowledge you need to confidently cite newspaper and magazine articles in the Harvard style, with a clear understanding of how to handle any exceptions that might arise.

Cite Conference Papers in Harvard

To cite a conference paper, you'll need to put together several key elements in the following format:

Then, your in-text citation will simply be (Doe & Roe, 2023) .

To cite conference proceedings published in a book , you will have to follow a slightly different format:

When referencing a keynote speech in the Harvard style , include the term 'keynote speech' in the citation:

Citing conference papers in the Harvard style may feel like navigating an intricate labyrinth, but fear not! With the right guide, it can become a smooth and satisfying journey. We hope that with Bibcitation, you are fully equipped to venture forth and tackle any conference paper citation, confidently navigating the rich and varied landscape of Harvard style referencing.

Cite Movies in Harvard

Movies, documentaries, and TV series often serve as substantial resources in various academic disciplines, including film studies, cultural studies, or history. In Harvard style, when citing films or DVDs, you would use the following format:

The in-text citation would look like this: (The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014) .

To cite a specific scene in the movie , you can include a time stamp in your in-text citation: (The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014: 00:32:45) .

When referencing TV series in Harvard , the format alters slightly. You would need to include the episode title and season and episode number:

To cite movies available on Netflix, Amazon Prime , and other streaming platforms, include the platform name:

We hope that these guidelines and examples will help you cite films and other audio-visual material in your research.

Cite Audio Materials in Harvard

Your in-text citation will be short and simple: (Radiohead, 1997) .

To cite a song accessed through an online music streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music, include the name of the platform in the citation:

When referencing podcasts in Harvard , the format slightly changes. Include the host, episode title, and the platform:

Similar to citing movies, if you need to reference a specific moment in the song, you can indicate the timestamp in your in-text citation: (Radiohead, 1997: 03:12) .

Cite Social Media Posts in Harvard

Social media has evolved to become an essential platform for communication, idea exchange, and knowledge sharing. From tweets to Facebook updates to Instagram posts, these forms of content often provide valuable insights for research, especially in areas like sociology, marketing, and digital humanities.

Here's how to correctly cite them in the Harvard referencing style, ensuring your research acknowledges these dynamic, virtual sources.

Your in-text citation will reference the account name: (NASA, 2022) .

To cite a Twitter post in Harvard , you would normally include the tweet itself as the title. The citation becomes:

For Facebook posts , the format remains mostly the same, but it is common to abbreviate Facebook to 'FB':

Remember, due to the ever-changing nature of social media, these citations might require adaptation based on the platform's current layout and available information.

Cite Artwork in Harvard

Artworks, from paintings to sculptures, represent the pinnacle of human creativity and aesthetics, often used as primary sources in art history, cultural studies, and humanities research. Properly referencing these artistic expressions in the Harvard style not only respects the artists' intellectual property but also provides a clear path for your readers to admire the masterpieces you're discussing.

The basic structure for citing artwork in Harvard style is:

The in-text citation would look like this: (Van Gogh, 1889) .

If you viewed the artwork online , your citation will need to include the URL and the date you accessed the image:

To reference a painting where the artist is unknown , begin with the title. If the year of the artwork is unknown, use the abbreviation 'n.d.' (no date):

Remember, the goal is to ensure anyone can locate the artwork you're referencing. With these guidelines, you're ready to illustrate your research with art citations in Harvard style!

Cite Theses & Dissertations in Harvard

Theses and dissertations serve as a treasure trove of knowledge and original research. These academic works are often used as resources in many fields of study. Therefore, it's crucial to understand how to cite these works correctly in the Harvard style. Buckle up as we dive into the intricacies of this citation journey.

The general structure for citing a thesis or dissertation in Harvard style is:

The in-text citation would look like this: (Smith, 2020) .

If you are looking to cite a thesis or dissertation that you accessed online , include the URL and the date you accessed it:

If the thesis or dissertation was accessed through a specific database or archive , make sure to mention it in the citation:

We hope that by following these guidelines, you'll be well-equipped to cite theses and dissertations in the Harvard style, adding valuable breadth and depth to your research.

Cite Databases & Data Sets in Harvard

In today's data-driven world, databases and data sets serve as valuable reservoirs of information, providing the cornerstone for numerous academic and scientific research endeavors.

This guide is specifically designed to aid you in citing databases and data sets effectively in Harvard style.

Typically, the structure for citing databases and data sets includes the author, year, title, type of data, version (if applicable), place of publication, and publisher, followed by the web address and accessed date. Here's how you do it:

The in-text citation would look like this: (World Bank, 2020) .

If you are citing a specific data point within a larger data set , it's recommended to indicate the relevant information in your citation:

When you can't identify the author of the dataset , which is usually the case with such sources, you can begin your citation with the name of the organization that published the document:

By adhering to these guidelines, you can appropriately reference databases and data sets in Harvard style.

Cite Course Materials & Lectures in Harvard

In academia, referencing course materials and lectures is a common practice. From lecture slides to course handouts, these resources offer a wealth of information that can be crucial for academic works. Citing them appropriately in the Harvard style is essential for giving due credit and allowing readers to track down the original resources if needed.

Below you will find the general structure for citing course materials:

The in-text citation would look like this: (Smith, 2023) .

To cite a lecture in the Harvard style , the citation could look like this:

For a printed course pack , the reference structure slightly changes:

Remember, when in doubt, the primary goal is to provide enough information for others to locate the same material you referenced. By following these guidelines, you can correctly reference course materials and lectures in the Harvard style, thereby strengthening the credibility of your academic work.

Cite YouTube Videos & TED Talks in Harvard

In the era of digital information, YouTube videos often become the source of information in academic and professional research. Whether it's a TED talk, a documentary snippet, or a lecture, the content on YouTube is rich and varied. But just like books, articles, and interviews, these resources also need to be cited correctly to acknowledge the creators and to maintain the credibility of your work.

The general structure for citing a YouTube video in Harvard style is as follows:

If you want to reference a specific point in the video, include a timestamp in your in-text citation, but not in the reference list entry: (Vsauce, 2021, 0:15) .

Cite Dictionaries and Encyclopedias in Harvard

Dictionaries and encyclopedias are often the unsung heroes of academic research. These repositories of knowledge provide researchers with key definitions and detailed explanations that lay the foundation for more complex arguments. Yet, correctly citing such sources following the Harvard style is paramount to maintain the integrity of your work and give credit where it's due.

Here's the basic structure for citing an entry from a dictionary or an encyclopedia:

In many cases, dictionary entries do not have identifiable authors. In such situations, you begin the citation with the title of the entry:

To cite an online dictionary or encyclopedia , the citation will follow this format:

When citing dictionaries and encyclopedias, be attentive to these specific cases. The aim is to provide enough accurate information for readers to locate the same sources you have used, thus ensuring the integrity of your academic work.

Cite Personal Communications in Harvard

When you're conducting research, not all information comes from books, articles, or websites. Sometimes, valuable insights are gained through personal communications - emails, interviews, conversations, or lectures that aren't recorded. The Harvard referencing style has a specific way to cite these sources to acknowledge these individual contributions.

Personal communications are cited slightly differently from most other sources. In Harvard style, they are cited within the text of your work, but do not appear in the reference list at the end, since they are untraceable and can't be accessed by others. The format is as follows:

(Author's initials. Author's surname, personal communication, Day Month Year)

If the communication is available in a recoverable format, such as emails that have been published, interviews available in an archive, or publicly accessible lecture notes, it should be cited according to the format of the source they are retrievable from.

For example, a published interview would be cited similarly to a book or an article, while accessible lecture notes would be cited as course materials.

It's important to get permission before citing personal communications to respect the privacy and rights of the individuals involved. Always make sure to cite accurately to maintain the integrity and reliability of your work.

Cite Secondary Sources in Harvard

In Harvard style, a secondary citation is indicated by citing both the original author and the source author in your text, but only including the source author in your reference list.

Here's the format for citing a secondary source within the text:

For instance, if you read about Einstein's work in a book written by Hawkins, the in-text citation would look like this:

Einstein's theory of relativity (Einstein, 1915, cited in Hawkins, 2001) revolutionized physics...

While secondary citations can be useful in some circumstances, they should be used sparingly. This is because secondary referencing can lead to the propagation of misinterpretations, as you are relying on one author's interpretation of another's work.

It is always best to find and cite the original source of information whenever possible.

Harvard Style: Final Notes

Having studied the ins and outs of the Harvard referencing format, it's clear that citations are a meticulous but vital part of any scholarly work. They ensure transparency, respect original authors' contributions, and lend credibility to your academic endeavor. In this comprehensive guide, we've aimed to illuminate the intricacies of Harvard referencing, covering everything from books to YouTube videos, and even those elusive secondary citations.

Navigating the citation universe can seem daunting, but remember, you're not alone. The team at Bibcitation, your trusted citation generator, is committed to streamlining the referencing process for you. We hope this guide has demystified Harvard referencing, and we're always here to help you in your quest for citation mastery. Here's to impeccable research papers, dissertations, and essays.

Keep writing, keep citing, and keep shining!

Harvard Citation Generator

If you’re looking for the best Harvard citation generator, you're in the right place! This free online tool will help you make Harvard-style references and in-text citations easily.

  • Journal article
  • Magazine/Newspaper Articles
  • Article or chapter in an edited book
  • Social media

To use this Harvard-style citation generator, take the following steps:

  • Pick your source type: book, journal article, website, etc.
  • Search for the details or enter the required information manually.
  • Get a properly formatted citation and a reference entry.
  • Create , save, edit, and download your bibliography lists.
  • ✅ The Tool’s Benefits

📖 Harvard Style Explained

  • In-text Citations

🔗 References

✅ harvard citation generator benefits.

Harvard citation style generator has numerous benefits to the users.

Below, you’ll find some of the benefits of this Harvard citation generator:

  • First of all, it’s free . You don’t have to pay to generate accurate citations since it is 100% free of charge.
  • Besides, it’s user-friendly . This online tool works faster than manual referencing and provides correct results after a few seconds.
  • Last but not least, it makes flawless references . This is a special tool for Harvard. It generates beautiful and correct references according to the format.

It is easy to guess that the Harvard style originates from Harvard university . It was first used in the 1880s. Nowadays, the Harvard referencing system is one of the most popular author-date methods .

What does this mean?

When citing using Harvard style, you must include the author’s name and date of publication. Harvard citation entails providing in-text citations and creating a detailed reference list .

General Guidelines

Harvard formatting style has several general rules :

  • The recommended font is Times New Roman or Arial with a 12 pt size.
  • Make your text double-spaced and aligned to the left of the paper.
  • Indent the first line of each reference by 0.5 inches.
  • Align the title at the center before the text. Capitalize the main words. Don’t underscore the title or make it bold, italics, or indented.
  • Don’t forget about the header . It should have your last name before the page number at the top corner of the page.

💬 Harvard Citation Format

The Harvard citation format contains two elements. These include in-text citations and references .

Harvard In-Text Citations

As the name suggests, Harvard in-text citations are added inside the text of your paper. They can be included as quotes, summaries, or paraphrases of the source. This reference type allows you to locate the exact section of the borrowed source.

Remember that the citation should appear in brackets after the sentence, quote, or paraphrase. Include the author’s last name and publication year or a page number if necessary.

You can present in-text citations in two ways:

  • Information-focused – this citation is normally positioned at the end of a statement or sentence.
  • Author-focused – the author’s name and date should follow each other inside the text. Don’t repeat the author’s name in the text.

Harvard In-text Citation Examples

Let us explore how in-text citations look in various situations.

When your source has one author, use the sir-name and the year of publication.

(Burnley 1995) or Burnley ( 1995 )

Multiple Authors

For multiple authors, use the last name of the first author and add et al., then the year of publication.

(Johnson et el. 2005) or Johnson et al. (2005)

For publications with no date, you should include n.d (no date) to replace the publication year.

Jones and Kelly (n.d) presented similar outcomes.

Some publications might not have the author’s name. In such a case, your citation must have the title and the publication year. If the title is lengthy, use the first few words.

(The doctor’s guide to medicine 1999)

Multiple Sources

When you include multiple sources in an in-text citation, you should use semicolons to separate the citations while placing the author’s names alphabetically. After listing the sources, enclose the citations in one parenthesis)

(Smith 2016; Burnley 2015; Jones and Peterson 2014)

Harvard Reference List

A reference list is a detailed representation of the sources cited in a document or paper.

It appears as a separate list at the end of the document and has the details on each source you have referenced.

Many students might need clarification on a reference list and a bibliography :

  • Reference lists usually contain all the entries that match the in-text citations.
  • Bibliographies also contain the sources you used in your research but did not add as the in-text citation.

Each reference has unique details depending on the source used. But generally, it should have the author’s name , date of publication, title , and location where the work was published.

Here are some general formatting principles:

  • The reference list must be on a separate page at the end of your paper.
  • The entry list must be arranged in alphabetical order . If there is no author, use the title of the source.
  • If you are citing multiple sources by one author, you can arrange by publication date.
  • Double-space the reference list and place a blank line between entries.
  • Include a full reference for all the in-text citations used in the text.

Let us look at a few Harvard Reference examples.

Citing a Book

Author’s last name, Initial. (Year of publication) . City: Publisher
Smith, P. (2005) . New York: University Press

Citing a Website

Author’s last name, Initial. (Year of publication) . Available at: URL (Date of access; day month year).
: Binge (2012) . Available at: (Accessed: 30 March 2022).

You must add the access date to web sources without a DOI (digital object identifier)

Citing a Journal Article

Author’s last name, Initial. (Publication year) ‘Title of Article’, , (Issue), pp. pager range.
McKenzie, D. (1980) ‘The Impact of Technology’, (2), pp. 140-160.

Thank you for reading this article! Note that we’ve developed citation generators for the most common formatting styles:

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The page contains a free Harvard citation generator with no registration or intrusive commercials. With this easy-to-use online tool, you’ll create an in-text reference or bibliography entry quickly and efficiently. There are also valuable tips and examples that will help you understand the basics of Harvard citation style.

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What is MLA Format?

MLA (Modern Language Association) citation format is commonly used in the humanities and liberal arts. In MLA style, you use in-text citations to give credit to the sources you have used in your research. These citations include the author's last name and the page number of the source material. In the list of works cited at the end of your paper, you should include full citations for all of the sources you have used, including the author's name, title of the work, publication information, and the medium of publication (such as print or web). It is important to follow the guidelines of the MLA citation format to ensure that your paper is properly formatted and that you are giving credit to the sources you have used.

What is APA Format?

APA (American Psychological Association) citation format is commonly used in the social sciences and education. In APA style, you also use in-text citations to give credit to the sources you have used in your research. The reference list at the end of the paper is called a "References" list and includes full citations for all of the sources you have used, with additional information such as the volume and issue number of a journal article. It is important to follow the guidelines of the APA citation format to ensure that your paper is properly formatted and that you are giving credit to the sources you have used.

What is Harvard Style?

Harvard citation style is a widely used style in the UK and other parts of the world. In Harvard style, you use in-text citations and a reference list to give credit to the sources you have used in your research. The citations include the author's last name and the year of publication only. It is important to follow the guidelines of the Harvard citation format to ensure that your paper is properly formatted and that you are giving credit to the sources you have used.

What is Chicago Style?

Chicago citation style is commonly used in the humanities and social sciences. In Chicago style, you use footnotes or endnotes to give credit to sources, and a bibliography at the end of the paper. The footnotes or endnotes include full citations for the sources, while the bibliography includes a list of all of the sources you have used in your research. It is important to follow the guidelines of the Chicago citation format to ensure that your paper is properly formatted and that you are giving credit to the sources you have used.

What is Vancouver Style?

Vancouver citation style is commonly used in the field of medicine. In Vancouver style, you use numerical citations within the text to give credit to the sources you have used in your research, and a reference list at the end of the paper. The reference list includes full citations for all of the sources you have used, with the sources numbered in the order that they are cited in the text. It is important to follow the guidelines of the Vancouver citation format to ensure that your paper is properly formatted and that you are giving credit to the sources you have used.

No sign up required! Start citing today, no sign up required!

Impact of Computing

Developing computational artifacts, people and computers, solving other problems at scale, monte carlo simulation, the digital divide, ethics and legalities of computing.

More often than not, developers work in teams to accomplish a shared goal. There are various models for collaboration such as pair programming, consultation for debugging, and splitting front end and back development. This idea of compartmentalizing code into various independent parts is called modularity. This allows us to easily add or modify existing projects without having to rewrite the entire thing from scratch. Imagine if every time our computers broke we had to buy an entirely new one. This may be the case, but if we can identify which part is broken or faulty we can replace just the broken component, saving us money and time.

Collaborating with others is about more than just programming. You have to communicate with one another about the design of the program. You’ll also have to consider the inputs and outputs each of you expect for your portion. You may not always agree so conflict resolution will be key to navigating the project. You’ll need to negotiate and ultimately come to some consensus with your team.

Although it is nearly impossible to consider all the ways your computational artifact can be used, it is important to consider the various ways it can be used both intentionally and unintentionally. These users could potentially have positive or negative effects on your project as a whole. For example, the world wide web was originally designed to provide a quick way to share information to the scientific community. Had users only used this technology for that purpose, we would not have the extensive access to resources that we do today, furthermore other fields such as medicine, engineering, communications, and the arts would have missed out on this technology since they were not the intended audience.

Scalability is a program’s ability to scale to accommodate larger data sets, or more generally, an increased work load. Scalability itself is not a discrete feature in a program but is a part of the design process, and is often a cooperation of software and hardware. As data sets grow, and thus increase the work load of a program, it becomes increasingly more important to consider program or database’s ability to accommodate any increase in data.

Large increases in users and data usually prompt businesses and developers to consider more scalable options. Consider if Facebook only used a database that could only store 10,000 rows of user information. That may have seemed like a lot when they started implementing their platform but over time usage grows and the need for more space becomes a necessity. One way that companies have handled their large user databases is with a concept known as sharding. This allows us to store a database in multiple databases using a shared key.

sharded database

Behind all the technology we use and interact is a person or, more likely, a team of people. The development of these new technologies have changed our lives drastically. Perhaps you remember rotary phones or landlines more generally.

landline

Landlines were physically connected to a telephone line. In the 1940s, companies like AT&T and Motorola developed mobile phones that were essentially just two-way radio signals.

mobile phone

It wasn’t until the early 90s that companies started integrating other features that we now consider trivial, like calculators and text messaging.

In this day and age, most everyone has a cell phone. Just like any other convenience, this technology too, comes with a cost. The average American spends about four hours on their phone in a day! While the original developers likely anticipated certain outcomes like more frequent communication with others, it seems unlikely that they anticipated the rate at which we would use them for things other than calling and texting.

Just as we have distributed computing solutions, whereby we can solve problems more efficiently by allowing multiple machines to run different tasks, we can have distributed science. Using technology, research can be carried out by people all over the world who can contribute data via their own computing devices. This is called citizen science.

In this way, other fields outside of computer science have developed more efficient and accurate systems to identify problems or concerns and develop and test solutions. Moreover, we can share these results with more people than we otherwise could have.

kickstarter

Platforms like Kickstarter and GoFundMe have adopted to similar models to fund all sorts of projects via their website. They use what’s referred to as crowdsourcing to connect start ups, social causes, and other organizations with funding. Each platform has a slightly different model but generally people see a product or cause they want to fund and contribute some amount of money (predetermined or otherwise). Over time more people contribute and eventually the group might reach their goal that they may have otherwise been able to do with a single funder.

Models and Simulations

Computer programs can be used to create models and simulations, to test hypotheses and generate new understanding and knowledge. Simulations can model existing knowledge (like finding the area of a circle) or help us explore phenomenon that could happen in the future (like predicting the damage caused by a natural disaster). Simulations are applicable in everyday life, from testing new car designs to modeling possible furniture arrangements. Taking advantage of simulations as a tool can help people and companies save time, money, and effort by modeling new ideas before putting them into production. We can often use simulations to model phenomenon that would be difficult given the constraints of the real world. If we wanted to simulate the trajectory of a rocket through space, that would be impossible because of the Earth’s gravitational pull.

Developing simulations take on a similar life as developing programs. It is unlikely that one could build a simulation to model a complex system all at once, top to bottom. We might try to modularize the system and design one part of it first. We could also simplify some of the underlying functionality of our simulation and get that part to work before building on top of that. Remember that just like our programs, bias can be embedded into the simulations we build depending on what assumptions and simplifications we make.

Aside from the mathematical equations that we may want to use in a simulation, we may also want to incorporate some degree of randomness. If there is a 30% chance of picking a winning ticket in a lottery, we could model this using a random number generator (also called an RNG) 1 . We can write this program such that the RNG would output any number between 0 and 9, where 0, 1, and 2 represent a winning ticket. The output every time this program ran would be different. We could implement this in C with the rand() and srand() functions. In rand() ’s documentation, we can see that rand() actually produces the same random numbers on every run, unless we specify a “seed” or initializer using srand() .

The digital divide describes the disparity between those who have access to technology and those who do not, including but not limited to access to a computer, the internet, or other hardware and software. It even more broadly describes the uneven distribution of usage between groups by socioeconomic status, race, gender, and geographical location. But it isn’t just groups that are affected by the digital divide. Within a group or community too, there are individuals who do have access or have limited access to computers and the internet.

There are many factors that contribute to the digital divide, such as:

  • physical accessibility
  • financial accessibility
  • accessibility for individuals with disabilities
  • cognitive accessibility

Solutions are rarely addressed at scale because because there is often “bigger fish to fry”. Human needs such as food supply and health care take precedence over digital inclusion.

When we consider technological resources and solutions, we need to consider who has access? Who benefits from this technology? Furthermore, are these concerns that are occurring locally for a particular solution or globally? Ultimately, we as individuals along with organizations and governments have the power to improve or worsen this divide.

Intellectual property refers to creations of the human mind. Things like trademarks, copyrights, and patents are all forms of intellectual property. Digital content is also subject to the laws around intellectual property. Content created on a computer is considered the intellectual property of the creator or organization.

Technology has made it easier than ever to create and distribute our creative works, but this is a two way street. With ease of access and distribution comes ease of unauthorized use and modification. Tools like BitTorrent and LimeWire are some such tools that enabled to peer to peer sharing of files, which were typically illegal copies of music, movies, and other digital media. This often brings up well warranted concerns of ownership, value, and use when it comes to digital information. Do you really own a movie that you purchased on Amazon Prime, or that song you bought on iTunes? If you then burn that to a disk or flash drive and give it to a friend, do they also have ownership of that property? You may seen a warning like the one below shown before the start of a movie. This is one measure taken to make user’s aware of the legal implications of unauthorized use.

warning

In a professional setting, most companies and organizations have employees sign contracts with an intellectual property clause. Typically, digital content you produce on the job is the property of the company or organization. Even in a personal setting it is a good idea to consider different measures to safeguard your own intellectual property. This could be as simple as encrypting your data or storing it somewhere that has taken other measures to protect your data.

There are ways to use others work legally. These products are typically labelled as open source or open access or licensed under the Creative Commons license. These licenses and labels allow us access to information that we may not have had access to otherwise, as well as contribute to this base of information for others to use.

CS50’s own curriculum is licensed under the Creative Commons’ Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. In short, anyone can use, share, or modify our work legally, so long as they credit us and distribute their work under the same license.

creative commons

The term open source is used to describe programs that are not only free to access and use but also to modify and extend for any purpose. Python is considered an open source software. People are continuously building and adding other features and modules to adapt it to their needs.

Open access refers to research output that is free of any and all restrictions. The Digital Public Library of America for is one such example, whereby users have access to millions of multimedia resources without restriction.

Regardless of how the information or material is licensed or labelled, it is a good idea to cite all sources, just as you would in a paper in your English class. Simply supplying a link to the site in a comment of your code can suffice.

In the exam reference sheet for the AP CSP exam, the syntax for a random number generator is RANDOM(a, b) where the return value is any number between a and b , inclusive.  ↩

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  • Chapter of an edited book
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  • DVD, video, or film
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  • Edited book
  • Encyclopedia article
  • Government publication
  • Music or recording
  • Online image or video
  • Presentation
  • Press release
  • Religious text

What is the Harvard Referencing System?

The Harvard style is a system that students, writers and researchers can use to incorporate other people’s quotes, findings and ideas into their work in order to support and validate their conclusions without breaching any intellectual property laws. The popular format is typically used in assignments and publications for humanities as well as natural, social and behavioural sciences.

It is a parenthetical referencing system that is made up of two main components:

  • In-text references including the author’s surname and the year of publication should be shown in brackets wherever another source has contributed to your work
  • A reference list outlining all of the sources directly cited in your work

Whilst in-text references are used to briefly indicate where you have directly quoted or paraphrased a source, your reference list is an alphabetised list of complete Harvard references that enables your reader to locate each source with ease. Each entry should be keyed to a corresponding parenthetical reference in the main body of your work, so that a reader can take an in-text citation and quickly retrieve the source from your reference list.

Note that some universities, and certain disciplines, may also require you to provide a bibliography. This is a detailed list of all of the material you have consulted throughout your research and preparation, and it will demonstrate the lengths you have gone to in researching your chosen topic.

‘Harvard referencing’ is an umbrella term for any referencing style that uses the author name and year of publication within the text to indicate where you have inserted a source. This author-date system appeals to both authors and readers of academic work. Scholars find the Harvard format an economical way of writing, and it is generally more accessible to the reader as there are no footnotes crowding the page. Only the name of the author, the publication date of the source and, if necessary, the page numbers are included in the parenthetical references, for example: (Joyce, 2008).

Looking for a Harvard referencing generator to create your fully-formatted in-text references and reference list in the blink of an eye? Cite This For Me’s generator lets you do just that – create your references quickly, simply and smartly. Stop giving yourself extra pain and work for no reason and sign up to Cite This For Me today – your only regret will be that you didn’t use our open-generator sooner!

Popular Harvard Referencing Examples

  • Chapter of a book
  • Conference proceedings 
  • Court case 
  • Dissertation 
  • Encyclopedia article 
  • Image online or video
  • Presentation or lecture
  • Video, film, or DVD

Cite This For Me’s Harvard Referencing Guide

The following guide provides you with everything you need to know to do justice to all your hard work and get a mark that reflects those sleepless nights. If you’re not sure how to format your Harvard references, what citations are, or are simply curious about Cite This For Me’s referencing generator, our guide will answer all of your questions whilst offering you a comprehensive introduction to the Harvard style. Keep reading to find out why you need to use a referencing system, how to add references in the body of your assignment, and how to compile a reference list.

Sometimes, students do not encounter referencing until they embark onto degree-level studies, yet it is a crucial academic skill that will propel you towards establishing yourself in the academic community. It’s a common mistake to leave citing and creating a complete and accurate bibliography until the very last minute, with Cite This For Me’s Harvard referencing generator you can cite-as-you-go.

So, if you need a helping hand with your referencing then why not try Cite This For Me’s automated referencing generator ? The generator accesses knowledge from across the web, assembling all of the relevant information into a fully-formatted reference list that clearly presents all of the sources that have contributed to your work. Using this generator to cite your sources in Harvard referencing enables you to cross the finishing line in style.

It is important to bear in mind that there is a plethora of different referencing styles out there – the use of any particular one depends on the preference of your university, subject, professor or the publication you are submitting the work to. If you’re unsure which style you should be using, consult your tutor and follow their guidelines. If your lecturer or department does not ask you to use a particular style, we recommend using Harvard referencing because it is simple to use and easy to learn.

The powerful open-access generator above will create your references in the ‘Harvard Cite Them Right (9th Edition)’ format as standard, but it can auto-generate references in 1,000+ styles. So, whether your professor has asked you to adopt APA referencing , or your discipline requires you to use AMA or MLA , we have the style you need. To accurately create references in a specific format, simply sign up to Cite This For Me for free and select your chosen style. Are you struggling with referencing an unfamiliar source type? Or feeling confused about whether to cite a piece of common knowledge? This guide will provide you with everything you need to get both your parenthetical Harvard references and reference list completed quickly and accurately.

Why do I Need to Reference?

Harvard referencing can be a confusing task, especially if you are new to the concept, but it’s absolutely essential. In fact, accurate and complete referencing can mean the difference between reaching your academic goals and damaging your reputation amongst scholars. Simply put – referencing is the citing of sources you have utilised to support your essay, research, conference or article etc.

Even if you are using our Harvard generator, understanding why you need to reference will go a long way in helping you to naturally integrate the process into your research and writing routine.

Firstly, whenever another source contributes to your work you must give the original author the appropriate credit in order to avoid plagiarism, even when you have completely reworded the information. The only exception to this rule is common knowledge – e.g. London is the capital city of England. Whilst plagiarism is not always intentional, it is easy to accidentally plagiarise your work when you are under pressure from imminent deadlines, you have managed your time ineffectively, or if you lack confidence when putting ideas into your own words. The consequences can be severe; deduction of marks at best, expulsion from university or legal action from the original author at worst. Find out more here.

This may sound overwhelming, but plagiarism can be easily avoided by using our Harvard referencing generator and carrying out your research and written work thoughtfully and responsibly. We have compiled a handy checklist to follow whilst you are working on an assignment.

How to avoid plagiarism:

  • Formulate a detailed plan – carefully outline both the relevant content you need to include, as well as how you plan on structuring your work
  • Keep track of your sources – record all of the relevant publication information as you go (e.g. If you are citing a book you should note the author or editor’s name(s), year of publication, title, edition number, city of publication and name of publisher). Carefully save each quote, word-for-word, and place it in inverted commas to differentiate it from your own words. Tired of interrupting your workflow to cite? Use our Harvard referencing tool to automate the process
  • Manage your time effectively – make use of time plans and targets, and give yourself enough time to read, write and proofread
  • When you are paraphrasing information, make sure that you use only your own words and a sentence structure that differs from the original text
  • Save all of your research and references in a safe place – organise and manage your references using Cite This For Me’s Harvard referencing generator.

If you carefully check your college or publisher’s advice and guidelines on citing and stick to this checklist, you should be confident that you will not be accused of plagiarism.

Secondly, proving that your writing is informed by appropriate academic reading will enhance your work’s authenticity. Academic writing values original thought that analyses and builds upon the ideas of other scholars. It is therefore important to use a Harvard referencing generator to accurately signpost where you have used someone else’s ideas in order to show that your writing is based on knowledge and informed by appropriate academic reading. This will show your reader that you have delved deeply into your chosen topic and supported your thesis with expert opinions.

Here at Cite This For Me we understand how precious your time is, which is why we created our Harvard reference generator and guide to help relieve the unnecessary stress of referencing. Escape assignment-hell and give yourself more time to focus on the content of your work by using Cite This For Me’s reference management tool.

Harvard Referencing Guidelines by School

  • Anglia University Harvard Referencing
  • Bournemouth University Harvard Referencing
  • Cardiff University Harvard Referencing
  • Coventry University Harvard Referencing
  • DMU Harvard Referencing
  • Edge Hill University Harvard Referencing
  • Imperial College University Harvard Referencing
  • Leeds University Harvard Referencing
  • LSBU Harvard Referencing
  • MMU Harvard Referencing
  • SHU Harvard Referencing
  • Staffordshire University Harvard Referencing
  • UCA Harvard Referencing
  • UWE Harvard Referencing
  • UWS Harvard Referencing
  • Wolverhampton University Harvard Referencing

How do I Create and Format Harvard Style In-text References?

In-text Harvard references are the perfect way to seamlessly integrate sources into your work, allowing you to strengthen the connection between your own ideas, and the source material that you have found, with ease. It is worth noting that in-text references must be included in your assignment’s final word count.

When adopting Harvard style referencing in your work, if you are inserting a quote, statement, statistic or any other kind of source information into the main body of your essay you should:

  • Provide the author’s surname and date of publication in brackets right after the taken information or at the end of the sentence

There are many assumptions when it comes to the information processing approach to cognition… (Lutz and Huitt, 2004).

  • If you have already mentioned the author in the sentence, Harvard referencing only requires you to enter the year of publication in parentheses, directly after where the author’s surname is mentioned

In the overview of these developmental theories, Lutz and Huitt (2004) suggest that…

  • If you are quoting a particular section of the source (rather than the entire work), you should also include a page number, or page range, after the date, within the parenthetical Harvard reference

“…the development of meaning is more important than the acquisition of a large set of knowledge or skills …” (Lutz and Huitt, 2004, p. 8), which means that …

  • Note that if the source has four or more authors, you do not need to write out all of their surnames; simply use the first author’s surname followed by the abbreviation ‘et al.’ (meaning ‘and others’) in italics

“…the findings proved that a large sample size was needed in order to attain conclusive test results” (Downington et al., 2019).

  • If you are reading a source by one author and they cite work by another author, you may cite that original work as a secondary reference. You are encouraged to track down the original source – usually this is possible to do by consulting the author’s reference list – but if you are unable to access it, you must only cite the source you did consult as you did not actually read the original document. Include the words ‘cited in’ in the in-text reference to indicate this.

Fong’s 1987 study (cited in Bertram 1997) found that older students’ memory can be as good as that of young people…

Older students’ memory can be as good as that of young people (Fong, cited in Bertram 1997).

  • If you are citing a religious work such as the Bible, Torah, or Qur’an, the reference in the text of the paper should include three items: the title of the book, the chapter, and the verse. Do not include page numbers as the page numbers can vary, depending on the edition and format.

“Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram” (Kings 2: 14).

Why use a Harvard referencing tool? As well as saving you valuable time, the Cite This For Me generator could help enable you to easily avoid common errors when formatting your in-text citations. So, if you’re looking for an easy way to credit your source material, simply login to your Cite This For Me account, select ‘Harvard – Cite Them Right 10th Edition’, then ‘Create reference’, to copy, save and export your in-text references instantly.

How Do I Format My Reference List?

Utilising and building on a wide range of relevant sources is a guaranteed way of impressing your reader, and a comprehensive list of the source material you have used is the perfect platform to exhibit your research efforts. A reference list is always required when you cite other people’s work within your assignment, and the brief in-text Harvard references in your work should directly link to your reference list.

As a general rule a reference list includes every source that you have cited in your work, whilst a bibliography also contains any relevant background reading which you have consulted (even those sources that are never mentioned in the narrative). Your bibliography should start on its own page, with the same formatting as the rest of the paper and aligned to the left with the sources listed alphabetically. Many people use the terms ‘reference list’ and ‘bibliography’ interchangeably, and if you are using Harvard referencing you may be required to provide a bibliography as well as a reference list, so be sure to check this with your tutor.

Follow these guidelines when compiling your reference list:

  • Start your reference list on a new page at the end of your document
  • General formatting should be in keeping with the rest of your work
  • Use ‘Reference List’ as the heading
  • Copy each of your full-length Harvard references from the generator into a list
  • Arrange the list in alphabetical order by the author’s last name (titles with no author are alphabetised by the work’s title, and if you are citing two or more sources by the same author they should be listed in chronological order of the year of publication)
  • When there are several works from one author or source, they should be listed together but in date order – with the earliest work listed first
  • Italicise titles of books, reports, conference proceedings etc. For journal articles, the title of the journal should be printed in italics, rather than the title of the journal article
  • Capitalise the first letter of the publication title, the first letters of all main words in the title of a journal, and all first letters of a place name and publisher

Creating and managing your reference list with the Cite This For Me Harvard referencing generator will help change the way you reference and conduct research.

Reference list / bibliography examples:

  • Book, one author:

Bell, J. (2010) Doing your research project . 5th edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

  • One author, book, multiple editions:

Hawking, S.W. (1998) A brief history of time: From the big bang to black holes . 10th edn. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.

  • Translated book:

Create a reference for the translated book, not the original piece.

Descartes, R. (1991) Principles of philosophy . Translated by V. R. and R. P. Miller. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

If all information resembles a book, use the template for a book reference

If a page number is unavailable, use chapter number. URL links are not necessary, but can be useful. When including a URL, include the date the book was downloaded at the end of the Harvard reference:

Available at: URL (Downloaded: DD Month YYYY)

  • More than three authors, journal article*:

Shakoor, S. et al. (2011) ‘A prospective longitudinal study of children’s theory of mind and adolescent involvement in bullying’, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 53(3), pp. 254–261. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02488.x.

*Note that similar to your in-text references, multiple authors must be reduced to ‘et al.’ in the reference list.

Written by a company:

UNICEF Australia (2019) Water, sanitation, and hygiene . Available at https://www.unicef.org.au/our-work/unicef-overseas/water-sanitation-hygiene (Accessed 12 November 2019).

Place the year the web page was published or last updated in parentheses following the name of the organisation. At the end of the reference, include the date the page was accessed.

Written by an individual author or group of authors:

Include all author name(s) at the beginning of the reference.

Steen, M. (2018) Recycled drinking water, we look at the myths, the facts and whether it’s safe to drink . Available at https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/drinks/water/articles/recycled-drinking-water (Accessed 18 November 2019).

  • Conference papers:

Drogen, E. (2014) ‘Changing how we think about war: The role of psychology’, The British Psychological Society 2014 Annual Conference . The ICC, Birmingham British Psychological Society, 07-09 May 2014.

Are you struggling to find the publication information to complete a reference? Did you know that our referencing generator can help you?

Time is of the essence when you’re finishing a paper, but there’s no need to panic because you can compile your reference list in a matter clicks using the Cite This For Me Harvard referencing tool. Sign in to your Cite This For Me account to save and export your reference list straight from the generator.

Harvard Style Formatting Guidelines

Accurate referencing doesn’t only protect your work from plagiarism – presenting your source material in a consistent and clear way also enhances the readability of your work. Closely follow the Harvard referencing system’s formatting rules on font type, font size, text-alignment and line spacing to ensure that your work is easily legible. Before submitting your work check that you have formatted your whole paper – including your reference list – according to the style’s formatting guidelines.

How to format in Harvard referencing:

  • Margins: 2.5cm on all sides
  • Shortened title followed by the page number in the header, aligned to the right
  • Double-space the entirety of the paper
  • ½ inch indentation for every new paragraph (press tab bar)
  • Suggested fonts: Times New Roman, Arial and Courier New for Windows; Times New Roman, Helvetica and Courier for Mac, 12pt size. Ensure that all Harvard citations are in the same font as the rest of the work
  • Reference list on a separate page at the end of the body of your work

Even when using a Harvard referencing generator, always check with your professor for specified guidelines – there is no unified ‘Harvard style’ for the formatting of a paper. Make sure that you apply the recommended formatting rules consistently throughout your work.

A Brief History of the Harvard Style

The author-date system is attributed to eminent zoologist Edward Laurens Mark (1847-1946), Hersey professor of anatomy and director of Harvard’s zoological laboratory. It is widely agreed that the first evidence of Harvard referencing can be traced back to Mark’s landmark cytological paper (Chernin, 1988). The paper breaks away from previous uses of inconsistent and makeshift footnotes through its use of a parenthetical author-date reference accompanied by an explanatory footnote.

  • Parenthetic author-year reference, page 194 of Mark’s 1881 paper:

[…] The appearance may be due solely to reflection from the body itself. (Comp. Flemming, ‘78b, p. 310.*)

  • Mark’s rationale for his citational scheme:

*The numbers immediately following an author’s name serve the double purpose of referring the reader to the list (p. 591) where the titles of papers are given, and of informing him at once of the approximate date of the paper in question.

A tribute dedicated to Mark in 1903 by 140 students credits Mark’s paper with having ‘introduced into zoology a proper fullness and accuracy of citation and a convenient and uniform method of referring from text to bibliography’ (Parker, 1903). Today Harvard referencing is widely considered one of the most accessible styles and, although it originated in biology, these days it is used across most subjects – particularly in the humanities, history and social science. This guide provides guidance on using the style, but is not officially associated with it.

The Evolution of the Harvard Referencing Style

Due to its simplicity and ease of use, the Harvard format has become one of the most widely adopted referencing styles in the world. However, many universities offer their own unique Harvard style guide, and each has its own nuances when it comes to punctuation, order of information and formatting rules. UK university-specific styles are all available via the Cite This For Me generator – simply go to the Cite This For Me website to login to your Cite This For Me account and search for the version you need. Make sure you apply consistency throughout your work.

It is increasingly easy for writers to access information and knowledge via the internet, and in turn both the Harvard style guidelines and our citation generator are continually updated to include developments in electronic publishing. The Cite This For Me Harvard generator currently uses the ‘Harvard Cite Them Right 10th Edition’, which has evolved in recent years to match the rapidly advancing digital age. In order to avoid plagiarism, you must be cautious about pulling information from the Internet, and ensure that you accurately reference all source material used in your written work – including all online sources that have contributed to your research.

Key differences from previous Harvard referencing Cite Them Right editions:

  • Previous editions required printed books and eBooks to be referenced differently – in the 9th edition, both were referenced using the same template (if all the necessary information is available). An Ebook is considered to be the digital format of a published book (or a book that is only published in digital format) that is meant for reading on an electronic device.
  • URLs are no longer a requirement for digital media if the information provided in the Harvard citation is sufficient to find the source without it. They should be included if the source is difficult to find, or pieces of source information – such as an author name – are missing.
  • The 10th edition provides thorough instructions for referencing social media networking websites.

These days students draw on a diverse range of digital sources to support their written work. Whether you are citing a hashtag on Instagram, a podcast or a mobile app, the Cite This For Me Harvard reference generator will help you create your references; and there are so many source types you can cite! So don’t be held back by sources that are difficult to cite – locating unusual source material will help your work to stand out from the crowd.

How Do I Create Accurate References?

Creating complete and correctly formatted references can be a challenge for many writers, especially when documenting multiple source types. Our primary goal at Cite This For Me is to offer support to students and researchers across the globe by transforming the way in which they perceive referencing. We hope that after using our generator and reading this Harvard referencing style guide, what was once considered an arduous process, will be viewed as a highly valued skill that enhances the quality of your work.

Disheartened by the stressful process of referencing? Got a fast-approaching deadline? Using the Cite This For Me accessible and free generator makes creating accurate references easier, leaving more time for you to focus on achieving your academic goals.

Create an account to add and edit references on the spot, import and export full projects or individual entries, utilise our add-ons and save your work in the cloud. Harvard referencing gets even easier with Cite This For Me for Chrome – an intuitive, handy browser extension that allows you to create and edit a reference whilst you browse the web. Use the extension on any webpage that you want to reference, and add it to your chosen project without interrupting your workflow.

The Cite This For Me reference management tool is here to help you, so what are you waiting for? Easy and accurate Harvard referencing is just a click away!

Reference List

Chernin, E. (1988) The ‘Harvard System’: A mystery dispelled. Available at: http://www.uefap.com/writing/referenc/harvard.pdf (Accessed: 4 July 2016).

Parker, G. (ed.) (1903) Mark anniversary volume. New York: Henry Holt.

Manage all your references in one place

Create reference lists, add notes, and cite directly from the browser.

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