Harvard Referencing Guide
Harvard is the most widely used referencing style across UK universities. This guide covers the essentials — in-text citations, reference list formatting, and how to handle common source types — in plain language.
In-Text Citations
Harvard uses an author-date format within the body of your text. A basic citation includes the author's surname and the year of publication, in parentheses.
- Standard citation: (Smith, 2022)
- Citing a direct quote: include a page number, e.g. (Smith, 2022, p.45)
- Two authors: (Smith and Jones, 2022)
- Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2022)
- Citing the author's name in your sentence: Smith (2022) argues that...
Reference List Formatting
Every source cited in your text needs a corresponding entry in your reference list, arranged alphabetically by author surname. The exact format varies slightly by source type, but the underlying logic — author, date, title, publication details — stays consistent.
| Source Type | General Format |
|---|---|
| Book | Author Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of Book. Edition (if not first). Place of publication: Publisher. |
| Journal article | Author Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Title of article', Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pp. page range. |
| Website | Author/Organisation. (Year) Title of page. Available at: URL (Accessed: date). |
| Book chapter | Author Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Chapter title', in Editor Surname, Initial. (ed.) Book Title. Place: Publisher, pp. page range. |
Secondary Citations
If you're citing a source that you found quoted or discussed within another source (rather than reading the original yourself), this should be indicated clearly, typically using "as cited in" — for example: (Original Author, Year, as cited in Smith, 2022). It's always preferable to locate and cite the original source directly wherever possible.
Common Referencing Mistakes to Avoid
- Citations in the text with no matching entry in the reference list, or vice versa
- Inconsistent author name formatting across entries
- Missing page numbers for direct quotes
- Reference lists not arranged alphabetically by author surname
- Mixing referencing styles within the same document
Key Takeaways
- Harvard uses an author-date format for in-text citations
- Every in-text citation needs a matching, alphabetically ordered reference list entry
- Direct quotes require a page number; paraphrased ideas generally don't
- Secondary citations should be clearly indicated with "as cited in," and original sources located where possible
Harvard Referencing Guide FAQs
No, many universities use a slightly modified version of Harvard, so it's always worth checking your specific department's style guide alongside general guidance like this.
Use the organisation name in place of an author where available, or begin the citation with the title of the work if genuinely no author or organisation can be identified.
Page numbers are required for direct quotes, and recommended for paraphrased content referring to a specific point within a longer source, though not always required for a general reference to an entire work.