Harvard Citation Guide

Harvard Citation Guide

The Harvard citation style is an author-date referencing system widely used in academia, particularly in the UK, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries. Its primary function is to allow readers to trace sources efficiently. It includes both in-text citations and full references in the bibliography, providing a clear connection between the cited works in the body of the text and their corresponding details in the reference list.

This guide provides detailed instructions for citing a variety of source types including books, journal articles, websites, and multimedia materials. Each section includes examples, explanations, and specific formatting rules for proper citation.

In-Text Citations

In-text citations in the Harvard style follow the author-date system, where the author’s surname and the publication year are included in the text to reference a specific source. In-text citations are typically formatted in one of two ways:

  • Parenthetical: (Author, Year)
  • Narrative: Author (Year) discusses...

For example, a parenthetical citation might appear as follows: (Taylor, 2020). The same citation in a narrative form would look like this: Taylor (2020) examines...

When quoting directly from a source, you must also include the page number. For instance, a direct quote from a work by Taylor (2020) might appear as (Taylor, 2020, p. 45). If multiple sources support the same point, use semicolons to separate the citations, like this: (Taylor, 2020; Singh, 2018).

If citing multiple works by the same author, list them chronologically (e.g., Taylor, 2018; 2020). When there are several authors, list up to three authors in-text, after which use "et al." for four or more authors (e.g., Taylor et al., 2020).

Books

Books are one of the most common source types cited in Harvard referencing. The citation for a book should include the author(s), year of publication, title (italicized), edition (if not the first), place of publication, and publisher. Below are examples for different types of books:

Single-Author Book

A single-author book is cited as follows:

Reference List:

King, S. (2000) *On writing: A memoir of the craft*. New York: Scribner.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (King, 2000)
  • Narrative: King (2000) shares insights from his writing career.

Book with Two or More Authors

When citing a book by two authors, list both authors in the reference. For books with three or more authors, use the first author’s surname followed by "et al." in the in-text citation.

Reference List:

Dorris, M. and Erdrich, L. (1991) *The crown of Columbus*. New York: HarperCollins.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Dorris and Erdrich, 1991)
  • Narrative: Dorris and Erdrich (1991) explore themes of discovery.

Chapter in an Edited Book

If citing a chapter in a book edited by someone else, the format changes slightly to include the editor's name, followed by the chapter title, the book title (italicized), and the page range.

Reference List:

Green, S. (2015) ‘Gothic architecture’, in Brown, I. (ed.) *European art movements*. London: Thames Press, pp. 75–100.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Green, 2015)
  • Narrative: Green (2015) discusses the impact of Gothic design.

Journal Articles

When citing journal articles, the reference should include the author(s), year of publication, title of the article in single quotation marks, title of the journal (italicized), volume number, issue number, and page range. Below are examples for both print and online journal articles:

Print Journal Article

Reference List:

Lane, M. (2013) ‘Geographies of Mars’, *Geographical Review*, 103(3), pp. 365–385.

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Lane, 2013)
  • Narrative: Lane (2013) analyzes Martian geography as colonial imagination.

Online Journal Article with DOI

When citing online journal articles, always include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available. The format includes the DOI at the end of the citation.

Reference List:

Tan, E. (2022) ‘Digital futures in education’, *EdTech Quarterly*, 14(1), pp. 20–35. doi:10.1234/etq.2022.14.1.22

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Tan, 2022)
  • Narrative: Tan (2022) explores digital transitions in education.

Websites

For online sources, including websites, the Harvard style requires the following information: the author or organization responsible for the website, the year of publication, the title of the webpage (in quotation marks), the title of the website (if different), the publication or update date, and the URL. If the date the page was accessed is important, include it at the end of the citation.

Web Page with Author

Reference List:

Smith, A. (2024) ‘History of AI research’, *Tech Archives*, 12 January. Available at: https://www.techarchives.org/ai-history (Accessed: 1 May 2025).

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (Smith, 2024)
  • Narrative: According to Smith (2024)...

Web Page with No Author

When citing a webpage with no identified author, begin the citation with the title of the page or article.

Reference List:

*History of AI research* (2024) *Tech Archives*, 12 January. Available at: https://www.techarchives.org/ai-history (Accessed: 1 May 2025).

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (*History of AI research*, 2024)
  • Narrative: *History of AI research* (2024) explains that...

Multimedia Sources

Multimedia sources such as videos, podcasts, and films require specific citation formats to account for the unique nature of the content. The general format includes the title, creator or publisher, format, platform (e.g., YouTube or Netflix), and the access date.

YouTube Video

Reference List:

CrashCourse (2020) ‘Artificial intelligence: Crash Course Computer Science #34’, *YouTube*, 3 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EoUn1mmbRg (Accessed: 1 May 2025).

In-Text Citation:

  • Parenthetical: (CrashCourse, 2020)
  • Narrative: CrashCourse (2020) outlines the basics of AI development.

Formatting Guidelines

To ensure that your Harvard citations are correctly formatted, follow these general guidelines:

  • Title Formatting: Book titles, journal names, and website titles should be italicized. Titles of articles, chapters, or web pages should be in single quotation marks.
  • Author Names: For multiple authors, use commas to separate names. For more than three authors, use the first author’s name followed by "et al."
  • Punctuation: Pay attention to the placement of commas and periods in citations. After the author’s name, use a comma, followed by the year of publication, then the title, etc.
  • Hanging Indentation: In your reference list, use hanging indentation, where the first line is flush with the left margin, and all subsequent lines are indented.

Additional Resources

For further information and examples, refer to the official Harvard referencing guidelines or use an online citation tool to generate accurate citations. Below are some recommended resources:

These resources will help you further understand the nuances of the Harvard referencing style and ensure your citations are accurate and properly formatted.