Harvard Referencing

An author-date citation style widely used in UK, Australia, and many international universities.

Overview

Harvard referencing is a parenthetical author-date system. Unlike APA, there's no single official Harvard guide, so conventions may vary between institutions. Always check your institution's specific requirements.

Common Use Cases

  • UK and Australian university assignments
  • Business and management studies
  • General academic writing internationally

Format Examples

Journal Article

Smith, J. and Jones, M. (2019) 'The impact of social media on academic performance', Journal of Education Studies, 45(3), pp. 234-251.

Book

Mitchell, J.A. and Thomson, M. (2017) A guide to citation. 3rd edn. London: London Publishings.

Website

NHS (2020) Coronavirus (COVID-19). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ (Accessed: 15 April 2020).

Key Elements

Author Names

Last name, Initial. Use 'and' between authors.

Year

In parentheses immediately after author names.

Title

Single quotes for articles, italics for books/journals.

Access Date

Required for online sources: (Accessed: Day Month Year).

Tips for This Format

  • Check your institution's specific Harvard guide - conventions vary.
  • Use 'et al.' for sources with 3+ authors after first citation.
  • Page numbers use 'pp.' for multiple pages, 'p.' for single page.

Other Citation Styles

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