Harvard referencing is an author-date system: you cite the author's surname and year in your text, such as (Mensah, 2021), and list full details alphabetically in a reference list at the end. It is widely used in UK and Australian universities.
This guide shows the format as commonly taught in UK universities, with examples for the source types students use most. Because Harvard has many local versions, it also explains where versions differ, so you know what to check in your own guide.
How Harvard Referencing Works
In-text: (Surname, Year) or (Surname, Year, p. X) for a quotation. Reference list: Surname, Initials. (Year) Title. Place: Publisher, for a book, listed alphabetically by surname.
Always follow your own university's Harvard guide where it differs from the examples here.
The Harvard Variants Problem
There is no single official Harvard style. Each university or publisher may have its own version, and many UK universities base theirs on the Cite Them Right guide.
The versions agree on the basics: author and year in the text, and an alphabetical reference list. They differ on details such as:
- whether a comma separates the author and year in the text;
- whether "and" or "&" joins authors;
- at what number of authors "et al." begins;
- punctuation and italics in the reference list;
- whether online sources need an accessed date.
Consistency matters most. Pick your university's version and apply it the same way throughout.
In-Text Citations
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| One author | (Mensah, 2021) or Mensah (2021) argues... |
| Quotation with page | (Mensah, 2021, p. 34) |
| Two authors | (Mensah and Ward, 2021) |
| Three authors | (Mensah, Ward and Lin, 2021), in versions that list up to three |
| Four or more authors | (Mensah et al., 2021) |
| Organization as author | (Office for National Statistics, 2023) |
| No date | (Mensah, no date) |
| Same author, same year | (Mensah, 2021a; Mensah, 2021b) |
Many UK guides, including those based on Cite Them Right, list up to three authors and use "et al." from four; some versions use "et al." from three. Check yours.
Several Sources in One Citation
Separate them with semicolons: (Lin, 2019; Mensah, 2021). Guides differ on whether to order them by date or alphabetically, so follow yours.
Books and Chapters
Book: Mensah, A. (2021) Inclusive classrooms: a practical guide. 2nd edn. Manchester: Halden Books.
Edited book: Ward, P. and Lin, S. (eds) (2020) Education policy today. London: Halden Books.
Chapter in an edited book: Okafor, R. (2020) 'Assessment for learning', in Ward, P. and Lin, S. (eds) Education policy today. London: Halden Books, pp. 45–67.
The book title is in italics, while chapter titles go in single quotation marks. Include the edition from the second edition onwards, abbreviated as "edn" in many UK versions.
Journal Articles
Journal article with a DOI: Mensah, A. and Ward, P. (2022) 'Peer feedback in secondary science', Journal of Classroom Research, 18(3), pp. 211–229. Available at: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
Journal article without a DOI: Lin, S. (2019) 'Homework and attainment', Education Review, 41(2), pp. 98–115.
The journal name is italicized, followed by volume, issue in brackets and page range. Some guides also add an accessed date after a URL or DOI; follow your version.
Websites and Newspapers
Web page with an organization as author: Department for Education (2024) School attendance guidance. Available at: https://www.example.gov.uk/attendance (Accessed: 3 March 2025).
Online newspaper article: Clarke, J. (2024) 'Teachers report rising workload', The Daily Record, 12 May. Available at: https://www.example.com/article (Accessed: 3 March 2025).
For web pages, the accessed date matters because content changes. Use the date you last viewed the page.
Setting Out the Reference List
- Title it "Reference list" or "References", as your guide says.
- List every source cited in your text, and only those.
- Order alphabetically by author surname, or by title if there is no author.
- For several works by one author, order them by year, oldest first.
- Do not number entries or split them by source type unless your guide asks.
A bibliography, if required, also lists sources you read but did not cite. Many modules ask only for a reference list.
Key Differences from APA 7th
| Feature | Harvard (common UK version) | APA 7th |
|---|---|---|
| Joining two authors in brackets | and | & |
| Year in the reference | (2021) with no full stop after | (2021). with a full stop |
| Article title | In single quotation marks | No quotation marks |
| Page range in reference | pp. 211–229 | 211–229 (no pp. for articles) |
| Place of publication for books | Usually included | Omitted |
| Online sources | "Available at:" plus accessed date | URL or DOI, no "Available at" |
| Et al. | Often from four authors | From three authors |
Common Harvard Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Mixing Harvard and APA rules | Follow one guide consistently |
| Quotations without page numbers | Add p. and the page in the citation |
| Missing accessed dates for web pages | Add the date you last viewed the page |
| Reference list not alphabetical | Order strictly by first author's surname |
| Sources cited but not listed | Check every in-text citation has an entry |
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Frequently Asked Questions
An author-date citation system: author and year in your text, full details in an alphabetical reference list at the end.
No. Universities use their own versions, often based on Cite Them Right. Follow your institution's guide.
Add the page number: (Mensah, 2021, p. 34).
Many UK versions use it for four or more authors; some use it for three or more. Check your guide.
For web pages, most versions say yes. For journal articles with a DOI, many versions leave it out.
A reference list includes only sources you cited. A bibliography also includes sources you read but did not cite.
Use "no date" in place of the year, for example (Mensah, no date), and the same in the reference list.