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Harvard Referencing: A Complete Guide with Examples

Last updated: July 2026

A complete guide to Harvard referencing for students, with examples for books, journal articles, and websites. Learn how to cite sources in Harvard style correctly.

What is Harvard referencing?

Harvard referencing is an author-date citation system widely used in UK universities across disciplines including business, social sciences, humanities, and health. It requires an in-text citation whenever you use a source and a corresponding entry in a reference list at the end of your work.

There is no single official version of Harvard, different institutions apply slightly different rules. Always check your department's specific Harvard referencing guide before submitting. If you need your references professionally formatted, GradeQuill's referencing service covers Harvard and all other major styles.

In-text citations

In Harvard referencing, in-text citations take the form of (Author, Year) placed immediately after the claim the source supports. If you name the author in your sentence, only the year appears in brackets.

Examples:
, "Research suggests that student wellbeing is closely linked to academic performance (Smith, 2021)."
, "Smith (2021) argues that student wellbeing is closely linked to academic performance."
, For a direct quotation, include the page number: (Smith, 2021, p. 47).
, For two authors: (Smith and Jones, 2021).
, For three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2021).

Referencing a book

Reference list format: Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year) Title of Book. Edition (if not the first). Place of publication: Publisher.

Example:
Smith, J. (2020) Academic Writing for University Students. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.

For edited books: Smith, J. (ed.) (2020) Title. Place: Publisher.
For a chapter in an edited book: Jones, A. (2020) 'Chapter title', in Smith, J. (ed.) Book Title. Place: Publisher, pp. 45–67.

Referencing a journal article

Reference list format: Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year) 'Article title', Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pp. Page range.

Example:
Williams, R. (2021) 'Critical thinking in postgraduate education', Journal of Higher Education Research, 14(3), pp. 112–128.

For online journal articles, add the DOI at the end if available: doi:10.1234/example.

Referencing a website

Reference list format: Author or Organisation (Year) Title of webpage. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

Example:
NHS England (2023) Mental health support for students. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/example (Accessed: 12 March 2024).

If no author is identifiable, begin with the organisation name. If no date is available, use (no date) in place of the year.

Referencing a report or government document

Reference list format: Organisation (Year) Title of Report. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example:
Office for National Statistics (2022) UK Student Population Statistics 2021–22. London: ONS.

Common Harvard referencing mistakes

The most frequent Harvard referencing errors include: inconsistent capitalisation of titles (only the first word and proper nouns should be capitalised in article and chapter titles); missing page numbers for direct quotations; incorrect use of "et al." (it is only used for three or more authors); and discrepancies between in-text citations and the reference list.

Every source cited in your text must appear in your reference list, and every entry in your reference list must be cited somewhere in the text. Orphaned references are penalised. For a guide to other referencing styles, see our articles on APA 7th referencing and OSCOLA referencing. If you need professional referencing support, GradeQuill's referencing and formatting service checks and corrects all in-text citations and reference lists.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the correct format for a Harvard in-text citation?

A Harvard in-text citation includes the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses, placed immediately after the relevant information: (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly, include the page number: (Smith, 2021, p. 45). For two authors, cite both surnames: (Smith and Jones, 2021). For three or more authors, use the first author's surname followed by 'et al.': (Smith et al., 2021). If citing multiple sources in one parenthesis, list them chronologically or alphabetically separated by semicolons.

How do I reference a book chapter in Harvard style?

To reference a book chapter in Harvard style, you need the chapter author's name, year, chapter title in single quotation marks, the word 'in' followed by the book editor's name and the abbreviation 'ed.' or 'eds.', the book title in italics, the place of publication, the publisher, and the page range of the chapter. For example: Brown, T. (2020) 'Critical thinking in practice', in Davies, R. (ed.) Academic skills for university students. London: Routledge, pp. 45–67.

What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography in Harvard style?

In Harvard referencing, a reference list contains only the sources you have cited within your text , every in-text citation must have a corresponding entry. A bibliography includes all sources you consulted during your research, whether cited in the text or not. Most UK universities require a reference list rather than a bibliography, but practices vary by institution and discipline. Always check your module handbook or ask your tutor which format is required before submitting your assignment.

How do I cite a source with more than three authors in Harvard style?

In Harvard referencing, when a work has four or more authors, you use the first author's surname followed by et al. in both the in-text citation and the reference list. For example: (Smith et al., 2022) in text, and in the reference list: Smith, J., Brown, K., Davis, L. and Wilson, M. (2022) Title of work. Place: Publisher. Note that conventions vary slightly between institutions , some use et al. for three or more authors, others only from four. Always check your institution's specific Harvard guide.

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