Harvard referencing examples for UK students
Harvard is the most widely used referencing style at UK universities, but every university has its own version. The formats below follow the widely used Cite Them Right approach. Always check your own university's guide, which takes priority.
⚡ Key takeaways
- Cite surname and year in the text, with full details in the reference list.
- Add a page number for direct quotes.
- List references alphabetically by first author's surname.
- Your university's own Harvard guide always wins.
Harvard reference builder
Fill in the details and watch your reference build itself. Separate multiple authors with a semicolon, e.g. Patel, R.; Jones, K.
Follows the common Cite Them Right style. Always check your university's guide.
In-text citations
In Harvard, you cite the author's surname and the year in the text, and give full details in a reference list at the end.
- One author:
(Surname, 2021)orSurname (2021) argues that… - With a page number for a quote:
(Surname, 2021, p. 45) - Two authors:
(Surname and Surname, 2021) - Three authors:
(Surname, Surname and Surname, 2021) - Four or more authors:
(Surname et al., 2021), though some university guides use et al. from three authors, so check yours. - Organisation as author:
(World Health Organization, 2022) - Two sources at once:
(Surname, 2019; Surname, 2021)
Reference list formats
List references alphabetically by the first author's surname. Titles shown in italics below should be italic in your list.
Book
Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of book. Edition (if not the first). Place of publication: Publisher.
Chapter in an edited book
Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Title of chapter', in Editor Surname, Initial. (ed.) Title of book. Place: Publisher, pp. 12–34.
Journal article
Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Title of article', Title of Journal, volume(issue), pp. 1–20. Available at: https://doi.org/... (if your university asks for DOIs).
Website or web page
Author or Organisation (Year) Title of page. Available at: URL (Accessed: 6 November 2026).
Report by an organisation
Organisation (Year) Title of report. Place: Publisher. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
Secondary referencing ("cited in")
If you read about one author's work in another author's book or article, cite both in the text and only the source you actually read in your reference list:
(Original Surname, 1998, cited in Your Source Surname, 2021)
Use this sparingly. Where possible, find and read the original.
Common Harvard mistakes
- In-text citations that don't appear in the reference list (or the other way round).
- Mixing styles, for example using APA's "&" inside Harvard citations.
- Missing page numbers for direct quotations.
- Putting the reference list in the order sources were used rather than alphabetically.
- Missing "Accessed" dates for web sources.
- Inconsistent italics, capitals or punctuation from one entry to the next.
Want to check your own work? Download our free Harvard and APA 7 checklists.
Quick quiz
Q1. Which in-text citation is correct for a direct quote?
Harvard quotes need author, year and page number.
Q2. Your reference list should be ordered…
Harvard reference lists are alphabetical by the first author's surname.
Q3. Your module handbook says use et al. from three authors, but this guide says four. What do you do?
Your university's own guide always takes priority.
Frequently asked questions
Is Harvard the same at every UK university?
No. Most follow similar rules, but details such as et al., punctuation and DOIs vary. Your university's guide always takes priority.
Do I need a bibliography as well as a reference list?
A reference list includes only sources you cite. Some modules also ask for a bibliography of everything you read. Check your handbook.
Should I use a referencing tool?
Tools can save time, but they often make formatting mistakes. Always check the output against your university's guide.
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