Note: This is an advanced guide to Harvard, useful for professional editors, academics, and students looking to bump up their grades with flawless referencing! If you’re new to Harvard and feel a little lost, check out our introduction to Harvard referencing. For extra help from Harvard experts, try our student proofreading services for free, or learn more about our editing services for businesses.
Harvard referencing refers to the general citation style of listing a source’s author and date in parentheses within the text, with a corresponding entry in a reference list at the end of the work.
Variations
If a customer says they’ve been asked to use the Harvard referencing style, it could be one of many variations. You should check if a particular version has been specified. If there isn’t, use this guide to apply the version we use, but add a note for the customer to check with their institution. Also, pay attention to the requested dialect. Quotation marks, for instance, will vary depending on whether the citation is written in US or UK English.
In-text Citations: The Basics
Essentially, the surname of the author of the source and the year of its publication must be given in the text. If it is not known when a source was published, it must be indicated with “no date” (abbreviated to “n.d.”) in place of the year.
If a direct quote is made from a source, then the in-text citation must also include the page number (or paragraph) of the quote. For page numbers, the basic form is “p.” for a single page and “pp.” for quotes spanning multiple pages. For paragraphs, use “para.” (e.g., for websites that don’t have pages); for long documents without page numbers, you can choose to include the section or chapter number or name (e.g., Smith, 1998, Section title, para. 3), but do check with your institution’s style guide.
Those key pieces of information are given in parentheses in the same font as the surrounding text and separated by commas. The bracketed citation should immediately follow the portion of the sentence that comes from the external source. If the author is mentioned in the sentence, then the bracketed citation (which will then just include the year of publication) will need to follow directly after the author’s name.
In-text citations can take three basic forms:
- Something else (Carter, 1940) is relevant to this example.
- Carter (1940) said something relevant to this example.
- “This is relevant” (Carter, 1940, p. 64).
If the source doesn’t come from an author with a surname – a corporate body, for example – then the name of that organization takes the place of the surname:
- This guide on Harvard referencing advises… (Proofed, 2022).
These basic rules will need to be adapted to various circumstances, which we will discuss next.
Multiple Authors
When there are multiple authors of the same work, the main thing to remember is that in-text citations name one or two authors. For three or more authors, only the first is mentioned, followed by “et al.” (in which case, note that a period is used in addition to a comma because “al.” is an abbreviation).
NB: When it comes to the full list of references at the end, all authors – some institutions put a cap on this, but others simply say to consult the course tutor – should be listed.
When both authors are named, the in-text citation will spell out “and” rather than use an ampersand (“&”).
Two authors of the same source | This example (Carter and Burge, 1967) OR Carter and Burge (1967) gave this example. |
Three (or more) authors of the same source | This example (Powell et al., 1971) OR Powell et al. (1971) gave this example. |
Same Name, Same Year
An exception to only giving the surname of the author is if there are authors with the same surname and publications from the same year. In that case, the author’s initials should be added for clarity. Whether that initial comes before or after the surname, and whether or not it should have a period, will depend upon the university’s style guide. Our general approach is to put a period after an initial, as you would in any writing, but you should go for consistency within the document and flag the issue with a comment.
Authors with the same surname | This example (A. Hopper, 1911) OR B. Hopper (1911) gave this example. |
Multiple Works, Same Author
More frequently, you may come across citations for more than one work by the same author. If they were from different years but cited together, there is no need for the author’s name to be repeated. The years of publication are then listed in reverse chronological order (i.e., the newest comes first) with the years separated by semicolons. Each individual source is then listed in the reference list.
NB: When it comes to the full list of references at the end, the order of sources by the same author is chronological (i.e., with the earliest first).
If, however, the author has multiple works from the same year, a lowercase letter should be added to the year to differentiate the sources. The lettering should be alphabetical in the order that the sources are cited in the text.
NB: The crucial thing to check here is that the same system is reflected in the reference list at the end.
Multiple works by the same author in the same citation | There are a couple of sources that cover this (Woodhouse, 2022; 2020). |
Different works with the same author and date | This was a productive year (Woodhouse, 2022a), as can be seen here (Woodhouse, 2022b). |
Citing Multiple Sources
If there is more than one source cited in support of a statement (e.g., multiple works by the same author), they will need to be cited in reverse chronological order and separated by semicolons. If the list includes works from the same year, they should be cited alphabetically by author.
NB: If the customer has consistently cited references in chronological order, then you should simply add a note for them to check whether this is what their university requires. Given the many variations on the Harvard theme, this could well be the case.
Multiple sources cited in support of the same point. | There are multiple sources that cover this (Woodhouse, 2022; Powell et al. 1971; Carter, 1940; A. Hopper, 1911; B. Hopper, 1911) |
What if There Isn’t an Author?
You may see cases where the title of the source is given in place of the author. This is likely because the source has no named author (whether individual or corporate). In these cases, using the title of the source (the book, collection, etc.) is an acceptable variation, but it’s advisable to flag it with a comment to make sure.
Secondary Citations
If you’re presented with a reference to a work within a work (i.e., the customer hasn’t read the original but has come across it as a reference in another), this is a secondary citation.
- You should leave a comment suggesting that the customer try to find the original source and refer to that.
- If that is not possible, the basic approach to secondary referencing is:
- Include the author and year of the original within the in-text citation as well as the author and year of the available source.
- Include in the Reference List only the source that has actually been read (the “available source”).
In-text Citation | Full Reference Information |
---|---|
A. Hopper (1911), cited in Carter (1940), says… | Carter, P. (1940) Title of available source, Place of Publication: Publisher. |
The Reference List (Or Is It a Bibliography?)
The Harvard style requires a full list of all the sources that are cited within the text to be provided at the end of the document. The standard formatting requirement is to include it on a separate page titled Reference List.
Sometimes, a university will require a list of all the sources considered within a piece of work, even if they haven’t all been cited. This type of list is called a Bibliography.
- The two terms – Reference List and Bibliography – are often confused. When proofreading references, it’s best to flag the issue with a comment pointing out the distinction and recommending that the particular requirements of the university are checked.
In either case, the sources are listed alphabetically by the first item in the source’s full reference (usually the author’s surname). A corporate author or title of a work (if that comes first) starting with “The,” “A,” or “An” should be listed as if that word weren’t there (e.g., a source from the Open University would be listed under “O,” not “T”).
- The easiest fix that you may need to make to a reference list (of whatever description) is ensuring that it is sorted alphabetically by the first item in each reference. This can be done automatically using a simple tool in Word.
- Where there are multiple sources by the same author, they should be listed chronologically with the earliest first (note that this is the reverse of the principle for in-text citations). NB: If the customer has presented the list consistently, don’t make any amendments. Just leave a comment for them to check that their approach is in line with the expectations of their university.
Detailing the sources in a reference list is probably the biggest cause of headaches for both writers and proofreaders. This is because the particular requirements differ depending on the type of source – and there are many.
The information itself is usually straightforward; it’s the formatting that gets tricky. In general terms, you could use the following as a checklist:
Item | Example |
---|---|
Author’s name: Surname first, then initial(s) after a comma, with a period after each initial. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed.) This book. Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp.30–45. |
Year of publication in parentheses, although this can vary between Harvard styles. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed.) This book. Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp.30–45. |
Title of any individual chapter (or similar) comes before the details of the main work. It is presented in quote marks and in sentence case; think of this as the warm-up to the main event. To separate this from the next piece of information, it is usually followed by a comma. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed.) This book. Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp.30–45. |
Title of the main work goes in sentence case (usually, although this can vary) and italics; think of this as stressing the importance of the main work. To separate this from the next piece of information, it is usually followed by a period. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed.) This book. Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp.30–45. |
If the source is not in hard copy/print form, the format is given in square brackets with a period after the closing bracket. | Hopper, B. (1911). “And this is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed). This other book [Online]. Available at https://allmadeup details.domain/yestotallymadeup/ (Accessed 1 April 2022). |
The place of publication appears before the name of the publisher, usually followed by a colon to separate it from the next piece of information. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in This book, Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp.30–45. |
Publisher’s name comes after the place of publication. Think of the publisher as taking the important final credit. If further information does follow, there will need to be a comma in place. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in This book, Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp.30–45. |
Any range of pages, URLs, and dates of access to online material come last. Make sure page ranges are formatted with an en dash (–) rather than a hyphen (-). | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in This book, Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp. 30–45. OR Hopper, B. (1911). “And this is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed). This other book [Online]. Available at https://allmadeup details.domain/yestotallymadeup/ (Accessed 1 April 2022). |
The final piece of information is followed by a period. | Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in This book, Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publisher, pp. 30–45. OR Hopper, B. (1911). “And this is my chapter,” in A. Name (ed). This other book [Online]. Available at https://allmadeup details.domain/yestotallymadeup/ (Accessed 1 April 2022). |
Let’s start with the most common types and see how those translate from in-text citations to full reference listings so that you can easily recognize them and, if necessary, fix them.
Printed Media
These sources are most likely to follow the general checklist given above. Within the list, “year of publication” is abbreviated to “year.” For particular issues relating to authors and years, please refer to the notes on in-text citations.
Source Type | In-text Citation | Full Reference Information |
---|---|---|
Book | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
e.g. | (Floyd, 2021) | Floyd, D. L. (2021). Comets and stars explained. Cardiff: Stratosphere Books. |
Chapter of an edited book | (Author of chapter, year) OR Author of chapter (year) says… | Author of Chapter, X. (year). “Title of chapter,” in Y. Editor (ed.) Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher, page range. |
e.g. | (Telfer, 2008) | Telfer, E. (2008). “Food as art,” in A. Neill and A. Ridley (eds.). Arguing about art: contemporary philosophical debates, 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, pp.11–29. |
Journal (printed) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Journal, volume, issue or part number, page range. |
e.g. | (Boyer, 2007) | Boyer, S. D. (2007). “The logic of mystery,” Religious Studies, vol. 43, no. 1, pp.89–102. |
Audiovisual Media
Here’s where things start to get different.
- For movies, TV shows, and the like, the title of the work is foremost and determines the position of the source in the list of full references.
- It’s the director of a film who is credited, not the writer, and they get full billing (i.e., full name); it may help to remember that the big Oscar awards are for Best Film and Best Director, not (sadly) the film’s writer.
- The type of audiovisual media is given in square brackets after the title, followed by a period.
- The distribution details take the place of the publishing details.
Source Type | In-text Citation | Full Reference Information |
---|---|---|
Movie/ film | (Title of Film, year of release) OR Title of Film (year of release) shows… | Title of Film (year of release). Directed by Director Full Name [Film]. Place of Distribution if available: Distribution Company. |
e.g. | (It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946) | It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). Directed by Frank Capra [Film]. US: RKO Radio Pictures. |
Audio CD/vinyl | (Artist, year of release) OR Artist (year of release) | Artist (year of release). Title [Medium]. Place of Distribution: Distribution Company. |
e.g. | (Beatles, 1967) | The Beatles (1967) Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [Vinyl]. London: Parlaphone. |
Online Sources
Some additional information is required here, most commonly:
- As with audiovisual media, an indication in square brackets that the source is online.
- The URL where the source is available.
- The date when your customer accessed the source – because websites tend to be updated. This information is given in parentheses and comes last in the full reference. The final period is outside the closing bracket.
Source Type | In-text Citation | Full Reference Information |
---|---|---|
Website content | (Author, year of publication or last updated) OR Author (year of publication or last updated) states… | Author, X. (year). Title of website [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
e.g. | (Proofed, 2022) | Proofed Inc. (2022) Professional proofreading services [Online]. Available at https://us.sushiroll.co.uk/services/proofreading/ (Accessed 5 December 2022). |
Some Specifics
With a wealth of sources available, there will always be something that doesn’t quite fit with the general principals. At the end of this guide is an alphabetical list of some you may come across and how they may appear (remembering that there may be variations between universities).
The aim of the list is to provide a baseline so that you know the main elements to expect. Consistency of presentation is key, as is the use of the commenting tool to point out where information may be missing – or the format may require checking with the university’s own preferences.
What to Do When the Customer’s Approach Differs
To summarize, the Harvard referencing style can be – and is – interpreted in a wide variety of ways. We’ve set out the Proofed standard approach, so here’s what to do when it almost inevitably differs from the approach taken by the customer:
- Look to see whether the customer has provided a specific version of Harvard to follow.
- If so, find that online (almost every university makes its referencing guide available on its website, and those are generally easy to search for).
- Follow the customer’s lead unless it’s inconsistent, goes against the version they’ve specified, or is otherwise contrary to the Harvard approach (e.g., if they use footnotes or don’t provide the author–date information within the text).
- Acknowledge that variations to the Harvard style exist. Apply consistency to the document and leave a comment to explain the approach you have taken.
- Contact Editor Support if you are still unsure.
But What About…?
- What about an edition number of a book?
- As may be seen in the listing for an encyclopedia, this should be recorded as an additional piece of information within the full reference for the source (it will not affect the in-text citation). The edition number (abbreviated to “edn”) should come after the main title of the book, be separated from the surrounding details by commas, and formatted with a roman font:
Hopper, A. (1911). “This is my chapter,” in This book, 2nd edn. Kingston-Upon-Hull: Publishing House, pp.30–45. |
- What about block quotes?
- What constitutes a block quote differs between institutions. In general, they comprise three lines or more, or over 40 words. While the specifics of how to deal them may differ, generally, they should:
- Start on a new line.
- Be indented as a block (hence the name).
- Not have quote marks.
- Be preceded by a colon.
- The accompanying in-text citation would then follow the usual pattern:
- If the author’s name is in the introductory text, then the year of publication goes in brackets right after the name.
- Otherwise, the author–year citation will be included in round brackets after the block quote.
- Where the author–year citation isn’t mentioned in the text, authorities vary on whether the citation should be on a separate line, left indented to match the block quote, right indented, or at the end of the quote before the period (as it would appear if in the regular text). In such cases, first check for consistency within the document, and then leave a comment for the customer to check that the approach taken is in line with their university’s preference.
- What constitutes a block quote differs between institutions. In general, they comprise three lines or more, or over 40 words. While the specifics of how to deal them may differ, generally, they should:
- What about figures and tables?
- The usual requirements are for each figure and/or table to be captioned:
- With the word “Figure” or “Table” (with a capital letter).
- Followed by a number, starting with 1, in the order that they appear (NB: in a dissertation or thesis, the number may refer to the chapter in which it appears – e.g., Figure 3.5 may refer to the fifth figure in Chapter 3).
- Then a title (caption) for the figure or table.
- Followed by the in-text citation for the reference of the source.
- The source of the figure or table (e.g., journal, book, website) should then be given in the reference list.
- The usual requirements are for each figure and/or table to be captioned:
What Does the Proofreading Service Include for Referencing?
- Check that references and citations are in accordance with the customer’s version of Harvard. When in doubt, go for consistency and leave a note to explain your approach.
- It is the job of the customer to make sure that all the citations appear in the reference list and vice versa, but if you spot that something is missing, point it out with a comment.
- There is no need to check that the dates and spellings of author names match for each in-text citation and corresponding full reference; however, if you do see an issue along these lines, point it out in a comment and ask the customer to check the original source.
- Check whether all the expected elements of a full reference are present (which will depend upon the type of source), including the relevant font style and correct use of quotes, capitalization, and italics. Note any missing information in a comment for the customer.
- If available, check with the customer’s version of Harvard to see how the reference list or bibliography should be presented (e.g., title, on a separate page, with hanging indents).
What Does the Formatting Service Include for Referencing?
- Harvard doesn’t have any specific formatting requirements, so follow the Proofed house style unless otherwise indicated in the customer’s style guide.
What Falls Outside the Scope of Both?
The main purpose of referencing is for writers to avoid plagiarism. For that same reason, there is a limit on what can be done for a customer.
- Do not add or change information within an in-text citation or reference unless there is an obvious typo.
- Do not add citations or references, even if they seem to be missing; leave a comment instead.
- Don’t fill in missing information; leave a comment about what appears to be missing and provide information about how the reference could be written to accommodate it (e.g., “n.d.” if the date is unknown).
- There is no need to check URLs; if they appear incomplete, leave a comment for the customer to check them.
- You should read through direct quotes to check that the surrounding text leads to the quote appropriately and to correct any typos or obvious errors, such as additional spaces. If there looks to be an error or inconsistency, leave a comment for the customer to check the original source; it would be risky to try to fix it without access to the source itself.
- Don’t guess at which of two inconsistent names or dates may be correct; point the anomaly out to the customer and ask them to check the source.
List of Example References
Source Type | In-text Citation | Full Reference Information |
---|---|---|
Annual report (print or online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). Title of report. Place of Publication: Publisher, report number if given. OR Author, X. (year). Title of report [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Audio CD/vinyl | (Artist, year of release) OR Artist (year of release) | Artist (year of release). Title [Medium]. Place of Distribution: Distribution Company. |
Blog | (Author, year of publication or last updated) OR Author (year of publication or last updated) states… | Author, X. (year of publication or last updated). “Title of message,” Title of Website, day and/or month of posted message [Blog]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). https://us.sushiroll.co.uk/writing-tips/how-to-reference-a-print-book-harvard-style/ |
Book | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Book review | (Reviewer, year of publication of review) OR Reviewer (year of publication of review) praised Author’s book… | Reviewer, Y. (year of publication of review). “Title of book review,” review of Title of book being reviewed, by Author, X. Title of Journal or Newspaper Containing the Review, volume number, issue or part number, page range. |
Chapter of an edited book | (Author of chapter, year) OR Author of chapter (year) says… | Author of Chapter, X. (year). “Title of chapter,” in Editor, Y. (ed.) Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher, page range. |
Code of ethics (print or online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) states… | Author Organization (year). Title of code or guideline. Place of Publication: Publisher, code or guideline number if given. OR Author Organization (year). Title of code or guideline [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Conference paper (published in print/online and unpublished) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, A. (year). “Title of paper,” Title of Conference. Location, date of conference. Place of Publication: Publisher, page range. OR Author, A. (year). “Title of paper,” Title of Conference. Location, date of conference. Publisher [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). OR Author, A. (year of presentation, if unpublished) “Title of paper,” paper presented at Title of Conference. Location, date of conference. Note that if conference papers have been gathered together and published in book form (normally titled something like “Transactions of the …”), then a cited conference paper can be treated like a chapter in an edited book. |
Course material | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). Title of Course. Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Author, X. (year). “Title of standalone unit or block,” Title of Course. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Dataset | (Author, year) OR Author (year) shows… | Author, X. (year). Title of dataset. Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Author, X. (year). Title of dataset [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Dictionary (hardcopy and online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) defines… | Author, X. (year). “Title of dictionary entry,” Title of Dictionary, edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Author, X. (year). “Title of dictionary entry,” Title of Dictionary, edition number [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Dissertation or thesis (hardcopy and online) | (Author, year of submission or publication) OR Author (Year of submission or publication) says… | Author, X. (year of submission or publication). Title: subtitle. PhD/Masters/Bachelors etc. thesis/dissertation. Place of Publication: Awarding Institution. If available online, provide the URL and accessed date. |
eBook (online) | (Author, year of eBook publication) OR Author (year of eBook publication) says… | Author, X. (year of eBook publication). Title of book [Online]. Place of publication if available: Publisher if available. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
eBooks (on reader) | (Author, year of eBook publication) OR Author (year of eBook publication) says… | Author, X. (year of eBook publication). Title of book [Type of eBook Reader]. Place of Publication: Publisher (Accessed date). |
Edited book | (Editor, year) OR Editor’s Title of book (year) collects… | Editor, Y. (ed.) (year). Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
eJournal article | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Journal, volume, issue or part number, page range [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). Note that if the journal is available in print/hardcopy, then you should just treat it as a hardcopy journal. |
Encyclopedia entry (hardcopy or online, author or unauthored) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) defines… NB: Where unauthored, replace Author with Title of Encyclopedia. | Author, X. (year). “Title of encyclopedia entry,” Title of encyclopedia, Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Author, X. (year). “Title of encyclopedia entry,” Title of encyclopedia, Edition number [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). NB: Where unauthored, start with Title of encyclopedia and move “Title of entry” to come after the edition number. |
Exhibition (catalog) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) noted that… | Author, X. (year). Title of Exhibition [Exhibition catalog]. Location, date(s) of exhibition. NB: If no author is available, begin with the title of the exhibition. If the catalog is available online, provide the appropriate URL/accessed date. |
Foreign language title | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher. Cite and reference as you would for an English language material, but keep the title in the original language. |
Government publication | (Country. Government Department, year) OR According to the Government Department (Country, year)… | Country. Department. Title of publication. Place of Publication: Publisher. (Document number). If available online, replace everything from “Place of publication” onwards with: Available at: URL (Accessed DD Month YYYY). |
Gray literature (brochures, pamphlets, fact sheets etc.) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). Title of document [Type of Document, e.g. Brochure]. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Illustration in book (hardcopy or online) | (Author, year, page featuring illustration) | Author, X. (year). Title of book. Place of Publication: Publisher, page number(s) for illustration (illus./fig./diagram/logo.). OR Author, X. (year). Title of source (illus./fig./diagram/logo.) [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Image or painting (online or in real life) | (Artist, year of production) OR Artist (year of production) illustrates… | Artist, Z. (year of production). Title of image, Collection if Applicable [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date]. OR Artist, Z. (year of production). Title of image [Medium]. Collection or Institution in which the work is held, Location. If the image does not have a title, then you can use a brief description in square brackets instead (e.g., “[Drawing of colorful flowers in a green vase]”). |
Interview (by author or between two other people) | (Interviewee, year) OR Interviewee (year) said… | Interviewee, W. (year). Interview conducted by Interviewer. Date of interview, Place of interview. |
Journal article (forthcoming) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. [Forthcoming]. “Title of article,” Title of Journal [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Journal (printed) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Journal, volume, issue or part number, page range. |
Online journal article (as opposed to ejournal articles, ejournals are only available online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Journal, volume, issue or part number, page range. NB: Unlike most other material accessed online, if a journal article is simply read online (website or PDF), then it is generally referenced as if it were the print version. |
Pre-print journal article (e.g., ArXiv) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year written) [Pre-print]. “Title of article,” Journal Title. |
Lecture (unpublished) | Tutor/Lecturer (year) states… | Tutor/Lecturer, V. (year). “Title of seminar/lecture/presentation,” Title of Course. University Name. Unpublished. |
Magazine (hardcopy and online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Magazine, issue or part number if applicable, day and/or month of publication, page range. OR Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Magazine, issue number if applicable, day and/or month of publication [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Movie/film | (Title of Film, year of release) OR Title of Film (year of release) shows… | Title of Film (year of release). Directed by Director Full Name [Film]. Place of Distribution if available: Distribution Company. |
Movie/film (foreign language) | (Title of Film, year of release) OR Title of Film (year of release) shows… | Title of Film (year of release). Directed by Director Full Name [Film]. Place of Distribution if available: Distribution Company. Cite and reference as you would for an English language material but keep the title in the original language. |
Multi-volume work | (Author or Editor, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author or Editor, X. (year). Title of series. Volume number, Edition if not first edition. Place of Publication: Publisher. If you wish to cite all volumes in a multivolume work, then write the total number of volumes instead of the volume number (e.g. 6 vols). |
Musical score | (Composer, year) OR Composer (year) shows… | Composer, U. (year). Title of score. A. Name (ed.). Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Newsletter | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Newsletter, issue number if applicable, day and/or month of publication, page range. OR Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Newsletter, issue number if applicable, day and/or month of publication [Online]. Available at: URL [Accessed date]. |
Newspaper (hardcopy, or online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Newspaper, issue number if applicable, day and/or month of publication, page range. OR Author, X. (year). “Title of article,” Title of Newspaper, issue number if applicable, day and/or month of publication [Online]. Available at: URL [Accessed date]. |
Older work (e.g., Aristotle, Plato) | (Author, Title of Work, book and/or line or chapter number) NB: If only one work by the author has survived, there is no need to give the title in the citation. | Author, Title of work, trans./ed. Translator/Editor (year of publication of translation/edition). Place of Publication: Publisher. If the work has been translated and edited, for example, you would say “trans. X.X. Translator, ed. X.X. Editor.” Some guides might want you to put commentary or introduction authors in, in which case it would be “Commentary by X.X. Commentator,” for example. |
Personal comms (emails, letters) | (Sender, year) OR Sender (year) says… | Sender, T. (year). Email to Recipient Name, date of message. |
Photographs (online, or in real life) | Photographer (year) illustrates… | Photographer, S. (year). Title of photograph [Photograph], Title of Collection [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date]. OR Photographer, S. (year). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Collection or institution in which the work is held, Location. If the photograph does not have a title, then you can use a brief description in square brackets instead (e.g., “[Four pigeons sitting on a bench]”). |
Play | (Title of Play, year of performance) OR Title of Play (year of performance) illustrates… | Title of Play. Author (year of performance). Directed by Director Full Name [Venue, Location, day and/or month seen]. |
Podcast episode | (Author or presenter, year) OR Author or presenter (year) states… | Author or Presenter, X. (year). “Title of podcast,” Title of Website, day and/or month of airing [Podcast]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Poetry (hardcopy, or online) | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… NB: To pinpoint a phrase, the line number may be added after the year, separated with a comma. | A poem in a standalone book should be referenced as a book. A poem found online should be referenced in the same way as a web page. |
Poetry anthology | Author’s poem (Editor of anthology, year) was… | A poem in an edited anthology should be referenced in the same way as a chapter of an edited book. |
Press release | (Organization, year) OR Organization (year) said… | Organization (year). Title of press release [Press release]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Radio program | (Title of program, year of transmission) OR In Title of Program (year)... | Title of Program (year). Channel, date of transmission. If the transmission is available online, include the URL and date of access. |
Religious text (e.g., the Qur’an, the Bible) | (Book and chapter or Surah: verse) | Sacred Text Name. Book and chapter/Surah: verse. If applicable, also provide: Version (date). Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Trans. A. Name (date). Place of Publication: Publisher. |
e.g. | (Ruth 1: 16–17) (Qur’an 20:26) (Shemot 3:14) | The Holy Bible. Ruth 1: 16–17. Good News (2013). Swindon: Bible Society. Qur’an 20:26. Trans. A. Yusuf Ali (2013). Ware: Wordsworth. Torah. Shemot 3:14. |
Report | (Author, year) OR Author (year) states… | For paper copies of reports, reference these using the same format as for books. For online copies of reports, reference these using the same format as for eBooks. |
Shakespeare (play script, sonnet, or anthology) | (Shakespeare, year of version publication, Act:Scene:Line) OR (Editor or Compiler, year of anthology) | Shakespeare, W. (year of version publication). Title of Play or Sonnet. Edited by A. Name. Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Editor, Y. (ed.) (year of publication of anthology). Title of Anthology. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Social media post | (Author, year) OR Author (year) says… | Author, X. (year). First 20 words of post [...] [Social Media Platform]. Date of post. Available at: URL (Accessed date). NB: If the author’s real name is unknown, their username may be used and capitalized as it appears online. |
Social media profile page | (Author, year last updated) OR Author (year last updated) states… | Author, X. (year). Title of Page [Social Media Platform]. Date of post. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Speech | (Speaker, year) OR Speaker (year) said… | Speaker, R. (year). Title of speech. Location, date. |
Standards | (Organization, year) OR Organization (year) says… | Organization (year). Number: Title of Standard. Place of Publication: Publisher. |
Statistics | Cite and reference in the same way as datasets, remembering that the year will relate to the year the statistics were published, not the year they were gathered. | |
Statute or Act (pre-1963) | (Short Title of Act and year, Regnal year Abbreviated name of sovereign, chapter number) OR As enacted in Short Title of Act and year (Regnal year Abbreviated name of sovereign, chapter number) | Short Title of Act and year (Regnal year Abbreviated name of sovereign, chapter number). Place of Publication: Publisher (if available). |
e.g. | (Act of Supremacy 1534 (26 Hen. 8, c. 1) OR As enacted in the Act of Supremacy 1534 (26 Hen. 8, c. 1) | Act of Supremacy 1534 (26 Hen. 8, c. 1). |
Statute or Act (post-1963) | (Country, Short Title of Act) OR s.X(Y) of the Act (Country, Short Title of the Act) states… (Wales. Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Act 2012) OR s.27(1) of the Act (Access to Justice Act 1999) states… | Title of the Act and Year (chapter number of the Act; abbreviated to 'c.'). Place of Publication: Publisher. Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Act 2012 (anaw 2). London: The Stationery Office. OR Access to Justice Act 1999 (c.22). London: The Stationery Office. |
Translated book | (Author, year of translated version) OR Author (year of translated version) says… | Author, X. (year of translated version [year of original work if available]). Title of book (trans. A. Translator). Place of Publication: Publisher. |
TV series | (Title of Show, year of broadcast) OR In Title of Show (year of broadcast) | Title of Show (year of broadcast). Channel, date of transmission. OR Title of Show (year of broadcast) Channel, date of transmission [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Video (online) | (Title of Item, date uploaded) OR Title of Item (date uploaded) shows… | Title of Item (date uploaded). Title of Platform, added by Username of Uploader [Online]. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Webinar | (Author or presenter, year) OR Author or presenter (year) states… | Author or Presenter, X. (year). Title of webinar [Webinar]. Publisher or sponsor of the webinar. Available at: URL (Accessed date). NB: If no recording of the webinar is available, the URL availability details may be replaced with the date the webinar was delivered. |
Website content | (Author, year of publication or last updated) OR Author (year of publication or last updated) states… | Author, X. (year). Title of web content, Publisher/Website Name if Different from Author. Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
White paper (published or unpublished) | (Department, year) | Department (year). Title of report or paper (Command paper number). Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Department (year). Title of report or paper (Command paper number). Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Working paper | (Author or Organization, year) | Author, X. or Organization (year). Title of report or paper (Working paper series or number). Place of Publication: Publisher. OR Author, X. or Organization (year). Title of report or paper (Working paper series or number). Available at: URL (Accessed date). |
Yearbook | (Institution, year) | Institution (year). Title of yearbook. Place of Publication: Publisher. |