• 3-minute read
• 23rd March 2023

How to Cite a Report in Harvard Referencing

When writing an essay, you may find yourself using a report as a source for your research. If you’re using the Harvard referencing style, you’ll need to include an in-text citation and a reference list entry to credit the source properly.

The Harvard style has many variations, so be sure to check your own style guide to verify that you’re doing things correctly. In today’s post, we’ll look at citing a report in the Open University style. Read on to learn more!

Creating an In-Text Citation for a Report

In the Open University style of Harvard referencing, an in-text citation includes the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses, like this:

If you provide a direct quotation, you’ll need to include the page numbers as well:

If the source has two authors, include both names, separated by “and.” If the source has three or more authors, though, include the first name only, followed by “et al.”

Adding a Reference List Entry for a Report

At the end of your paper, you’ll need to compile a list of the sources you used, including any reports from which you pulled information. Fortunately, the Open University style makes this easy, as the reference list requirements for a report are the same as those for a book, following this format:

In practice, then, we would cite the report from our example this way:

If you found the report online, you can follow the same format you’d use for an eBook:

Our example, then, would look like this:

Conclusion

We hope this post has helped you with citing reports in your work. Remember, the Harvard style varies across institutions, so although we’ve used the Open University style today, be sure to check your own style guide to verify that you’ve met the requirements.

And before you submit your paper, make sure someone proofreads it for you! Our editors will ensure flawless grammar, spelling, punctuation, references, and more. Try it out for free today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you format an in-text citation for a report in Harvard?

To create an in-text citation for a report, include the author’s name and the date of publication in parentheses. If the source has two authors, include both names. If the source has three, include the first name only, followed by “et al.”

How do you format a reference list entry for a report in Harvard?

A reference list item for a report in Harvard looks like this: Author, X. (year). Title. Place of publication: Publisher.