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Cite Them Right 12th Edition
UK Standard Harvard
6 Source Types Supported
Copy & Save Bibliography
Free Harvard Referencing
Generator UK 2026
Generate accurate Harvard references in seconds. Cite Them Right 12th edition compliant — the UK university standard. Supports books, journal articles, websites, book chapters, newspaper articles, and online videos. Copy individual references or save a full bibliography. 100% free, no sign-up.
Cite Them Right 12th edition formats for the most common source types. Use these as a reference if you want to format manually.
Most UK universities specify Cite Them Right Harvard as their default referencing style. If you're at one of these institutions, the references this generator produces will match what your tutor expects.
Is this Harvard generator really free?
Yes. 100% free, no sign-up, no payment, no usage limits. We make this tool available because it builds goodwill with UK students and demonstrates the academic standards our writing service applies on every order.
Is it compliant with Cite Them Right 12th edition?
Yes. Cite Them Right 12th edition (Pears & Shields, 2022) is the UK university standard for Harvard. Every reference this generator produces matches the 12th edition format exactly, including italicisation, punctuation, and the "Available at... (Accessed: ...)" format for online sources.
What if my university uses a different Harvard variant?
Most UK universities use Cite Them Right or a very close variant. Some (LSE, Edinburgh, Manchester) have local Harvard variants with minor differences (e.g. ampersand vs "and", italics on issue number, full-stop placement). Check your university's library guide for any local exceptions, but the differences are usually minor.
Does it support multiple authors?
Yes. Use "and" between two authors: Smith, J. and Jones, P.. For three or more, list them: Smith, J., Jones, P. and Patel, R.. In-text uses "et al." from three authors onwards.
Can I cite a source with no author?
Yes. Use the organisation name as author (e.g. NHS, WHO, UK Government). If genuinely no author and no organisation, use the title as the author position. Avoid "Anonymous" unless that's the explicitly stated author.
Can I cite a source with no date?
Yes. Use (no date) in place of the year. In-text: (Smith, no date). Note that absence of a date can weaken the credibility of a source, so use these sparingly in academic writing.
How do I cite a journal article with a DOI?
Always include the DOI at the end of the reference (no full stop after the DOI). Format: doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx. The generator handles this automatically when you enter the DOI.
Should I include the URL for a journal article?
No, not if you have a DOI. Cite Them Right 12th specifies DOI over URL for journal articles where both exist. If there's no DOI, you can include the URL and accessed date - but most peer-reviewed articles have DOIs.
Do I need to include the access date for websites?
Yes. Cite Them Right 12th requires "(Accessed: Day Month Year)" for all online sources except those with DOIs. Format: (Accessed: 28 May 2026) - day comes first.
How does the generator handle italics in the output?
Book titles and journal names are wrapped in <i>...</i> tags, which display as italics. When you copy the reference, the italics are preserved if you paste into Word, Google Docs, or any other formatted editor. Plain-text editors will show the tags.
Can I generate references for AI-generated content (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini)?
Yes, but with caution. Most UK universities now require explicit declaration of AI use, and many do not accept AI-generated content as citable. Check your school's policy. If allowed, cite as: OpenAI (Year) ChatGPT (Version X). [Large language model]. Available at: https://chat.openai.com (Accessed: Date).
What's the difference between Harvard and APA / Vancouver / OSCOLA?
Harvard is author-date in-text; reference list at end. APA is also author-date but with American conventions and more emphasis on DOI. Vancouver is numeric (used in medicine and nursing). OSCOLA is footnote-based (UK law). Always use the style your tutor / module specifies.
Do you offer professional Harvard referencing on essays?
Yes. Our writing service produces essays, dissertations, and theses with flawless Cite Them Right 12th Harvard formatting as standard, including DOI verification, page-pinpoint accuracy, and reference-list alphabetisation. See our essay writing service.
Will more referencing generators be released?
Yes. Generators for OSCOLA 4th (UK law), APA 7th, Vancouver, MHRA, and Chicago 17th are in development. They will follow the same format - free, no sign-up, copy-to-clipboard, save bibliography.