How to Reference in Harvard Style — UK Guide with Examples
UK Academic Writing Guide | Reviewed by the Projectsdeal Editorial Team | Updated June 2026
Quick AnswerHarvard is an author–date system. In the text you cite the author surname and year, e.g. (Smith, 2021); at the end you list full references alphabetically by author. A book reference is: Author Surname, Initial. (Year) Title. Edition. Place: Publisher. Always follow your university's own Harvard variant (e.g. Cite Them Right), as small details differ.
Overview
Harvard is the most common referencing style at UK universities. There is no single ‘official’ Harvard — most UK institutions use a variant such as Cite Them Right, so always check your university's guide. The principles below apply across variants.
In-Text Citations
Cite the author and year in brackets where you use a source: (Smith, 2021). For a direct quotation, add the page number: (Smith, 2021, p.45). For two authors use ‘and’: (Smith and Jones, 2020); for three or more use et al.: (Smith et al., 2019). If the author is named in your sentence, put just the year in brackets: Smith (2021) argues…
Reference List Examples
Book: Smith, J. (2021) Organisational behaviour. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.Journal article: Jones, A. (2020) ‘Motivation at work’, Journal of Management, 12(3), pp. 45–60.Website: NHS (2023) Mental health support. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk (Accessed: 10 June 2026).List references alphabetically by author surname, with a hanging indent, and include every source you cited (and only those).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mismatched citations and listEvery in-text citation must appear in the reference list and vice versa. Cross-check before submitting.
Missing page numbers for quotesDirect quotations need a page number. Omitting it is a common deduction.
Inconsistent formattingMixing styles or punctuation looks careless. Apply one Harvard variant consistently.
Wrong et al. useUse et al. for three or more authors in-text, but list all authors in the reference list (per most variants).
Citing the wrong HarvardUniversities differ. Use your institution's guide (often Cite Them Right).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one official Harvard referencing style?
No. Harvard is a family of author–date styles. Most UK universities use a specific variant such as Cite Them Right, so always follow your institution's own guide.
How do I cite a source with no author or date?
Use the organisation as the author if there is one; if there is no date, use ‘(no date)’ or ‘n.d.’. For no author, use a short title in place of the author name.
How do I reference a website in Harvard?
Author/organisation (Year) Title of page. Available at: URL (Accessed: date). Include the access date because web content changes.
What is the difference between a citation and a reference?
A citation is the brief in-text marker (author, year); a reference is the full entry in the reference list at the end. Every citation needs a matching reference.
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