Reference styles

Harvard 

The Harvard referencing style is an example of author-date referencing. The Harvard style is very common and is used across most subjects.  

With the Harvard system, when you cite someone else's work (by including a quotation or by paraphrasing their work), you need to include the author's last name and the date of publication in brackets after the citation in the body of your paper. The full reference to the work is then included in an alphabetic reference list or bibliography at the end of your paper.  

There is no definitive form of Harvard referencing as there is no organisation that sets standards for the style.

Despite its name, the style is not linked to Harvard University. 

As there is no standard, there are variations of the Harvard style.

As with all referencing styles, it is important that you apply the version of the Harvard style that you choose consistently.

Harvard links 

• Cardiff University's Information Literacy Resource Bank features a section on citing references. The Harvard referencing materials include activities, quizzes and a Harvard Referencing Tutorial. The tutorial incorporates interactive exercises to check whether you have understood the style guidelines 
• Anglia Ruskin University's Harvard System of Referencing Guide is a comprehensive guide to using the Harvard style which features examples of how to reference a wide variety of publication formats 
• The University of Sussex has developed a Harvard Style Information Literacy Tutorial which also features a quiz to test your knowledge of the Harvard system