How to Reference Using Harvard (and Others)

📚 What Is Harvard Referencing?

Harvard referencing is a style of referencing used to give credit to the sources you’ve used in your work. It’s also how you show where your facts, quotes, or research came from — so readers can verify and trust what you’ve written.

Think of it as answering two questions:

  • “Where did you get that from?” → In-text citation
  • “Where can I find it myself?” → Reference list

🧾 Two Main Parts of Harvard Referencing

1. In-Text Citations:

This goes in brackets inside your paragraph, right after the information you’re referencing.

Example:
Diabetes is a growing global concern (Smith, 2022).
OR: According to Smith (2022), diabetes is a growing global concern.

2. Reference List:

This goes at the end of your assignment.

  • Book:
    Smith, J. (2022) Understanding Diabetes. London: Health Books Publishing.
  • Journal Article:
    Brown, L. and Green, P. (2021) ‘Emergency care in rural settings’, Journal of Paramedic Practice, 13(5), pp. 25–32.
  • Website:
    NHS (2023) Type 2 diabetes – Overview. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk (Accessed: 30 April 2025).

💡 Simple Analogy

  • 📖 In-text citation = “This came from this person, in this year.”
  • 📋 Reference list = “Here’s the full details so you can find it yourself.”

🛠️ Tips for Beginners

  • You only reference facts, ideas, or quotes that are not your own.
  • If you paraphrase, you still cite the source.
  • You don’t need to reference common knowledge (e.g. “The heart pumps blood”).
  • Use tools like CiteThisForMe, MyBib, or Microsoft Word’s citation tool.

🧪 Example Paragraph

Diabetes is becoming increasingly common in the UK, particularly among older adults (NHS, 2023). Lifestyle factors, such as poor diet and lack of exercise, play a major role in its development. According to Smith (2022), early intervention is crucial to prevent long-term complications.

References:
NHS (2023) Type 2 diabetes – Overview. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk (Accessed: 30 April 2025).
Smith, J. (2022) Understanding Diabetes. London: Health Books Publishing.

📚 Other Referencing Styles (Quick Overview)

  • APA: Often used in psychology or social sciences. Similar to Harvard but uses author-date format with slight formatting differences.
  • Vancouver: Number-based. Each source is numbered in the order it appears and listed numerically.
  • Chicago: More detailed, uses footnotes. Often used in history and humanities.
  • MHRA: Used for arts and humanities. Footnote style similar to Chicago.
  • OSCULA/AMA: Used in some medical journals, also number-based referencing.

💡 Always check your university or module guide to know which referencing style to use.

← Back to Home