In-text citation:
The author's surname and year of publication are usually sufficient for the in-text citation. Place this in parentheses at the end of the sentence containing the referenced information.
* One author: (Smith, 2023)
* Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2023)
* Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2023) ("et al." means "and others")
* No author: Use the title (or a shortened version if it's long) in place of the author's name. Italicize the title. ( *Title of Book*, 2023)
If you are quoting directly, include the page number(s) as well:
* (Smith, 2023, p. 25)
* (Smith & Jones, 2023, pp. 25-27)
Reference list entry:
The reference list entry, appearing at the end of your paper, provides full bibliographic details. The order is crucial and consistent formatting is essential.
The basic format is:
* Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of work*. Publisher.
Let's break it down with examples:
Example 1: One author
* In-text citation: (Smith, 2023, p. 15)
* Reference list entry:
Smith, J. (2023). *The History of Cats*. Oxford University Press.
Example 2: Two authors
* In-text citation: (Smith & Jones, 2018)
* Reference list entry:
Smith, J., & Jones, A. (2018). *Understanding Dogs*. Cambridge University Press.
Example 3: Three or more authors
* In-text citation: (Smith et al., 2022)
* Reference list entry:
Smith, J., Jones, A., Brown, B., & Green, C. (2022). *Animal Behavior*. Wiley-Blackwell.
Example 4: Edited book
* In-text citation: (Smith, ed., 2021, p. 50)
* Reference list entry:
Smith, J. (Ed.). (2021). *Advances in Animal Studies*. Springer.
Example 5: Chapter in an edited book
* In-text citation: (Jones, 2021, p. 75)
* Reference list entry:
Jones, A. (2021). Chapter title. In J. Smith (Ed.), *Advances in Animal Studies* (pp. 70-85). Springer.
Example 6: No author
* In-text citation: (*The Oxford Dictionary*, 2020)
* Reference list entry:
*The Oxford Dictionary*. (2020). Oxford University Press.
Important Considerations:
* Italics: Book titles are italicized.
* Capitalization: Capitalize the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns in the book title.
* Place of Publication: While not always strictly required by all Harvard variations, it's often included and helps identify the publisher.
* Edition: If it's not the first edition, include it (e.g., 2nd ed.).
* DOI: If available, include the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) at the end of the reference. This is strongly recommended for online sources.
* Consistency: Maintain consistency throughout your referencing.
Variations: Different universities and institutions may have slight variations in their preferred Harvard style. Always check your institution's specific guidelines. These examples provide a general, widely accepted approach.