Fact sheet

Learning and Information Service

Referencing: The Harvard Way

This is a general guide to using the Harvard Referencing System (also known as the name and date system). It is
based on the British Standards. Please note that standards for referencing electronic resources are not yet as
developed as those for print sources. Many courses have their own convention for how to reference your work. If
your tutor has given you guidance on referencing, you should follow that rather than adopt the system described in
this leaflet. This particularly applies to Law students

The reference list at the end of your work demonstrates the
depth of your research. It also acknowledges your sources
of information, protecting you against the serious charge of
plagiarism (the passing off of others’ ideas as your own).
Every quotation or mention of another person’s ideas,
theories or data must have a reference to the source it is
taken from. It is useful to keep records of all the references
you use in your work as you go along.
There are two parts to citing references: i) marking in your
text when you are referring to another person’s ideas and ii)
listing the details of all these references at the end of
your work.
If the name appears naturally in the body of your
sentence, just add the date and page(s) in brackets after
the name where it occurs.
As Smith (2008, p.16) states, all resources must be included.
If there are two authors, both surnames should be given.
(Smith and Jones 2008)
If there are more than two authors, the surname of the
first only is used and followed by et al.
(Smith et al. 2008)
If there is no author, use ‘Anon’.
(Anon 2008)

References within the text If the author is an organisation, use the company name.
You can refer to the work of others in several ways (Social Services Inspectorate 2008)
within your text:
1. Short quote – enclose in quotation marks within Web pages can be lengthy and may not include page
your sentence numbers. If a page is divided into sections, use these to
2. Long quote – start on a new line, use single spacing indicate the part of the text you are referring to. If page
and indent numbers are available, include these as appropriate.
3. Paraphrase – put another person’s ideas into your (Smith 2008, Introduction) (Smith 2008, p.52)
own words.

All of these must also include a reference to the original

source by inserting the author’s surname, year of
publication and page number(s) if appropriate.

If the author’s name does not appear naturally within the

sentence, include the name, year and page(s) you are
Contact
referring to in brackets at the end of the sentence. Mountbatten Library
It has been stated that all resources used to support your
Enquiries: 023 8031 9681
arguments must be included in your reference list (Smith
2008, p.16). Loan renewals: 023 8031 9249
Email: library.enquiries@solent.ac.uk
www.solent.ac.uk/library

References at the end of
the text
You must include the information that your reader will need
to easily find each work you are referring to. The reference
list should be arranged in alphabetical order by author then
year. If an author has written alone and with others, the solo
works come first, followed by any joint works.
Style options
1. Authors’ surnames can be written in capital letters or
lower case
2. The year of publication can be enclosed in brackets
3. Authors’ forenames can be written in full or as initials
4. The titles of books, journals, websites etc, should
always be highlighted, either by using italics, bold or
underlining if handwritten
5. It is optional to use p. or pp. before page numbers
Remember:Your punctuation and
typography must be consistent throughout.
Books
The information needed to reference a book can usually be
found on the front and back of its title page.
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title. Edition (other than
first). Place of publication: Publisher
One author – surname comes before initials
WIRHED, R., 2006. Athletic ability and the anatomy of
motion. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Mosby
Two or three authors – second and third authors’ initials
come before surname
SMITH, F., R. STEWART and D. CULLEN, 2006. Adoption now:
law, regulations, guidance and standards. London: BAAF
More than three authors – always include the first author,
with or without the other authors. If you omit names add
et al.
HARRISON, M. et al., 2005. Housing, ‘race’ and community
cohesion. Coventry: Chartered Institute of Housing
No author – use Anon
ANON., 2004. Social services year book 2004. 32nd ed.
Harlow: Pearson Education
Organisations, government departments, institutions,
etc as author
HOME OFFICE, 2001. Policing a new century: a blueprint for
reform. Norwich: The Stationery Office
Chapter or essay in an edited book
AUTHOR OF CHAPTER, Year of publication. Title of
chapter/essay. In: Editor of book. Title of book. Place of
publication: Publisher, pages
BUSCH, A., 2001. Unpacking the globalization debate:
approaches, evidence and data. In: C. HAY and D. MARSH,
eds. Demystifying globalization. New York: Palgrave, pp.21–48
Conference paper – follow the same format as for
chapter/essay but include the date and place of the conference
BRANDON, D., 2003. Complex decision support in web
time. In: M. KHOSROW-POUR, ed. Information, technology
& organizations: trends, issues, challenges & solutions
volume 1, Information resources management association
international conference, 18-21 May, 2003, Philadelphia.
Hershey: Idea Group Publishing, pp.38-40
eBooks: internet
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title [type of medium].
Place of publication: Publisher. Available: URL
[accessed date]
LAWTON, A., 2007. Supporting self-advocacy [online].
London: Social Care Institute for Excellence. Available:
http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/positionpapers/pp06.pdf
[accessed 24 June 2008]
Some web resources do not give all the details you would
find in a printed resource. Just include as much detail as is
available to help the reader locate your source.
eBooks: database
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title [type of medium].
Edition (other than first). Place of publication: Publisher.
Available: Database supplier/database name [accessed date]
HICKS, W., 2006. English for journalists [online]. 3rd ed. New
York: Taylor & Francis e-library. Available: Ingram Digital
Group/MyiLibrary [accessed 9 July 2008]
Journals
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title of article. Title of
journal, volume number(issue or part number), pages
HODGKINSON, S. and N. TILLEY, 2007. Travel-to-crime:
homing in on the victim. International Review of
Victimology, 14(3), pp.281-298

eJournals: internet
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title of article. Title of
journal [type of medium], volume number(issue or part
number), pages. Available: URL [accessed date]
KOSKENNIEMI, M., 2005. International law in Europe:
between tradition and renewal. European Journal of
A film or DVD/video
Generally cited by title as they are collaborative ventures:
International Law [online], 16(1), pp.113-124. Available:
Title, year. Material designation. Subsidiary originator (if
http://www.ejil.org [accessed 24 June 2008]
applicable, eg, Director). Production details
Macbeth, 1948. Film. Directed by Orson WELLES. USA:
Republic Pictures
eJournals: database From faking it to making it, 2005. DVD. Video Arts
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title of article. Title of
journal [online], volume number (issue or part number),
pages. Available: Database supplier/database name
[accessed date]
Television or radio programme
Programme title, year. Medium, Channel. Date. Time
WALTERS, R. and R. WOODWARD, 2007. Punishing ‘poor
Mary, queen of shops, 2007. TV, BBC2. 31 May. 2100hrs
parents’: ‘respect’, ‘responsibility’ and parenting orders in
Woman’s hour, 2008. Radio, BBC Radio 4. 23 June. 1000hrs
Scotland. Youth Justice [online], 7(1), pp.5-20. Available: CSA
Illumina/PsycARTICLES [accessed 23 June 2008]
Artistic images
Include details on the materials used and where it is held.
Newspapers and magazines ORIGINATOR(S), year. Title of work. Material designation.
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title of article. Title of
At: Location
journal, day and month, pages
DEGAS, E., 1880. Dancing lesson. Oil on canvas. At:
HEMMING, R., 2008. The war on superbugs. Investors
Williamstown, Massachusetts: Sterling and Francine Clark
Chronicle, 11-17 July, pp.20-21
Art Institute (no. 562)
FOREMAN, J., 2005. Olympic cities brought to their knees
DOSUNMU, A., 2008. Fashions fades, style is eternal. i-D
by the games. Daily Mail, 7 July, pp.1-2
magazine, August, p.149, illus.

Web pages Electronic images

Web pages – Include the web address and the date at
ORIGINATOR(S), year. Title of image or a description
which you accessed it.
[online image]. Available: URL Filename including
extension [accessed date]
AUTHOR(S), Year of publication. Title [type of medium].
TAMA, M., 2007. David Beckham brings soccer skills and
Available: URL [accessed date]
marketing power to US [online image]. Available:
UNIVERSITY OF STAFFORDSHIRE, 2003. Computers in
http://eig.edina.ac.uk/ 75382023-001.jpg [accessed 20th
teaching and learning [online]. Available:
June 2008]
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/cita/welcomeframe.html [accessed
24 June 2008]

Blogs Contact
AUTHOR, Date of entry. Title of blog entry. Blog title
[type of medium]. Available: URL [accessed date] Mountbatten Library
BRADLEY, P., 21 June 2007. LitMinds. Phil Bradley’s weblog
Enquiries: 023 8031 9681
[online]. Available: http://philbradley.typepad.com/
[accessed 11 July 2007] Loan Renewals: 023 8031 9249
Email: library.enquiries@solent.ac.uk
www.solent.ac.uk/library
See How to succeed@referencing for more
examples including:
theses and dissertations
interviews
letters and telephone calls
legal cases

References
BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, 1989. BS 1629: 1989.
Recommendations for references to published material.
London: British Standards Institution.
BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, 1990. BS 5605: 1990.
Recommendations for citing and referencing published
material. London: British Standards Institution.

Useful abbreviations
anon. anonymous
ed(s). editor(s) or edition
et al. and others (multiple authors)
n.d. date unknown
s.l. place unknown
s.n. publisher unknown
p. page
pp. pages
ibid. in the same book or article
op. cit. in the work already quoted
dir. director
wr. writer
prod. producer
Getting more help
• Further information is available from books in the Study
Skills collection of the Library at 029.65 on Floor 1A or
on the Study Skills Subject Guide page available from
the Library Portal.
• If you need further help with references please contact
your Information Librarian or Study Assistance.

For more information and examples of how to reference

other types of publication please see How to
succeed@referencing in the succeed@solent tutorials within
myCourse.

Harvard is a popular style of referencing but there are other

styles you could use. Please check with you tutor as to
which style you are expected to follow.