This document provides an introduction to the Harvard referencing style. It explains that Harvard style uses an author-date format for in-text citations and includes the author's surname and date of publication. A reference list at the end of the document provides full details of all sources cited, in alphabetical order by author surname. Examples are given for referencing books, journal articles, websites, and other electronic sources. Key points covered include remembering it is the author-date style, writing down all reference details when taking notes, and seeking help from the Harvard referencing guide, library staff, or lecturers if needed.

1. Introduction to Harvard
(Author-Date) Referencing
Donna Irving – Health Studies
Librarian

2. What do you already know?
Have you done referencing before? If so
what style?
Why is referencing important (as many
reasons as you can think of)
What does citation mean?
What is a journal volume?
What are the important parts of a
reference?

3. Citations (pointers in the text)
Author’s surname (not initials) or name of
organisation
and year of publication (Author-Date)
the Dutch people, on average, are the tallest in the
world (Leroi, 2004) …
according to the Department of Health (2002) …
Smith’s research (2002) shows that…

4. Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants
called flavonoids which are known to protect the
body against cell-damaging free radicals according
to Beckett (2000). Some caution is necessary
however as key research in this area is funded by
the chocolate manufacturer Mars (BBC, 2009).
Where there is less controversy is in the effects of
chocolate on mood. Mood improvements, sadly,
are short-lived (Parker et al., 2006).

5. Quotations
“The personal is political” (Hanisch, 2009, p.204)
But keep direct quotations to an absolute minimum.
Useful when the words are famous, significant or
very apt.
Too many quotes will show you haven’t done the
necessary thinking for yourself

6. The reference list
At the end of your work
Full details of the sources you have used
In alphabetical order by author’s surname.
All the authors’ names are given
Not included in word count
Not a bibliography

7. Anatomy of a book reference
Author’s name
(surname first)
Year of
publication
Means, R., Richards, S. and Smith, R. (2008)
Community care: policy and practice. London:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Name of
publisher
Book Title
Place of
publication

8. Provide a reference for a book called:
Learning to learn in Nursing Practice. By Kath
Sharples. Published by Learning Matters Ltd, in
Exeter, in 2009
How would you reference this?

9. Sharples, K. (2009) Learning to learn in nursing
practice. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd
How did you do?

10. Anatomy of a journal article reference
Author’s name
(surname first)
Year of
publication
Article title
Dinovitzer, R. and Dawson, M. (2007) Family-based
justice in the sentencing of domestic violence. British
Journal of Criminology, 47 (4), pp.655-70.
Issue
Journal Title
Volume
Page
numbers

11. Provide a reference for an
article called:
How can we add skills to transform the healthcare
system. By Helen Bevan in 2010. Published in Journal
of research in nursing. Volume 15, number 2. Page
139

12. How did you do?
Bevan, H. (2010) How can we add skills to transform
the healthcare system. Journal of Research in
Nursing, 15 (2), p.139

13. Anatomy of an
electronic source reference
Author’s name
(surname first)
Year of
publication
Source title
Rutter, L. and Holland, M. (2002) Citing references:
the Harvard system [Online]. Poole: Bournemouth
University. Available from:
http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/academic_services/doc
uments/Library/Citing_References.pdf [accessed 5
November 2008]
url
Date
accessed
Publisher (if
ascertainable)
Place of Publication
(if ascertainable)

14. Websites
You still need Author-Date
Put in [online], URL (web address) and date you
saw the page
If you can’t identify the author, cite the title.
BBC (2005) Is chocolate good for you? [Online].
London: BBC. Available from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/chocolate/good
foryou.shtml [Accessed 1 November, 2009]

15. Try this one:
Provide a reference for a website called:
Personal Care at Home consultation
By DoH in 2010
Available from www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations
Accessed 7 April 2012
Published by DoH in London

16. How did you do?
Department of Health (2010) Personal care at home
consultation [Online]. London: DoH. Available from:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations [accessed 7 April
2012].

17. Reference List
British Broadcasting Corporation (2009) Is chocolate
good for you? [online]. London: BBC. Available from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/chocolate/good
foryou.shtml [accessed 1 November, 2008].
Beckett, S.T. (2000) The Science of chocolate.
Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry.
Parker, G., Parker, I. and Brotchie, H. (2006) Mood
state effects of chocolate. Journal of Affective
Disorders, 92 (6), pp.149-159.

18. Key points
Remember it’s the Author-Date style. You need to
identify and credit the author.
It’s only a habit – get it right as soon as possible
Check if in doubt – the guide, lecturers or Library
staff
When making notes and copies, write on all the
details you’ll need for your reference

19. Help!
The Harvard referencing guide
Available online through library and blackboard
or print one out Online guide
Library staff can help with referencing
Endnote

20. What’s a bibliography
A bibliography is a list of everything you read,
whether or not you referred specifically to it (cited it)
in your assignment.
References are the full details of the sources you
have referred to (cited) in your assignment