How to Cite Sources in LSBU Harvard Referencing Style

How to Cite a Podcast

To cite a podcast in LSBU Harvard style, give the presenter's surname, initials, year, podcast title in italics with [Podcast], the day and month of posting, and the URL with an access date.

The LSBU format for podcasts follows the same web-based logic as other online sources, treating the podcast title as the main identifying element. Podcasts hosted on platforms such as BBC Sounds, Spotify, or independent websites are all treated as online resources, so the Available at: field and access date are always required.

Format: Presenter's surname, Initials. (Year) Title of podcast. [Podcast], Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite a Website

To cite a website in LSBU Harvard style, include the author's surname and initials (or organisation name), the year the page was last updated, the title of the webpage in italics, the full URL in the Available at: field, and the access date.

Websites lack formal publication details such as volume or issue numbers, so the URL and access date become the critical locating elements. When no individual author is named, the name of the organisation or institution acts as the author.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. or Organisation name (Year) Title of webpage. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Surname/Organisation, Year)

How to Cite Multiple Authors

To cite a source with multiple authors in LSBU Harvard style, include up to three surnames linked by 'and' in both the in-text citation and reference list; for four or more authors, use only the first surname followed by et al. in italics.

This rule applies uniformly to books, journal articles, reports, and all other source types. The distinction between two-author and three-author citations matters because all three names must be listed in full the first time and every time for sources with three or fewer authors, whereas et al. permanently replaces the extra names for four-or-more-author works.

Format (reference list): Surname, A., Surname, B. and Surname, C. (Year) Title. Publisher.

In-text (3 authors): (Smith, Jones and Davies, 2014) In-text (4+ authors): (Smith et al., 2014)

How to Cite a Report

To cite a report in LSBU Harvard style, include the author's surname or organisation name, the year, the report title in italics, and the URL with an access date if accessed online.

Organisational reports from bodies such as the World Health Organisation, the ONS, or government departments are commonly cited in academic work at LSBU. When the report is a print-only document without a URL, the URL and access date fields are omitted.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. or Organisation (Year) Title of the report. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Organisation, Year)

How to Cite a YouTube Video

To cite a YouTube video in LSBU Harvard style, use the channel name or creator's name, the year uploaded, the video title in italics, and the full YouTube URL with an access date.

LSBU treats online videos identically to other web-based multimedia resources. If the uploader uses a channel pseudonym or organisational name rather than a personal name, that name is used as the author.

Format: Username or Organisation (Year) Title of video. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Username/Organisation, Year)

How to Cite a Book

To cite a book in LSBU Harvard style, include the author's surname and initials, year of publication, the title in italics, the edition (if not the first), and the publisher.

The place of publication is required only if it is needed to distinguish between publishers with similar names; the primary LSBU format focuses on the publisher name alone. LSBU does not require the city of publication in the same way that some older Harvard variants do, which is one of its minor distinguishing features.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. (Year) Title of book. Edition if later than the first. Publisher.

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite an Image

To cite an image in LSBU Harvard style, record the creator's name, the year, the title or description of the image in italics, the medium if relevant, and the URL with an access date for online images.

Images encountered through Google Images, museum databases, or institutional repositories all require a source URL pointing to the hosting page rather than the direct image file URL. When no title is given, a brief descriptive phrase in square brackets acts as the title.

Format: Creator's surname, Initials. (Year) Title of image [Medium]. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite In Text

To cite in text in LSBU Harvard style, place the author's surname and year of publication inside brackets immediately after the quoted or paraphrased material; for direct quotes, add the page number after the year.

In-text citations are intentionally brief because their only purpose is to link the reader to the full reference in the reference list. Paraphrasing requires only (Surname, Year), while direct quotation requires (Surname, Year, p.XX). When no author exists, the title or organisation name takes the author position.

Format (paraphrase): (Surname, Year) Format (direct quote): (Surname, Year, p.XX) Format (organisation, no author): (Organisation Name, Year)

How to Cite a Thesis

To cite a thesis in LSBU Harvard style, record the author's surname and initials, year, the thesis title in italics, the level of award (e.g., PhD thesis, MSc dissertation), the awarding institution, and the URL with access date if available online.

Theses held in institutional repositories such as EThOS, Durham e-Theses Online, or the British Library are freely accessible and therefore always include a URL. The level of award distinguishes a PhD thesis from a Master's dissertation in the reference, which is information not captured for other source types.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. (Year) Title of thesis. Level of award. Name of institution. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite Gov.uk

To cite a Gov.uk page in LSBU Harvard style, use the name of the government department as the author, the year the page was published or last updated, the page title in italics, and the full Gov.uk URL with an access date.

Gov.uk pages are official publications produced by UK government departments and executive agencies. Because no individual author is typically listed, the department name serves as the corporate author, and the reference follows the same structure as any other website citation.

Format: Department Name (Year) Title of page. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/... (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Department Name, Year)

How to Cite a Chapter in a Book

To cite a chapter in an edited book in LSBU Harvard style, record the chapter author's details, the year, the chapter title in single quotation marks, then the editor's details with '(ed.)' or '(eds.)', the book title in italics, the edition if not the first, the publisher, and the page range of the chapter.

This format is distinct from a standard book citation because it separates the intellectual contribution of the chapter author from the editorial work of the book's compiler. The chapter title takes single inverted commas, while the book title is italicised, a key visual distinction that must be maintained consistently.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Title of chapter', in: Editor's surname, Initials. (ed./eds.) Title of book. Edition if later than first. Publisher, pp.XX–XX.

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite a News Article

To cite a news article in LSBU Harvard style, include the journalist's surname and initials, the year, the article title in single quotation marks, the newspaper name in italics, the day and month, and the page number(s) for print; for online articles, add the URL and access date instead.

Newspaper articles are identified by a specific publication date rather than a volume or issue number, which makes the day and month essential elements not required for journal articles. Online news articles omit the page number and substitute a URL and access date.

Format (print): Author's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper, Day Month, p.XX. Format (online): Author's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Title of article', Title of Newspaper, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

How to Cite an E-book

To cite an e-book in LSBU Harvard style, follow the standard book format but replace the publisher's location with Available at: followed by the URL and an access date.

E-books accessed through platforms such as ProQuest Ebook Central, VLeBooks, or publisher websites are treated as online resources. The edition element is still included if the e-book is not a first edition, and the publisher name is recorded if available on the platform.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. (Year) Title of e-book. Edition if later than first. Publisher if available. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite a Quote

To cite a direct quote in LSBU Harvard style, place the quoted text in single quotation marks within the body of your writing, then add an in-text citation containing the author's surname, year, and specific page number in the format (Surname, Year, p.XX).

The page number is mandatory for direct quotations because it allows readers to locate the exact passage. For long quotes of more than about 30 words, LSBU convention calls for indented block quotation format without quotation marks, followed immediately by the in-text citation.

Format (short quote): 'Quoted text here' (Surname, Year, p.XX). Format (block quote, 30+ words): Indented quoted text here. (Surname, Year, p.XX)

How to Cite a Conference Paper

To cite a conference paper in LSBU Harvard style, record the author's surname and initials, year, the paper title in single quotation marks, the word 'in:' followed by the conference proceedings title in italics, the location and date of the conference, and the publisher with page numbers where available.

Conference papers are distinct from journal articles because they are tied to a specific event, and the conference name and date provide important contextual information about where and when the research was presented. Online conference papers require a URL and access date in addition to the standard elements.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Title of paper', in: Title of conference proceedings, Location, Day–Day Month. Publisher, pp.XX–XX.

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite a Journal Article

To cite a journal article in LSBU Harvard style, include the author's surname and initials, year, the article title in single quotation marks, the journal name in italics, the volume and issue number, the page range, and the DOI if available.

The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is placed at the end of the reference as a stable, permanent link. If no DOI exists but the article is freely available online (such as through Google Scholar or ResearchGate), use Available at: followed by the URL and access date instead.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Title of article', Title of Journal, volume(issue), pp.XX–XX. Available at: DOI.

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite an Email

To cite an email in LSBU Harvard style, record the sender's surname and initials, the year, the subject line of the email in single quotation marks with [Email] in square brackets, the day and month, and the recipient's name or role.

Emails are personal communications and are not publicly verifiable, so some LSBU lecturers may prefer they are not cited in academic work at all. When citing is appropriate, the recipient's name or description is recorded to clarify the context of the communication.

Format: Sender's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Subject line of email' [Email], Day Month. Email to Recipient's name.

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite Legislation

To cite legislation in LSBU Harvard style, record the title of the Act in italics (with the year as part of the title), the jurisdiction in brackets, and the publisher (typically HMSO or legislation.gov.uk for UK Acts), followed by the URL and access date for online versions.

UK legislation is treated as a corporate document where the Act title itself serves as the primary identifier rather than an individual author. The chapter number may also be included for precision in legal and policy-focused work.

Format: Title of Act Year (jurisdiction). Publisher. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Title of Act, Year)

How to Cite a PDF

To cite a PDF in LSBU Harvard style, identify the source type first (report, journal article, book chapter, government publication) and apply the corresponding format, then add Available at: with the direct PDF URL or the hosting webpage URL and an access date.

A PDF is a file format, not an independent source type, so the citation structure is always determined by the nature of the document rather than the fact it is a PDF. If the PDF is a standalone document with no clear source type (such as a policy brief), treat it as a report.

Format (report as PDF): Author/Organisation (Year) Title of document. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Surname/Organisation, Year)

How to Cite an Edited Book

To cite an edited book in LSBU Harvard style, use the editor's surname and initials followed by '(ed.)' or '(eds.)' in place of the author position, then the year, the book title in italics, the edition if applicable, and the publisher.

Edited books differ from standard monographs because the intellectual labour of the editor lies in compiling and organising chapters written by different authors. When citing the edited book as a whole rather than a specific chapter within it, the editor takes the primary author position.

Format: Editor's surname, Initials. (ed./eds.) (Year) Title of book. Edition if later than first. Publisher.

In-text: (Editor's surname, Year)

How to Cite ChatGPT and AI Tools

To cite ChatGPT or any AI-generated content in LSBU Harvard style, record the AI tool name as the author, the year of the interaction, a description of the content generated in italics or single quotation marks, the platform name and model version, the day and month of access, and the URL if applicable.

AI-generated content is not a stable or retrievable source, as the same prompt can produce different outputs at different times. LSBU recommends students check with their lecturer before citing AI tools, as many modules restrict or prohibit their use due to academic integrity concerns.

Format: Tool Name (Year) Description of content generated [AI-generated content]. Platform name, Version, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Tool Name, Year)

How to Cite a Database

To cite a database as a whole in LSBU Harvard style, treat it as a website, recording the organisation responsible, the year, the database name in italics, and the URL with an access date. For a specific record or entry within a database, cite the record as its own source type (e.g., a journal article accessed through a database is cited as a journal article).

Most academic databases such as Scopus, JSTOR, ProQuest, and Statista provide record-level URLs or DOIs that should be used in the reference. When citing a database for its statistical or aggregate data rather than a specific article, the database name takes the role of the publication title.

Format (database as a whole): Organisation (Year) Name of database. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Organisation, Year)

How to Cite a Lecture

To cite a lecture or lecture notes in LSBU Harvard style, include the lecturer's surname and initials, the year, the lecture title in single quotation marks with [Lecture] in square brackets, the module code and name, the institution, and the date of delivery.

Lecture materials such as PowerPoint slides uploaded to Moodle or Blackboard are cited in the same way, replacing [Lecture] with [Lecture notes] or [PowerPoint slides]. Because lecture materials are not publicly accessible, no URL is required, but the institution is always recorded.

Format: Lecturer's surname, Initials. (Year) 'Title of lecture' [Lecture/Lecture notes]. Module Code: Module Name, Institution, Day Month.

In-text: (Surname, Year)

How to Cite an Interview

To cite an interview in LSBU Harvard style, record the interviewee's surname and initials, the year, the word 'Interview' in square brackets with the interviewer's name, the medium if broadcast, and the date, along with a URL and access date if the interview was published online.

Broadcast interviews on television or radio follow the same structure but treat the programme name as additional context after the interview type. Unpublished personal interviews conducted by the student themselves are noted with the phrase 'Interview with the author'.

Format: Interviewee's surname, Initials. (Year) [Interview by Interviewer's name]. Medium/Programme, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Interviewee's surname, Year)

How to Cite a Social Media Post

To cite a social media post in LSBU Harvard style, use the account name or author's surname and initials, the year, the post content or title in italics, the platform name in square brackets, the day and month, and the URL with an access date.

LSBU's official guidance on social media citations confirms that the content of the post acts as the title when no formal title exists. The platform is identified in square brackets after the content description, distinguishing between Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other networks.

Format: Author's surname, Initials. or Account Name (Year) Content of post [Social media platform], Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: day month year).

In-text: (Account Name/Surname, Year)

Frequently Asked Questions