Manchester Metropolitan University Harvard Referencing

To cite a website in the Harvard referencing style, include the author's surname and initial, the year, the page title in italics, the organisation name, [Online], the access date in square brackets, and the full URL.

The structure is: Author Surname, I. (Year) Title of webpage. Organisation. [Online] [Accessed on DD Month YYYY] URL

Websites are cited extensively in student work across all disciplines. A key rule is that when no individual author is identifiable, the organisation name replaces the author.

To cite a book in Harvard referencing style, write the author's surname and initial, the year in brackets, the book title in italics, the edition if relevant, the place of publication, and the publisher.

The structure is: Author Surname, I. (Year) Title of book. Edition (if applicable). Place: Publisher.

Books are the most foundational source type in academic work. The edition must be included for all editions other than the first, as different editions may contain revised or updated content. The in-text citation for a book is (Surname, Year).

To cite in text in the Harvard referencing style, place the author's surname and year of publication in round brackets at the end of the relevant sentence.

When the author's name appears naturally in the sentence, only the year goes in brackets immediately after the surname. When directly quoting, you must add a page number after the year, separated by a colon.

In-text citations are the connective tissue between your argument and your reference list. uses the author-date system, which means every citation in the text must have a corresponding entry in the reference list at the end of the assignment.

To cite a journal article in the Harvard referencing style, list the author's surname and initial, the year, the article title in single inverted commas, the journal title in italics, the volume and issue numbers, and the page range.

The structure is: Author Surname, I. (Year) 'Title of article.' Journal Title, Volume(Issue) pp. X–X.

For articles accessed online, recommend adding the DOI or stable URL and access date at the end. DOIs are preferred because they provide a permanent, stable link to the article. Journal articles are heavily used by researchers and postgraduate students who need peer-reviewed evidence to support academic arguments.

To cite a PDF in Harvard referencing style, identify what type of source the PDF represents (a report, journal article, book chapter, or webpage), and reference it in the format for that source type, adding [PDF] as a medium label where appropriate.

The structure depends on the PDF content type. For a standalone online PDF document, treat it as a report or webpage, adding [PDF] in square brackets after the title. The date accessed and URL should always be included for online PDFs.

PDFs are widely used in health, policy, and social science research. WHO guidelines, NICE protocols, and government reports are often distributed as PDFs and must be cited with their issuing organisation as the author when no individual author is credited.

To cite a chapter in an edited book in the Harvard referencing style, write the chapter author's details first, followed by the chapter title in single inverted commas, then the word "In:" and the editor's details, the book title in italics, the place, publisher, and the page range of the chapter.

The structure is: Author Surname, I. (Year) 'Chapter title.' In: Editor Surname, I. (ed.) Title of book. Place: Publisher, pp. X–X.

This format is essential for edited collections, handbooks, and anthologies, where different authors contribute individual chapters. Students in humanities, social sciences, and education disciplines cite book chapters frequently. The chapter author receives credit separately from the editor of the whole volume.

To cite multiple authors in Manchester Met's current Cite Them Right Harvard style, list all surnames for up to three authors and use the first author's surname followed by "et al." for four or more authors.

In the reference list, all authors must always be listed in full, regardless of how many there are. The abbreviation et al. is only used in the in-text citation, not in the full reference entry. This distinction matters for academic integrity: the reference list must enable the reader to trace every contributor to the source.

To cite a direct quote in the Harvard referencing style, include the author's surname, year, and the specific page number, separated by a colon, in round brackets directly after the quotation.

The format for a direct quote citation is: (Author Surname, Year:page number). The quoted text must appear in single inverted commas in the body of the text. A direct quote must reproduce the original text exactly, including spelling and punctuation. If you omit part of the quote, use ellipsis (…) to mark the gap.

To cite a website with no individual author in the Harvard referencing style, use the name of the organisation or website as the author in place of a personal name.

The format remains the same as a standard webpage reference, but the organisation replaces the surname at the start. If neither an author nor an organisation is identifiable, use the title of the page in italics as the first element. This rule prevents gaps in the reference list and ensures every citation remains traceable.

To cite an image in the Harvard referencing style, name the creator, year, the title of the image in italics, the medium in square brackets, the name of the holding institution or platform, and for online images, the access date in square brackets and the URL.

The structure is: Creator Surname, I. (Year) Title of image [Medium]. Institution/Platform. [Online] [Accessed on date] URL.

Images are cited in art history, design, architecture, media studies, and healthcare assignments. When the creator is unknown, the holding institution (such as a gallery or museum) takes the author position. The medium label clarifies whether the image is a painting, photograph, digital illustration, or infographic.

To cite a report in the Harvard referencing style, list the author or organisation, the year, the report title in italics, the place of publication, and the publishing body.

The structure is: Author/Organisation (Year) Title of report. Place: Publisher. For online reports, add [Online], the access date, and the URL.

Reports are primary sources for students in business, public health, social policy, and education. Government departments, think tanks, charities, and international organisations all publish reports that hold significant evidential weight in academic work. Always cite the issuing body when no individual author is named.

To cite a news article in the Harvard referencing style, include the journalist's surname and initial, the year, the article title in single inverted commas, the newspaper name in italics, and, for online articles, add [Online], the access date in square brackets, and the URL.

For print articles, add the full date and page number after the newspaper title. For online news articles, the URL replaces the page reference. News articles are widely used in current affairs, journalism, media studies, politics, and public health assignments to provide real-world context and illustrate contemporary events.

To cite a YouTube video in Harvard referencing style, name the uploader or channel, the year of upload, the video title in italics, followed by [YouTube video] in square brackets, then [Online], the access date in square brackets, and the URL.

The structure is: Uploader Name (Year) Title of video [YouTube video]. [Online] [Accessed on date] URL.

YouTube videos are used in education, media studies, business, and public health assignments as primary sources, illustrative materials, or recorded public talks. The [YouTube video] medium label is required by the style because YouTube is not a standard source type.

To cite a video that is not on YouTube, such as one hosted on Vimeo, BBC iPlayer, or another platform, use the same author-date format but replace [YouTube video] with [Video] in square brackets.

The structure is: Author/Director (Year) Title of video [Video]. Platform/Broadcaster. [Online] [Accessed on date] URL. Non-YouTube videos may include documentary films, television programmes, institutional training materials, and news broadcasts. The medium label [Video] makes the source type explicit, which is a requirement of 's style for non-standard source types.

To cite a podcast in Harvard referencing style, name the speaker or host, the year, the episode title in single inverted commas, the podcast series name in italics, followed by [Podcast] in square brackets, and the access date and URL.

The structure is: Speaker Surname, I. (Year) 'Title of episode.' Podcast Series Name [Podcast]. [Online] [Accessed on date] URL.

Podcasts have become credible academic sources in fields such as psychology, sociology, business, and public health. The [Podcast] medium label is required in the style because podcasts are non-standard source types. When no individual speaker is named, the podcast series or production company takes the author position.

To cite a lecture in Harvard referencing style, name the lecturer, the year, the lecture title in italics, followed by the medium label such as [Lecture notes] or [PowerPoint presentation] in square brackets, the module name, and the institution.

The structure is: Lecturer Surname, I. (Year) Title of lecture [Medium]. Module Name, Institution. DD Month.

Lectures are primary sources unique to the academic context. Students often cite lecture slides or notes to trace ideas directly to the taught content. You should only cite a lecture if the information is not available in a published source, as published sources are more verifiable and replicable.

To cite an interview in Harvard referencing style, name the interviewee as the primary author, the year, and the title or description of the interview in italics, followed by [Interview] in square brackets, the interviewer's name, and the date.

The structure is: Interviewee Surname, I. (Year) Interview on [topic] [Interview]. Interviewed by I. Surname. DD Month.

Published interviews (in newspapers, magazines, or on websites) are cited more like articles. Unpublished or personal interview data collected for your own research should be treated as personal communication and noted accordingly. When citing a broadcast interview, include the media platform and URL.

To cite a thesis in the Harvard referencing style, write the author's name, year, the thesis title in italics, the type of thesis in square brackets, such as [PhD thesis] or [MA dissertation], and the institution.

The structure is: Author Surname, I. (Year) Title of thesis [Type of thesis]. Institution.

For online theses, add [Online], the access date in square brackets, and the URL or repository link. These are valuable for accessing cutting-edge, specialist research that has not yet been published in journals. Students in postgraduate programmes frequently cite theses from repositories such as EThOS (British Library), ProQuest, and institutional research archives.

To cite legislation in the Harvard referencing style, write the full title of the Act in italics, followed by the year in brackets, and for online versions, add [Online], the access date in square brackets, and the URL.

The structure is: Title of Act (Year). [Online] [Accessed on date] URL.

Legislation does not have a personal author. The Act itself is the primary source. Law students, social work students, healthcare practitioners, and public policy researchers all rely on citing primary legislation accurately. The legislation.gov.uk website is the official and authoritative source for UK Acts of Parliament.

To cite a specific law, statute, or section of an Act in the Harvard referencing style, follow the same format as legislation but also include the relevant section number to direct the reader to the precise provision.

The structure is: Title of Act (Year), s.X. [Online] [Accessed on date] URL. The abbreviation "s." refers to a specific section. This is important in law assignments, social work practice, healthcare ethics, and business law, where referencing a precise provision within an Act carries evidential weight distinct from citing the entire statute.

To cite a GOV.UK page in Harvard referencing style, use the responsible government department or agency as the author, followed by the year, the page title in italics, and the platform name GOV.UK, [Online], the access date in square brackets, and the URL.

GOV.UK pages follow the standard organisational author format used for websites. Many GOV.UK pages are updated regularly, which makes the access date especially significant. Students in public policy, social work, nursing, education, and business frequently cite GOV.UK pages for official statistics, guidance, and policy documents.

To cite a conference paper in the Harvard referencing style, name the author, the year, the paper title in single inverted commas, followed by "In:" and the name of the conference proceedings in italics, the location and dates of the conference, the publisher, and the page range.

The structure is: Author Surname, I. (Year) 'Title of paper.' In: Proceedings of Conference Name. Location, Date. Publisher, pp. X–X.

Conference papers are important in computing, engineering, science, and business research. They represent the most current academic thinking before formal journal publication. When a conference paper has a DOI or stable URL, it should always be included to aid traceability.

To cite a social media post in Harvard referencing style, name the account holder or username, the year, the text of the post or a descriptive title in italics, the platform name in square brackets such as [X post] or [Facebook post], the day and month of posting, [Online], the access date, and the URL.

The structure is: Author/Username (Year) Text or description of post [Platform post]. DD Month. [Online] [Accessed on date] URL.

Social media posts are used as sources in media studies, politics, communications, and public health research. They carry evidential value as primary sources of public discourse, policy announcements, and organisational communications. Always verify the authenticity of the account before citing.

To cite ChatGPT in the Harvard referencing style, use OpenAI as the author, the year, a descriptive title of the AI-generated response in italics, followed by [Large language model] in square brackets, the access date, and the ChatGPT URL.

The structure is: OpenAI (Year) Response to: "[your query text]" [Large language model]. [Accessed on date] https://chat.openai.com

Citing AI-generated content is an evolving area in academic referencing. Most institutions require students to disclose AI use and treat AI outputs as non-peer-reviewed, non-verifiable text. You must always check your module guidelines before using ChatGPT as a source, as many assessments prohibit its use entirely. The access date is especially important because AI responses are not static and cannot be reproduced exactly.

To cite personal communication in the Harvard referencing style, name the sender, the year, a descriptive title in italics, the type of communication in square brackets, such as [Email] or [Personal conversation], and the date the communication took place.

The structure is: Sender Surname, I. (Year) Description of communication [Type]. DD Month.

Personal communications include emails, phone calls, text messages, letters, and informal conversations. They are considered non-recoverable sources because readers cannot access them independently. For this reason, personal citations are included as in-text citations only in some Harvard variations. In Harvard, you should consult your tutor about whether to include them in the reference list. Personal connotations are commonly cited in social science, business, and healthcare research where practitioner perspectives or organisational data are gathered directly.