How to Cite in Oxford Brookes University Harvard Referencing Style
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How to Cite a Report in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a report in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the author or organisation name, year in brackets, the report title in italics, the place of publication, and the publisher. Reports are commonly produced by government departments, think tanks, international agencies, or corporate bodies, and the organisation often functions as both author and publisher. When accessed online, you must add "Available at: URL (Accessed: date)."
Reports carry significant academic weight because they present primary research data, policy recommendations, and sector analyses that are not always replicated in journal articles. They are frequently cited in policy studies, public health, social sciences, and business management.
Format:
Author/Organisation (Year) Title of report. Place of publication: Publisher. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Website with No Author in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a website with no author in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the title of the webpage (in italics) in place of the author, followed by the year, the website name if distinct, the URL, and the access date. This approach maintains the author-date structure by shifting the title to the author position, both in the in-text citation and in the reference list entry. When no publication date is available, use the abbreviation "no date" in place of the year.
Students frequently encounter this scenario with organisational websites, charity pages, and online encyclopaedias. The access date is essential for web sources because web content can change or disappear at any time, and it signals to readers the version of the page you consulted.
Format:
Title of webpage (Year) Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
In-text: (Title of webpage, Year)
How to Cite a Chapter in a Book in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a chapter in an edited book in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, begin with the chapter author's surname and initial, followed by the year, the chapter title in single quotation marks, the word "in," the editor's name followed by "(ed.)" or "(eds.)," the book title in italics, the place of publication, the publisher, and the page range. This format distinguishes the chapter author from the book editor, which is important for attribution and verification purposes.
This citation type is most common in the humanities and social sciences, where edited collections bring together contributions from multiple scholars on a single theme. The chapter author and book editor are different people, and both must be acknowledged.
Format:
Chapter Author Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Chapter title', in Editor Surname, Initial. (ed.) Book title. Place: Publisher, pp. X–X.
How to Cite ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, treat the developer company as the author — OpenAI for ChatGPT, Google for Gemini, and Anthropic for Claude — and reference the tool as a computer program or personal communication, depending on whether the output is retrievable by others. Oxford Brookes advises that AI-generated responses that cannot be reproduced or accessed by a reader should be cited as personal communications, with a record of the prompt and date.
The broader academic principle here is that citations must allow verification. Because AI outputs are not fixed or archived in the way that books and journal articles are, students should include their prompt in an appendix and note that the response was AI-generated. Always check with your module tutor before using AI in assessed work, as this policy varies significantly across departments at Oxford Brookes.
Format (as computer program):
Developer (Year) Tool name [Computer program]. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
Format (as personal communication/response):
Developer Tool Name (Year) Response to [Your Name], Day Month.
How to Cite an Image in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite an image in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the creator's name, the year, the title or description of the image in italics, the medium in square brackets if relevant, and the source location or URL with an access date. Images sourced from museums, online databases, news agencies, or academic publications all require attribution in the reference list, even when reproduced within a figure or caption in your work.
Images are cited in disciplines including art history, architecture, design, health sciences, and geography. One unique challenge with images is that the creator, the rights holder, and the hosting platform can all be different entities, and you should cite the creator wherever possible.
Format:
Creator Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of image [Photograph/Painting/Illustration]. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite Multiple Authors in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a source with multiple authors in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, list all authors' surnames and initials in the reference list, separating them with commas and using "and" before the final author. In the in-text citation, if a source has three or more authors, use the first author's surname followed by et al. (in italics) from the first mention. For one or two authors, list all surnames each time.
This rule exists to balance readability within the body of text with the requirement for full attribution in the reference list. The use of et al. is exclusive to in-text citations — the reference list must always show every author's name in full. Getting the author order right is critical because databases and library catalogues index sources by the first-listed author.
Format (in-text, 3+ authors):
(First Author et al., Year)
Format (reference list):
Surname, A., Surname, B. and Surname, C. (Year) Title. Place: Publisher.
How to Cite a News Article in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a news article in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the journalist's surname and initial, the year, the article title in single quotation marks, the newspaper title in italics, the date of publication (day and month), and the page number if in print, or the URL and access date if online. News articles are treated as secondary sources and are most appropriate when citing current events, political commentary, or publicly reported statistics that have not yet appeared in peer-reviewed literature.
Newspapers are valuable sources in journalism studies, politics, economics, and sociology. One important distinction is that the date of publication includes the day and month — unlike most other source types in Harvard, which only require the year.
Format:
Author Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Title of article', Newspaper Name, Day Month, p./pp. X. or Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Book in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a book in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the author's surname and initial, the year in brackets, the title in italics, the edition (if not the first), the place of publication, and the publisher. Books are the most foundational source type in academic referencing, and the format is the baseline against which all other formats deviate.
The edition is only stated if it is not the first edition. Place of publication refers to the city where the publisher is based, not where the book was printed. When citing an e-book, add "Available at: URL (Accessed: date)" at the end.
Format:
Author Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of book. Edition (if not 1st). Place: Publisher.
How to Cite a YouTube Video in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a YouTube video in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, list the uploader's name or channel as the author, the year the video was uploaded in brackets, the video title in italics, "YouTube video" in square brackets, and the URL with an access date. The upload date should match the date shown on the video page, and the title should be reproduced as displayed on the platform.
YouTube videos are cited in media studies, health communication, education research, and social sciences, particularly when the video represents a primary record of a speech, documentary, or institutional broadcast. Academic credibility depends on citing the original uploader rather than a re-upload.
Format:
Uploader Name (Year) Title of video [YouTube video]. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite In-Text in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To create an in-text citation in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, place the author's surname and the year of publication in round brackets within or immediately after the sentence that draws on that source. If you quote directly, you must also include the page number. Paraphrasing does not require a page number, though it is good practice to include one for the reader's benefit.
The in-text citation system is the defining feature of the Harvard author-date format. It keeps references brief within the text while directing readers to the full details in the reference list. There are four common in-text structures, each suited to different writing situations.
How to Cite a Thesis in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a thesis or dissertation in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the author's surname and initial, the year, the thesis title in italics, the degree level (e.g., PhD thesis or MA dissertation), and the awarding institution. If accessed online, add the URL and access date. These are primary scholarly works and carry high academic credibility, particularly in postgraduate-level essays.
These, sourced from institutional repositories such as Oxford Brookes' own RADAR, the British Library EThOS, or ProQuest, should include the repository name and the URL. The degree type matters because a PhD thesis and an undergraduate dissertation carry different scholarly weight.
Format:
Author Surname, Initial. (Year) Title of thesis. PhD thesis/MA dissertation. Name of Institution.
How to Cite a Dictionary Entry in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a dictionary entry in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the editor or dictionary name as the author, the year, the term defined in single quotation marks, the dictionary title in italics, the edition if applicable, the place of publication, the publisher, and the page number or URL. Online dictionaries require the URL and access date. Dictionary citations are common in linguistics, law, literature, and philosophy, where the precise definition of a term is used to anchor an argument.
One unique feature of dictionary citations is that the "author" position is often taken by the dictionary's title or publishing body rather than an individual person, particularly for major reference works such as the Oxford English Dictionary.
Format:
Editor/Dictionary title (Year) 'Term defined', Dictionary Title. Edition. Place: Publisher, p. X. or Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Film in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a film in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the director as the author, followed by the year of release in brackets, the film title in italics, "Film" in square brackets, the country of origin, and the production company or distributor. When accessed via a streaming platform, add the platform name, URL, and access date.
Films are primary sources in media studies, film theory, cultural studies, and education. The year of release rather than the year accessed is used as the publication date, which distinguishes films from web sources. If a film has multiple directors, list them with "and" between the final two names.
Format:
Director Surname, Initial. (dir.) (Year) Film title [Film]. Country: Production Company.
How to Cite a Gov.uk Page in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a GOV.UK page in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the name of the government department or agency as the author, followed by the year in brackets, the page title in italics, and "Available at: URL (Accessed: date)." GOV.UK is the official UK government website, and pages are generally treated as institutional publications. The department name functions as the corporate author.
Government pages are frequently cited in public policy, law, social work, public health, and business studies. Unlike commercial websites, GOV.UK pages carry strong institutional authority but can be updated frequently, making the access date especially important.
Format:
Department Name (Year) Title of page. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/... (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Journal Article in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a journal article in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the author's surname and initial, the year, the article title in single quotation marks, the journal title in italics, the volume number, the issue number in brackets, and the page range. If accessed online and a DOI is available, include it at the end. The journal name uses headline capitalisation, meaning every significant word is capitalised.
Journal articles are the primary academic currency in most disciplines at Oxford Brookes. Citing correctly at this level signals both the source and the specific passage within it, allowing any reader to trace and evaluate your evidence.
Format:
Author Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Article title', Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pp. X–X. DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Quote in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a direct quotation in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, place the quoted text within single quotation marks in your text, and immediately follow it with the author's surname, year, and the page number in round brackets. This is one of the clearest differences between direct quotation and paraphrase in this style: the page number becomes mandatory when you reproduce the exact words of a source. Long quotations of more than approximately 40 words should be presented as indented block quotes, without quotation marks, followed by the citation in brackets.
Quotations carry specific rhetorical power in academic writing — they are used to anchor arguments, demonstrate evidence, or bring a distinctive voice into your analysis. Overuse is discouraged; Oxford Brookes, like most universities, values paraphrasing as a sign of genuine comprehension.
Format (short quote):
'…quoted text…' (Author Surname, Year, p. X).
Format (block quote, 40+ words):
Indented passage without quotation marks. (Author Surname, Year, p. X)
How to Cite an Annual Report in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite an annual report in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the organisation's name as the author, the year of the report, the title in italics, the place of publication, the organisation, and the URL with an access date. Annual reports differ from general organisational reports in that they are financial and strategic disclosures published on a fixed schedule, commonly used in business, accounting, and corporate governance research.
Annual reports carry legal weight because they are official statements of a company's financial position and strategic direction. Citing them in business or finance assignments demonstrates engagement with primary corporate data rather than secondary commentary.
Format:
Organisation Name (Year) Annual report [Year]. Place: Organisation. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Conference Paper in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a conference paper in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the author's surname and initial, the year, the paper title in single quotation marks, the words "in Proceedings of," the conference name in italics, the date and location of the conference, and the page range. If accessed online, include the URL and access date. Conference papers sit between journal articles and working papers in terms of formal peer review, and their citation confirms that you are engaging with cutting-edge, often pre-publication research.
This type of citation is common in engineering, computer science, education, and the natural sciences, where conferences often precede journal publication by one to two years. The conference name, location, and date are critical identifiers because the same title may appear in multiple conference series.
Format:
Author Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Paper title', in Proceedings of Conference Name, Location, Date, pp. X–X. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Website in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a website in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the author's name or corporate author, the year, the page title in italics, the name of the website (if different from the author), and "Available at: URL (Accessed: date)." The access date is essential because websites are mutable — their content may change or be removed after you access them.
The author may be an individual, an organisation, or a corporate body. When the author and website name are the same, the website name does not need to be repeated. Website citations are among the most commonly misformatted references in student work because students often omit the access date or use the URL without the page title.
Format:
Author/Organisation (Year) Title of webpage. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite an Interview in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite an interview in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, the format depends on whether the interview is published (e.g., in a newspaper, podcast, or broadcast) or unpublished (conducted by you as a researcher). Published interviews follow the format of the medium in which they appeared. Unpublished interviews conducted by the researcher are treated as personal communications and are typically cited only in the text, not in the reference list, because they cannot be retrieved by others.
Unpublished interview data is common in qualitative research across social sciences, health studies, and business management. The person interviewed is the author of a personal communication, not a published source. You should always obtain informed consent before citing interview content, and your ethics approval documentation should be in order before submission.
Format (published interview):
Interviewee Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Interview title or description', in Publication/Programme. Date. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
Format (unpublished, personal communication — in-text only):
(Interviewee Surname, pers. comm., Day Month Year)
How to Cite a PDF or E-book in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a PDF or e-book in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, treat it as you would a print book or report, but add "Available at: URL (Accessed: date)" at the end to indicate that it was accessed digitally. PDFs are not a separate source type — they are simply a format for delivering books, reports, journal articles, or government documents, and the citation structure should reflect the underlying source type.
E-books accessed through library platforms such as ProQuest Ebook Central or EBSCO should include the platform name and URL. If a DOI is available, it should be preferred over a general URL because it is a permanent identifier that will not change.
Format:
Author Surname, Initial. (Year) Title. Place: Publisher. Available at: URL or DOI (Accessed: date).
How to Cite Legislation in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite UK legislation in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the short title of the Act and the year in italics as the main identifier, followed by the chapter number. Legislation does not follow the author-date structure in the same way — the Act title takes the place of the author. If accessed online via legislation.gov.uk, add the URL and access date.
Law, social policy, public health, and social work students cite legislation regularly. The chapter number (c.) refers to the Act's position in the parliamentary session and is an important identifier when multiple Acts were passed in the same year. For EU or international law, the format adapts slightly, but the same principle of using the official title as the primary identifier applies.
Format:
Name of Act Year (Chapter number). Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
In-text: (Name of Act Year)
How to Cite a Social Media Post in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a social media post in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the author's name or the account name, the year, the post text (first 20–30 words in single quotation marks), the platform name in italics, the day and month of the post, and the URL with an access date. Social media citations are increasingly expected in journalism, media studies, politics, and digital humanities research, where platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram serve as primary records of public discourse.
The challenge with social media is that posts can be deleted or edited without notice. For this reason, researchers often archive posts using tools like the Wayback Machine before citing them. The access date signals the moment at which the cited version was verified as present and readable.
Format:
Author/Account Name (Year) 'First 20–30 words of post…' [Post type, e.g., Twitter post/Instagram post], Platform Name, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
How to Cite a Citation Within a Citation in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a citation within a citation (also called a secondary citation) in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, use the phrase "cited in" in the in-text reference to show that you accessed the original work through a secondary source. The reference list entry should include only the secondary source you actually read, not the original work you could not access directly.
Secondary citations are discouraged at Oxford Brookes unless the source is genuinely inaccessible — for example, out-of-print works, untranslated texts, or historical documents. Markers recognise secondary citations and may question whether the student engaged with primary literature. When you use a secondary citation, you are trusting the intermediate author's interpretation of the original, which introduces the risk of error.
Format (in-text):
(Original Author, Year, cited in Secondary Author, Year, p. X)
Reference list: Include only the secondary source you read.
How to Cite a Lecture in Oxford Brookes University's Harvard Referencing Style?
To cite a lecture in Oxford Brookes Harvard style, include the lecturer's surname and initial, the year, the lecture title in single quotation marks, the module or course name in italics, the type of communication in square brackets, the institution, and the date. If the lecture slides or notes are available online through a VLE such as Moodle or Blackboard, add the URL and access date.
Lectures are considered personal communications or unpublished material because they are not formally published for public access. However, if a lecturer's slides are uploaded to a university platform and remain accessible to enrolled students, they may be cited with a URL. As with all in-person or institutional sources, clarity and completeness are essential so that the reader understands the context of the cited material.
Format:
Lecturer Surname, Initial. (Year) 'Lecture title', Module Name [Lecture/Lecture notes]. Institution, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).