Harvard - writing a reference list

Collect all sources in a reference list 

According to the Harvard style, in-text references to sources are placed in parentheses. At the end of your document, you should have a reference list in which you collect all the sources you have used and referred to in your text. The reference list should be sorted alphabetically by the first author's surname or equivalent.  

Examples of different types of sources

The reference list should include detailed information about the sources so that a reader can find the exact source you have referred to. Here you can see examples of how to write references for different types of sources in the Harvard style. For each source type, we first show a template of how to write the reference and what information to include. Then we show a real example. Note that not all the information in the template is always available and, therefore, can’t be included.

Books and reports

Books with one author

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title. Edition (if not 1st). Publisher.

Example

Bryman, A. (2008). Social research methods. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press.

Books with two or more authors

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s), Author’s last name, initial(s). & Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title. Edition (if not 1st). Publisher.

Example

Blocher, E., Stout, D.E., Juras, P.E. & Cokins, G. (2013). Cost management: a strategic emphasis. 6th ed. McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Books which are edited (anthologies)

Template

Editor’s last name, initial(s). (ed.). (Year of publication). Title. Edition (if not 1st). Publisher.

Example

Allen, J. & Young, I.M. (eds.). (1989). The thinking muse: feminism and modern French philosophy. Indiana University Press.

More information

For edited books, include (ed.) or (eds.) if multiple editors between the name of the editor/editors and the year of publication.

E-books

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title. Edition (if not 1st). Publisher. Permanent link or complete URL (Access date).

Example – book with a permanent link (DOI, URN, Handle or equivalent)

Swinnen, J.F.M. & Rozelle, S. (2006). From Marx and Mao to the market: the economics and politics of agricultural transition. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/0199288917.001.0001

Example – book with a complete URL and access date

Strindberg, A. (1912). Three plays: Countess Julie; the Outlaw; the Stronger. International pocket library. https://archive.org/details/threeplayscounte00striuoft (Accessed 2012-05-21).

More information

• The same information should be provided as for printed books (see example: Books with one author). Provide the permanent link (DOI, Handle, URN or equivalent) if available, without a full stop at the end.
• For books that are (legally and) freely available on the internet, include the same information as for printed books (see example above). In those cases, you should add the complete URL (http://....) or the link provided by the publisher, and the date you downloaded/read the book. Include a full stop at the end.

Book chapters

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of the book chapter. In Editor(s) last name, initial(s). (eds.). Title of book. Edition (if not 1:st). Publisher, page numbers of chapter.

Example

Malmberg, A. (2003). Beyond the cluster: local milieus and global connections. In Peck, J. & Wai-chung Yeung, H. (eds.). Remaking the Global Economy. Sage Publications, pp. 145-162.

Reports

Template

Organisation or author. (Year of publication). Title of report. Publisher. Permanent link or complete URL (Access date).

Example – report with a permanent link (DOI, URN, Handle or equivalent)

Aronsson, T. & Blomquist, S. (2018). Uncertain length of life, retirement age, and optimal pension design. Department of Economics, Umeå University. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-145736

Example – report with a complete URL and access date

Transparency International. (2020). Corruption perceptions index 2019. https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2019_CPI_Report_EN.pdf (Accessed 2020-10-19).

More information

The publisher can be excluded if it is the same as the organisation writing the report.

Articles

Journal articles (scholarly articles)

Template

Author’s last name(s), initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of article. Journal name Volume(issue): Page numbers of article. Permanent link or complete URL (Access date).

Example – article with a permanent link (DOI, URN, Handle or equivalent)

Lundmark, L. (2005). Economic restructuring into tourism in the Swedish mountain range. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 5(1): pp. 23-45. doi:10.1080/15022250510014273

Example – article with a complete URL and access date

Larsen, J.E. & Blair, J.P. (2009). The importance of police performance as a determinant of satisfaction with police. American Journal of Economics and Business Administration 1(1): pp. 1-10. http://scipub.org/ajeba/article/view/5217/5214 (Accessed 2019-12-10).

Example – article with an article number

Abramowicz, K., Sjöstedt de Luna, S. & Strandberg, J. (2022). Nonparametric bagging clustering methods to identify latent structures from a sequence of dependent categorical data. Computational Statistics & Data Analysis 177: 107583. doi:10.1016/j.csda.2022.107583

More information

• Articles in scholarly journals often have a permanent link (DOI, URN, Handle or equivalent) that you should use. You can use the URL if there is no permanent link.
• For articles without a permanent link and articles freely available on the web, the access date should also be specified.

Newspaper articles

Template – article with a complete URL and access date

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of newspaper. Day and month of the article. Complete URL (Access date).

Example – article with a complete URL and access date

Jowit, J. (2010). Corporate lobbying is blocking food reforms, senior UN official warns. Guardian. 22 September. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/22/food-firms-lobbying-samuel-jutzi (Accessed 2019-09-30).

Template – article in a printed newspaper or a database (such as PressReader)

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of newspaper. Day and month of the article, page number(s).

Example – article in a printed newspaper or a database (such as PressReader)

Jowit, J. (2010). Corporate lobbying is blocking food reforms, senior UN official warns. Guardian. 22 September, pp. 8-9.

Internet sources

Web pages

Template

Author, organisation, authority or company. (Year when the web page was updated). Title of document or page. Complete URL (Access date).

Example

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2010). Health: OECD says governments must fight fat. http://www.oecd.org/document/35/0,3343,en_21571361_44315115_46064099_1_1_1_1,00.html (Accessed 2010-10-10).

More information

• Use the web pages category only if no other reference category fits (e.g. book or journal article).
• If you can’t find information on when the webpage was updated, you can indicate as (n.d.). N.d. means no date.

Blogs

Template

Author, organisation, authority, or company. (Year when the blog post was updated). Title of blog post. Name of the blog. [Blog]. Day and month of the blog post. Complete URL (Access date).

Example

Enever, J. (2015). A tentative view on primary language education policy in India. Forskarbloggen. [Blog]. 7 March. http://blogg.umu.se/forskarbloggen/2015/03/a-tentative-view-on-primary-language-education-policy-in-india/ (Accessed 2015-08-14).

Tweets

Template

Author, organisation, authority or company. (Year when the tweet was updated). Title of tweet. [Twitter]. Day and month of the tweet. Complete URL (Access date).

Example

Fällström, A. (2015). Fewer topics in greater depth. #mathematics #Math Singapore math skills add up in the West http://cnb.cx/1M3BgPX. [Twitter]. 15 July. https://twitter.com/hyperconvex/status/621212215006392320 (Accessed 2015-08-14).

Encyclopaedias, dictionaries or Wikipedia

Template

Author of article. (Year of publication). Title of article. Name of encyclopaedia. Permanent link or complete URL (Access date).

Example

Lovari, S. (2008). Chamois. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/chamois/22341 (Accessed 2023-07-25).

Example – no personal author

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020). Sestina. https://www.britannica.com/art/sestina-poetic-form (Accessed 2023-06-28).

Example – Wikipedia

Wikipedia. (2020). Zadie Smith. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zadie_Smith&oldid=981120030 (Accessed 2020-10-20).

More information

• If you can’t find the year of publication, you can write (n.d.). N.d. means no date.
• If there is no personal author, write the name of the encyclopaedia as author.
• Use Wikipedia's permanent link as URL, which is available under tools.

Dataset

Template

Organisation or creator (Year of publication). Title of dataset [Dataset]. Organisation/database. Permanent link or complete URL (Access date).

Example

Eurostat (2023). Healthy life years at birth by sex [Dataset]. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/TPS00150/default/table?lang=en (Accessed 2023-07-25).

Edlund, J., & Svallfors, S. (2009). ISSP 2004 - Citizenship I: Sweden (1.1) [Data set, documentation:ISSP2004_questions]. Umeå University. doi:10.5878/001613

More information

• If the organisation/creator is the same as the organisation/database, the latter can be excluded.
• A dataset is often statistical data compiled by an authority or statistical provider.
• Datasets may contain many files that you may not use. In such cases, you can add, in square brackets, the name of the specific folder and file that you have used. Separate the folder name from the file name with a comma.

Theses and conference proceedings

Doctoral thesis

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of thesis. Doctoral thesis, University of graduation. Permanent link (URN, Handle or DOI)

Example

Abramowicz, K. (2011). Numerical analysis for random processes and fields and related design problems. Doctoral thesis, Umeå University. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-46156

Licentiate thesis

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of thesis. Licentiate thesis, University of graduation. Permanent link (URN, Handle or DOI)

Example

Landström, M. (2009). Two essays on Central Bank independence reforms. Licentiate thesis, Umeå University.

Conference proceedings

Template

Author’s last name, initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of conference paper. In: Title of conference publication (proceeding): name of the conference. City of conference, country date of the conference, page numbers of the conference paper. Permanent link (DOI, URN or Handle) or URL (Access date).

Example

Witkowski, E., Hutchins, B. & Carter, M. (2013). E-sports on the rise?: Critical considerations on the growth and erosion of organized digital gaming competitions. In: IE´13: Proceedings of The 9th Australasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment: Matters of Life and Death. Melbourne, Australia 30 September -1 October, pp. 1-2. doi:10.1145/2513002.2513008

More information

• Papers presented at conferences are often published in a type of publication called conference proceedings (also known as symposiums or meetings).
• If conference papers are published as journal articles or book chapters, use the corresponding reference category outlined in this guide.

Sounds and images

Illustrations (photographs, figures, diagrams, tables etc.)

Template

Last name and initial(s) of the creator. (Year). Title of illustration [Format, for instance, Photography]. Complete URL (Access date).

Example

Lennver, A. (2012). Night against procrastination [Photography]. http://www.ub.umu.se/nightagainstprocrastion/ (Accessed 2016-04-05).

Example – photography in a book

State the illustrator's name if different from the book's author.

Hazel, E. (2015). Prague by day [Photography]. In Johnson, S. Czech photography in the twenty-first century. Autumn Publishing.

Example – work of art on the internet

If you use an image of a work of art online, you should reference it as an online image, regardless of the original medium. If possible, state the name of the artist and the collection:

Turner, J. (1839). The Fighting Temeraire [Photography]. The National Gallery [online]. www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/josephmallord-william-turner-the-fightingtemeraire (Accessed 2016-04-05).

More information

Illustrations created by others are often protected by copyright. In those cases, you will need permission from the copyright owner before using the illustrations in your text.

Podcasts, radio and TV programmes

Template

Name of series (Year). Title of episode [Podcast/Radio program/Tv programme]. Transmitting organisation/channel. Day and month of transmission. Complete URL (Access date).

Example – podcast

Vetenskapspodden (2023). Så söker man efter liv på Jupiters månar [Podcast]. Sveriges Radio. 13 April. https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/sa-soker-man-efter-liv-pa-jupiters-manar (Accessed 2023-05-30).

Soul Music (2022). Purple rain [Podcast]. BBC. 21 May. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017k0j (Accessed 2023-07-24).

Example – radio programmes

P3 Soul (2023). Teena Marie [Radio program]. Sveriges Radio. 21 May. https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/teena-marie (Accessed 2023-05-30).

Living planet (2023). The world on fire: how to deal with wildfires [Radio program]. Deutsche Welle. 29 May. https://www.dw.com/en/the-world-on-fire-how-to-deal-with-wildfires/audio-66072858 (Accessed 2023-07-24).

Example – TV programmes

Trädgårdstider (2023). Avsked och lökplantering [TV programme]. SVT. 23 May. https://www.svtplay.se/video/82DLdbP/tradgardstider/avsked-och-lokplantering?id=82DLdbP (Accessed 2023-05-30).

Blue lights (2023). The code [TV programme]. BBC Player. 1 July. https://player.bbc.com/en/brand/blue-lights/blue-lights-s1 (Accessed 2023-07-25).

More information

For older programmes that are still accessible but lack some information (such as the date of transmission) there is no need to search for it. Create the reference with the help of the available information where you found the programme.

Recorded lectures, presentations, speeches and interviews

Template

Name of the speaker/equivalent. (Year). Title of lecture/speech. [Format]. Publisher/organisation. Complete URL (Access date).

Example

Satyarthi, K. (2015). How to make peace? Get angry. [Video]. TED talks. http://www.ted.com/talks/kailash_satyarthi_how_to_make_peace_get_angry (Accessed 2015-05-03).

More information

If the speaker/equivalent is the same as the publisher/organisation, exclude the latter.

Other sources

Personal communication

Template

A reference to personal communication should include as much information as possible: Name, profession/position, (year), details of personal communication, and date (day and month).

Personal communication is sometimes not included in the reference list as the sources are usually untraceable. In those cases, provide information about personal communication only in the footnotes. Check with your teacher/supervisor if you are uncertain.

Examples

Svensson, A., student at Umeå University (2010). Interview 11 May.

Informant 1: Grammar school, Umeå (2010). 12 boys and 12 girls, individual interviews 9 May.

Smith, V., Professor at the Department of Physics, Umeå University (2010). Northern Lights, lecture 12 March.

Please note that e-mail addresses belonging to individuals should only be provided if the owner has given permission.

Lee, O. (2008). E-mail 13 May. < oscar.lee@umu.se >.

More information

Personal communication includes information received through, for example, emails, phone calls, interviews, or lectures. You should always obtain permission from the person in question before referring to them. If anonymity has been assured, it must be maintained. If possible, keep a copy of the communication. More information on ethical rules for research can be found at CODEX - the collection of rules and guidelines for research.

CODEX

Secondary sources

Citing a source from a secondary source is generally to be avoided since you are expected to have read the works you cite. However, if a primary source (original source) is unavailable, you may use secondary sources. Only information about the secondary source should be included in the reference list.

Example

If you are writing about Bob Smith's book "Democracy" (published in 1981), where he cites Tom Small's book "Civil Rights", published in 1832, on page 72, you should only include Smith’s book in the reference list:

Smith, B. (1981). Democracy. Herbst Verlag.

Generative AI

Normally, generative AI should not be used as a source in papers. However, the rules for generative AI may vary between courses, programmes and faculties. Therefore, ask your teacher or supervisor about when and how you can use generative AI for your work.

Template

Programme developer (Year). AI model name, version. URL

Example

OpenAI (2024). Chat-GPT, 4o. https://chatgpt.com/

Microsoft (2024). Microsoft Copilot. https://copilot.microsoft.com/

More information

• Examples of generative AI programmes are Chat GPT, Microsoft Copilot and Gemini.
• In this Harvard template the text generated by AI is considered the product of a software developer, therefore you refer to the creator of the software.

Learn more