Harvard Referencing

The 'In-Text' System

What is Referencing?

Referencing is a system that allows you to acknowledge the sources of information you use in your writing. If you do not reference your sources you are plagiarising.

When to Reference

You must provide a reference whenever you quote, paraphrase or summarise someone else’s ideas, theories or data. You must also reference any graphic information you use. Some of the sources you will need to reference include:

• books or chapters in books
• journal or newspaper articles
• conference papers
• films or television programs
• personal communications like emails, interviews or letters
• electronic sources such as web pages, journal articles from online databases, or usenet groups.

General Principles of the Harvard System

The Harvard System requires two parts: you should have both in-text references and a list of references at the end of your work.

1. Within the Text—In-text Citations

The Harvard referencing system requires you to include three pieces of information about a source within the text of your work. This information is:

• the name of the author or authors
• the year of publication
• the page number (when the information/idea can be located on a particular page, or when directly quoted)

2. At the End of the Text—List of References

At the end of your text, you must include a List of References, a list of all the books, journal articles and other sources of information you have used to research your assignment.

More Harvard referencing links

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