Create Harvard author-date citations and reference-list entries from the source details you provide. Harvard conventions vary between institutions, so review each result against your course or university guide.
Citation Format
Source Type
Paste a public URL to extract available citation details, then review every field before generating the citation.
Citation Details
Three steps
How to use the Harvard citation generator
- Choose the source type. Enter the author, title, publication date, and the other details shown for the source.
- Generate the citation. Check that names, dates, title capitalization, pages, DOI, and URL match the source itself.
- Review before using it. Copy the in-text citation and reference entry, then apply any punctuation or access-date rules required by your institution.
Harvard format
Harvard citation format and example
Harvard is a family of author-date styles. A short citation identifies the author and year in the text, while the full entry appears in an alphabetical reference list. This example shows a common journal-article format; punctuation and access-date wording can differ by institution.
Pattern: Surname, Initial(s). (Year) ‘Article title’, Journal Title, volume(issue), pp. first–last.
Reference: Morgan, L. and Patel, R. (2024) ‘Urban trees and summer temperatures’, Journal of Environmental Studies, 18(2), pp. 45–58.
Parenthetical: (Morgan and Patel, 2024)
Narrative: Morgan and Patel (2024)
Details to check
Common Harvard referencing cases
- No personal author: use the responsible organisation when one is clearly identified. Follow your institutional guide if neither an individual nor an organisation is named.
- No publication date: Harvard variants may use n.d. or no date; use the form required by your institution.
- Several authors: rules for using et al. differ, so enter every author shown before checking the shortened in-text form.
- Direct quotations: add the relevant page number where one exists, for example (Morgan and Patel, 2024, p. 49), subject to your local guide.
- Same author and year: distinguish separate works with letters such as 2024a and 2024b, and use the same letters in the reference list.
FAQ
Harvard citation questions
Is there one official Harvard style?
No. Harvard is a family of author-date styles, and institutions vary in punctuation, author treatment, access dates, and other details. Follow the version named in your assignment guidance.
Are Harvard references listed alphabetically?
Usually. Order the reference list by the first author’s surname or the responsible organisation. Check your institutional rule for a source with no named author.
When should a Harvard citation include a page number?
Include a page number for a direct quotation and whenever your course guide requires one for a specific passage, table, figure, or closely paraphrased idea.
Do Harvard website references need an access date?
Many Harvard variants require an access date for webpages, especially content that can change. Others treat DOI-based sources differently, so check your institution’s guide.
Related help
Harvard referencing guides
Read the Harvard referencing guide for more examples. You can also review in-text citation rules, learn how to cite a journal article, or handle a source with no date. For another citation style, use the main citation generator.