Harvard Referencing Generator
Create accurate Harvard-style references for books, journal articles, websites and newspapers in seconds — free, and built to the Cite Them Right conventions most UK universities follow.
Instant results
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Your Reference List (Harvard)
No references added yet. Generate a reference above, then click "Add to Reference List".
What is Harvard Referencing?
Harvard referencing is an author-date citation system used across most UK universities. Most institutions follow the Cite Them Right version, which standardises punctuation and layout so markers can trace a short in-text citation back to a full source.
Every source cited in your writing needs a full entry in an alphabetical reference list at the end. Consistency matters more than which Harvard variant you use — check your module handbook or read the Harvard style guides before you submit.
In-text Citations and the Reference List
An in-text citation is short: (Smith, 2020) or Smith (2020) argues that… It points the reader to the matching entry in your reference list, which appears at the end of your work, alphabetised by author surname.
Use the generator above to build correctly formatted list entries, then add the matching short in-text citation wherever you quote, paraphrase or refer to that source in your writing.
Worked Examples
These match the exact output format the generator above produces for each source type.
Common Harvard Referencing Mistakes
Missing accessed dates on websites, forgetting to italicise book and journal titles, and mixing quote marks around article titles are the most common marks lost. Small formatting slips add up across a full reference list.
Alphabetising by first name instead of surname, and citing a source in-text that never appears in the reference list (or the reverse), are also frequent — always cross-check both lists before submitting.
How to Use the Harvard Referencing Generator
Select the source type — book, journal article, website or newspaper.
Add each author's surname and initials, using "+ Add Author" for multiple authors.
Fill in the year, title and publication details shown for that source type.
Click "Generate Reference" to preview the formatted citation.
Click "Add to Reference List" to save it, then repeat for every source you cite.
Use "Copy" on any entry or "Copy All" to paste your finished list into your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
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