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¼’s Harvard Referencing Guide

The Harvard System uses two elements: in-text citations throughout your assignment and a list of references at the end.
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About this Harvard Referencing Guide

Unlike other citation styles, there is no single authority on the Harvard style of referencing. Because of this, there are several variations of Harvard.

Methods for citing electronic and online sources are changing rapidly and do not always keep pace with the development of new technologies. As the Style manual offers only a few examples, we have adapted and modified the existing information. Where no Harvard style options were available, citations are based on APA style.

Always check with your lecturer or tutor about their preferred referencing method. Many ¼ faculties and schools have style guides so check with them about which methods to use.

  • This guide provides a modified version of the author-date system presented in: Style manual for authors, editors and printers 2002, 6th edn, rev. Snooks & Co., AGPS, Canberra.

    For more detailed information and examples, we recommend that you consult this source, especially Chapter 12 (pp. 187-232). Copies of this Style Manual are available for loan at ¼ Library.

    Additional resources used to create this guide:

    • American Psychological Association 2007, Electronic References, American Psychological Association, Washington, accessed 23 April 2007,
    • ASD Referencing Project Team 2007, UOW Author-Date (Harvard) Referencing Guide, The University of Wollongong Library, accessed 5 July 2007,
    • Deakin University Current Students 2017, Harvard, Deakin University, accessed 16 May 2018,
    • Perrin, R 2004, Pocket Guide to APA Style, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
    • Victoria University Library 2018, Getting started with Harvard referencing, Victoria University, accessed 15 May 2018,

How to use Harvard referencing

The Harvard System requires two elements: in-text citations throughout your assignment and a list of references at the end.

1. In-text citations

Include three pieces of information about a source within the text of your work:

  • 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. References

At the end of your text, you must include a list of references, that is, a list of all the sources of information you have used to research your assignment.

Each list item requires specific information. See how to cite difference sources with Harvard references below.

  • List each item in alphabetical order, by author surname.
  • Titles should be in italics.
  • Each item should have a hanging indent.

How to cite different sources

Click on the headings below to see examples of how to cite different kinds of sources using the Harvard Referencing method.

Published and unpublished material

  • In-text citations

    A page number is required if you are paraphrasing, summarising or quoting directly:

    (Karskens 1997, p. 23)

    Ward (1966, p. 12) suggests that

    If you are only citing the main idea of the book:

    (Karskens 1997)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author's surname, and initial(s)
    • year of publication
    • title of publication (in italics and with minimal capitalisation),
    • edition (if applicable. Abbreviated as 'edn')
    • ܲ
    • place of publication.

    Examples

    Karskens, G 1997, The Rocks: life in early Sydney, Melbourne University Press, Carlton.

    Ward, R 1966, The Australian legend, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

  • In-text citations

    Cite as for a printed book. An e-book usually has page numbers:

    Lloyd (2005, p. 262) or

    (Lloyd 2005, p. 262).

    Accessed via an ebook reader:

    Include author/date:

    (Smith 2008) or:

    Smith (2008) states that ...

    E-books often lack page numbers (though PDF versions may have them). If page numbers are not available on ebook readers, use the chapters instead to indicate the location of a quoted section.

    List of references

    Accessed online:

    Include information in the following order:

    • author/editor name(s)
    • date of publication,
    • title of e-book (in italics),
    • publisher,
    • format (e-book),
    • accessed day month year (the date of viewing),
    • URL or Internet address (between pointed brackets).

    Example

    Lloyd, CB (ed.) 2005, Growing up global: The changing transitions for adulthood in developing countries, e-book, accessed 5 May 2007, <http://www.nap.edu/books/11174/html/index.html>.

    Accessed via a database:

    Woodham, JM 2004, A dictionary of modern design, Oxford University Press, e-book, accessed 25 July 2007 from Oxford Reference Online Database.

    Accessed via an ebook reader:

    Include information in the following order:

    • author name and initial
    • year (date of e-book edition)
    • title (in italics)
    • the type of e-book version you accessed (two examples are the Kindle Edition version and the Adobe Digital Editions version).
    • accessed day month year (the date you first accessed the e-book)
    • the book's DOI (digital object identifier) or where you downloaded the e-book from (if there is no DOI).

    Examples

    Smith, A 2008, The Wealth of Nations, Kindle version, accessed 20 August 2010 from Amazon.com.

    Smith, A 2008, The Wealth of Nations, Adobe Digital Editions version, accessed 20 August 2010, doi: 10.1036/007142363X.

  • In-text citations

    A book collection consists of a collection of articles or chapters, each by different authors, but compiled by editor(s). If you want to cite a particular article/chapter, cite the author(s) of the chapter in the text:

    (Curthoys 1997, p. 25)

    Citing an entire book collection

    If you want to cite the entire book, refer to the editor(s) of the collection in the text:

    (Hudson & Bolton 1997)

    List of references

    When you use an article/chapter from a book collection, the title of the article appears in quotations and the title of the book is italicised.

    Include information in the following order:

    • author's surname and initial
    • year of publication
    • name of article (between single quotation marks with minimal capitalisation)
    • in
    • initial(s) and surname(s) of editor(s)
    • (ed.) or (eds)
    • name of collection (the name on the title page) in italics and minimal capitalisation
    • ܲ
    • place of publication
    • page range.

    Examples

    Curthoys, A 1997, 'History and identity', in W Hudson & G Bolton (eds), Creating Australia: changing Australian history, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, pp. 23-38.

    Citing an entire book collection

    Hudson, W & Bolton, G (eds) 1997, Creating Australia: changing Australian history, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

  • In-text citations

    If the page number is required, as it is for summarising, paraphrasing and direct quoting:

    (Kozulin 1993, p. 257)

    If you are citing the main idea of the article only:

    (Kozulin 1993)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author's surname and initial
    • year of publication
    • title of the article (between single quotation marks and with minimal capitalisation)
    • title of the journal or periodical (in italic font using maximum capitalisation)
    • volume number (vol.)
    • issue number (no.)
    • page range of the article
    • DOI (Digital Object Identifier), if available.

    Examples

    Kozulin, A 1993, 'Literature as a psychological tool', Educational Psychologist, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 253-265, DOI:10.1207/s15326985ep2803_5.

    What is a DOI?

    A DOI (digital object identifier) is an assigned number that helps link content to its location on the Internet. It is therefore important, if one is provided, to use it when creating a citation.

  • In-text citations

    If there is no author, list the name of the newspaper, the date, year and page number:

    (The Independent 2013, p. 36)

    If there is an author, cite as you would for a journal article:

    (Donaghy 1994, p. 3)

    Articles can also be mentioned in the running text:

    University rankings were examined in a Sydney Morning Herald report by Williamson (1998, p. 21), where it was evident that ...

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author
    • year of publication
    • article title (between single quotation marks)
    • publication title (in italics with maximum capitalisation)
    • date of article (day, month)
    • page number

    Examples

    Williamson, S 1998, ‘¼ gains top ranking from quality team’, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 February, p.21.

    Donaghy, B 1994, ‘National meeting set to review tertiary admissions’, Campus News, 3-9 March, p. 3.

    An unattributed newspaper article:

    If there is no named author, list the article title first:

    • Article title, between single quotation marks,
    • Publication title (in italics with maximum capitalisation)
    • Date published (date, month, year)
    • Page number (if available)

    Example

    ‘Baby tapir wins hearts at zoo’, The Independent, 9 August 2013, p. 36

  • In-text citations

    If there is no obvious author or editor, cite the sponsoring agency as the author:

    (Department of Education, Science & Training 2000)

    List of references

    Give the name of the ministry or agency that has issued the document:

    Department of Education, Science & Training 2000, Annual Report 1999-2000, AGPS, Canberra.

  • In-text citations

    (Ballard 2003, p. 132)

    (Fitzsimmons 2005)

    Accessed via a database:

    Cite author, date, page number:

    (Lee 2005 p. 78)

    List of references

    When citing a thesis in the list of references:

    • put the title between quotation marks and do not use italics
    • acknowledge the university where the thesis was undertaken.

    Example:

    Ballard, BA 2003, 'The seeing machine: photography and the visualisation of culture in Australia, 1890-1930', PhD thesis, University of Melbourne.

    An unpublished conference paper:

    Fitzsimmons, D 2005, 'Who chooses who belongs: tactics and strategies and migrant literature', paper presented at the AULLA & FILLM conference, James Cook University, Cairns, 15-19th July.

    Accessed via a database:

    Include information in the following order:

    • author name and initial
    • year
    • thesis title (between single quotation marks, no italics)
    • type of thesis, e.g. MA, PhD
    • institution
    • date accessed
    • from database name.

    Example:

    Lee, C 2005, 'Beyond the Pink: (Post) Youth Iconography in Cinema', PhD thesis, Murdoch University, accessed 15 June 2007 from Australian Digital Thesis Program Database.

  • In-text citations

    Use the full name in the first in-text reference:

    (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005)

    and use the abbreviation 'ABS' in subsequent references:

    (ABS 2005)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • name of agency as author
    • year of publication
    • title of publication (in italics)
    • catalogue number
    • name of ܲ
    • place of publication.

    Example

    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005, New South Wales in focus, Cat. no. 1338.1, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra.

    If you are viewing the information online, include:

    • date of viewing (if viewed online)
    • database name (if applicable)
    • URL (between pointed brackets).

    Example

    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007, Internet Activity, Australia, Sep 2006, Cat. no. 8153.0, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra, accessed 11 April 2007, <https://www.abs.gov.au>.

  • In-text citations

    Cite the author or authoring body and date if available:

    (New South Wales Dept of Primary Industries 2005)

    List of references

    Include as much information as available. The publisher’s name may be abbreviated if it is also the author.

    New South Wales Dept of Primary Industries 2005, Saltwater recreational fishing in New South Wales: rules & regulations summary, brochure, NSWDPI, New South Wales.

Broadcast materials and other electronic sources

An electronic source is any information source in digital format. The library subscribes to many electronic information resources in order to provide access for students. Electronic sources can include: full-text journals, newspapers, company information, e-books, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, economic data, digital images, industry profiles, market research, etc.

Should I include extra information when I cite electronic sources?

Referencing electronic or online sources can be confusing—it's difficult to know which information to include or where to find it. As a rule, provide as much information as possible concerning authorship, location and availability.

Electronic or online sources require much of the same information as print sources (author, year of publication, title, publisher). However, in some cases extra information may be required:

  • the page, paragraph or section number—what you cite will depend on the information available as many electronic or online sources don’t have pages.
  • identify the format of the source accessed, for example, E-book, podcast etc.
  • provide an accurate access date for online sources, that is, identify when a source was viewed or downloaded.
  • provide the location of an online source, for example, a database or web address.
  • In-text citations

    Cite the name of the author/ organisation responsible for the site and the date created or last revised (use the most recent date):

    (Department of Social Services 2020)

    or:

    According to the Department of Social Services (2020) ...

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author (the person or organisation responsible for the site
    • year (date created or revised)
    • site name (in italics)
    • name of sponsor of site (if available)
    • accessed day month year (the date you viewed the site)
    • URL or Internet address (between pointed brackets). If possible, ensure that the URL is included without a line-break.

    Examples

    Department of Social Services 2020, Department of social services website, Australian government, accessed 20 February 2020, <https://www.dss.gov.au/>.

  • In-text citations

    Information should include author/authoring body name(s) and the date created or last revised:

    (Li 2004) or:

    (World Health Organisation 2013)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author (the person or organisation responsible for the site)
    • year (date created or last updated)
    • page title (in italics)
    • name of sponsor of site (if available)
    • accessed day month year (the day you viewed the site)
    • URL or Internet address (pointed brackets).

    Examples

    One author:

    Li, L 2014, Chinese scroll painting H533, Australian Museum, accessed 20 February 2016, <https://australianmuseum.net.au/chinese-scroll-painting-h533>.

    Organisation as author:

    World Health Organisation 2013, Financial crisis and global health, The United Nations, accessed 1 August 2013, <http://www.who.int/topics/financial_crisis/en/>.

  • In-text citations

    If the author's name is unknown, cite the website/page title and date:

    (Land for sale on moon 2007)

    If there is no date on the page, use the abbreviation n.d. (no date):

    (ArtsNSW n.d.)

    (Kim n.d)

    List of references

    If the author's name is unknown:

    Land for sale on moon 2007, accessed 19 June 2007, <http://www.moonlandrealestate.com>.

    If there is no date on the page:

    ArtsNSW n.d., New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards, NSW Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation, accessed 19 June 2007, <http://www.arts.nsw.gov.au/awards/LiteraryAwards/litawards.htm>.

    Kim, M n.d., Chinese New Year pictures and propaganda posters, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, accessed 12 April 2016, <https://collection.maas.museum/set/6274>.

  • In-text citations

    If the article has a named author:

    (Pianin 2001)

    No named author:

    (New York Daily Times 1830)

    The article can also be discussed in the body of the paragraph:

    An account of the popularity of the baby tapir in The Independent (2013) stated that ...

    An online news article:

    Cite the author name and year:

    (Coorey 2007)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author (if available)
    • year of publication
    • article title (between single quotation marks)
    • newspaper title (in italics)
    • date of article (day, month, page number—if given—and any additional information available)
    • accessed day month year (the date you accessed the items)
    • from name of database
    • item number (if given).

    Examples

    Pianin, E 2001, 'As coal's fortunes climb, mountains tremble in W.Va; energy policy is transforming lives', The Washington Post, 25 February, p. A03, accessed March 2001 from Electric Library Australasia.

    If there is no named author, list the article title first:

    'Amending the Constitution', New York Daily Times, 16 October 1851, p. 2, accessed 15 July 2007 from ProQuest Historical Newspapers database.

    'Baby tapir wins hearts at zoo', The Independent, 9 August 2013, Accessed 25 January 2014, <http://www.independent.ie/world-news/and-finally/baby-tapir-wins-hearts-at-zoo-30495570.html>.

    An online news article:

    Coorey, P 2007, ‘Costello hints at green safety net’, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 May, accessed 14 May 2012, <http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/costello-hints-at-green-safety-net/2007/05/09/1178390393875.html>.

    While a URL for the article should be included, if it is very long (more than two lines) or unfixed (from a search engine), only include the publication URL:

    Holmes, L 2017, 'The woman making a living out of pretending to be Kylie Minogue', The Daily Telegraph, 23 April, accessed 22 May 2017, <http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au>.

  • In-text citations

    Cite the author name and date:

    Online journal articles (those available in web page form only) usually do not have page numbers, so instead use section or paragraph numbers. Please check with your tutor for their preferences. Sections of an article are divided by subheadings.

    (Morris 2004, sec. 3, par. 2)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author(s) name and initials
    • title of the article (between single quotation marks)
    • title of the journal (in italics)
    • available publication information (volume number, issue number)
    • accessed day month year (the date you last viewed the article)
    • URL or Internet address (between pointed brackets).

    Examples

    Morris, A 2004, 'Is this racism? Representations of South Africa in the Sydney Morning Herald since the inauguration of Thabo Mbeki as president'. Australian Humanities Review, no. 33, accessed 11 May 2007, <http://www.australianhumanitiesreview.org/archive/Issue-August-2004/morris.html>.

    Rowland, TA 2015, 'Feminism from the Perspective of Catholicism', Solidarity: The Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics, vol. 5, no. 1, accessed 12 December 2015, <http://researchonline.nd.edu.au/solidarity/vol5/iss1/1>.

  • In-text citations

    Cite the author (the person responsible for the release) and date:

    Prime Minister Howard (2007) announced plans for further welfare reform...

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author name or authoring organisation name
    • date
    • title of release (in italics)
    • format
    • accessed day month year
    • URL (between pointed brackets)

    Examples

    Office of the Prime Minister 2007, Welfare Payments Reform, media release, accessed 25 July 2007, <http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2007/Media_Release24432.cfm>.

  • When quoting, paraphrasing or summarising an AI tool’s output, you must include the company name, followed by the date the response was given.

    Quoting

    User Question: Can you explain the concept of zombies in anthropological terms?

    ChatGPT Response: Zombies in anthropological terms are often seen as a manifestation of cultural anxieties about the unknown and the boundary between life and death.

    Example citation:

    ChatGPT highlights that in anthropological discourse, "zombies [...] are often seen as a manifestation of cultural anxieties about the unknown and the boundary between life and death" (OpenAI 2023).

    Paraphrasing

    User Question: What role do zombies play in cultural studies?

    ChatGPT Response: Zombies serve as a metaphor in cultural studies for societal issues, reflecting deep-seated fears and contemporary anxieties.

    Example citation:

    ChatGPT indicates that in cultural studies, zombies are metaphorically used to represent societal issues and contemporary fears (OpenAI 2023).

    Summarising

    User Question: Can you provide an overview of the various theories surrounding what zombies symbolise?

    ChatGPT Response: In cultural theory, zombies are significant as they symbolise various aspects of human nature and societal concerns, often serving as a critique of consumerism, conformity, and the loss of individuality.

    Example citation:

    A synthesis of discussions on ChatGPT about cultural theories suggests that zombies are portrayed as reflections of human characteristics and societal issues, frequently used to comment on consumer culture and the diminishing sense of personal identity (OpenAI 2023).

    Reference List

    Format for a Harvard citation for AI:

    Company. Year, Product Name in italics, [Type of AI model], Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL.

    Example of a Harvard citation for AI:

    OpenAI. 2023 ChatGPT [Large language model]. Retrieved October 19, 2023, from https://chat.openai.com/chat

  • In-text citations

    A film, video, and television or radio program:

    Include the full title and date of production:

    (My Brilliant Career, 1979)

    (Four Corners 9 July 2001)

    An online video:

    In the Overlander's (2007) short film...

    The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) is a German expressionist classic from the silent era...

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • title (if part of an ongoing series, list the episode title first, then the series name)
    • year of recording
    • format
    • publisher/distributor
    • place of recording
    • date of recording (if applicable).

    Examples

    My Brilliant Career, 1979, motion picture, New South Wales Film Corporation, distributed by Australian Video, Australia.

    Going backwards: Four Corners 2001, television program, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney, 9 July.

    An online video:

    The Overlander 2007, Overlander.tv: Aboriginal tent embassy, Canberra, online video, accessed 31 July 2007, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abMlHjO2nh4&gt;.

    The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, 1919, online video, accessed 20 June 2011, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecowq77Y3C0&gt;.

  • In-text citations

    Cite the CD title and year:

    (Australia through time 1994)

    List of references

    The bibliographic details are the same as those required for films, videos, DVDs, television and radio programs:

    • title (in italics)
    • year of recording
    • format
    • ܲ
    • place of recording.

    Examples

    Australia through time 1994, CD-ROM, Random ROM in assoc. with the ABC, Sydney.

  • In-text citations

    A weblog (blog):

    Include author name and year of posting:

    (Bartlett 2006)

    (Bahnisch 2007)

    A Wiki:

    As wikis usually feature user-generated content, there is usually no named author. Cite the title of the wiki and the date of last revision:

    (An Essay Evolves 2007)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • the name (or alias) of the author
    • year of post
    • the title of the posting (if applicable) between single quotation marks
    • the title of the site (in italics)
    • format
    • the date of posting (day month)
    • accessed day month year (the date you viewed the site)
    • the URL of the blog post (between pointed brackets).

    Examples

    Bartlett, A 2007, The Bartlett diaries, weblog, accessed 22 May 2007, <http://andrewbartlett.com/blog/>.

    A blog post:

    If you are citing a group blog, cite the author of the post:

    Bahnisch, M 2007, ‘The commentariat vs. the people?’, Larvatus Prodeo, weblog post, 11 May, accessed 22 May 2007, <http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/05/11/the-commentariat-vs-the-people>.

    A Wiki:

    Include information in the following order:

    • article name (between single quotation marks)
    • title of wiki (in italics)
    • format
    • date of last revision
    • accessed day month year (the date you viewed the site)
    • the URL of the wiki article page (between pointed brackets).

    Example:

    'Freud and science', An essay evolves, wiki article, March 8 2007, accessed 20 May 2007, <http://evolvingessay.pbwiki.com/Freud+and+Science>.

  • In-text citations

    A privately obtained interview, letter or other personal communication:

    Include in the abbreviation 'pers. comm.' in your text reference:

    (B Daly 1994, pers. comm., 7 Aug.)

    Note that the initial(s) precede the surname.

    List of references

    Details of a personal communication do not usually need to be included in the list of references as it cannot be traced by the reader. Check with your tutor or lecturer for their preferences.

    Before using personal communications, ensure you have the permission of the person with whom you communicated.

  • In-text citations

    Emails:

    Include the abbreviation 'pers. comm.' in your in-text reference:

    (J Smith 2006, pers. comm. 23 July)

    Note that the initial precedes the surname.

    If the form of communication is relevant, mention it in the text:

    Email confirmation was received (J Smith 2006, pers. comm. 23 July).

    Electronic mail lists, usenet groups and forum boards:

    Include the author name and date of posting:

    (Wiggers 2006)

    List of references

    References to emails are treated as a form of personal communication and are not usually included in reference lists as they cannot be traced by the reader. However, if your tutor or lecturer requests an entry in the list of references, cite emails as below:

    Smith, J 2006, email 23 July, <j.smith@mailbox.com.au>.

    Electronic mail lists, usenet groups and forum boards:

    Include information in the following order:

    • author
    • author's details (eg. email address)
    • date of posting
    • title of posting (from the 'subject' line in the message)
    • format (listserver)
    • name of list owner
    • accessed day month year (the date of viewing)
    • URL or Internet address (between pointed brackets).

    Examples

    Wiggers, D <darryl@nestcom.net> 2006 ‘Media and imperialism’, list server, 4 June, H-Net Humanities & Social Sciences OnLine, accessed 12 September 2006, <http://www.h-net.org/~film/>

  • In-text citations

    (Lingua Franca 2007)

    When referring to the speaker:

    Jill Kitson (Lingua Franca 2007) reported that ...

    List of references

    List a podcast as you would a radio program. Include information in the following order:

    • name of the podcast (in italics)
    • year
    • format (podcast)
    • ܲ
    • date of podcast (day, month)
    • accessed day month year
    • the URL (between pointed brackets).

    Examples

    Lingua Franca 2007, podcast radio programme, ABC Radio National, 28 April, accessed 25 May 2007, <http://abc.net.au/rn/podcast/feeds/lin.xml >.

  • In-text citations

    Twitter

    Include the author name and date of posting:

    (Gillard 2016)

    Facebook post

    Include the author name and date of posting:

    (The Learning Centre ¼ 2015)

    (Obama 2015)

    The author name can also be included in the running text:

    A 2015 post on Obama's Facebook page stated that ...

    List of references

    Twitter

    Use the author's real name. Only use the Twitter handle as the author if the author's real name is unknown.

    Enclose the tweet itself in 'single quotes'. Type the words Twitter post, and the day and month of the post, after the text of the tweet.

    Include information in the following order:

    • the name (or alias) of the author
    • year of post
    • the tweet itself, between single quotation marks
    • format (twitter post)
    • the date of posting (day month)
    • accessed day month year (the date you viewed the site)
    • the URL of the tweet (between pointed brackets).

    Example

    Gillard, J 2016, 'No girl's opportunities should be defined by her gender. All children deserve the same access to health, education & the future', Twitter post, 7 March, accessed 15 April 2016,<https://twitter.com/JuliaGillard/status/706921359314526208>.

    Facebook post

    Include information in the following order:

    • author name and initial
    • year
    • place the first few words of the post (up to about 15 words) in 'single quotes', using [...] if necessary to indicate that some words have been left out.
    • format (Facebook post)
    • date of post (day, month)
    • accessed day month year
    • the URL (between pointed brackets)

    Examples

    The Learning Centre ¼ 2015, 'November is AcWriMo (Academic Writing Month) at ¼! [...]', Facebook post, 8 October, accessed 27 February 2016, <https://www.facebook.com/TLC.¼/&gt;.

    Obama, B 2015, 'It’s not about politics. It’s about whether we as a nation live up to our founding ideal of liberty and justice for all [...]', Facebook post, 1 November, accessed 11 April 2016, <https://www.facebook.com/barackobama/&gt;.

Images, tables and diagrams

  • In-text citations

    Mention the image in the text and cite the author and date:

    The cartoon by Frith (1968) describes ...

    If the image has no named author, cite the full name and date of the image:

    The map shows the Parish of Maroota during the 1840s (Map of the Parish of Maroota, County of Cumberland, District of Windsor 1840-1849)

    List of references

    Include information in the following order:

    • author (if available)
    • year produced (if available)
    • title of image (or a description)
    • Format and any details (if applicable)
    • name and place of the sponsor of the source
    • accessed day month year (the date you viewed/ downloaded the image)
    • URL or Internet address (between pointed brackets).

    Examples

    Frith J 1968, From the rich man’s table, political cartoon by John Frith, Old Parliament House, Canberra, accessed 11 May 2007, <http://www.oph.gov.au/frith/theherald-01.html>.

    If there is no named author, put the image title first, followed by the date (if available):

    Khafre pyramid from Khufu’s quarry 2007, digital photograph, Ancient Egypt Research Associates, accessed 2 August 2007, <http://www.aeraweb.org/khufu_quarry.asp>.

    Map of the Parish of Maroota, County of Cumberland, District of Windsor 1840-1849, digital image of cartographic material, National Library of Australia, accessed 13 April 2007, <http://nla.gov.au/nla.map-f829>.

  • Figures include diagrams, graphs, sketches, photographs and maps. If you are writing a report or an assignment where you include a visual as a figure, unless you have created it yourself, you must include a reference to the original source.

    Figures should be numbered and labelled with captions. Captions should be simple and descriptive and be followed by an in-text citation. Figure captions should be directly under the image.

    In-text citations

    Cite the author and year in the figure caption:

    Figure 1: Bloom's Cognitive Domain (Benitez 2012)

    If you refer to the Figure in the text, also include a citation:

    As can be seen from Figure 1 (Benitez 2012)

    List of references

    Provide full citation information:

    Benitez J 2012, Blooms Cognitive Domain, digital image, ALIEM, accessed 2 August 2015, <https://www.aliem.com/blooms-digital-taxonomy/>.

  • In-text citations

    If you reproduce or adapt table data found online you must include a citation. All tables should be numbered and table captions should be above the table.

    Table 2: Agricultural water use, by state 2004-05 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006)

    If you refer to the table in text, include a citation:

    As indicated in Table 2, a total of 11 146 502 ML was used (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006)

    List of references

    Include the name of the web page where the table data is found.

    Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006, Water Use on Australian Farms, 2004-05, Cat. no. 4618.0, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra, accessed 4 July 2007, <https://www.abs.gov.au>.

  • Here you can find Harvard referencing style for generative images.

    It is important to include appropriate acknowledgement of images used in your assessments whether that be in a report, visual essay, PowerPoint presentation, video or other form of work. Images you create yourself (without the use of AI) generally do not need a reference. Images you create with generative AI should generally have a caption citation and may also be included in a reference list/bibliography. Check with your course convenor or assessment brief for specific requirements in your assessments.

    This guide also covers non-AI generated images to illustrate the differences. Recommendations for how to reference AI-generated content may change in the future as referencing style manuals are updated.

    In-text citation

    In your written work, such as a report or essay, you can cite an image with its figure number. It’s best to avoid using the caption title in your main text or making references like ‘the photograph on the left’. Place the image close to its reference in the text, ideally on the same page and right after the relevant paragraph. ()

    Example 1

    Figure 6 shows an example of….

    Example 2

    European Union expenditure more than quadrupled from 2016 to 2018 (Figure 7).

    Caption (non-AI generated or AI generated that is not your own)

    The caption always appears under the image. .

    Rule

    Figure number: Caption (Artist Year), Creative Commons Attribution/Copyright.

    • If the work is from social media, the artist name is the username.
    • If the artist’s name is unknown, use website name where image is located.
    • Use n.d. when no date is available.

    Example

    Figure 1: Rose Seidler House (newformula 2008), CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

    Caption (your own generative AI image)

    Many referencing styles (including what is used for ¼ Harvard) do not have clear guidelines for acknowledging Gen AI images you create. Our recommendation below is , which is similar to Harvard. It includes the prompt or question used to generate the image as well as the Gen AI tool employed.

    Rule

    Figure number: Caption (“text of prompt” prompt, Gen AI Product Name, Version, Date created, URL)

    Example

    Figure 1: Magical House (“house in magical world” prompt, Adobe Firefly, Image 3, 28 April 2024, https://firefly.adobe.com)

How do I cite...

  • To cite a quotation

    Reproduce the text word-for-word and place quotation marks at the beginning and end of the quotation. The author, date and page number must be included.

    "Australia is a settler society" (Hudson and Bolton 1997, p. 9).

    To cite a paraphrase or a short summary of an author's words or ideas

    Restate the original words/ideas in your own words. The author, date, and page number(s) must be included.

    Wartime textile rationing was imposed through a coupon system, which meant garments now had two costs: their value in monetary units and in coupons (McKernan 1995, p. 152)

    To reference the overall content of a work

    You do not need to include page numbers because it is the entire work you are referring to:

    Larsen and Greene (1989) studied the effects of pollution in three major cities...

  • In-text citations

    You must acknowledge both sources in your text:

    Graham Gibbs, in his 1981 study into student learning wrote that "because students are aware of their tutor's mastery of the subject matter, it is quite common for them to assume that their reader has no needs at all" (Gibbs 1981, p. 39, cited in Bowden & Marton 1998, p. 35).

    List of references

    Record the book that you actually sourced:

    Bowden, J & Marton F 1998, The university of learning, Kogan Page, London.

  • In-text citations

    One to three authors:

    Include both names in the order in which they appear on the title page:

    (Gerster & Basset 1987) or:

    Gerster and Basset (1987) assert that...

    More than three authors:

    Use the surname of the first author and et al. ('and others') in the text:

    Leeder et al. (1996, p. 78) argued ... or:

    (Leeder et al. 1996)

    List of references

    One to three authors:

    Gerster, R & Basset, J 1991, Seizures of youth: the sixties and Australia, Hyland House, Melbourne.

    More than three authors:

    Don't use et al in the list of references. List all the authors in the order in which they appear on the title page.

    Leeder, SR, Dobson, AJ, Gibbers, RW, Patel, NK, Matthews, PS, Williams DW & Mariot, DL 1996, The Australian film industry, Dominion Press, Adelaide.

  • In-text citations

    Refer to the work in the text, then include book author, date, and page number:

    De Kooning's 1952 painting "Woman and Bicycle" (Hughes 1980, p. 295) is an example of ...'

    List of references

    List the publication containing the image:

    Hughes, R 1980, The shock of the new: art and the century of change, British Broadcasting Corporation, London.

  • In-text citations

    Arrange citations in chronological order:

    (Smith 1981, 1984, 1985)

    List of references

    Each source requires a separate reference list entry.

  • In-text citations

    Drabble (in Bronte 1978) suggests...

    List of references

    Provide the details of the publication to which the contribution was made:

    Bronte, E 1978, Wuthering Heights and poems, H Osborne (ed.), Orion Publishing Group, London. Introduction by Margaret Drabble.

  • In-text citations

    Attach an a, b, c, d etc. after the year:

    Dawkins (1972a, 1972 b) completed a number of studies on...

    List of references

    Each source requires a separate reference list entry.

  • In-text citations

    Separate the references either with a semicolon or the word and

    (Entwistle 1977; Haddon 1969) or:

    Entwistle (1977) and Haddon (1969) both demonstrated...

    List of references

    Each source requires a separate reference list entry.

  • In-text citations

    Use their initials to indicate different people:

    The theory was first developed early this century (Smith, A K 1979) but later many of its elements were refuted (Smith, J A 1979).

    List of references

    Each source requires a separate reference list entry.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & troubleshooting

  • As information formats and technologies are changing rapidly, standards and conventions for citing many electronic sources have not yet been formalised by style authorities. If there is no specific guideline for a particular electronic source, base your citation on an existing guideline.

  • The accessed date is the date you viewed or downloaded the source. As online materials can change or disappear at any time, you must cite the date on which you accessed the information.

  • Finding bibliographic information for print sources like books is easy; the required details are usually on the first few pages. With electronic sources, finding the relevant information is not always so straightforward. You may need to look a little harder and be resourceful.

  • To find this information, try the following:

    • Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage and look at the footer information.
    • Look for an 'about' link.
    • Look at the page header for organisational logos or other identification.
    • If there is no information on the webpage you want to cite, go to the homepage of the website and look for author information there.
    • If authorship of a site or web page is ascribed to an individual, cite them as author. If there is no specific named author, then identify the organisation that published the information; ascribe authorship to the smallest identifiable organisational unit.
  • The term publisher is used to cover both the traditional idea of a publisher of printed sources, as well as organisations responsible for maintaining websites. In this case, look for the largest identifiable unit.

    • The date of publication is often provided in the footer area of the page with the author’s name.
    • If a web page includes both a creation date and the date it was last updated, cite only the ‘last updated’ date.
    • If a web document has no date, check the site homepage. If a date is available there, cite that.
    • If you are citing a wiki, check the history of the page and cite the date of the most recent revision.
  • See the table of citations, under Electronic Sources above, for more information. In the unlikely event that you can’t find any information, cite the URL of the site as the author. However, if the sponsorship and authorship of a site can't be identified, think twice about using it for your research. Currency is also important. If factual or statistical information is undated, don’t use it.

  • Many electronic resources have no page numbers. When they are not available, omit this information from your in-text citation.

    In the case of electronic journal articles (those available in online form only), you can use section or paragraph numbers. Please check with your tutor for their preferences). Sections of an article are divided by subheadings. For example:

    (Morris 2004, sec. 3, par. 2)

Have a question?

If you have any questions about referencing in university, we’re here to help.