The Coventry University Guide to Referencing in Harvard Style: Articles

A journal article published in print

Note:

• Most journal articles (even if accessed online) are also available in print, so it is acceptable to reference them as printed journal articles. For example, if you are using a PDF version you have downloaded, you can usually treat this as a printed journal article for referencing purposes, but check with your module tutor whether this is acceptable.
• If it is clear from the data you have that the journal is available only electronically as part of a website or a database, then reference it as an electronic journal article.

In-text citation

Examples

Components

• Surname of the author(s) in a list format. If appropriate, use 'et al.'.
• Year the journal was published in brackets.

If you are referring to a particular point in the article:

• A colon.
• The page number(s) for the information to which you are referring.

List of References entry

Example

Components

• All the authors' surnames and initials, in list format. 
• Year the journal was published in brackets.
• Title of the article in single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• Title of the journal in italics.
• Volume number.
• Issue number in brackets (if there is one).
• A comma.
• Pages between which the article can be found.

A journal article published electronically

Note:

• If it is clear from the data you have that the journal is available only electronically as part of a website or a database, then reference it as an electronic journal article.
• Most journal articles, however, (even if accessed online) are also available in print, so it is acceptable to reference them as printed journal articles. For example, if you are using a PDF version you have downloaded, you can usually treat this as a printed journal article for referencing purposes, but check with your module tutor whether this is acceptable.

In-text citation

Examples

Components

• Surname of the author(s) in a list format. If appropriate, use 'et al.'.
• Year the journal was published in brackets.

If you are referring to a particular point in the article:

• A colon.
• The page number(s) for the information to which you are referring.

List of References entry

Example

Components

• All the authors' surnames and initials, in list format.
• Year the journal was published in brackets.
• Title of the article in single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• Title of the journal in italics.
• The word 'online' in square brackets.
• Volume number.
• Issue number (if there is one) in brackets, followed by a comma.
• Pages between which the article can be found, followed by a full stop.
• The words 'available from'. 
• Full URL, subject directory, or database address, within chevrons, i.e. < >.
• The date you accessed the article in square brackets. (See date format in the example above).

A newspaper article published in print

In-text citation

Examples

Components

• Surname of the author(s) of the article. If appropriate, use 'et al.'.
• Year the newspaper was published.

If you are referring to a specific point in the article:

• A colon.
• Page number(s). 

List of References entry

Example

Components

• Surname and initial(s) of the author(s).
• Year.
• Title of the article within single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• Title of the newspaper in italics.
• Exact date of the article. (See date format above). 
• Page numbers. 

A newspaper article published electronically

In-text citation

Examples

Components

• Surname of the author of the article. If appropriate, use 'et al.'.

N.B. If no individual authors are provided, use the name of the newspaper/website instead.

• Year the newspaper was published.

If you are referring to a specific point in the article:

• A colon.
• Page number(s). 

List of References entry

Examples

Components

• Surname and initial(s) of the author(s).
• Year.
• Title of the article within single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• Title of the newspaper in italics.
• The word 'online' in square brackets. 
• The exact date of the article. (See date format above). 
• The words 'available from'.
• Full URL within chevrons, i.e. < >.
• Date you accessed the article in square brackets.

A conference paper published in print

In-text citation

Examples

Components

• Surname of the author(s). If appropriate, use 'et al.'.
• Year of publication.

If you are referring to a specific point in the article: 

• A colon.
• Page number(s). 

List of References entry

Example

Components

• Surname and initial(s) of author(s).
• Year in brackets.
• Title of the paper within single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• The word 'in'. 
• Surname and initial(s) of the editor(s) of the conference proceedings.
• The abbreviation 'ed.' (for a single editor) or 'eds.' (for multiple editors) in brackets.
• Title of the conference proceedings in italics followed by a comma.
• Title of the conference within single quotation marks followed by a full stop. 
• The word 'held', followed by the full date of the conference. (See date format above).
• The word 'at', followed by the place (university/town/city) where the conference was held. 
• Place of publication followed by a colon.
• Publisher, followed by a comma.
• Page numbers of the paper.

A conference paper published electronically

In-text citation

Examples

Components

• Surname of author(s). If appropriate, use 'et al.'.
• Year of publication.

If you are referring to a specific point in the article: 

• A colon.
• Page number(s). 

List of References entry

Example

Components

• Surname and initial(s) of author(s).
• Year in brackets.
• Title of the paper within single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• The word 'in'. 
• Surname and initial(s) of the editor(s) of the conference proceedings.

If available:

• The abbreviation 'ed.' (for a single editor) or 'eds.' (for multiple editors) in brackets.

If no editors are available, proceed to the next step:

• The title of the conference proceedings in italics, followed by a comma.
• The word 'held', followed by the full date of the conference. (See date format above).
• The word 'at', followed by the place (university/town/city) where the conference was held. 
• The word 'online' in square brackets.
• The words 'available from'.
• Full URL within chevrons, i.e. < >.
• Date you accessed the document in square brackets.

A technical paper

In-text citation

Example

Components

• Surname of the author(s), or corporate author. If appropriate, use 'et al.'.
• Year of publication.

List of References entry

Example

Components​

• Name(s) and initial(s) of author(s), or corporate author.
• Year in brackets.
• The title of the paper within single quotation marks, followed by a full stop.
• The words ‘Paper no.’
• Full paper number, followed by a full stop.
• Conference title in italics, followed by a comma.
• Date(s) of the conference, followed by a comma. 
• Location followed by a full stop.
• Surname and initials of the conference organiser.
• Organising body.