Citation style in academic writing

1. Harvard Referencing
Style
Maxwell Ranasinghe

2. What is referencing ?
Academic writing requires authors to support their arguments with
reference to other published work or experimental results/findings. A
reference system will perform three essential tasks:
• Enable you to acknowledge other authors’ ideas (avoid plagiarism)
• Enable a reader to quickly locate the source of the material you refer
to so they can consult it if they wish
• Indicate to the reader the scope and depth of your research

3. There are many styles of referencing
• APA. American Psychological Association Style is an author/date based style. This
means emphasis is placed on the author and the date of a piece of work to
uniquely identify it.
• MLA. Modern Language Association Style is most often applied by the arts and
humanities, particularly in the USA. It is arguably the most well used of all of the
citation styles.
• Harvard. Harvard is very similar to APA. Where APA is primarily used in the USA,
Harvard referencing is the most well used referencing style in the UK and
Australia, and is encouraged for use with the humanities and management
• Vancouver. The Vancouver system is mainly used in medical and scientific papers.
• Chicago and Turabian. These are two separate styles but are very similar, just like
Harvard and APA. These are widely used for history and economics.

4. The Harvard style is a widely used referencing
system
The Harvard style involves two tasks:
• How you refer to other authors in the body of your text (In-Text Citation)
Use acronym “AY” to remember A= Author, Y=Year
• How you compile a list of reference sources at the end of your text
(reference list )
Use acronym “AYTEP:Publisher” to remember A= Author, Y= Year ,
T= Title, E= Edition, P= Place published, Publisher = Name of the publisher

5. •If you can remember acronyms “AY” and
“AYETEP- Publisher” most of the different
references could be made easily.
•Always make a note to write names of the
books , journals or newspapers in italics
•Whether it is a book, journal, newspaper,
conference, website the patterns is the same

6. Book with one author
• REF: Author/Editor Last name, Initials. (Year) Title. Edition. Place of
publication: Publisher.
• (Example: Frutel, C. (1990) ABC of selling. 2nd edn. Illinois: Richard D. Irwin
Inc.
• ITC ( ITC =In The Text or the body of the theses)
• • Author Last name (Year)
• • (Author Last name, Year)
• Example:
• According to Frutel (1990)
• As has been argued (Frutel, 1990)

7. Book with two authors
• REF: First author Last name, Initials and second author Last name, Initials
(Year) Title. Place of publication: Publisher.
• Example: Churchill Jnr., A.G. and Peter, J.P. (1994) Marketing Creating Value
for Customers. Austen: Richard D. Irvin Inc.
• ITC:
• First author Last name and second author Last name (Year)
• (First author Last name and second author Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Churchill and Peter (1994) suggest that…..
• It has been suggested (Churchill and Peter, 1994)

8. Book with more than two authors
• REF: Authors’ Names. (Year) Title. Place of publication: Publishing company.
• Example: Kurtz, D.L.,Mackenzie, H.F., Snow, K.(2013) Contemporary
Marketing. 3rd Canadian Edn. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd.
• ITC:
• First author Last name et al. (Year)
• (First author Last name et al. Year)
• Example:
• • Kurtz et al. (2013) suggest….
• • It has been suggested (Kurtz et al., 2013)….

9. Book with a corporate author
• REF: Name of corporate author (Year) Title. Place of publication: Publisher.
• Example: World Health Organization (2016) Report of the International Expert Consultation on
Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. Country office, Sri Lanka.
• ITC:
• Name of corporate author (Year)
• (Name of corporate author, Year)
• Example:
• Figures from the World Health Organization(2016) show that….
• Figures from other sources (World Health Organization, 2000) show….
• Note: You can even use WHO instead of World Health Organization as it is a well known
organization and commonly called as WHO

10. Book with an editor
• REF: Editor(s) Last name, Initials (Ed.). (Year) Title. Place of publication: Publisher.
• Example:
• O'Riordan, T. (Ed.). (2001) Globalism, Localism and Identity. London: Earthscan.
• ITC:
• Editor’s Last name (Year)
• (Editor’s Last name, Year)
• Example:
• This was examined in O’Riordain (2001)….
• Others have examined this claim (O’Riordain, 2001)….

11. Chapter in an edited book
• REF: Chapter Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year) 'Chapter title'. In: Editor's(s) last name, Initials. ed(s). Book
title. Place of publication: Publisher.
• Example: Tennakoon, M.U.A (2004) ‘Tanks are not mono functional: they are multifunctional’ In: Aheeyar
M.M.M.(ed). Small Tank Settlements in Sri Lanka. Colombo: Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research
Institute.
• Rose, H. (2000) 'Risk, Trust and Skepticism in the Age of the New Genetics'. In: Adam, B. et al. eds. Risk
Society and Beyond. London: Sage.
• ITC:
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year
• Example:
• This was proposed by Tennkoon (2004)….
• It has been proposed (Rose, 2000)….

12. Print Journal article with one author
• REF: Author Last name, Initials. (Year) 'Article title', Journal title, Volume (Issue),
pp. page numbers.
• Example: Srivasatava, P.(1995) ‘The Role of Corporations in Achieving Ecological
Sustainability’ The Academy of Management Review, 20(4), pp. 936-960
• ITC
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Srivastava (1995) argues….
• It has been argued (Srivastava, 2002)….

13. Print Journal with two authors
• REF: First Author Last name, Initials and Second Author Last name, Initials.
(Year) 'Article title', Journal title, Volume (Issue), pp. page numbers.
• Example: Pretty. J, and Ward. H., (2001) ‘Social Capital and Environment’,
World Development, 29(2), pp. 209- 227
• ITC:
• First author Last name and second author Last name (Year)
• (First author Last name and second author Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Pretty and Ward (2001) suggest that…..
• It has been suggested (Pretty and Ward, 2011)

14. Print journal with more than three authors
• REF: Authors’ Names. (Year) 'Article title', Journal title, Volume (Issue), pp. page numbers.
• Example: Myers, J.P., Antoniou, M.N., Blumberg, B., Carroll, L., Colburn, T., Everette, L.G., Hansen
,M., Landrgigan, J.P. Lanphear, B.P., Vandenberg,N.L., Saal, F.S.V., Welshons, W.V. and
Benbrooke,C.M. (2016) ‘Concerns over use of glyphosate-based herbicides and risks associated
with exposures: a consensus statement’ Environmental Health,15(19) pp. 56-67
• ITC:
• First author Last name et al. (Year)
• (First author Last name et al. Year)
• Example:
• Myers et al. (2016) suggest….
• • It has been suggested (Myers et al., 2016)….

15. Electronic Book (e-Book)
• REF: Authors’ Last name, Initials. (Year) Title of book. Available at: URL [Downloaded: Day Month Year].
• (It is important to indicate the URL and the date downloaded or date accessed when referring to electronic
sources)
• Example: Luhr, W. (2004) The Coen brothers' Fargo: Cambridge University Press film handbooks series.
Available at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coen-Brothers-Fargo-Cambridge-Handbooks
ebook/dp/B001G60IQI/ref=kinw_dp_ke [Downloaded: 24 February 2014].
• ITC:
• • Author’s Last name (year)
• • (Author’s Last name, year)
• Example:
• • Luhr (2012) suggests that the Coen brothers…
• • It has been argued that “The Coen brothers represent a revolution in cinamatography” (Luhr, 2012).

16. E-journal article
• REF: Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year) ‘Article title’, Journal title, Volume
(Issue), pp. page numbers. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: Hawke, J, Wadsworth, S, & DeFries, J, (2006). ‘Genetic influences
on reading difficulties in boys and girls: the Colorado twin study’, Dyslexia,
12 (1), pp. 21-29 . Available at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-
bin/fulltext/112098736/PDFSTART [Accessed 10 February 2009]. ITC:
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example
• Hawke, Wadsworth and DeFries (2006) argue ….
• Others have shown (Hawke, Wadsworth and DeFries, 2006)…..

17. Print Newspaper article
• REF: Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year) ‘Article title’, Newspaper title,
date, page numbers.
• Example: Rizwie, R. and Borham, M(2018) “CID Team sent to Digana”
Ceylon Daily News, 7 March, p.1
• ITC:
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Rizwie (2018 ) reported
• The article (Rizwie, 2018) reports….

18. Online Newspaper article
• REF: Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year) ‘Article title’, Newspaper title, day month
of publication. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: Marasinghe, S. and Mudalige, D. (2018)” State of emergency for seven
days”, Ceylon Daily News, 8 March. Available
at:http://www.dailynews.lk/2018/03/07/local/144847/state-emergency-seven-
day[Accessed 7 March 2018]
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Marasinghe and Mudalige (2018) reported….
• In the report (Marasinghe and Mudalige, 2018)….

19. Page on a website
• REF: Webpage Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year) Page title. Available at: URL
[Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: Chin, M.(2018) iTunes will stop taking new LP submissions. Available
at: https://mashable.com/2018/03/06/itunes-ends-lp-format/?utm_cid=hp-r-
1#JvfwbilRUmqY[ Accessed 8 March 2018].
• ITC:
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Chin (2018) responded….
• In the response (Chin, 2018)….

20. Website
• REF: Website author. (Year published/Last updated) Title of Internet
Site. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: Unilever(2018) Unilever, UNDP and UNGC initiate strategic
PPP’S around 2030 agenda. Available at
:https://www.unilever.com.lk/[Accessed 8 March 2018].
• ITC: (Website name, Year)
• Example: Information available from their website (Unilever, 2018) ….

21. Blog
• REF: Author(s) Last name, First name. (Year site published/Last updated) ‘Title of message’, Title
of Internet Site, Day Month of posted message. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example:
• O’Connor, John (2010) ‘Global warming and the future’, Jane Murphy Blog, 14 January. Available
at: http://janemurphyblog.com/blogs/archive/2010/01/14/115/aspx [Accessed 13 April 2010].
• ITC:
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example
• O’Connor (2010) proposed….
• It was proposed elsewhere (O’Connor, 2010)

22. Personal Communications
• Not all of your sources will come from books, journals, newspapers, etc. Some of them will consist of
personal communications, or personal conversations, emails, class lectures, performance art, or research
interviews.
• Cite personal communications only in the text, give the initials as well as the surname of the communicator,
and provide the exact date if possible.
• Personal communications should not be listed in the Reference List as it cannot be retrieved from the
publicly available source.
• Personal Conversation
• In text format:
• According to S. Perera (personal communication, July 22, 2012), the capacity of the staff is not enough to
handle the customer traffic
• According to M. Ranasinghe ( Lecturer Presentation, March 8, 2018 on Competitor Analysis for PGDIP
Marketing, Stage 3,Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing)
• In response to Ranasinghe, M. (2010) E-mail to Dhammika Perera, 26 February, …… it was revealed

23. Facebook
• REF: Author Last name, Initials. (Year page published/last updated) Title of page.
Day Month Year of posted message. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: DSPCA (2014) Dublin, SPCA. 21 January. Available at:
https://www.facebook.com/dspca [Accessed 15 February 2014].
• ITC:
• • Author(s) Last name (Year)
• • (Author(s) Last name Year)
• Example:
• • DSPCA (2014) reported the discovery of four emaciated pups…..
• • It was reported that four emaciated pups were discovered on Christmas day
(DSPCA, 2014

24. Twitter
• REF: Author(s) Last name, Initials. (Year page published/last updated) Day Month
Year of posted message. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: UCD School of Archaeology (2014) 29 July 2013. Available at:
https://twitter.com/ucdarchaeology [Accessed 24 March 2014]
• ITC:
• • Author(s) Last name (Year)
• • (Authors(s) Last name, Year)
• Example:
• • UCD School of Archaeology (2013) reports that the Mesolithic house
• • An exact replica of a Mesolithic house has been built by UCD Archaeology
students at Mt Sandal (UCD School of Archaeology, 2013)

25. Lectures or Presentations- if published
• REF: Author(s) Last name, Initial(s). (Year) Title of lecture/presentation
[Medium], (Module Code: Module title). Institution. Day Month.
• Example: Ranasinghe, M. (2018) Competitor Analysis for SMP[ Lecture to
PGDIP Marketing, Stage 3] Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing. 8 May
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
Authors(s) Last name, Year)
Example:
• Ranasinghe(2018) described the importance of competitor analysis for
Strategic Marketing Planning

26. Group or Individual Work
• REF: Student(s) Last name, Initial (s). (Year of submission) ‘Title of
essay/project/assignment’, Module Code: module title. Institution. Unpublished
essay/project/assignment.
• Example: Serasinghe, K., Bandara,W., Jayamaha, I., Amath, R., Anatharaja, A.( 2018) ‘ A
model to use in developing a Powerful ’, Strategic Marketing Planning. SMP01: University
of Kelaniya, Unpublished group project
• ITC:
• • Author(s) Last name et al. (Year)
• • (Author(s) Last name et al., Year)
• Example:
• • Serasinghe et al. (2014) detailed a model of power of branding
• • The proposed model of “Power of Branding”( Serasinghe, et al.) explains….

27. Interviews (television)
• REF: Last name, Initials of person interviewed. (Year of interview) ‘Title of the
interview (if any)’. Interview by/with Interviewer’s First name Last name, Title of
publication, Day Month of Publication, page numbers if present.
• Example: Wickremasinghe, R.( 2018) ‘ Ethnic harmony a must to go forward’.
Interview by Mohammed Niyas for Prime Time News, Rupavahini Television, 7
March
• Interviewee(s) Last name (Year)
• (Interviewee(s) Last name, Year)
• Example
• Wickremasinghe (2018) explained in an interview….
• In an interview on Rupavahini (Wickremasinghe, 2018) emphasized the
importance of ethnic harmony….

28. Interviews (newspaper)
• REF: Last name, Initials of person interviewed. (Year of interview) ‘Title of the interview
(if any)’. Interview by/with Interviewer’s First name Last name, Title of publication, Day
Month of Publication, page numbers if present.
• Example:Ranawaka, C (2018) “Inaction of law aggravated the situation” Interview by
Chamuditha Wickremasinghe for Daily Lankadeepa , 7 March, p.3.
•
• ITC:
• Interviewee(s) Last name (Year)
• (Interviewee(s) Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Ranawaka (2018) explained the inaction of police….
• Inaction of police to contain the mobs was highlighted (Ranawaka, 2018).

29. Government agency publication
• REF: Name of government department (Year) Title. Place of publication: Publisher (Series
if applicable). Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• Example: Department of Health & Children (2006) ‘A Vision for Change’ Report of the
Expert Group on Mental Health Policy'. Dublin: Stationary Office. Available at:
http://www.dohc.ie/publications/vision_for_change.html [Accessed 11 April 2010].
• ITC:
• • Department (Year)
• • (Department, Year)
• Example:
• • The Department of Health & Children (2006) have shown….
• • In a similar report (Department of Health & Children, 2006) it was shown…

30. Conferences
• REF: Author(s) Last Name, Initials (Year) ‘Title of paper’, Title of conference: subtitle. Location and date of
conference. Place of publication: Publisher, Pages numbers
• Example: Ranasinghe, M. (2017) “Corporate Social Responsibility of Agro-Chemical Companies and the
perception of it by community level leaders.” International Conference on Multi-Disciplinary Studies.18-20
Sept. Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, p.35-45
• ITC:
• Author(s) Last name (Year)
• (Author(s) Last name, Year)
• Example: -
• Ranasinghe (2017) was able to highlight….
• Importance of community level participation in controlling non communicable diseases was articulated by
( Ranasinghe, 2017)

31. Theses
• Theses
• REF: Author (Year of submission) Title of thesis. Degree statement. Degree-awarding
body.
• Example: Senanayake, S. J. (2018) The change of the social value systems and its effect on
consumer behavior. Unpublished PhD thesis. University of Colombo.
• ITC:
• Author Last name (Year)
• (Author Last name, Year)
• Example:
• Senanayake (2009) disagrees with this…..
• As argued by (Allen, 2009 there is a tremendous effect of the change of social values
systems on consumer buying patterns….

32. Audio-visual material
• REF: Title of film (Year of distribution) Director [Format]. Place of distribution:
Distribution company.
• Example: The Lives of Others. (2007) Florien Henckel von Donnersmarck [DVD].
Santa Monica: Lionsgate.
• ITC:
• Title of film, Year
• (Title of film, Year)
• Example:
• The portrait shown in The Lives of Others (2007)….
• East Germany was the subject of a recent successful movie (The Lives of Others,
2007)….

33. Podcasts ( podcast, or generically netcast, is an episodic series of digital audio
or video files which a user can download and listen to)
• Author/Presenter Last name, Initial(s). (Year site published/updated) Title of podcast. [Podcast]. Day Month
Year of podcast posted. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
• REF: Granados, T.G.,(2017)Restoring Access to Local Farm Food[Podcast] 20 June 2017. Available
at:http://thestoryexchange.org/restoring-access-local-farm-food/[Accessed 7 March 2018]
• ITC:
• • Author’s/Presenter’s Last name (year)
• • (Author’s/Presenter’s Last name, year)
• Example:
• Granados (2013) outlines how local farm food could ….
• Organised system involved in pushing local farm products out of the mainstream market (Reddy, 2013)…

34. Further Reference
• https://libguides.ucd.ie/academicintegrity/harvardstyle
• https://www.tcd.ie/library/support/.../Harvard%20Ref%20System%2
02015-2016.pd
• https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/.../The%20Ref%20Point%202nd
%20ed%20final_
• libguides.nus.edu.sg › LibGuides › NUS Libraries › Citation Style
• Thank you
• Your comments to : maxran1@yahoo.com