Posted on May 12, 2020 byJack Caulfield. Revised November 7, 2022.
To refer to a book inHarvard styleyou need onequote in textand a corresponding entry in yourbibliography or bibliography.
A simple book reference looks like this:
| reference template | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book.Ciudad:editor. |
| reference example | Szalay, D. (2017)everything this man is. London: vintage. |
| Examples of citations in the text. | (Szalay, 2017, p. 24) |
Try our free reference generator to create accurate Harvard references for all your fonts:
Harvard Referral Generator
table of Contents
- edition or volume of a book
- Adapted or translated book
- book chapter
- dictionary or encyclopedia
- Ebook
- Harvard Referral FAQ
edition or volume of a book
If the book you cite is a second or later edition (that is, if the edition is specified on the title page or title page), please indicate that in your citation. Abbreviate "edition" as "edn" or "revised edition" as "rev ed."
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book.editioneditionCiudad:editor. |
| Example | Pears, R. y Schilde, G. (2019)Citing Correctly: The Essential Reference Guide. 11th edition London: MacMillan. |
When referencing a book published in multiple volumes, include the total number of volumes in your reference.
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book(number of volumesvolumes).Ciudad:editor. |
| Example | Learn, MV (2015)Napoleon and the Battle for Germany: The Franco-Prussian War of 1813(2 volumes). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
If you are referencing a single volume, omit the total number, but include the number and subtitle of the specific volume you are referencing as part of the title.
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book.Ciudad:editor. |
| Example | Learn, MV (2015)Napoleon and the Fight for Germany: The Franco-Prussian War of 1813. Vol. 2: The Defeat of Napoleon. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
Adapted or translated book
If a book identifies a publisher and/or translator, that information should be included in the citation.
Editor
If a book has an editor in addition to the main author, the publisher's name is included later in the citation.
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book. Edited byPublisher's last name,Initial.Ciudad:editor. |
| Example | Alcott, LM (2008)little woman. Edited by Alderson, V. Oxford: Oxford University Press. |
If the publisher is the primary author (that is, if their name is on the cover), their name appears first. Use "ed." for a single publisher and "eds". if there are multiple editors.
When using a specific chapter or a work from an edited collection, follow the format for referring to a book chapter.
| presentation | Publisher's last name,Initial. (Hrsg./Hrsg.) (Year)Title of the book.Ciudad:editor. |
| Example | Danielson, D. (Hrsg.) (1989)Milton's Cambridge Companion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
translator
When referring to a book translated from another language, include the original language and the name of the translator.
Unlike other names, the translator's name is not reversed: the first letter comes first.
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book. Translated fromLanguageVonFirst and last name of the translator.Ciudad:editor. |
| Example | Nothings, P. (1998)a scrapbook. Translated from the Hungarian by I. Sanders and I. Goldstein. London: vintage. |
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book chapter
If a book contains chapters or works by different authors, e.g. For example, a collection of essays or an anthology of short stories, reference the specific chapter or work, followed by details about the book.
The chapter title is in quotation marks, the book title in italics. At the end of the reference, indicate the page range in which the chapter appears.
When a book is written entirely by one author, always refer to the book as a whole, even if you're only discussing one chapter.
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year) 'chapter title', InPublisher's last name,Initial. (Hrsg./Hrsg.)Title of the book.Ciudad:editor, S.Scope of the page |
| Example | Greenblatt, S. (2010) "The Traces of Shakespeare's Life", in De Grazia, M. & Wells, S. (eds.)Shakespeare's New Cambridge Companion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, S. 1–14. |
dictionary or encyclopedia
Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference works often do not name specific authors. In these cases, they are cited and referenced with their titles in the position of the author:
| presentation | Title of the book (Year)editioneditionCiudad:editor. |
| Example | collins english dictionary(2019) 8th edition Glasgow: Collins. |
| quote in text | (collins english dictionary, 2019, p. Four. Five) |
When a reference work has an author, it can be called a normal book. When different sections of a reference work are attributed to different authors, they may be called chapters of an edited book.
Ebook
If an eBook is presented as a print book with page numbers and publication details, you can reference it in the same format as the print version.
Otherwise, the eBook format differs slightly: IInstead of publisher information, include a link to where you found it or bought it online. This link usually only goes to the store or database you are using, not the specific book.
Also, in-text citations should use something other than page numbers when necessary, e.g. B. a percentage or location number. Use any bookmark available on your device.
| presentation | author's last name,Initial. (Year)Title of the book. Available in:URL(Access:day month Year). |
| Example | Le Guin, United Kingdom (2017)The left hand of the darkness. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kindle-eBooks-books/b?ie=UTF8&node=341689031 (Accessed 8 May 2020). |
| Examples of citations in the text. | (Le Guin, 2017, 85%) |
Harvard Referral FAQ
- When do I have to use a Harvard quote in the text?
-
Aharvard quote in textmust be enclosed in parentheses whenever you quote, paraphrase, or refer to information from a source.
The quote can come immediately after the quote or paraphrase or at the end of the sentence. When quoting, place the citation outside of the quotation marks but before any other punctuation, such as commas or periods.
- When should I include page numbers in a Harvard citation in the text?
-
InHarvard style, if youanotherdirectly from a source that includes page numbers, yoursquote in textmust contain a page number. For example: (Smith, 2014, p. 33).
You can also include page numbers to direct the reader to a passage of your own.paraphrased. If you are referring to the general ideas or results of the source as a whole, you do not need to cite a page number.
- How do I cite a Harvard-style multi-author source?
-
Inharvard References,up to three author names are included in onequote in textoreference listEntrance. If there are four or more authors, list only the first, followed by "et al.'
quote in text reference list 1 author (Smith, 2014) Smith, T. (2014) … 2 authors (Smith y Jones, 2014) Smith, T. y Jones, F. (2014) … 3 authors (Smith, Jones y Davies, 2014) Smith, T., Jones, F. y Davies, S. (2014) … 4+ authors (Herreroet al., 2014) Schmied, T.et al.(2014)… - How do I cite multiple sources by the same author published in the same year?
-
InHarvard style referencesTo distinguish between two sources by the same author published in the same year, add a different letter after the year for each source:
- (Smith, 2019a)
- (Smith, 2019b)
Add "a" to the first one you cite, "b" to the second, and so on. do the same on yoursBibliography or list of references.
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Caulfield, J. (2022, November 07).Harvard Style Book References | Templates and examples.Scribbr. Retrieved February 9, 2023 from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/harvard-book-reference/
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Jack Caulfield
Jack is a Brit based in Amsterdam with an MA in Comparative Literature. He writes for Scribbr on topics of his specialty: grammar, linguistics, citations, and plagiarism. In free time he reads many books.
FAQs
How to do Harvard referencing for a book example? ›
Book title. Series title, Volume number. Edition (if not first edition). Place of publication: Publisher.
What is Harvard reference style with example? ›Reference structure and example: Author Surname, Initials. (Publication Year) 'Article title', Newspaper/Magazine Name, Day Month Published, Page(s). Available at: URL or DOI (Accessed: date).
What are examples of references of the books? ›Some examples of reference sources are: dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, almanacs, directories, atlases, and handbooks. These can be online or in print. Exploring a new subject?
What is the correct structure of a Harvard style reference list? ›In the Harvard (author-date) System the list of references is arranged alphabetically by author's surname, year (and letter, if necessary) and is placed at the end of the work. A reference list is the detailed list of references that are cited in your work.
What is the easiest way to Harvard reference? ›Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) 'Title of article', Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page reference. If accessed online: Available at: DOI or URL (if required) (Accessed: date).
How do you cite a book in a sentence example? ›APA in-text citation style uses the author's last name and the year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005). For direct quotations, include the page number as well, for example: (Field, 2005, p. 14).
How do you write a reference example? ›- Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Book title. Location: Publisher.
- Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Book title. ...
- Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Book title. ...
- Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (year). ...
- Editor, A. A., & Editor B. B. (Eds.). (year).
In Harvard style, citations appear in brackets in the text. An in-text citation consists of the last name of the author, the year of publication, and a page number if relevant. Up to three authors are included in Harvard in-text citations. If there are four or more authors, the citation is shortened with et al.
What is most common Harvard referencing style? ›Harvard. Also known as 'author-date' style. In Harvard style the in-text citation can be in brackets in the body of the text or in footnotes, and uses the author's surname and the date of publication, with the page number if it is a reference to a particular page.
What are 5 rules for formatting a references page? ›- “References” is centered 1-inch down. It's not capitalized, bold, or italicized.
- The reference citations are double spaced with no additional lines between them.
- References that go past the first line have a hanging indent.
- All references are in alphabetical order.
What are the three rules for formatting a reference list? ›
- All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference list should be indented one-half inch from the left margin. ...
- All authors' names should be inverted (i.e., last names should be provided first).
- Authors' first and middle names should be written as initials.
- Your name at the top of the page.
- List your references, including their name, job title, company, and contact information, with a space in between each reference.
- Include at least three professional references who can attest to your ability to perform the job you are applying for.
Harvard style referencing is an author/date method. Sources are cited within the body of your assignment by giving the name of the author(s) followed by the date of publication. All other details about the publication are given in the list of references or bibliography at the end.
How to reference a book? ›- Author - as written on the title page of the book.
- Title and any subtitle as written on the title page.
- Series.
- Edition.
- Number of volumes.
- Details of publication - place of publication, publisher and date of publication.
- Volume number.
- Page number(s) of reference.
- Find a book, journal, website or other source that will contribute to your work.
- Save the quote, image, data or other information that you will use in your work.
- Save the source information that enables you to find it again (i.e. URL, ISBN, DOI etc.)
- Format the source information into a citation.
The basic form for a book citation is: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.
What is the best first sentence of a book? ›Begin with a strange detail.
An opening line can hook readers by introducing an uncanny detail right off the bat. A classic example is the opening line of George Orwell's 1984, which references clocks striking thirteen. In the first paragraph, readers understand that something is unusual about the world of the novel.
Follow the author-date method for in-text citations.
Typically you'll include the author's last name followed by the year of publication in parentheses. For example: "(Lane, 2007)." If you happen to use the author's name in the sentence, you can simply put the date in parentheses after the author's name.
reference noun (MENTION)
a mention of something: Knowing what had happened, I avoided making any reference to (= mentioning) weddings. formal I am writing with/in reference to (= in connection with) your letter of 15 March. More examples. She made a veiled reference to her former employer.
APA Style is the most popular citation style, widely used in the social and behavioral sciences. MLA style is the second most popular, used mainly in the humanities. Chicago notes and bibliography style is also popular in the humanities, especially history.
Do you have to reference every sentence Harvard? ›
If you are paraphrasing from one source throughout a paragraph, don't worry about putting a citation after every sentence. Putting a citation at the end of the paragraph is fine (there should be at least one citation at the end of each paragraph if the material is paraphrased).
How do you reference a reference in a book? ›Your in-text citation should include both authors: the author(s) of the original source and the author(s) of the secondary source. For example: (Habermehl, 1985, as cited in Kersten, 1987). In your reference list you should provide the details of the secondary source (the source you read).
How do you reference a book in-text? ›- Use the first few words of the title, or the complete title if short, as listed in your reference list, and the date.
- Format with: double quotation marks for the title of an article or chapter or webpage; italics for the title of a journal or book or brochure or report; capitals for both.
Basic format to reference a book
Year of publication of the book (in round brackets). Book title (in italics). Edition (in round brackets), if other than first. Publisher.
For in-text citation, the easiest method is to parenthetically give the author's last name and the year of publication, e.g., (Clarke 2001), but the exact way you cite will depend on the specific type of style guide you follow.
How do you Harvard reference a book title in text? ›To reference a book in Harvard style, you need an in-text citation and a corresponding entry in your reference list or bibliography. Author surname, initial. (Year) Book title. City: Publisher.