Updated 2026

Free Harvard Citation Generator

Create Harvard references with the Cite Them Right variant, real metadata lookup, and editable fields.

BusinessLawSocial SciencesEducationUK Higher Education
Try real examples

How it works

How this Harvard generator works

Harvard has local variants, so this page states the selected variant and lets you adjust source fields.

Harvard referencing is common in UK, Australian, and international university assignments.

  1. 1Paste a DOI, ISBN, URL, or source title.
  2. 2Review the metadata source label and any missing field warnings.
  3. 3Edit source fields if the free lookup missed something.
  4. 4Copy the full citation or in-text citation.

Citation rules

In-text citations

Harvard uses (Author, Year, p. Page) in parentheses for direct quotes, or (Author, Year) for paraphrasing.

Reference list

Reference list format

References are listed alphabetically by author surname. Each entry includes author, year, title, publisher details, and edition when applicable.

Harvard review sheet

Harvard checks for local variants

Harvard is a style family rather than one universal manual, so you should compare the output with your university's local rules.

Before you copy

  1. Confirm whether your institution follows Cite Them Right or another Harvard variant.

  2. Add page numbers for direct quotations when required.

  3. Review publisher place and edition for books.

Source examples to review

Match the source type, then check the fields that usually cause mistakes.

  • Book

    Cite a course text

    Check
    Author, year, title, edition, publisher

  • Website

    Cite a public page

    Check
    Author, year, title, URL, access date

  • Report

    Enter fields manually

    Check
    Organization, report title, publication year

Style notes

Quick Harvard rules

  • Harvard uses author-date in-text citations.
  • Reference entries vary by institution, so check local rules if your university provides them.
  • Books need author, title, year, publisher, and place when available.
  • Web pages should include URL and access date when required by your institution.

Avoid errors

Common Harvard mistakes

1

Applying one university's Harvard variant to another institution's requirements

2

Not specifying edition for books beyond the first

3

Missing place of publication for older print sources

Learn more

Official Harvard style guide

This generator applies Cite Them Right Harvard variant rules. For full formatting requirements and examples, consult the official style manual.

Visit official guide

Why trust this

Data sources

The Harvard citation output is built from real metadata sources, not invented data. Each result labels where the information came from:

CrossRefGoogle BooksURL metadataManual entry

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Which Harvard style does this use?

It uses the Cite Them Right Harvard variant. Harvard is not one single global manual.

Can I cite websites in Harvard style?

Yes. Paste a URL and the server extracts public metadata, then you can edit the fields.

Can I use this for UK university assignments?

Often, yes, but many universities publish local Harvard rules. Compare the final punctuation before submission.

Does Harvard need page numbers in text?

Page numbers are often used for direct quotations. Add page details manually if your assignment needs them.

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