Harvard Referencing for Professional Qualifications

One of the questions most frequently asked by those returning to study with a professional qualification is how to reference sources, and what Harvard Referencing is. Once the term comes up in study resources, it appears more and more often.

When writing an essay or paper it is essential to include referencing. It ensures the original source is credited and plagiarism is avoided. Harvard Referencing consists of two main parts: the citation within the text, and the list of references at the end.

Referencing is a necessary habit to develop, especially when writing assignments regularly. It demonstrates the research undertaken and how views have been built in relation to those of others. Do not forget that referencing is different to a bibliography. Instead of giving a list of all the resources found and used to configure an opinion, referencing is used for the passages cited in the text.

Citation

When using a quote, conclusion or opinion in a text that has come from research — whether direct, paraphrased or summarised — it needs to be cited. The citation is included in the body of the text after the reference has been made, and must include the Author and the year of publication in brackets.

Example: "At the crux of any discussion of what happened during the sixties, one inevitably comes up against the word revolution" (Green, 1999)

If there is more than one Author, in the citation it should be followed by et al.

Example: The lack of marketing leadership is damaging too many large companies (McDonald et al, 2006).

List of References

At the back of an assignment should be the list of references. This needs to include all the relevant detail so that whoever was to read the piece would be able to go find the source. The list must also be in alphabetical order starting with the Author's surname.

For books, the following general rule applies:

Surname, First Initial. (Date) Title of book: given in italics. Edition. Place of publication, Publisher.

Referencing an Article

For articles the process is similar, however instead of the title, the publisher needs to be in italics followed by the date published and the page number.

Example: Smith, K. (2006) From here to eternity. The Guardian (Education Guardian), 10 April, p12.

Referencing a Blog

For online references, use the pattern above for articles then follow with the date the source was personally accessed in square brackets, and then the link.

Example: Anon, (2016) Marketing Theories – The Marketing Mix – From 4 P's to 7 P's. Professional Academy. [accessed 12 Jan 2016] Available at: https://www.professionalacademy.com/blogs-and-advice/marketing-theories--the-marketing-mix---from-4-p-s-to-7-p-s

Harvard Referencing Checklist

The table below summarises the fields required when referencing different source types under Harvard Referencing.

This blog aims to give a brief overview of Harvard Referencing but is in no means exhaustive in its explanation. For a more detailed explanation, Professional Academy students should visit the student resource area. For those who are not yet Professional Academy students, find out more about professional qualifications here, or use the free online tool Cite This For Me for a more in-depth breakdown of Harvard referencing.

How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey

Professional Academy has supported learners in developing their academic and professional skills for over 27 years. Whether studying towards a CIM marketing qualification, an ISP sales qualification, or a CMI management qualification, confident referencing is an essential skill throughout the assessment process.

To find out which qualification is right for you, use the Qualifications Navigator or book a call with an advisor.