How to Cite a Book in Harvard Referencing

This guide explains how to format a book citation in Harvard Referencing. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a book in Harvard Referencing:

Template

Author, A.A. (Year) Title of book. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Sapolsky, 2017, p. 203)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Sapolsky, R.M. (2017) Behave: the biology of humans at our best and worst. New York: Penguin Books.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author(s)
Write each author's surname followed by initial(s). For edited books, add '(ed.)' or '(eds.)' after the name(s).
2
Add the year
Place the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the author name(s).
3
Write the book title
Italicise the title and any subtitle. Use sentence case. Include the edition number (e.g., '3rd edn.') after the title if not the first edition.
4
Add the place of publication and publisher
Write the city of publication followed by a colon and the publisher name. End with a full stop.
5
Include DOI or URL if applicable
If the book was accessed online, add 'Available at:' followed by the URL and '(Accessed: Day Month Year).' if appropriate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicise the book title.
Omitting the place of publication (Harvard requires it).
Not including the edition when it is not the first.
Using title case for the book title instead of sentence case.
Placing the year at the end of the reference instead of after the author.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Harvard style require the place of publication?

Yes. Unlike APA 7th edition, Harvard referencing retains the place of publication (city) for books. Write it before the publisher name, separated by a colon.

How do I indicate the edition in Harvard style?

Write the edition after the title, e.g., '2nd edn.' or '3rd edn.' Do not include edition information for first editions.

How do I cite an edited book in Harvard?

Place the editor(s) in the author position followed by '(ed.)' or '(eds.)'. Example: Williams, R.T. (ed.) (2020) Title of book. London: Publisher.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your book:

Author(s) or Editor(s)
Year of publication
Title
Edition (if not the first)
Publisher
DOI or URL (if electronic)

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author(s)

Write each author's surname followed by initial(s). For edited books, add '(ed.)' or '(eds.)' after the name(s).

Add the year

Place the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the author name(s).

Write the book title

Italicise the title and any subtitle. Use sentence case. Include the edition number (e.g., '3rd edn.') after the title if not the first edition.

Add the place of publication and publisher

Write the city of publication followed by a colon and the publisher name. End with a full stop.

Include DOI or URL if applicable

If the book was accessed online, add 'Available at:' followed by the URL and '(Accessed: Day Month Year).' if appropriate.