How to Cite a Podcast Episode in Harvard Referencing

This guide explains how to format a podcast episode 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 podcast episode in Harvard Referencing:

Template

Author/Host, A.A. (Year) 'Title of episode', Podcast Name [Podcast]. Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Koenig, 2014)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Koenig, S. (2014) 'The alibi', Serial [Podcast]. 3 October. Available at: https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi (Accessed: 28 March 2026).

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the host
List the host's surname and initial(s).
2
Add the year
Place the year of the episode in parentheses.
3
Write the episode title
Enclose the episode title in single quotation marks using sentence case.
4
Add the podcast name and format
Italicise the podcast series name. Follow with '[Podcast]' in square brackets.
5
Include date and URL
Add the day and month of the episode. Write 'Available at:' followed by the URL and '(Accessed: Day Month Year).'

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not enclosing the episode title in single quotation marks.
Forgetting to italicise the podcast series name.
Omitting '[Podcast]' as the format identifier.
Not including the access date for online podcasts.
Confusing the host name with the producer name.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite an entire podcast series in Harvard?

Use the host as the author and the series name as the title (italicised). Omit the episode title. Example: Koenig, S. (2014--2018) Serial [Podcast]. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

Do I include the episode number in Harvard?

It is not strictly required, but you may include it for clarity. Place it after the episode title: 'The alibi' (Season 1, Episode 1).

What if the podcast is only available on a specific platform?

Provide the URL for the platform where you accessed it (e.g., Spotify, Apple Podcasts) and include the access date.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your podcast episode:

Host(s)
Date of episode
Episode title
Podcast name
Producer or network (if applicable)
URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the host

List the host's surname and initial(s).

Add the year

Place the year of the episode in parentheses.

Write the episode title

Enclose the episode title in single quotation marks using sentence case.

Add the podcast name and format

Italicise the podcast series name. Follow with '[Podcast]' in square brackets.

Include date and URL

Add the day and month of the episode. Write 'Available at:' followed by the URL and '(Accessed: Day Month Year).'