How to Cite a Book in Harvard
In Harvard cite a book in the text with author surname and year, and in the reference list give author, year, the title in italics, the edition if not the first, the place, and the publisher. Harvard is an author-date system.
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How to cite a book in Harvard step by step
- Author and year. Invert the surname and follow it with the year, since Harvard places the date after the author.
- Italicize the title. Set the full book title in italics, usually in sentence case.
- Edition. Add the edition after the title when it is not the first.
- Place and publisher. Give the place of publication and the publisher.
- In-text page. In the text, add a page for a direct quotation, for example p. 23.
Harvard book citation format
Harvard orders a book as author, year, title, edition, place, and publisher. Exact punctuation varies by guide, so the worked example shows one consistent pattern.
Common book citation variations
How do I cite a chapter in an edited book in Harvard?
Give the chapter author, year, and chapter title in single quotes, then in the edited book title, the editor, the place, the publisher, and the page range.
How do I cite a book with an organization as author in Harvard?
Use the organization as the author in both the text and the reference list, common for corporate and government publications.
How do I cite an ebook in Harvard?
Cite it like a print book and add the format or platform and a URL or access date where the version you used has no fixed pages.
How do I cite a later edition of a book in Harvard?
Add the edition after the title and use the year of that edition as the date in the citation.
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Book citation FAQ
Does Harvard put the year next to the author for a book?
Yes. As an author-date system, Harvard places the year immediately after the author in both the text and the reference list.
Is the book title italicized in Harvard?
Yes. The full book title is italicized in the reference list.