How to write your reference list and bibliography in the Harvard style

Your lecturers consider accurate and consistent referencing to be an important part of your academic work. Check your course guidelines so you know which referencing style to use.

If you are using the bibliographic software, RefWorks, you should use the 'Imperial College London - Harvard' style which follows the same format as this guide.

The following examples are in two parts:

  • the information you should collect about each piece of work you use
  • how this information is presented when you write a full reference 

In general, if no author is provided or the author is unknown, begin with the title, followed by the year.

Click on the type of work you need to provide a reference for. If you cannot find the type of work you need, please contact your librarian for more help.

Frequently cited references

Book: accessed on an e-book reader

Please note that the date of publication of the e-book version may differ from the print publication date. Ensure you use the correct date depending on the version of the book you have read and are citing in your work.

Author/editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
[E-reader version]
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (where available)
Publisher

Powrie, W. (2007) Soil mechanics: concepts and applications. [Kindle version] 2nd ed. London, Taylor and Francis.

In-text citation: (Powrie, 2007)

Or

Feynman, R. P. & Davies, P. (2007) The character of physical law. [Sony Reader eBook version]. ePenguin.

In-text citation: (Feynman & Davies, 2007)

Book: chapter in an edited book

Author of the chapter
(Year of publication)
Title of chapter followed by, In:
Editor
(always put (ed.) after the name)
Title (this should be in italics)
Series title and number (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher
Page numbers (use ‘p.' before a single page number and ‘pp.' where there are multiple pages)

Partridge, H. & Hallam, G. (2007) Evidence-based practice and information literacy. In: Lipu, S., Williamson, K. & Lloyd, A. (eds.) Exploring methods in information literacy research. Wagga Wagga, Australia, Centre for Information Studies, pp. 149-170.

In-text citation: (Partridge & Hallam, 2007) 

Example of a chapter in an edited book which is not a first edition:

Beecher, H.K. (2016) Ethics and clinical research. In: Kuhse, H., Schuklenk, U. & Singer, P. (eds.) Bioethics: An anthology. (3rd ed.) Malden, MA, USA, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 451-458.

In-text citation: In a theory proposed by Beecher (2016, p. 459)...

Book: in a foreign language

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
[Title in original language] (this should be in italics)
Series title and number (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher

García Sánchez, J. J. (2007) Toponymic atlas of Spain. [Atlas toponímico de España]. Madrid, Arco/Libros.

In-text citation: (García Sánchez, 2007)

Book: online / electronic

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher
URL

Simons, N. E., Menzies, B. & Matthews, M. (2001) A Short Course in Soil and Rock Slope Engineering. London, Thomas Telford Publishing. http://www.myilibrary.com?ID=93941.

In-text citation: (Simons, Menzies & Matthews, 2001)

Book: print

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Series title and number (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher

Simons, N. E., Menzies, B. & Matthews, M. (2001) A Short Course in Soil and Rock Slope Engineering. London, Thomas Telford Publishing.

In-text citation: (Simons, Menzies & Matthews, 2001)

Example of book with an edition:

White, F. M. (2009) Fluid mechanics. 7th ed. New York, NY, McGraw-Hill.

Book: translated

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Trans. followed by the name of the translator
Series title and number
(if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher

Aristotle. (1999) Physics. Trans. Graham, D. W. Oxford, Clarendon.

In-text citation: (Aristotle, 1999)

Journal article: online / electronic

Most online articles will have a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and you should use this in your reference. The DOI is a permanent identifier provided by publishers so that the article can always be found. If the article has a DOI you will not usually be required to add a date of access.

If there is no DOI then you should use the URL and include date of access. Some lecturers will ask you to reference and online journal article as a print article, so always check your coursework guidance.

To find the DOI, when you read an article online, check the article details as you will usually find it at the start of the article. For more help, contact your librarian.

If you read the article in a full-text database service, such as Factiva or EBSCO, and do not have a DOI or direct URL to the article you should use the database URL.

Author

(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
Title of journal (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number

Page numbers of the article (do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)
URL or DOI

Errami, M. & Garner, H. (2008) A tale of two citations. Nature. 451 (7177), 397-399. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7177/full/451397a.html.

or

Wang, F., Maidment, G., Missenden, J. & Tozer, R. (2007) The novel use of phase change materials in refrigeration plant. Part 1: Experimental investigation. Applied Thermal Engineering. 27 (17-18), 2893-2901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.06.011.

or

Read, B. (2008) Anti-cheating crusader vexes some professors. Chronicle of Higher Education. 54 (25). http://global.factiva.com.

Example of journal with article number

Yin, C., Gu, H. & Zhang, S. (2020) Measuring technological collaborations on carbon capture and storage based on patents: A social network analysis approach. Journal of Cleaner Production. 274, 122867. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122867.

Example of journal with no issue number

Burns, L. K. L., Loeb, S. C. & Bridges, W. C. (2019) Effects of fire and its severity on occupancy of bats in mixed pine-oak forests. Forest Ecology and Management. 446, 151-163.  doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2019.05.024. 

Journal article: postprint / in press

If a journal article has been submitted to the peer review procedure and accepted for publication, but is not yet published in a specific journal issue, this is a postprint. These articles can be referred to as being ‘In press'. You should be able to work out what type of article you have found using the information provided with the article.

Journal publishers now assign DOIs to articles before they are published in a specific journal issue, so you can use the DOI provided for postprint / in press articles. This will ensure that the correct link for the article remains when it is moved to a specific journal issue.

If you read a print journal article not yet published in a journal issue, follow the layout below, ignoring the online information required.

Author/s
(Year of writing)
Title of journal article
Title of journal
(this should be in italics)
[Postprint/In press]
URL [Date of access] or DOI

Akyol, Z., Ice, P., Garrison, R. & Mitchell, R. (2009) The relationship between course socio-epistemological orientations and student perceptions of community of inquiry. The Internet and Higher Education. [In press]  doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.12.002

In-text citation: (Akyol et al, 2009)

Note: there will not be volume, issue or page numbers assigned to postprint / in press articles.

Journal article: preprint

It is likely you will find articles available online before they have been submitted to the peer review procedure and published in a journal. These articles are preprints and may be placed in an online repository or on a publisher's website (but not in a specific journal issue).

Author/s
(Year of writing)
Title of journal article

Submitted to/To be published in (if this information is with the article)
Title of journal (in italics)
Name of repository (in italics)
[Preprint]
URL
(if available)
[Date of access]

Silas, P., Yates, J. R. & Haynes, P. D. (2008) Density-functional investigation of the rhombohedral to simple cubic phase transition of arsenic. To be published in Physical Review B. Arxiv. [Preprint] http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.1692. [Accessed 23rd July 2010].

In-text citation: (Silas, Yates & Haynes, 2008)

Note: there will not be volume, issue or page numbers assigned to preprint articles.

Journal article: print

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
Title of journal (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers of the article
(do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)

Chhibber, P. K. & Majumdar, S. K. (1999) Foreign ownership and profitability: Property rights, control, and the performance of firms in Indian industry. Journal of Law & Economics. 42 (1), 209-238.

In-text citation: (Chhibber & Majumdar, 1999)

Report

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title
(this should be in italics)
Organisation
Report number: followed by the number of the report

Leatherwood, S. (2001) Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the western North
Atlantic
. U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Report number: 63.

In-text citation: (Leatherwood, 2001)

Example of report with url

IEA. (2020) World energy outlook 2020. IEA. www.iea.org/weo

Web page / website

Author/Editor (use the corporate author if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication) (if available; if there is no date, use the abbreviation n.d.)
Title (this should be in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

European Space Agency. (2015) Rosetta: rendezvous with a comet. http://envisat.esa.int/ [Accessed 15th June 2015]

In-text citation: (European Space Agency, 2015).

A

Acts of Parliament

Country
Name of Act: Name of sovereign
(this should be in italics)
Chapter number (this should be in italics)
(Year of publication)
Place of publication
Publisher

Great Britain. Climate Change Act 2008: Elizabeth II. Chapter 27. (2008) London, The Stationery Office.

In-text citation: (Great Britain. Climate Change Act 2008)

Annual report: online

Author or organisation
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

Chevron Corporation (2006) Annual Report. http://www.chevron.com/documents/pdf/annualreport/Chevron2006AnnualReport_full.pdf [Accessed May 12th 2012].

In-text citation: (Chevron Corporation, 2006)

Annual report: print

Author or organisation
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Place of publication (where available)
Publisher

Chevron Corporation (2006) Annual Report. San Ramon, CA, Chevron Corporation.

In-text citation: (Chevron Corporation, 2006)

B

Blog post

Author (Year of publication)
Title of blog post
(if applicable)
Title of blog (this should be in italics)
Weblog
URL
Date of access

Goldacre, B. (2008) Trivial Disputes. Bad Science. Weblog. http://www.badscience.net/2008/02/trivial-disputes-2/ [Accessed 19th June 2008].

In-text citation: (Goldacre, 2008)

Book: accessed on an e-book reader

Please note that the date of publication of the e-book version may differ from the print publication date. Ensure you use the correct date depending on the version of the book you have read and are citing in your work.

Author/editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
[E-reader version]
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (where available)
Publisher

Powrie, W. (2007) Soil mechanics: concepts and applications. [Kindle version] 2nd ed. London, Taylor and Francis.

In-text citation: (Powrie, 2007)

Or

Feynman, R. P. & Davies, P. (2007) The character of physical law. [Sony Reader eBook version]. ePenguin.

In-text citation: (Feynman & Davies, 2007)

Book: chapter in an edited book

Author of the chapter
(Year of publication)
Title of chapter followed by, In:
Editor
(always put (ed.) after the name)
Title (this should be in italics)
Series title and number (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher
Page numbers (use ‘p.' before a single page number and ‘pp.' where there are multiple pages)

Partridge, H. & Hallam, G. (2007) Evidence-based practice and information literacy. In: Lipu, S., Williamson, K. & Lloyd, A. (eds.) Exploring methods in information literacy research. Wagga Wagga, Australia, Centre for Information Studies, pp. 149-170.

In-text citation: (Partridge & Hallam, 2007) 

Example of a chapter in an edited book which is not a first edition:

Beecher, H.K. (2016) Ethics and clinical research. In: Kuhse, H., Schuklenk, U. & Singer, P. (eds.) Bioethics: an anthology. (3rd ed.) Malden, MA, USA, Blackwell Publishing, pp. 451-458.

In-text citation: (Beecher, 2016)

Book: in a foreign language

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
[Title in original language] (this should be in italics)
Series title and number (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher

García Sánchez, J. J. (2007) Toponymic atlas of Spain. [Atlas toponímico de España]. Madrid, Arco/Libros.

In-text citation: (García Sánchez, 2007)

Book: online / electronic

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher
URL

Simons, N. E., Menzies, B. & Matthews, M. (2001) A short course in soil and rock slope engineering. London, Thomas Telford Publishing.  http://www.myilibrary.com?ID=93941.

In-text citation: (Simons, Menzies & Matthews, 2001)

Book: print

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Series title and number (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher

Simons, N. E., Menzies, B. & Matthews, M. (2001) A short course in soil and rock slope engineering. London, Thomas Telford Publishing.

In-text citation: (Simons, Menzies & Matthews, 2001)

Example of book with an edition:

White, F. M. (2009) Fluid mechanics. 7th ed. New York, NY, McGraw-Hill.

Book: translated

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Trans. followed by the name of the translator
Series title and number
(if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication (if there is more than one place listed, use the first named)
Publisher

Aristotle. (1999) Physics. Trans. Graham, D. W. Oxford, Clarendon.

In-text citation: (Aristotle, 1999)

Brochure / pamphlet / booklet

These can often be published by organisations or companies, and may not have individual authors. You can use the corporate author if there is no individual author, and this may also be the publisher's name.

Author/editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication) (if there is no year of publication, write ‘no date')
Title of brochure/pamphlet (in italics)
Series title (if part of a series)
Edition (if not the first)
Place of publication
Publisher

Imperial College London Library (2010) Citing and referencing guide: Harvard style. London, Imperial College London.

In-text citation: (Imperial College London Library, 2010)

C

CD-ROM

When writing a reference for a multi-media item, you would usually use the title of the TV programme or video recording, or title of the film (whether on DVD or video) as the author. If the title is used as the author, this should be written in italics. You should also include the type of format in the reference, such as Video, DVD, CD, CD-ROM and so on.

Author/Editor (use the corporate author if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication)
CD-ROM title
(this should be in italics)
[CD-ROM]
Place of publication
Publisher

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2003) Britannica 2003. [CD-ROM] Chicago, Encyclopaedia Britannica.

In-text citation: (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2003)

Command papers and other official publications [excluding Acts of Parliament]

Name of country
Government department
(Year of publication)
Title
(this should be in italics)
Paper number
Place of publication
Publisher

Great Britain. Department of Health. (2004) Choosing Health: making healthier choices easier. CM6374. London, The Stationery Office.

In-text citation: (Great Britain. Department of Health, 2004)

Computer program, software or code

Author (use the corporate author or research group if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication)
Title of program
(this should be in italics)
(Version number)
[Format type]
(computer program, software or code)
Place of publication (if available)
Name of publisher/distributor (if available)
URL (if online)

TechSmith (2008) Snagit (Version 9.1) [Software] TechSmith Corporation. http://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp.

In-text citation: (TechSmith, 2008)

Conference proceeding: individual paper

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of conference paper followed by, In:
Editor/Organisation (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
Title of conference proceeding (this should be in italics)
Place of publication
Publisher
Page numbers (use ‘p.' before a single page number and ‘pp.' where there are multiple pages)

Wittke, M. (2006) Design, construction, supervision and long-term behaviour of tunnels in swelling rock. In: Van Cotthem, A., Charlier, R., Thimus, J.-F. and Tshibangu, J.-P. (eds.) Eurock 2006: Multiphysics coupling and long term behaviour in rock mechanics: Proceedings of the International Symposium of the International Society for Rock Mechanics, EUROCK 2006, 9-12 May 2006, Liège, Belgium. London, Taylor & Francis. pp. 211-216.

In-text citation: (Wittke, 2006)

Conference proceeding: whole

Editor/Organisation (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Place of publication
Publisher

Edge, B. L. (ed.) (2001) Coastal engineering 2000: conference proceedings, July 16-21, 2000, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sydney, Australia. Reston, VA, ASCE.

In-text citation: (Edge, 2001)

D

Datasets

For the recommended format for data citation, please refer to this page: How to cite data

Discussion list / forum post

Name of sender
(Year of discussion post)
Subject of discussion post
Title of discussion list or forum
(this should be in italics)
Date of discussion post (day month)
URL of discussion list or forum
[Date of access]

Kells, R. (2009) Statistical advice and short courses at Imperial College London. TEACHING-STATISTICS List. 7th May. https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=teaching-statistics [Accessed 19th June 2009].

In-text citation: (Kells, 2009)

DVD

When writing a reference for a multi-media item, you would usually use the title of the TV programme or video recording, or title of the film (whether on DVD or video) as the author. If the title is used as the author, this should be written in italics. You should also include the type of format in the reference, such as Video, DVD, CD, CD-ROM and so on.

Title (this should be in italics)
(Year of production)
[DVD]
Place of production or origin
(if available)
Name of production company/maker

Life on Campus. (2006) [DVD] London, Imperial College London.

In-text citation: (Life on Campus, 2006)

E

Email: personal communication

Personal emails should be referenced as personal communication, unless you have permission from the sender and receiver to include their details in your reference list.

Name of sender
(Year of communication)
Email sent to, followed by
Name of receiver
Date and month of communication

Harrison, R. (2009) Email sent to Mimi Weiss Johnson, 10th June.

In-text citation: (Harrison, 2009)

Email: public communication

Use the discussion list / forum post layout for emails which are publicly available, that is, posted to a discussion list, group or forum.

Equation

You should provide a reference to the work in which you found the equation. Use the examples in this list to identify the appropriate layout depending on the type of work you need to reference. Your in-text citation should include the page number on which the equation appears (unless in an online publication without page numbers).

Equipment operating manual

Author (use the company name if no individual author or editor is named)
(Date of publication)
Title
(this should be in italics)
Version number
Place of publication
Publisher

Hirst Magnetic Instruments Ltd. (no date) GM07/GM08 Gaussmeter Operating Manual. Version 2.0. Falmouth, Hirst Magnetic Instruments Ltd.

In-text citation: (Hirst Magnetic Instruments Ltd, no date)

F

Film

Title of film (this should be in italics)
(Year of production)
[Film]
Directed by: Director's name
Place of production
Name of production company

An Inconvenient Truth. (2006) [Film] Directed by: Davis Guggenheim. USA, Lawrence Bender Productions.

In-text citation: (An Inconvenient Truth, 2006)

Financial data from an online database (for share price or financial instrument figures)

The example below is for data taken from Datastream for which there is no URL: use Datastream as the URL information. For data taken from online databases for which there is a URL, make sure this is included.

Name of publishing organisation
(Year of publication or last update)
Title of extract from database
Database title (in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

Thomson Reuters (2010) British Airways Share Price 01/01/2000 to 30/12/2009. DataStream. DataStream [Accessed 22nd June 2010].   

In-text citation: (Thomson Reuters, 2010)

Financial report from an online database (for company financial accounts, e.g. profit and loss account)

Name of publishing organisation
(Year of publication or last update)
Title of report or extract from database
Database title (in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

Bureau Van Dijk (2010) British Airways PLC company report. FAME. http://fame.bvdep.com [Accessed 22nd June 2010].

In-text citation: (Bureau Van Dijk, 2010)

Foreign language sources

Journal article in a foreign language 

Latin alphabet languages

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
[Title in original language] 

Title of journal (this should be in italics)

[Title in original language] (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers of the article
 (do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)

Aguiar, R., Mora, D. and Rodríguez, M. (2017) Analysis of structure with dissipator spectra under design and control. [Análisis de una estructura con disipadores sometidos a espectros de diseño y de control]. International Journal of Numerical Methods for Calculation and Design in Engineering [Revista Internacional de Métodos Numéricos para Cálculo y Diseño en Ingeniería]. 33(3-4), 171-178.

In-text citation: (Aguiar, Mora & Rodríguez, 2017)

Non-Latin alphabet languages

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
[Title in original language] 

Title of journal (this should be in italics)

[Title in original language] (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers of the article
 (do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)

Xiang, Y., Guo, Z., Baoshan, D., Jiwei, H. 员翔, 等, (2015) 不锈钢方矩管压弯构件平面内稳定承载力理 论研究Buxiugang fangjuguan yawan goujian pingmiannei wending chengzaili lilun yanjiu [Theoretical research on in-plane stability capacity of RHS stainless steel beam-columns]. 工业建筑Gongye jianzhu [Industrial Construction]. 3, 150-55.

In-text citation: (Xiang et al., 2015)

Translated work – Latin alphabet languages

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
[Title in original language] 

Trans. Followed by the name of the translator

Title of journal (this should be in italics)

[Title in original language] (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers of the article
 (do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)

Aguiar, R., Mora, D. and Rodríguez, M. (2017) Analysis of structure with dissipator spectra under design and control [Análisis de una estructura con disipadores sometidos a espectros de diseño y de control]. Trans. Buchanan, C. International Journal of Numerical Methods for Calculation and Design in Engineering [Revista Internacional de Métodos Numéricos para Cálculo y Diseño en Ingeniería], 33(3-4), 171-178.

In-text citation: (Aguiar, Mora & Rodríguez, 2017)

Translated work – Non-Latin alphabet languages

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
[Title in original language] 

Trans. Followed by the name of the translator

Title of journal (this should be in italics)

[Title in original language] (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers of the article
 (do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)

Xiang, Y., Guo, Z., Baoshan, D., Jiwei, H. 员翔, 等, (2015) 不锈钢方矩管压弯构件平面内稳定承载力理论研究Buxiugang fangjuguan yawan goujian pingmiannei wending chengzaili lilun yanjiu [Theoretical research on in-plane stability capacity of RHS stainless steel beam-columns]. Trans. Buchanan, C. 工业建筑 Gongye jianzhu [Industrial Construction], 3, 150-55.

In-text citation: (Xiang et al., 2015)

G

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT

Please refer to Imperial Generative AI tools guidance as well as your tutor(s) for guidance on using generative AI tools for any assessed work. You must provide clear and accurate information for any sources you use in your work. 

Depending on the generative AI tool you use, the content may be nonrecoverable when it cannot be retrieved or linked to. Note: as of June 2023, you can generate a shareable link to a ChatGPT conversation and we recommend you do so for use in references.   

You should also acknowledge your use of generative AI tools for all assessed work. Follow the guidance provided on the library’s Generative AI guidance page. 

Information about using and referencing ChatGPT and other generative AI tools in assignments will continue be updated. Check this section regularly for any changes in our advice. (Last update: 29 Nov 2023) 

Example 1: You have generated a shareable link  

Author (use the name of the generative AI software) 
(Year)  
Prompt 
Receiver of communication 
Available at: URL  
(Accessed: date).  
 

OpenAI ChatGPT (2023). What are some examples of decolonising the curriculum in STEM subjects in higher education? ChatGPT response to Coco Nijhoff. Available at: https://chat.openai.com/share/00422613-c808-418d-b174-58b14ce1433c (Accessed: 8 June 2023). 

In-text citation: (OpenAI ChatGPT, 2023)   

Example 2: There is no shareable link 

Reference list:   

Author 
(Year) 
Receiver of communication  
Day/month of communication 
 

Google Agent Assist (2023) Agent Assist response to Hua Li, 2 May. 

In-text citation: 

(OpenAI ChatGPT, 2023) 

GIS software or data

For more examples please see the guide produced by Edina.

When writing a reference for a map created using a service such as Digimap, both the supplier (e.g. Digimap) and the provider of the data (e.g. Strategi) should be acknowledged.

Creator.
(Year created)
Title
[Map format], Scale.
Product name [data format], currency of data.
Producer.
Using: name of the service used to create the map or download the data.
URL


Smith, J. (2009) Glasgow Regional Transportation [PDF map], 1:200,000. OS Strategi [geospatial data], updated Jan 2008. Ordnance Survey, GB. Using: EDINA Digimap Ordnance Survey Service. http://edina.ac.uk/digimap

 In-text citation: (Smith, 2009).

When writing a reference for a map created using GIS data, the data provider, supplier and software used to create the map should be acknowledged.

Map Title [format]. (Year) Scale. Database name. [type of medium] Place of publication, Publisher. Using: name of software used to create map (version) [Type of software]. URL.

 
Virginia Railway Network [computer map]. (2000) 1:25000. National Transportation Atlas Databases (NTAD). Washington, D.C., US Department of Transportation. Using: ArcGIS (version 8.3) [GIS software]. http://www.esri.com

I

Image / illustration / figure / diagram / table / photograph published in a book

You should provide an in-text citation for any images, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, tables or figures that you reproduce in your work, and provide a full reference as with any other type of work.

In-text citation:

Table illustrating checklist of information for common sources (Pears and Shields, 2008: p.22).

Pears, R. & Shields, G. (2008) Cite them right: the essential referencing guide. 3rd ed. Durham, Pear Tree Books.

Image / illustration / figure / diagram / table / photograph published in a journal

You should provide an in-text citation for any images, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, tables or figures that you reproduce in your work, and provide a full reference as with any other type of work.

In-text citation:

‘Geological map of the easternmost region of São Nicolau' (Ramalho et al, 2010: p.532).

Ramalho, R., Helffrich, G., Schmidt, D. N. & Vance, D. (2010) Tracers of uplift and subsidence in the Cape Verde archipelago. Journal of the Geological Society. 167 (3), 519-538. doi:10.1144/0016-76492009-056

Image / illustration / figure / diagram / table / photograph published using software such as BioRender

You should provide an in-text citation for any images, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, tables or figures that you reproduce in your work, and provide a full reference as with any other type of work.­­­­­

Citations for figures adapted from BioRender templates with modifications to original content and/or design:

Reference:

BioRender.com. (Year) FullTemplateName. URL [Date of access]

BioRender.com. (2020) Coronavirus Replication Cycle. https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates [Accessed 27th August 2020]

Image citation:

Adapted from ‘FullTemplateName’ (BioRender.com, 2020)

Adapted from ‘Coronavirus Replication Cycle’ (BioRender.com, 2020)


Citations for reusing BioRender templates without any content or design modifications:

Reference:

BioRender.com. (Year) FullTemplateName. URL [Date of access]

BioRender.com. (2020) Coronavirus Replication Cycle. https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates [Accessed 27th August 2020]

Image citation:

‘FullTemplateName’ (BioRender.com, 2020)

‘Coronavirus Replication Cycle’ (BioRender.com, 2020)

Images from the internet

Photographer if known.
(Year of publication)
Title.
URL
[Date of access]

Example with known photographer

Sork, V. (2019) Genetics can play a key role in saving trees. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50673661 [Accessed 12th December 2019]

In-text citation: (Sork, 2019)

Example with no known photographer

State of open source deep learning frameworks in 2017. (2017) https://towardsdatascience.com/battle-of-the-deep-learning-frameworks-part-i-cff0e3841750 [Accessed 5th December 2019]

In-text citation: In an accompanying diagram (State of open source deep learning frameworks in 2017, 2017) ...

Instagram

Account name or Instagram handle.
(Year)
[Instagram]
Day/month posted.
URL
(Date of access)

Los Angeles Public Library. (2019) About 120K less than the Art Basel banana. [Instagram] 11 December. https://www.instagram.com/p/B56MmnFF-is/ (Accessed 12th December 2019)

In-text citation: (Los Angeles Public Library, 2019)

Interview: personal

For anonymous interviewees use Interviewee A, Interviewee B, etc in place of a name. This allows you to distinguish between multiple interviewees.

Interviews that people are holding with individuals (including when the person in anonymous).

Name of person interviewed
(Year)
‘Title of interview if any’.
Interview with interviewee.
Interviewed by interviewer’s name.
Day and month of interview.

Day, A. Interviewed by: Jones, L. (4th June 2009).

In-text citation: (Day, 2009)

J

Journal article: online / electronic

Most online articles will have a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and you should use this in your reference. The DOI is a permanent identifier provided by publishers so that the article can always be found. If the article has a DOI you will not usually be required to add a date of access.

If there is no DOI then you should use the URL and include date of access. Some lecturers will ask you to reference and online journal article as a print article, so always check your coursework guidance.

To find the DOI, when you read an article online, check the article details as you will usually find it at the start of the article. For more help, contact your librarian.

If you read the article in a full-text database service, such as Factiva or EBSCO, and do not have a DOI or direct URL to the article you should use the database URL.

Author

(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
Title of journal (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number

Page numbers of the article (do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)
URL or DOI

Errami, M. & Garner, H. (2008) A tale of two citations. Nature. 451 (7177), 397-399. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7177/full/451397a.html.

or

Wang, F., Maidment, G., Missenden, J. & Tozer, R. (2007) The novel use of phase change materials in refrigeration plant. Part 1: Experimental investigation. Applied Thermal Engineering. 27 (17-18), 2893-2901.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.06.011. 

or

Read, B. (2008) Anti-cheating crusader vexes some professors. Chronicle of Higher Education. 54 (25). http://global.factiva.com.

Example of journal with article number

Yin, C., Gu, H. & Zhang, S. (2020) Measuring technological collaborations on carbon capture and storage based on patents: A social network analysis approach. Journal of Cleaner Production. 274, 122867. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122867.

Example of journal with no issue number

Burns, L. K. L., Loeb, S. C. & Bridges, W. C. (2019) Effects of fire and its severity on occupancy of bats in mixed pine-oak forests. Forest Ecology and Management. 446, 151-163.  doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2019.05.024. 

Journal article: postprint / in press

If a journal article has been submitted to the peer review procedure and accepted for publication, but is not yet published in a specific journal issue, this is a postprint. These articles can be referred to as being ‘In press'. You should be able to work out what type of article you have found using the information provided with the article.

Journal publishers now assign DOIs to articles before they are published in a specific journal issue, so you can use the DOI provided for postprint / in press articles. This will ensure that the correct link for the article remains when it is moved to a specific journal issue.

If you read a print journal article not yet published in a journal issue, follow the layout below, ignoring the online information required.

Author/s
(Year of writing)
Title of journal article
Title of journal
(this should be in italics)
[Postprint/In press]
URL [Date of access] or DOI

Akyol, Z., Ice, P., Garrison, R. & Mitchell, R. (2009) The relationship
between course socio-epistemological orientations and student perceptions of community of inquiry. The Internet and Higher Education. [In press]  doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.12.002 [Accessed 4th January 2010].

In-text citation: (Akyol et al, 2009)

Note: there will not be volume, issue or page numbers assigned to postprint / in press articles.

Journal article: preprint

It is likely you will find articles available online before they have been submitted to the peer review procedure and published in a journal. These articles are preprints and may be placed in an online repository or on a publisher's website (but not in a specific journal issue).

Author/s
(Year of writing)
Title of journal article

Submitted to/To be published in (if this information is with the article)
Title of journal (in italics)
Name of repository (in italics)
[Preprint]
URL
(if available)
[Date of access]

Silas, P., Yates, J. R. & Haynes, P. D. (2008) Density-functional investigation of the rhombohedral to simple cubic phase transition of arsenic. To be published in Physical Review B. Arxiv. [Preprint] http://arxiv.org/abs/0810.1692. [Accessed 23rd July 2010].

In-text citation: (Silas, Yates & Haynes, 2008)

Note: there will not be volume, issue or page numbers assigned to preprint articles.

Journal article: print

Author
(Year of publication)
Title of journal article
Title of journal (this should be in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers of the article
(do not use ‘p'. before the page numbers)

Chhibber, P. K. & Majumdar, S. K. (1999) Foreign ownership and profitability: Property rights, control, and the performance of firms in Indian industry. Journal of Law & Economics. 42 (1), 209-238.

In-text citation: (Chhibber & Majumdar, 1999)

L

Lecture / presentation

Name of lecturer/presenter
(Year of lecture/presentation)
Title of lecture/presentation
(this should be in italics)
[Lecture/Presentation]
Title of module/degree course
(if appropriate)
Name of institution or location
Date of lecture/presentation
(day month)

Wagner, G. (2006) Structural and functional studies of protein interactions in gene expression. [Lecture] Imperial College London, 12th December.

In-text citation: (Wagner, 2006)

M

Map: online

Online maps may originate from an online map service, such as Google Maps, or from Digimap, the online Ordnance survey mapping tool.

Map author or originator (online maps may not have an author, but you can use the map publisher’s name as a corporate author)
(Year of publication)
Title of map
Sheet number, or tile (if available)
Scale (if available)
Title of online source (in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

Streetmap (2009) Imperial College London and surrounding area. Streetmap. http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=526500&y=179400&z=0&sv=526500,179400&st=OSGrid&lu=N&tl=~&ar=y&bi=~&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf [Accessed 23rd July 2010]

In-text citation: (Streetmap, 2009)

Map: print

Author (usually the organisation responsible for publishing the map)
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Scale
Series title and number
(if part of a series)
Place of publication
Publisher

British Geological Survey. (1998) South London.270, 1: 50 000. London, British Geological Survey

In-text citation: (British Geological Survey, 1998).

or

Ordnance Survey (2007) North Skye, Dunvegan and Portree. 23, 1: 50 000. Landranger. Southampton, Ordnance Survey.

In text citation: (Ordnance Survey, 2007)

Market survey report: online / electronic

Author (use the corporate author or research group if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication)
Report title
(this should be in italics, and include date of report if available)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication
Publisher
URL
[Date of access]

Mintel. (2009) Small Green Cars and Alternative Fuels - UK - December 2009. http://oxygen.mintel.com/ [Accessed 5th January 2010].

In text citation: (Mintel, 2009)

Datamonitor. (2009) Energy Industry Profile: Global, March 2009. http://web.ebscohost.com/ [Accessed 5th January 2010].

In-text citation: (Datamonitor, 2009)

Market survey report: print

Author (use the corporate author or research group if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication)
Report title
(this should be in italics, and include date of report if available)
Edition (if not the first edition)
Place of publication
Publisher

Mintel. (2009) Home Utility Suppliers - UK - September 2009. London, Mintel International Group.

In-text citation: (Mintel, 2009)

Mobile app

Author (use the corporate author, individual or developer)
(year of publication)
Title of the App
(this should be in italics)
(Version number)
[Mobile app]
Name of app store or URL (if required)
[Date of access]

Citymapper Ltd. (2016) Citymapper. (version 6.11) [Mobile App] [Accessed 25th August 2016]

It may be useful to give the full url from the app store e.g. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.citymapper.app.release&hl=en_GB or https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/citymapper-transport-app-live/id469463298?mt=8

N

Newspaper article: online

Author (if the article has no author, use the name of the newspaper)
(Day, month and year of publication)
Title of article

Title of newspaper (this should be in italics)
Page numbers of the article if given
(use ‘p.' before a single page number and ‘pp.' where there are multiple pages)
URL
[Date of access]

Pagnamenta, R. (24 May 2008) Energy adviser puts forward powerful case for hydrogen. The Times. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article3994594.ece [Accessed 2nd July 2008].

In-text citation: (Pagnamenta, 2008)

Newspaper article: print

Author (if the article has no author, use the name of the newspaper)
(Day, month and year of publication)
Title of article
Title of newspaper (this should be in italics)
Page numbers of the article (use ‘p.' before a single page number and ‘pp.' where there are multiple pages)

Macalister, T. (Wednesday 2 July 2008) Green energy is the modern gold rush. The Guardian. p. 27.

In-text citation: (Macalister, 2008)

O

Online documents and publications (not covered by other examples in this list)

If you cannot find a suitable example in this list for a work published online in PDF, Word, HTML or an equivalent format, you can use the following layout. You may find the online book or report layouts can be adapted.

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name; use the corporate author if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication)
Title of publication
(this should be in italics)
Place of publication (if provided on the publication)
Publisher (if provided on the publication)
URL
[Date of access]

Conway, G. (2009) Grantham Institute for Climate Change, Discussion paper no 1: The science of climate change in Africa: impacts and adaptation. London, Imperial College London. http://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/climatechange/public/pdfs/discussion_papers/Grantham_Institue_-_The_science_of_climate_change_in_Africa.pdf [Accessed 14th June 2010].

In-text citation: (Conway, 2009)

It is also acceptable to indicate the document's original format, particularly as this will help your reader to locate the correct document on a web page.

Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (2009) Municipal waste statistics 2008-09: Excel tables showing summary estimates. [Excel spreadsheet] http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/environment/wastats/bulletin09.htm [Accessed 10th May 2010].

In-text citation: (DEFRA, 2009) 

P

Patent

The patent number should include a country code, but you should make it clear in your reference in which country the patent originated.

Author
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Name of patent organisation
Patent number
(Patent)

Williams, M. (2004) Footwear hanger. GB2409807 (Patent).

or

Williams, M. (2004) Footwear hanger. UK Intellectual Property Office GB2409807 (Patent).

In-text citation: (Williams, 2004)

Example of patent with url

Williams, M. (2004) Footwear hanger. GB2409807 (Patent). https://www.ipo.gov.uk/p-ipsum/Case/PublicationNumber/GB2409807

Patient information leaflets

General advice for anything considered ephemera such as leaflets, pamplets etc. is to use the format for reports.

Corporate Author or Author Surname, Initial(s).,
(Year).
Title of Fact Sheet.
Place of publication:
Publisher.
Publication Number.

Boots Pharmaceuticals., (2014). Decongestant tablet (Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride). Nottingham: The Boots Company PLC. 00014/0375.

In-text citation: (Boots Pharmaceuticals, 2014)

Personal communication

Sender/speaker/author
(Year of communication)
Medium of communication
(this could be telephone conversation, fax, email or personal interview)
Receiver of communication
Date and month of communication

Harrison, R. (2010) Telephone conversation with Jenny Evans, 19th June.

In-text citation: (Harrison, 2010)

Or

Name of practitioner
Occupation
(Personal communication, followed by the date when the information was provided)

Law, James. Engineering consultant. (Personal communication, 26th April 2004)

In-text citation: (Law, 2004)

The above is advised if you do not have a particular format of communication to refer to (such as an email), for example, when the communication could have been in the form of an informal conversation at a meeting or conference.

Photograph: online (not in a published work)

You should provide an in-text citation for any images, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, tables or figures that you reproduce in your work, and provide a full reference as with any other type of work. If the photograph you want to reference is from a journal, book or other published work, use the appropriate layout from elsewhere in this list.

Name of photographer
(Year of publication)
Title of photograph
(in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

Leverton, N. (2000) King's Cross station. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3776 [Accessed 15th June 2010].

In-text citation: (Leverton, 2000)

Podcast

Author/presenter
(Year of posting)
Title of podcast
(this should be in italics)
[Podcast]
Day and month of posting
URL
[Date of access]

Coffee Break Spanish. (2008) Lesson 08. [Podcast] 6th December. http://radiolingua.com/2008/12/lesson-08-coffee-break-spanish/ [Accessed 19th June 2010].

In-text citation: (Coffee Break Spanish, 2008)

R

Radio programme / broadcast

Title of episode (if part of a series)
(Year of broadcast)
Title of programme / broadcast
(this should be in italics)
Name of broadcaster
Day and month of broadcast

Today. (2010) BBC Radio 4. Tuesday 5th January.

In-text citation: (Today, 2010)

Or

Genetics. (2001) In Our Time. BBC Radio 4. Thursday 13th December.

In-text citation: (Genetics, 2001)

Report

Author/Editor (if it is an editor always put (ed.) after the name)
(Year of publication)
Title
(this should be in italics)
Organisation
Report number: followed by the number of the report

Leatherwood, S. (2001) Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the western North
Atlantic
. U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Report number: 63.

In-text citation: (Leatherwood, 2001)

Example of report with url

IEA. (2020) World energy outlook 2020. IEA. www.iea.org/weo

S

Standard

Name of Standard Body/Institution
(Year of publication)
Standard number
Title (this should be in italics)
Place of publication
Publisher

British Standards Institution. (2003) BS 5950-8:2003. Structural use of steelwork in building: code of practice for fire resistant design. London, British Standards Institution.

In-text citation: (British Standards Institution, 2003)

Statutory Instrument

Title including year (this should be in italics)
SI followed by year and the number of the Statutory Instrument

The Public Contract Regulations 2006. (SI 2006/5). 

In-text citation: (Public Contract Regulations 2006)

T

Television programme / broadcast

Title of programme / broadcast (this should be in italics)
(Year of broadcast)
Name of broadcaster
Day and month of broadcast

Question Time. (2009) BBC One. Friday 26th November.

In-text citation: (Question Time, 2009)

Television programme / broadcast: episode in a series

Title of episode
(Year of broadcast)
Title of programme / broadcast
(this should be in italics)
Name of broadcaster
Day and month of broadcast

Blink. (2007) Doctor Who. BBC One. Saturday 9th June.

In-text citation: (Blink, 2007)

Television programme / broadcast: online

Television programmes can now be viewed on a number of media players provided by broadcasting companies such as BBC iPlayer, ITVplayer, Channel 4 On Demand and so on.

Episodes can also be posted elsewhere online such as on YouTube. If you have viewed a television programme online, make sure you use the correct attribution, that is, the corporate author or name of broadcaster, wherever possible. Copyright, including distribution rights, and authorship will belong, in the majority of cases, to the programme maker, not the person posting the video online.

Title of episode (if title of episode is not known, use the title of the programme series)
(Year of broadcast)
Title of programme/broadcast (this should be in italics)
Name of broadcaster
Day and month of broadcast
URL
[Date of access]

Deep Earth (2010) How Earth made us. BBC Two. Tuesday 19th January. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qbvyc/How_Earth_Made_Us_Deep_Earth/ [Accessed 9th November 2010].

In-text citation: (Deep Earth, 2010)

Thesis (final written work by PhD postgraduate students, dissertations, project reports, discourses and essays by any student)

Author
(Year of publication)
Title (this should be in italics)
Type of thesis
Academic institution

Leckenby, R. J. (2005) Dynamic characterisation and fluid flow modelling of fractured reservoirs. PhD thesis. Imperial College London.

In-text citation: (Leckenby, 2005)

Tweet

Author’s name or Twitter pseudonym [Account name if applicable].
(year)
Entire tweet or first few words.
[Twitter]
Day/month tweet posted.
URL
(Date of access)

Attenborough, (2019) A beluga whale playing rugby. [Twitter] 8 November. https://twitter.com/rugbyworldcup/status/1192808927290953729?s=20 [Accessed 5 December 2019]

In-text citation: (Attenborough, 2019)

V

Video

When writing a reference for a multi-media item, you would usually use the title of the TV programme or video recording, or title of the film (whether on DVD or video) as the author. If the title is used as the author, this should be written in italics. You should also include the type of format in the reference, such as Video, DVD, CD, CD-ROM and so on.

Title (this should be in italics)
(Year of production)
[Video]
Place of production
Name of production company

Video: YouTube

Name of person who uploaded the video (this could be a YouTube username, not a full name)
(Year the video was uploaded)
Title of video (in italics)
[Video]
URL
[Date of access]

Speakfirst. (2009) Presentation skills: How to improve your presentations. [Video] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt8YFCveNpY&feature=related [Accessed 5th November 2010].

In-text citation: (Speakfirst, 2009)

W

Web page / website

Author/Editor (use the corporate author if no individual author or editor is named)
(Year of publication) (if available; if there is no date, use the abbreviation n.d.)
Title (this should be in italics)
URL
[Date of access]

European Space Agency. (2015) Rosetta: rendezvous with a comet. http://envisat.esa.int/ [Accessed 15th June 2015]

In-text citation: (European Space Agency, 2015).

Example of how to reference an encyclopaedia

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.) Aggregate: building material. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/aggregate.

Y

Yourself

Self-plagiarism involves re-using your own previously written work or data in a new assignment and not referencing it. You must always reference your sources, even if you are referencing your own work.