Citation is the means by which you tell a reader the sources books, journals, Web pages that you have referred to in your work. Why it is important to reference other peoples work? It is important to cite sources accurately for four main reasons; giving credit to other authors, showing that you have read widely, letting others trace the works you have read, and avoiding plagiarism.
WARNING: There are many citation systems. It is very important to check with your department or module’s handbook, or ask your tutor, for the style you will use.
This guide will show you how to cite a wide range of resources, using Harvard:
Books | Chapters from books | Journal articles |
Conference papers | Media websites | Newspapers |
Wikis | Images | Blogs |
Capstones | exhibition catalogues |
Citing references in your text – also known as "In text citations" When using Harvard, cited items are referred to in the text of your work by giving the author’s name, year of publication and page numbers. If you are naming an author in your text, the date and page reference should be typed with brackets around them as in this example below: Chisunga (2007, p.54) argued that...
If you are only summarising an argument or not referring to the author directly you should place all the details in brackets e.g. In a recent study (Chisunga, 2007, p.54) it was argued that…
The author’s last names will appear in alphabetical order at the end of your essay where you will give the full publication details of references.
e.g. Mbengo, P., 2002. The marketing fundamental. In: Gwarimbo, W., ed. Marketing Principles. Bulawayo: NUST University Press, pp. 75
e.g. KUZNAR, L.A., and LUTZ, J.M., 2007. Risk sensitivity and terrorism. Political studies 55(2), 341 –361.
AUTHOR(S), Year. Title of document. [online]. Organisation responsible (optional). [date viewed]. Available from: web address
e.g. CHIMANASA, P., 2014. Speech by the Minister of Finance at Zimbabwe Parliament. [online]. Treasury, Harare. [Viewed 17/06/2014]. Available from http://www.zimtreasury.gov.zw/speech_chex_2014_index.htm retrieved July 14th2014
e.g. Chinakidzwa, M., 2012 Zimbabwe’s financial tsunami. The Financial Gazette, 27 Feb, p. 1
e.g.Mungate, S., 1427 The Temptation of Adam and Eve [Painting]. In: BRUCEMITFORD, M., 1996. The Illustrated Book of Signs and Symbols. Gweru: Mambo Press
e.g.Nkomo, D.J., 1977. The performance concept in banking. In: Proceedings of the7th CIB Triennial Congress, Mutare, September 1977. Marondera: Banking Research Institute, pp. 49-63
e.g.Makonde, D., 2012. "An Investigation on developing effective inventory Management Techniques". Unpublished capstone design (Honours), Harare Institute of Technology
e.g.Zimucha [sn. of Zimuto]. 2006. Problems with kernel 2.6.17-4. In: Ubuntu forums: Edgy
Eftdevelopment [online]. [viewed 10 July 2006]. Available from: http://www.ubuntuforums.org
e.g.HIT LIBRARY, 2011. Preserving the digital material. In: hit-lib [online]. [viewed
18/09/2011]. Available from: http://blog.hit.ac.zw/blog.
e.g.LIBRARYWIKIS, 2008. Collaboration between libraries. [online]. [viewed 17/09/2010] Available from: http://librarywikis.pbworks.com/Collaboration -between-Libraries
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