Cite Them Right Harvard Examples: A Practical UK Guide
15 August 2026
Master Cite Them Right Harvard referencing with real examples for books, journals, websites. A practical UK student guide for accurate citations.
What Is Cite Them Right Harvard?
Cite Them Right (CTR) Harvard is a widely used referencing style across UK universities, based on the guide by Richard Pears and Graham Shields. It follows the author-date system, where in-text citations include the author's surname and year of publication, paired with a full reference list at the end. CTR Harvard is known for its detailed rules covering diverse sources, from books and journal articles to websites and social media. Unlike other Harvard variations, CTR provides specific punctuation and formatting guidance, making it a reliable choice for academic work. This guide offers clear examples to help you apply the style correctly and avoid common errors, ensuring your references meet UK academic standards.
Book Example: Citing a Print Book
When referencing a print book using Cite Them Right Harvard, you need the author's surname and initials, year of publication in brackets, the title in italics, the edition (if not the first), and the publisher. For example: Smith, J. (2020) The art of essay writing. 3rd edn. London: Academic Press. In-text, cite as (Smith, 2020) or Smith (2020) states that... Place the in-text citation immediately after the relevant information or at the end of the sentence. Ensure the reference list entry matches the in-text citation exactly, and alphabetise by surname. For books with two authors, list both surnames and initials, e.g., Smith, J. and Jones, A. (2020). For three or more, use et al. in-text but list all authors in the reference list.
Journal Article Example: Citing a Journal
Journal articles require more detailed referencing. The CTR Harvard format is: Author(s) (Year) 'Title of article', Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. For example: Brown, L. and Green, M. (2021) 'Sustainability in higher education', British Journal of Education, 45(2), pp. 123-140. In-text, cite as (Brown and Green, 2021). If the article has a DOI, add it at the end: https://doi.org/... This helps readers locate the source online. For articles retrieved from databases like JSTOR or EBSCO, you do not need to include the database name; the DOI or URL is sufficient. Always check that the volume and issue numbers are present and correctly formatted, as this is a common area for marks to be lost.
Website Example: Citing Online Sources
Websites are tricky in CTR Harvard because they often lack clear authors or dates. The format is: Author/Organisation (Year) Title of page, Website name. Available at: URL (Accessed: date). For example: Office for National Statistics (2025) UK unemployment rates, ONS. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employment (Accessed: 10 January 2026). In-text, cite as (Office for National Statistics, 2025). If no author, use the website name as the author. If no date, use (no date). Always include the access date for online sources, as web content can change. For social media, use the full name and the exact time and date of the post. CTR Harvard gives clear rules for these, so consult the guide for each unique source type.
Common Pitfalls and Tools for CTR Harvard
Many students lose marks on referencing due to small mistakes: mixing up punctuation, missing page numbers, or incorrect italics. For example, in CTR Harvard, the title of a book or journal is always italicised, while article titles are in single quotation marks. Also, remember that 'et al.' is used for three or more authors in in-text citations, but you must list every author in the full reference. To avoid errors, use the official Cite Them Right book or online subscription tool, and consider reference management software like EndNote or Zotero, which have CTR Harvard output styles. Always check your university's specific guidelines, as some may have slight variations. Practising with examples is the best way to build confidence and accuracy.
FAQ
Cite Them Right Harvard is a specific interpretation of the Harvard author-date system, published by Bloomsbury. It offers detailed rules for formatting references, including punctuation, italics, and how to handle obscure sources. Some UK universities adopt it as their official style, while others use slightly different variants. Always follow your institution's guidance.