Harvard In-Text Citation Examples: The Complete UK Guide for 2026
19 August 2026
Clear Harvard in-text citation examples for UK students. Learn how to cite one, two, or multiple authors, quotes, and page numbers correctly.
What Is an In-Text Citation in Harvard Style?
Harvard referencing uses the author-date system, meaning every in-text citation must include the author's surname and the year of publication. This brief reference appears within the body of your essay or report, usually in parentheses, and points readers to the full entry in your reference list. For example, a typical citation looks like this: (Smith, 2023). The key difference from footnotes or numeric styles is that Harvard prioritises clarity at the point of reading — the reader immediately knows whose work you are drawing on without leaving the page. In UK academic writing, Harvard is one of the most commonly required styles across universities, so mastering it is essential for avoiding accidental plagiarism. In-text citations should be placed before the full stop of the sentence, or immediately after the quoted or paraphrased material, so the connection between your ideas and your sources is unmistakable.
One Author and Two Authors: Core Examples
The simplest Harvard in-text citation involves a single author. For example: (Smith, 2023). If you mention the author's name in your sentence, you only need the year in brackets: 'Smith (2023) argues that...'. For two authors, include both surnames every time, joined by 'and' rather than '&' — this is standard in UK Harvard practice. For instance: (Smith and Jones, 2023). In a narrative citation, write: 'Smith and Jones (2023) found that...'. Remember that the order of names must match the order on the source's title page. This is a common area where students lose marks, so double-check that your in-text citations correspond exactly to the reference list entries. If a source has two authors but you cite it repeatedly, you still name both authors every single time — there is no shortcut for two-author works in Harvard.
Three or More Authors: Using 'et al.'
When a source has three or more authors, UK Harvard style allows you to shorten the in-text citation to the first author's surname followed by 'et al.' (meaning 'and others'). For example: (Taylor et al., 2024). This applies whether the work has three, five, or twelve authors. Some UK universities specify that for three authors you should list all of them in text, so always check your departmental handbook. However, the most widespread convention is to use 'et al.' from the first citation onwards. In your reference list, you must still list every author, but the in-text abbreviation keeps your writing readable. A narrative example would be: 'Taylor et al. (2024) suggest that...'. Note the full stop after 'al' — it is an abbreviation, so never write 'et al' without the point. This small detail is often checked by markers, so get into the habit of writing it correctly.
Direct Quotes and Page Numbers
When you quote directly from a source, Harvard requires you to include the page number in your in-text citation. The standard format is (Author, Year, p. Page Number). For example: 'The study confirmed that “feedback improves outcomes” (Smith, 2023, p. 14).' If the quote spans multiple pages, use 'pp.' — for instance, (Smith, 2023, pp. 14–15). For paraphrased ideas, page numbers are not strictly required in most UK Harvard versions, but they are strongly encouraged because they help readers locate the specific passage you are referring to. Some departments require page numbers for paraphrases as well, so check your style guide. When quoting from a source that has no page numbers, such as a website, use the paragraph number if available, or omit it if not — but never guess. Your citation should be honest about what you can verify.
Special Cases: No Author, Corporate Authors, and Secondary Citations
If a source has no identified author, cite the title in place of the author, using italics or quotation marks as appropriate. For example, a newspaper article with no author might be cited as ('Study Shows Rise in Grades', 2025). For corporate or organisational authors like government bodies, use the organisation name: (Department for Education, 2024). When an organisation is well-known, you can abbreviate after the first mention: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025) and then (WHO, 2025) subsequently. Secondary citations occur when you read about a source quoted in another work. In Harvard, you should cite the original work and add 'cited in' the secondary source: (Smith, 2019, cited in Jones, 2024). Always try to locate the original, but if it is unavailable, this format gives credit to both parties and shows academic honesty.
FAQ
'Et al.' is Latin for 'and others'. In Harvard referencing, it is used after the first author's surname when a source has three or more authors. For example, (Taylor et al., 2024) means the work is by Taylor and other co-authors. You do not need to list all authors in the in-text citation, but you must list them in your reference list. Always include the full stop after 'al' because it is an abbreviation.