Harvard Referencing Cite Them Right: A Complete UK Guide
19 August 2026
Learn the Cite Them Right Harvard style for UK essays. In-text citations, reference lists, examples, and common pitfalls explained.
What Is Cite Them Right Harvard?
Cite Them Right is a UK-published referencing guide by Richard Pears and Graham Shields, now in its 12th edition. It has become one of the most widely adopted Harvard variants in British universities because it provides detailed rules for a vast range of source types, from books and journal articles to YouTube videos and social media posts. When your university asks for 'Harvard' referencing, it usually means the specific style outlined in Cite Them Right, especially if your course subscribes to the online platform. The style is characterised by in-text citations in brackets and a full reference list at the end. Crucially, it is not the only Harvard style – other guides like the British Standard Harvard or university-specific handbooks differ in punctuation, capitalisation, and the order of elements. Understanding the nuances of Cite Them Right is essential for consistent, accurate referencing and avoiding accidental plagiarism in your academic work.
In-Text Citations in Cite Them Right
In the Cite Them Right Harvard style, every in-text citation includes the author's surname and the year of publication, separated by a comma and placed in round brackets. For direct quotes, you must add a page number (or page range) after the year, using 'p.' for a single page and 'pp.' for multiple pages, e.g. (Smith, 2020, p. 12). For paraphrased ideas, page numbers are not mandatory but are strongly recommended to help readers locate the original passage. The rules for multiple authors are specific: with two authors, list both surnames every time, e.g. (Jones and Patel, 2021). With three authors, cite all three the first time and then 'et al.' in subsequent citations. With four or more authors, use 'et al.' from the very first citation. Never use 'et al.' in the reference list – there, all authors must be listed in full.
Reference List Entries: Books, Journals, and Websites
The reference list in Cite Them Right follows strict patterns. For a book, the format is: Author surname, initial. (Year) Title. Edition if not the first. Place of publication: Publisher. For example: Smith, J. (2020) Understanding modern Britain. 2nd edn. London: Routledge. For a journal article: Author surname, initial. (Year) 'Article title', Journal Title, Volume(Issue), pp. page range. Example: Brown, A. (2023) 'Navigating research ethics', Journal of Academic Studies, 15(2), pp. 44–58. For a website: Author, initial. (Year) Title of the page. Available at: URL (Accessed: date). Example: Office for Students (2025) Teaching excellence framework outcomes. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk (Accessed: 12 January 2026). Notice the use of single quotation marks around article titles, and italics for book or journal titles – a key CTR distinction.
Common Mistakes and Differences from Other Harvard Styles
Students often struggle because Cite Them Right differs from other Harvard guides. One common mistake is placing the year after the publisher instead of after the author. Another is forgetting that page numbers are required for direct quotes, or using 'p. 12-13' instead of 'pp. 12–13' with an en dash. Capitalisation also trips people up: in article titles, only the first word and proper nouns are capitalised, while journal titles are capitalised title case. The order of names in the reference list should be by surname alphabetically, not by the order they appear in the source. Finally, many UK universities have their own house Harvard that tweaks Cite Them Right rules (e.g. using 'accessed' in square brackets). Always check your department's specific guide if one is provided, and use Cite Them Right as the default when nothing else is specified.
Tools and Resources for Cite Them Right Harvard
To make your referencing accurate and efficient, start with the official Cite Them Right online resource, which many UK universities subscribe to – you can search for a source type and see an instant example. Reference management software like EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley offer 'Harvard - Cite Them Right' output styles, but be careful: these are only reliable if the metadata you entered is correct. Always compare the generated reference against the official guide, especially for complex sources like legal cases, conference papers, and press releases. Another useful habit is to download the Cite Them Right PDF quick-reference card if your library provides it. For neurodivergent students or those new to referencing, the 'Cite Them Right' textbook has a step-by-step approach that breaks down each element. In 2026, most universities also offer workshops on academic integrity and referencing – attending one can save you hours of corrections later.
FAQ
Harvard referencing is a generic family of author-date styles used across UK universities, and Cite Them Right is a specific published interpretation of that style. It is not the only version – the British Standard Harvard and various institution-specific guides also exist. When your university says 'Harvard referencing', they may be referring to Cite Them Right, but always check your module handbook to confirm the exact variant required.