Failed Masters Dissertation
December 25, 2022
Law Dissertation Examples
December 25, 2022
Harvard Referencing: Introduction, Importance, and Working Mechanism
Academic writing often requires students to reference the work of other authors to establish their points of view. It means that when writing a paper, essay, or article, students must properly credit the original source of any information they are using.
Harvard referencing is one of the most widely used citation styles for academic writing. In this blog post, let’s dive into what Harvard referencing dissertation is and why it's important for students to understand how to use it correctly.
What is Harvard Referencing?
Harvard referencing is a style of citation used in academic writing that allows you to acknowledge the sources you use when writing your papers. It also helps readers find the sources you cite so that they can explore them further.
Harvard referencing follows an author-date format, meaning that each source cited should include both the author’s name and the publication date.
When citing an entire book or article in your paper, you should provide complete bibliographic information (e.g., Title, publisher, etc.). If you are citing a specific part of a source (e.g., a chapter from a book), you should include page numbers after the publication date (e.g., Smith 2020: 33).
Additionally, if you are citing online sources such as websites or blogs, you must include the URL at the end of your citation (e.g., Smith 2020).
Why is it Important?
Harvard referencing is important because it gives authors credit for their work by acknowledging where ideas originated from and providing readers with access to those same sources to explore them further on their own if desired.
Furthermore, proper use of Harvard referencing demonstrates that writers have done their due diligence in researching their topics and provides proof that they have not plagiarized someone else's work. As such, proper use of Harvard referencing shows readers that writers are knowledgeable about their topic and familiar with scholarly conventions in academic writing.
The Benefits of Using Harvard Referencing
Harvard referencing provides several benefits for students who use it. First, it helps writers avoid plagiarism by providing detailed information about the source material they cite. Second, it allows readers to quickly identify any sources mentioned in a paper and locate further information if necessary. Finally, using Harvard referencing demonstrates knowledge of academic conventions, which can help you stand out from other students when applying for universities or jobs.
How Does Harvard Referencing Work?
The key elements of a Harvard citation include author name(s), year published, Title of work, place of publication and publisher name. Other elements may also be required depending on the type of source being cited (e.g., book, journal article, etc.).
For example, an article from a journal will need the volume number and issue number included in its reference entry. At the same time, an online video will require details such as URL or DOI (digital object identifier). Once these elements have been gathered for each source cited within your work, they must be arranged according to specific formatting rules to create complete reference entries at the end of your paper or essay.
How to Create a Harvard Referencing Dissertation?
The exact way you reference a dissertation using Harvard referencing will depend on its source (e.g., book, journal article, website). Generally speaking, you need to include basic information such as author name/names, year published and Title (in italics). If applicable, you may also need additional information, such as page numbers or URLs. Here are some examples:
1. Book
When citing books using Harvard referencing, you must include the author(s) name, year of publication, book title, edition (if not the first), publisher and place of publication.
Last name, Initials (Year published), Title (in italics). Edition (if applicable), Publisher location and name.
- Geddes, A & Williams, P (2019) Research Methods for Education Students (6th ed.). London: Sage Publications Ltd.
- Smith, J. (2016). The Basics of Academic Writing. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
2. Journal Article
When citing journal articles using Harvard referencing, you must include the author(s) name, year of publication, Title of article, journal title in italics and volume/issue number (if applicable), page numbers where appropriate and DOI or URL if available.
Last name, Initials (Year published) ‘Article title’, Journal Name volume(issue), page numbers.
- Chua, BH & Tan, SK (2018) ‘Doing business with integrity’ The Business Times Singapore 10(4), pp 3-4.
- Jones, T., & Brown C. (2018). How to write an essay guide for students. Journal of Student Writing Studies 1(1), 23-45. https://doi.org/10/jsws123
3. Website Page
When citing websites using Harvard referencing, you must include the author(s) name if known or the organization responsible for website content publication date or last update date if known. Title of the web page in italics URL and the date accessed where appropriate.
Last name/Organization Name (Year published) ‘Page title’ [Online]. Available at URL [Accessed date].
- World Health Organization (2020) ‘Covid-19 vaccine distribution’ [Online]. Available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines[Accessed 15 March 2020].
- The National Archives (2020). UK population 2019 [online]. Available at https://www.nationalarchives/ukpopulation2019 [accessed 8 November 2020].
4. Videos & Films
To cite a video or film with Harvard referencing, you need to provide details such as its director and production company and an indication that it’s a video or film and not something else such as a book or website. For example:
- Fincher D., Ziskin A., Rudin S., Singer M., Boyle T., McQuarrie C., et al.(2009). The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button [Film]. Paramount Pictures Corporation & Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.
5. Other Sources
When referencing other types of sources, such as websites or digital media sources like YouTube videos or podcasts, you should follow similar guidelines depending on the type of source it is and how much information is available about it. Generally speaking, include an author’s name, the date accessed, if available, and the URL/link to access the source.
- Smith J (2020) My Video
. Available at https://www.[example].com/watch?v=q3K6UYhf [Accessed 20 March 2020].
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Harvard referencing is an essential element of academic writing since it allows writers to properly credit other authors for ideas used in their papers and demonstrate knowledge about scholarly conventions to readers.
By correctly using Harvard referencing when citing sources in your written work, you will be able to make sure your paper meets all academic standards while avoiding any potential issues related to plagiarism or copyright infringement. Doing this will help ensure that your written work stands out from others and impresses professors and peers alike!
Properly citing sources in your dissertation is essential to avoid allegations of plagiarism or other academic misconduct charges against you or your work.
For further assistance, review some other useful links listed below to ace referencing in the dissertation;
Get a Dissertation Proposal – Get Going!
Dissertation Proposal Lays Down the Outline of Your Final Dissertation
Get a Dissertation Proposal that matches your requirements, which includes the topic title, research aim and objective, research questions, research gap, literature review, methodology and list of reference papers.
The Dissertation Proposal will be foundation of your final dissertation. It is very important to get this done perfectly to avoid any problems!
