Academic Skills Hub | Harvard Referencing Builder

Build a reference

Fill in what you know. Leave boxes blank if they do not apply.

Source type

Author / organisation

Year

Title

Publisher / website / journal

Place / volume / issue

URL Accessed date

Your reference

Your reference will appear here.

Tip: Your reference list goes at the end of your assessment. It should include every source you cited in your work.

Check this: Different universities use slightly different Harvard styles. Consistency matters more than memorising every comma.

Build an in-text citation

Use this inside your paragraph when you have used someone else’s idea, fact, statistic or theory.

Author / organisation Year Page number, if quoting directly

Your citation

Your citation will appear here.

Example: Social media can help organisations communicate directly with customers (Kotler and Keller, 2022).

Do I need a reference?

Choose the option that best describes what you used.

Your answer will appear here.

Using AI responsibly

AI can help you plan, understand and improve your work, but you should not use it to replace your own thinking.

Generally acceptable uses

Explaining a difficult concept in simpler language.
Generating study questions or revision prompts.
Helping you plan a structure before you write.
Proofreading work you have written yourself.

Risky uses

Submitting AI-written paragraphs as your own work.
Using fake references created by AI.
Letting AI analyse sources you have not checked yourself.

AI acknowledgement builder

AI tool Date used How did you use it?

Your AI acknowledgement will appear here.

Final referencing checklist

Use this before you submit your assessment.

I have referenced every statistic, fact or claim that came from a source. I have referenced every theory, model or framework. I have referenced images, adverts, logos and screenshots I did not create. Every in-text citation also appears in my reference list. Every item in my reference list is used in my assessment. I have not copied and pasted large sections from websites or AI tools. I have checked my brief, Canvas page or lecturer guidance.

Simple test: could someone else find the same source from your reference? If yes, you are on the right track.

Quick Harvard guide

Referencing has two parts

In-text citation: a short note inside your paragraph, such as (Nike, 2026).
Reference list: the full details at the end of your work.

Quote, paraphrase, summarise

Quote: exact words copied from a source. Use quotation marks and page numbers where possible.
Paraphrase: the idea rewritten properly in your own words. Still needs a citation.
Summarise: the main idea shortened. Still needs a citation.

Marketing examples

Needs a reference: Nike’s brand strategy focuses on emotional storytelling and athlete identity.

Needs a reference: TikTok has changed how brands communicate with younger audiences.

Probably common knowledge: Apple is a technology company.