Harvard Book Citations
Learn to cite academic books, monographs, and edited volumes using the Harvard referencing system across all academic disciplines.
Harvard Book Citation Format
Harvard style uses an author-date citation system for books. The reference list should include all essential publication details in a specific order.
Standard Format:
Author, A.A. (Year) Title of book. Edition. City: Publisher.
Academic Books and Monographs
Single Author Book:
Thompson, M.K. (2023) Digital transformation in higher education: challenges and opportunities. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.
In-text citation: Educational institutions face unprecedented digital challenges (Thompson 2023).
Multiple Authors:
Rodriguez, C.A., Williams, J.M. and Chen, L. (2023) Sustainable development: integrating environmental and social perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
In-text citation: Integrated approaches are essential for sustainability (Rodriguez, Williams and Chen 2023).
Four or More Authors:
Kumar, S., Anderson, P.J., Foster, E.L., Brown, K.D., Davis, M.R. and Wilson, A.S. (2023) Global climate change: scientific evidence and policy implications. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
In-text citation: Scientific consensus supports immediate climate action (Kumar et al. 2023).
Edited Books and Collections
Edited Volume:
Garcia, M.I. and Taylor, R.A. (eds.) (2023) Artificial intelligence in education: current applications and future possibilities. Boston: MIT Press.
Chapter in Edited Book:
Peterson, J.L. (2023) 'Machine learning applications in student assessment', in Garcia, M.I. and Taylor, R.A. (eds.) Artificial intelligence in education: current applications and future possibilities. Boston: MIT Press, pp. 145-167.
Chapter by Different Authors:
Martinez, A.L. and Davis, R.J. (2023) 'Social media influence on political participation', in Johnson, K.M. (ed.) Digital democracy: technology and civic engagement. London: SAGE Publications, pp. 89-112.
Electronic Books and Online Sources
E-book with DOI:
Foster, B.K. (2023) Innovation in renewable energy technologies: current trends and future directions. 2nd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-85729-4.00001-9
Online Book with URL:
Harrison, P.T. (2023) Data privacy in the digital age: challenges and solutions. New York: Springer. Available at: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-98765-4 (Accessed: 15 March 2023).
Open Access Book:
O'Connor, D.R. and Smith, L.E. (2023) Open science and research collaboration: new models for academic publishing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/open-science-research-collaboration/9781108567890 (Accessed: 20 March 2023).
Discipline-Specific Examples
Science and Technology:
Zhang, W., Liu, X. and Kumar, A. (2023) Quantum computing fundamentals: theory and applications. 4th ed. San Francisco: Pearson Education.
Business and Economics:
Brown, K.L., White, J.D. and Harrison, P.T. (2023) International business strategy in emerging markets: opportunities and challenges. 5th ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Humanities:
Anderson, C.R. (2023) Digital humanities: methodology and practice in historical research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Social Sciences:
Wilson, S.K., Miller, JD. and Foster, E.M. (2023) Research methods in social sciences: quantitative and qualitative approaches. 6th ed. London: SAGE Publications.
Special Publication Types
Reference Work:
International Encyclopedia Committee (2023) International encyclopedia of education. 4th ed. Oxford: Elsevier.
Translated Book:
Bourdieu, P. (2023) The logic of practice. Translated by R. Nice. 2nd ed. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Reprinted Classic:
Weber, M. (2023) The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Originally published 1905. New York: Routledge Classics.
Harvard Book Citation Guidelines
Author Name Format:
Use the author's surname followed by initials. For multiple authors, separate with commas and use "and" before the final author. Use "et al." in in-text citations for four or more authors.
Title Formatting:
Italicize book titles and use sentence case (capitalize only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon).
Edition Information:
Include edition information when it's not the first edition. Use abbreviations: 2nd ed., 3rd ed., etc.
Publication Details:
Include the city of publication and publisher name. For well-known publishers, the full publisher name is sufficient.
Quality Assessment:
When selecting academic books, prioritize:
- Books from reputable academic publishers
- Recent editions reflecting current knowledge
- Peer-reviewed scholarly content
- Books by recognized experts in the field
- Texts frequently cited in academic literature
- Books that undergo rigorous editorial review
Page Numbers:
For book chapters, include specific page ranges using "pp." prefix (e.g., pp. 145-167). This helps readers locate exact content within the larger work.
Online Access:
For online books, include DOI when available. If no DOI exists, include the URL and access date. Ensure links lead to permanent, reliable sources.
Multiple Editions:
When multiple editions exist, use the edition you actually consulted. If citing from an older edition for historical purposes, specify this clearly.