APA or Harvard Referencing
16 February 2024 Views: 2504

APA or Harvard Referencing

Should I Choose Harvard or APA Style for My Assignment?

While working on your assignment data is not the only factor you have to cover there is another factor that is crucial for you to use i.e. referencing. Unfortunately, many students get confused about APA and Harvard referencing styles and are unable to use any of them in assignments. As a result, students face many issues in reference less assignments.

Students often forget that the use of proper referencing in assignments is very crucial. Hence in this blog, we will discuss both the referencing styles in brief with some appropriate examples. Along with this, we will also understand how many references you should use in your assignments. Read further to learn more:

Why Is Citing Sources in Assignments Important?

You have also heard about plagiarised assignments or content as it is considered criminality in every university. To avoid plagiarism in your academic paper, you must properly use citations or references in your document. In simple words when you write your academic documents you take references from online sources which other writers originally wrote. So to give credit to the original author we make use of citations or references in the assignment.

However, the university provides proper guidelines for the proper use of referencing in your academic document. You can give reference to quotes, and statements, and paraphrase context which is documented by someone else. If you are paraphrasing any content make sure to give a proper reference, because despite being paraphrased the content can still be detected plagiarised.

Every student who is reading this should clearly understand that giving reference to your assignment or any academic document is highly important. Or else your hard can easily go in vain. Therefore make appropriate use of citations or references in your assignment according to your university guidelines.

How Many Citations Are Required for This Assignment?

As you read above citations or references matter a lot for your academic assignments. But many times students get confused and are not able to understand how many references they have to use in the assignment. Well, let us clarify that every assignment has its requirements for references. Number of references is decided on two factors: academic level and the number of words in the assignment. Usually, for 100 to 150 words you should use 1 reference in your assignment. Learn more below:

1000 words Assignments: Required Citation/References 8-10.

2000 words Assignments: Required Citation/References 15-20.

5,000 words Assignments: Required Citation/References 45-50.

10,000 words Assignments: Required Citation/References 85-100.

However, you need to note that every university has its guidelines for assignments. Therefore always go through your university guidelines for assignments and then start working. So that you don’t have to face any issues in future.

Harvard Referencing: What Is It?

Harvard Referencing or Author-Date is a type of citing/referencing style. It is used in the universities of the United Kingdom for writing academic documents. You can use this style in the following fields: humanities and social science. As a student, you have to write the writer’s name, journal/publication year and page number in brackets to give full credit to the original authors to avoid chances of plagiarism.

How to Cite Sources Correctly in Harvard Style:

  • Author’s last name
  • Year of publication
  • Title
  • Volume and issue
  • Place of publication and publisher
  • Page references

For example:

In-Text Citation Style: (Thomas, 2008, 95-98)

References Format: [Thomas (2008) Book title. London: Vintage. 190-198]

APA Referencing: What Is It?

APA (American Psychological Association) is a famous citation/referencing format among UK universities. You can use this citation/referencing source in the following fields: behavioural, social sciences, criminal justice, anthropology, psychology and nursing. You can say that it is a variation of Harvard style. However, APA traditions are the same as Harvard, with the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses.

How to Cite Sources Correctly in APA Style:

  • Author’s last name
  • Year of publication
  • Title
  • Subtitle
  • Edition
  • Place of publication and publisher

Example:

In-Text Citation Style: (Richerd, 2008, p. 110)

Reference List Format: [Richerd, (2008), Title, Subtitle, (Edition.).Publisher.]

Provide Accurate Citations for Your Assignment With Us

Now you understand what APA and Harvard Referencing are and you can use them properly. Still, if you are facing a problem in properly referencing your assignment, don’t panic. Our experts will take care of your problems. At New Assignment Help you will find top UK writers with years of experience with assignments and dissertations. They will assist you with your assignments and complete your assignments with appropriate referencing.

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Author Bio

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Julian Barnes   rating 5 years | PhD

Hi there! I'm Dr Julian, a proud graduate of the University of Oxford with a Ph.D. in Information Science. For over five years, I've dedicated my career to academic writing, specializing in referencing styles and citation practices. My blog is a go-to resource for students navigating the complexities of APA, MLA, Chicago, and more. I understand that proper referencing can make or break an academic paper. If you're feeling overwhelmed by citations or need personalized guidance, don't hesitate to reach out. Let's work together to elevate your academic writing and ensure you're referencing like a pro!

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to the most frequently asked questions from students and make your decision to get better Assignment grades.

Is Harvard referencing and APA the same?

No, Harvard Referencing and APA are not the same. They both have different formatting rules. At Harvard, the in-text citations go by the format of Author-year (e.g., Steve, 2013) and the reference list works in alphabetical order by author’s last name. Whereas in APA the In-text citations go by the Author-year format (e.g., Sam, 1993) only but the Reference list works in alphabetical order by author's last name, with a hanging indent.

When should I use Harvard referencing?

You should use Harvard referencing when it is specified by your institution. You should check your university guidelines and verify whether they have mentioned Harvard referencing or not. When you prefer a simple author-year format and an alphabetical reference list you can choose Harvard referencing. It is mostly used in the fields of Humanities, Business and Social Science. It is the most widely accepted citation style in professional as well as academic institutions.

Is APA referencing Harvard style or MLA?

APA referencing style is neither Harvard nor MLA Style. APA, MLA and Harvard have different formatting rules. APA uses the author-year format for the in-text citations and needs a hanging indent for the entries in the reference list. MLA has a very different style altogether. In case you are confused about which referencing style you should use and how it is done, you should first check its format and then use it in your work.

What is the most common referencing style in the UK?

The most common referencing style in the UK is Harvard. This style is also known as the ‘author-date’ system. There are other styles as well used in various fields and institutions like MHRA, APA, and MLA. However, Harvard is the most common referencing style due to its simplicity, consistency, wide acceptance, clarity and flexibility. It is mostly specified by institutions for usage hence it is very common.

What is an example of Harvard referencing?

An example of Harvard referencing is mentioned below: In-text citation: Author-year format: (Mary, 1995) Direct quote: (Mary, 1995, p. 23) Reference list: Mary, J. (1995). Title of book. Publisher. Example: In-text citation: According to Mary (1995), "The water is 80% polluted in Vegas" Reference list: Mary, J. (1995). Water Pollution: Emergency to save lives. Community Press..

What is the best Harvard referencing style?

However, as such there is no Best style referencing style in Harvard. The referencing can come out best if you follow the guidelines and instructions given by your institution. The core principles of Harvard Referencing remain the same throughout. These include the Author-Year Format where the author’s last name and year of publication are used in the in-text citations. The Reference list contains the source's name in alphabetical order and a hanging indent is used for each reference.

How do you write in APA referencing style?

APA referencing style has the author-year format for in-text citations and hanging indent for reference list entries. In-text citations Author-year format: One author: (Affleck, 2015) Two authors: (Affleck and John, 2015) Three or more authors: (Affleck et al., 2015) Example: In-text citation: According to Affleck (2015), "The world is soon to face a huge petroleum crisis" (p. 84). Reference list: Affleck, B. (2015). Fading Fossils: A fuel shortage. Neo Press.
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