What is the Harvard style?

The Harvard style is what is known as an author–year citation style. This means that the source is named directly in the text – usually in round brackets – and not in a footnote. At the end of the paper, you include an alphabetically sorted reference list with all sources used.

The Harvard style is not a strictly standardised citation style. What matters is not one single “correct” form, but that you cite consistently and uniformly throughout your paper.

Short references in the text

In the Harvard style, you refer to your source directly in the text. A short reference consists of the author’s last name, the year of publication and – if needed – the page number.

(Müller 2021, p. 45)

In indirect quotations, you express ideas from a source in your own words. This form of citation is the norm in academic studies. A page number is recommended, especially when you refer to a specific passage.

Informal desire paths mainly emerge where the planned routing does not match the users’ actual movement patterns (cf. Müller 2021, p. 45).

You reproduce direct quotations verbatim from the source. They appear in quotation marks and must always be cited with a page number.

“Desire paths follow a collective optimisation logic.” (Müller 2021, p. 45)

Use direct quotations sparingly. In academic writing, indirect quotations are expected in most cases.

Multiple authors and special cases

• Two authors: (Müller & Schmidt 2020)
• Three or more authors: (Müller et al. 2019)
• Several sources in one reference: (Müller 2021; Schmidt 2019)

The reference list in Harvard style

In the reference list, you include all sources you have cited in the text – and only those. The entries are sorted alphabetically by the authors’ last names. Below you will find three examples of the most common types of sources.

The Harvard style can create uncertainty because several valid variants exist. It is therefore important to follow the guidelines provided by your lecturers or professors (if available) and remain consistent throughout your paper.

Tips for using the Harvard style

• Only include cited sources in the reference list – and follow the same structure for all entries.
• Special sources (social media, interviews, lectures) require adapted information such as platform, date or URL.
• Indent long direct quotations; for indirect quotations, you may optionally add “cf.” at the beginning.
• Write authors’ names exactly the same in the text and in the reference list.
• Zotero helps with collecting and formatting – but it does not replace your own content check.
• Common mistakes: missing page numbers in direct quotations, inconsistent spelling of names, incorrect use of “ibid.”.

Citing with Zotero and Word

Zotero is a free reference management program that integrates with Word and formats references automatically.

1. Install Zotero (zotero.org) – the Word plugin is installed automatically.
2. Set the citation style: Edit → Preferences → Cite → Styles → select Harvard style.
3. Place the cursor in the text → in the Zotero tab in Word, click Add/Edit Citation → enter source and page number.
4. Create the reference list: click Add/Edit Bibliography – Zotero inserts all cited sources alphabetically and updates them automatically.

1. References → Manage Sources → New: create a source and enter the details (author, year, title, publisher etc.).
2. Select the citation style (format template) in the top right of the References tab.
3. Place the cursor in the text → Insert Citation → select the source. The short reference appears automatically.
4. At the end of the paper: insert the reference list – Word creates the list from all used sources.

Frequently asked questions

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To access the OPAC, you must be connected to the university network or – if accessing from outside – establish a VPN connection.

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Citing sources

You must cite all sources and tools you used in your work, such as publications, textbooks, software, etc.

This also applies to translation tools or ChatGPT.

In principle, only sources that can be read and verified by others should be cited.

You can cite either verbatim (direct quotation) or paraphrased in your own words (indirect quotation).

In the Natural Sciences, it is common to paraphrase sources – in other words, to read the original text and summarize the relevant aspects in your own words.

For more than two authors, abbreviate with “et al.”, e.g. (Böhme et al. 2014).

When citing, you must also include the exact page number of the reference, e.g. [5, p. 854].

For multiple pages, indicate the range, e.g. [5, p. 852–856].

In direct quotations, the cited text is placed in quotation marks and reproduced exactly as in the original source:

• If words must be inserted for better understanding, enclose them in square brackets.
• If parts are omitted, indicate this with […]. This is only acceptable if the meaning remains unchanged.

It is important that each reference appears only once in the bibliography.

For textbooks or sources from which you cite different sections, also include the respective page number in the in-text reference.

In the bibliography at the end of your work, list all literature you used in full.

Basic subject knowledge is excluded from citation requirements, e.g. you do not need to specify where you obtained the molar mass data.

Avoiding plagiarism

If you do not identify direct or indirect quotations from the literature as such, this constitutes plagiarism.

Plagiarism may result in your work being graded as failed. If you are unsure, ask your supervisor.

Citation style and bibliography

Please note the information provided in the general Moodle course of the Faculty of AC for guidance on citation styles and suitable reference management programs.

Bibliography:

• The bibliography is a complete list of the sources you used, included at the end of your work. List only those sources you have cited in your text.
• The bibliography should allow readers to trace the sources you used. Entries must be detailed enough for readers to locate and consult the source themselves.
• The bibliography must be complete and consistent in format.
• References are ordered according to their appearance in the text. Each entry ends with a period.
• If you use a citation style other than the one recommended by the faculty, discuss it with your supervisor.
• Online sources must also be cited, always including the date of access.
• Abbreviations of chemistry journals can be found on the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) website.

Example: U. Böhme, S. Tesch, Citing: Why and How? Nachr. Chem. 2014, 62 (9), p. 852–857.

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Using scientific articles

Scientific articles are published in academic journals. Therefore, they have a minimum level of verified quality, e.g. through double peer-review procedures. So-called review articles offer a good introduction and overview of a thesis topic, and original articles present specific research findings on a topic. Scientific articles are particularly suitable for finding and deepening a thesis topic and can among others be researched via the Electronic Journals Database (DBIS). It is worthwhile to ask your supervisors which journals are relevant. Problems in research can be clarified via the thesis consultation of the library.

Structure of the articles

Despite certain conventions in the individual scientific disciplines and detailed requirements from publishers and editors, a basic structure for scientific articles has developed. It includes the following parts:

1. Title
2. Authors, address(es)
3. Paper abstract
4. Keywords
5. Introduction
6. State of research (literature review)
7. Methodological approach (field research)
8. Results and discussion
9. Conclusions/research perspective
10. Acknowledgments
11. References

Examples of academic journals can be found in the Padlet.

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Regulations

When citing online sources, you should follow these two rules:

1. Understand the principle: Readers must be able to classify the source and find it themselves based on your reference.
2. Cite consistently: Stick to the chosen citation style throughout your work.

We recommend treating a website like a printed publication – that means providing the author(s), date, and title whenever possible, and using the web address instead of publisher and location.

Since online documents and websites can change, you should also include the date when you last accessed the website.

In the reference list, you list a website as follows:
Last name, First name (DD.MM.YYYY): Title. If applicable, publishing institution. URL (retrieved on DD.MM.YY).

Older recommendations for citing online sources sometimes suggest listing them separately.

We advise against this due to the increasing popularity of online sources.

Similarly, the note “Online on the internet” can be omitted – readers will recognize this from the web address.

Websites have some specific characteristics compared to printed publications that can cause difficulties:

• The information is often incomplete, e.g., publication date, author(s), or page numbers may be missing.
• Websites are unstable, i.e., they can easily be deleted, changed, or moved.

Incomplete information

Of course, you can only include what is given. However, if the information is incomplete, you should check whether this source really meets scientific standards. You might find a better source.

If you decide to cite the source anyway, use the available information to ensure traceability:

If the date is missing, use “n.d.” for “no date”.

If the online source is an unusual format – a blog post, a tweet, a YouTube video etc. – include the format in square brackets after the title.

Instability of web addresses

Here today, gone tomorrow – online sources can easily be moved or deleted. This characteristic of online sources conflicts with the requirement for scientific sources: ensuring traceability.

This does not mean that you must never cite from the internet, but you should consider the following tips:

• Check whether you can find an equivalent printed source.
• Choose online sources from reputable publishers, such as e.g., universities, academic journals, or ministries. This does not guarantee the source will still be online tomorrow, but it increases the probability.

If a date of last change or update is available, include it.

Discuss with your supervisor whether you should archive the cited websites, e.g., by printing or saving them on a data carrier that you include with your work.

Usually, however, this is not necessary.

Literature: APA Style (2010): How do you cite website material that has no author, no year, and no page numbers? http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/cite-website-material.aspx (retrieved on 14.10.2021).

Literature: Bleuel, Jens (2001): Citing online sources. In: Hug, Theo (Ed.): How does science acquire knowledge? Volume 1: Introduction to academic work. Hohengehren: Schneider. http://www.bleuel.com/ip-zit.pdf (retrieved on 14.10.2021).

Frequently asked questions

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How can I research?

Finding suitable literature for your topic depends on the right search in the library catalogs. First, search for authors and keywords you already know in connection with your topic, e.g., from seminars or entries in reference works.

There are different catalogs and research options you should become familiar with.

The library supports you with training sessions, e.g., on literature research.

Finding literature in the university library

The university library is an indispensable part of your research. It offers numerous databases that go beyond the OPAC.

The available databases in the library also help when searching for articles, e.g., journal articles, conference papers, and other documents.

Through the Electronic Journals Library (EZB), you have access to the titles and in some cases the full texts of articles. The faculty also provides numerous print journals – you can find the latest issues on the ground floor of the library.

You can find more information about the library’s services on its website.

If you also search the Bavarian Library Network, you will have access to all academic libraries in Bavaria and can order publications via interlibrary loan.

Further tips

In the Social Sciences, the following databases are also useful:

• For social science topics: Sowiport, Wiso-Net.
• For educational topics: German Education Index, FIS-Bildung.
• For psychological topics: PsyJournals.
• For legal issues: Beck-online.
• For English-language or international research: EBSCO (Academic Search Elite), ERIC.
• For statistics: Statista.

Sometimes online searches provide the first access to a topic. However, a simple Google search does not replace systematic research for suitable academic literature.

Follow the library’s additional tips in the article Effective research: Tips and tools for getting started.

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Therefore, it is not only legitimate to review and cite the relevant literature, but you are explicitly encouraged to do so.

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What can I use this exercise for?

Two essential steps in academic work are reading academic literature and extracting the main ideas. This method makes it easier for you to grasp the key points of a text, approach a text that is difficult to understand, or move away from the exact wording of the original text when paraphrasing.

In addition, this technique encourages you to take a critical and questioning approach to your reading.

How it’s done

For this reading and writing technique you will need:

• The text to be read
• Reference books, dictionaries, a computer with internet access
• Several sheets of paper,
• Pens
• Approx. 45 minutes time.

Literature (in German): Grieshammer, Ella; Liebetanz, Franziska (2013): Zukunftsmodell Schreibberatung: Eine Anleitung zur Begleitung von Schreibenden im Studium. Hohengehren: Schneider.

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Types of academic articles

Not all academic articles are the same. Depending on their aim and content, they can be categorized into different types:

• Original research articles present new, original research findings. They usually include a methods section, results, and an interpretation of those results (called discussion).
• Review articles summarize research articles on a specific topic. They are useful for getting an overview of the state of research. However, they often lack the most recent research results.
• Short communications / letters / short notes differ from traditional research articles mainly by their brevity. This allows them to be published quickly and to focus on current topics.
• Other types: In addition to the three categories above, there are other types of articles published in academic journals. These are often shorter than original research articles, e.g. a commentary on a specific topic (comments). Some are used to publish genome sequencing results (genome announcements) or to present a new method (technical reports).

Structure of a research article

The following gives a breakdown of the typical structure of research articles in the natural sciences, which is also commonly used in engineering and empirical social sciences:

• Title: states the topic addressed in the article.
• Abstract: provides a brief summary of the article.
• Introduction: introduces the topic – from general background to the aim of the study.
• Materials and Methods: describes the approach taken in the study in enough detail that others could (ideally) replicate it.
• Results: presents the findings in a neutral way, often visualized using charts and tables.
• Discussion: interprets the results and compares them to previous research.
• Conclusion: summarizes key findings and provides an outlook for future research.
• References: lists the literature used in the article.

Research articles are important sources for other academic writing. In exceptional cases, preprints of such articles may also be cited. Please refer to our article: Citing Preprints.

Reference: Arbeitsmaterialien Band 7 (2017): Vom Lesen zum Verstehen: Der Umgang mit wissenschaftlicher Fachliteratur Available online at https://www2.tuhh.de/zll/wp-content/uploads/2017_Umgang_mit_Fachliteratur_website.pdf, last accessed on 13.05.2025. (in German)

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The objectives of your paper

After several months of research, discussions, and initial drafts, it’s time to complete your written paper. This paper should clearly and engagingly communicate to readers, your supervisors, and other interested individuals:

• what problem you tackled,
• how you solved it,
• what the outcome was,
• and how you interpret these results in light of the academic literature.

Quality criteria of an academic paper

Academic papers follow general quality standards: a logical structure, a clear and traceable line of argument, and the obligation to cite any material you have taken from sources. Additional assessment criteria are defined by your supervising instructors.

“An academic paper in engineering is often just part of a much larger body of work. That’s why clarity and traceability are very important evaluation criteria for me. In a final thesis, you should always write in a way that enables others to build upon your work. Beyond that, I mainly evaluate how students approach the task, not so much the final result.”

– Prof. Dr. Gerd Siegmund, Faculty of EFI

The evaluation grid – an example

Below you’ll find a sample evaluation grid for a paper. Depending on the type, objective, and method of your paper, the evaluation criteria may differ. Talk to your supervisors about their expectations for your specific work.

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