Journal article: how to cite in Harvard style?

Create a spot-on reference in Harvard

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General rules

Scholarly journals belong to sources with a high level of academic credibility, due to which they are widely referenced in almost any kind of research. With the development of information technology, the online versions of journals are cited more and more often compared to the print versions.

According to the principles of the Harvard citation style, an article available online is to be referenced using the following template:

Author(s), (year). Article titleJournal title [online]. Volume(issue), pages. [Viewed date viewed]. Available from: doi: DOI

If the article cited has no DOI and can be retrieved from a simple URL address, modify the corresponding element as follows:

Available from: URL

Attention:

  • The volume number and the issue number are presented in numeric form, without adding 'vol.', 'no.', etc.
  • The volume number is put in bold.
  • The range of pages is indicated in numeric form, without the preceding abbreviation 'p. / pp.'
  • If an article has both a DOI and a URL, the DOI is given in the reference.
  • The DOI is indicated in its alphanumeric form and not as a hyperlink (see the examples below).
  • The value of the DOI is preceded by the text 'doi:'; no additional text is put before the URL address.
  • For the principles of indicating authors' names in references according to the Harvard referencing style, see this article.

If you wish referencing an article available from the print version of a journal, omit the elements pertaining to an online source from the reference:

Author(s), (year). Article titleJournal titleVolume(issue), pages.

Examples in a list of references

Article with a DOI

Gutierrez, M., Ditto, R. and Roy, S., (2018). Systematic review of operative outcomes of robotic surgical procedures performed with endoscopic linear staplers or robotic staplers. Journal of Robotic Surgery [online]. 13(1), 9–21. [Viewed 12 January 2021]. Available from: doi: 10.1007/s11701-018-0822-5

Article with a URL

Schofield, N., (2015). Climate change, collapse and social choice theory. Czech Economic Review [online]. 9(1), 7–35. [Viewed 12 January 2021]. Available from: http://auco.cuni.cz/mag/article/show/id/163

Article from a print version

Maingard, J. F., (1932). Physical characteristics of the Korana. Bantu Studies. 6(1), 163–182.

Other citation styles: