For example, a book reference in Harvard referencing style is made of four parts:
- Who? Author’s surname(s), Initial(s).
- When? Year of publication (in round brackets, followed by a full stop.)
- What? Title of Book. (in italics and followed by a full stop, unless including edition - edition is included only if the book you are referencing is a second edition or newer)
- Where? Place of publication: Publisher
This information is written in the following format:
Author’s surname(s), Initial(s). (Year of publication). Title of Book (Edition if applicable). Publisher.
For example:
Robson, C. (2014). How to do a Research Project: A Guide for Undergraduate Students (2nd ed). Wiley.
Every other reference structure is a variation of the above. It is always worth checking the guide for your course referencing style to ensure your referencing is correct.