A Descriptive Analysis of Harvard Referencing and Why We Use It

The Harvard referencing system originated at Harvard University and was introduced to the academic community so the reader of an assessment can identify when the words or ideas of an author are being used. This is so students work properly referenced using the Harvard system, isn’t going to make the reader think you are claiming somebody else’s work as your own. Other referencing styles include: Chicago, APA and MLA.

The Harvard Style of referencing is widely accepted in scholarly circles. Each reference is indicated in the text by the author and date of the publication cited, sometimes with added information such as page numbers.

When writing a piece of academic work (i.e. Essays, reports, etc.) you are required to acknowledge the sources of information you have used. This is for as follows;

• To prove that your work has a substantial, factual basis

• To show the research done to reach your conclusions

• To allow the readers to identify and retrieve the references for their own use.

Information that is taken from the internet is covered by copyright law. This is the main reason it is important to include internet references.

If the sources that are used are not acknowledged, then it is classed as plagiarising their work. Plagiarism is defined as the presentation by an individual of another person’s ideas or work (in any medium, published or unpublished) as though they were his or her own. In the academic community it is known as a very serious offence and can result in your work produced to be failed automatically.

You may be accused of plagiarism if you do any of the following:

• Copy sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from any source, whether published or unpublished (including, but not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc.) without proper citation.

• Closely paraphrase sentences, paragraphs, ideas or themes without proper citation.

• Piece together text from one or more sources and add only...