There is no distinction between print and ebooks. If the online source includes all the elements seen in the print version, such as date, publisher and place of publication, then the ebook should be referenced in the same way as the print version.

Please note that the edition should only be included if it is not the first edition, or a revised edition (as in the example below).

Speight, J.G. (2019) Global climate change demystified. 2nd edn. Chichester: Wiley. 

Illustrated books

CTR Harvard does not require illustrators of books to be listed except for comics. We have adapted our guidance to include graphic novels and children’s books so that the illustrator’s work is fully acknowledged.

Graphic Novel

Lee, H. (2018) To kill a mockingbird. Adapter and illustrator F. Fordham. London: William Heinemann.

Children’s book (illustrated)

Breslin, T. (2012) An Illustrated treasury of Scottish folk and fairy tales. Illustrator Kate Leiper. Edinburgh: Floris.

Chapter/section of edited book

Venn, A. (2019) ‘Social justice and climate change’, in T. M. Letcher (ed.) Managing global warming: an interface of technology and human issues. London: Academic Press, pp. 711-728. 

Important information on referencing journal articles:

According to Cite Them Right (12th edition) the advice for referencing a journal article is to ensure that you provide enough bibliographic information, such as: author(s); date; article title; journal title; volume/part/issue and page numbers, so that the original source can be easily located by the person reading your work.

For journal articles the best option is to provide a doi (digital object identifier) if available. 

A URL can also be used if there is no doi, or if some of the bibliographic details mentioned above are missing.

As long as you have provided enough information for the original article to be located then you do not have to include the date that you accessed the journal article.

The doi should be in this format:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00952-0

Journal Article

Many journals have both print and online equivalents. Reference the version that you have used.

As long as the reference provides enough bibliographic information to allow it to be located by the reader then additional elements, such as [Online] or database title should not be included.

However, the URL or DOI must be included when referencing an article that is only available online (as in the example below).

Culloty, E., Murphy, P., Brereton, P., Suiter, J., Smeaton, A. and Zhang, D. (2019) ‘Researching visual representations of climate change’, Environmental Communication, 13(2), pp. 179-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2018.1533877

The following example does not have an author (note that the entry in the reference list begins with the article title) and also uses the URL as there is no DOI available:

'Climate change could be newest social determinant of health’ (2023) Hospital Case Management, 31(7), pp. 1–16. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cul&AN=164222276&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 31 July 2023).

Magazine Article

If the article is accessed online then either the DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date) must be included (as in the example below).

Nunez, C. (2019) ‘What is global warming, explained’, National Geographic, (January). Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-overview/  (Accessed: 21 April 2020). 

Newspaper Article

Where the author (byline) of a newspaper article is identified then the name should be the first element in the reference (as in the example below). If there is no identified author then the reference should begin with the title of the newspaper in italics followed by the year of publication within round brackets.  If accessed online either the DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date) should be included (as in the example below).

Harvey, F. (2020) ‘Tropical forests losing their ability to absorb carbon, study finds’, The Guardian, 4 March. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/04/tropical-forests-losing-their-ability-to-absorb-carbon-study-finds (Accessed: 21 April 2020). 

Press Release

Friends of the Earth Scotland (2019) UN climate negotiations confirmed for Glasgow in 2020 [Press release]. 10 September. Available at: https://foe.scot/press-release/un-climate-negotiations-confirmed-glasgow-2020/ (Accessed: 23 July 2020). 

General advice when referencing information from the internet:

As material on the internet can be removed or changed, it is important to add the date that you accessed/viewed the information – it might not be there in a few months’ time.  

Generally, web pages do not have page numbers. To help your reader locate where you have quoted from, you could number the paragraphs on the page and use this instead of a page number in your in-text citation. You can also use the phrase non-paginated to replace page numbers. 

Web Page (individual author)

Sneed, A. (2019) The reason Antarctica is melting: shifting winds, driven by global warming. Available at: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-reason-antarctica-is-melting-shifting-winds-driven-by-global-warming/ (Accessed: 23 July 2020). 

Web Page (organisation as author)

World Wildlife Fund (2018) Keeping it cool: how the UK can end its contribution to climate change. Available at: https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-11/NetZeroReportART.pdf (Accessed: 01 July 2020).   

Web Page (no author)

Global warming and melting glaciers. (no date) Available at: https://helpsavenature.com/global-warming-melting-glaciers (Accessed: 23 July 2020). 

Web Page (no date)

Cool Antarctica (no date) Antarctica and global warming: the effects of global warming on Antarctica. Available at: https://coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/global_warming.php (Accessed: 23 July 2020). 

Conference papers and proceedings can be made available in a number of different ways.  Please refer to the information given in the Cite Them Right Online platform for a comprehensive explanation and examples of the following:

• Full conference proceedings
• Full conference proceedings published in journals
• Individual conference papers 
• Individual conference papers published in journals
• Papers from conference proceedings published on the internet

Details of how to access Cite Them Right Online are available by clicking on the relevant section of this Guide.  Information on how to cite conference information correctly can be found under the heading 'Communications'.

If accessed online then either the DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date) should be included (as in the example below).

Shiva, M. (2018) Socio-economic consequences of climate change. PhD thesis. University of Dundee. Available at: https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/socio-economic-consequences-of-climate-change (Accessed: 27 April 2020). 

UK Statutes (Acts of Parliament)

The short title of the Act should be used, including the year in which it was enacted.  This means that the date appears as part of the title and should therefore not be repeated in round brackets after the title.

Please note that most Acts, or parts of, can now be accessed either as a PDF document or as a web page.  You would reference the website where you found the Act to which you are referring (as in the example below):

Environment Act 2021, c. 30. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/30/contents (Accessed: 28 July 2023).

Act of Parliament (Scotland) Online

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (asp 12). Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2009/12/pdfs/asp_20090012_en.pdf (Accessed: 01 July 2020). 

Command Paper (UK) Online

Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (2018) Health and harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a green Brexit (Cm 9577). Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684003/future-farming-environment-consult-document.pdf (Accessed: 01 July 2020). 

European Union (EU) Legal Sources

Council regulation (EU) 2018/1999 on the governance of the energy union and climate action, (2018) Official Journal L 328/, p.1. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32018R1999&from=EN (Accessed: 01 July 2020). 

Hansard Online

Law, C. (2019) 'Climate change', Hansard: House of Commons debates, 24 June 2019, vol.662, c.519. Available at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-06-24/debates/28C238E5-2CA0-421C-AE98-B2588C102CB0/ClimateChange?highlight=climate#contribution-FEED275F-0DC7-43D9-BBC7-1C310A59503D (Accessed: 02 July 2020).

House of Commons Paper Online

Parliament. House of Commons, Scottish Affairs Committee (2016) The renewable energy sector in Scotland. (HC 2016-2017 767). Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmscotaf/83/83.pdf (Accessed: 02 July 2020). 

Statutory Instruments UK

The greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme (Amendment) regulations 2020 (SI 2020/18). Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/18/pdfs/uksi_20200018_en.pdf (Accessed: 01 July 2020). 

Scottish Statutory Instruments

The Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/219). Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2018/219/pdfs/ssi_20180219_en.pdf (Accessed: 01 July 2020). 

Government Policy Document Online

Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (2018) The national adaptation programme and the third strategy for climate adaptation reporting: making the country resilient to a changing climate. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/727252/national-adaptation-programme-2018.pdf (Accessed 01 July 2020).

Patent Online

Jackson, J. (2020) A design for an efficient symbiotic electricity generation plant. UK Intellectual Property Office Patent no. GB2579536. Available at: https://www.ipo.gov.uk/p-find-publication-getPDF.pdf?PatentNo=GB2579536&DocType=A&JournalNumber=6841 (Accessed: 02 July 2020). 

British Standard Online

British Standards Institution (2019) BS EN ISO1409:2019 Adaption to climate change. Principles, requirements and guidelines. Available at: BSOL Standards online (Accessed: 02 July 2020). 

Technical Report Online

PICES/ICES Working group (2013) PICES Sci. Rep. No. 45 Report of the PICES/ICES Working Group on Forecasting Climate Change Impacts on Fish and Shellfish. Available at: http://www.pices.int/publications/scientific_reports/Report45/Rpt45.pdf (Accessed: 02 July 2020). 

'Packham v Secretary of State for Transport' (2020) Divisional Court, case CO/1242/2020. Westlaw. Available at: https://uk.westlaw.com/Document/I9068C7F078F811EA86E6E04893B7C8B0/View/FullText.html (Accessed: 02 July 2020). 

Film (DVD/Blu-ray)

Please note local exception to CTR guidance: a catalogue number for DVD/Blu-rays is not required. 

An inconvenient truth: a Ggobal warning (2006) Directed by D. Guggenheim. [DVD]. U.K.: Paramount Classics. 

If a film has been reissued use the following format: 

Burning an illusion (1981) Directed by Menelik Shabazz. [DVD]. Reissued. London: BFI, 2005. 

Film/Video Online

CBS This Morning (2019) Climate change in the 2020s: what impacts to expect. 23 December. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CQvBGSiDvw (Accessed: 15 April 2020). 

Film (Subscription/streaming service)

Minimalism: a documentary about the important things (2016) Directed by Matt D’Avella. Available at: Netflix (Accessed 15 April 2020). 

Dune (2021) Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 7 May 2024).

Please note that references to the film in your text should include the release date in case there are earlier versions. E.g. The young hero in Dune (2021) is...

TV Programme: episode from a series (DVD/Blu-ray)

Please note local exception to CTR guidance: a catalogue number for DVD/Blu-rays is not required. 

‘The wars to come’ (2016) Game of thrones. In Game of thrones the complete fifth season [DVD]. London: Home Box Office UK.  

TV Programme: episode from a series (Subscription/streaming service)

‘The end’s beginning’ (2019) The Witcher, Season 1, episode 1. Netflix. Available at: Netflix (Accessed: 20 April 2020). 

Radio Programme Online

Rethink: the edge of change (2020) BBC Radio 4, 22 June. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000k7hm (Accessed: 24 June 2020).

Painting/Photograph/Graphic or Image Online

Eardley J. (1963) Catterline in winter [Oil on canvas]. Available at: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/488/catterline-winter?artists%5B14992%5D=14992&search_set_offset=11 (Accessed: 2 August 2023).

Camus, T. (2018) Street artist Banksy splashes Paris with works on migrants [Photograph]. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/31e3f2a3bc034cbc9000629f068d82fb (Accessed 2 August 2023).

Painting/Photograph/Graphic or Image Illustrating a Book or Article (print)

Reference the article or book that the illustration appears in. Include a page number and/or figure number in the in-text citation to identify the illustration. For example,

In-Text Citation:

The painting Catterline in winter by Eardley (Oliver, 1992, p.63) illustrates…

Reference List:

Oliver, C. (1992) Joan Eardley, RSA. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing.

Painting/Photograph/Graphic or Image Illustrating a Book or Article (online)

Reference the article or book that the illustration appears in. Include a page number and/or figure number in the in-text citation to identify the illustration. For example,

In-text Citation:

Mobile Lovers (Hansen, 2014, p. 288. Fig. 1) is an excellent example of...

Reference List:

Hansen, S. (2018) ‘Banksy’s subversive gift’, City, 22(2), pp. 285-297. Doi: 10.1080/13604813.2018.1461478

Live Performance (Band Concert)

The Bootleg Beatles (2023) [Barrowland Ballroom. 21 September].

Music Album (Subscription/streaming service)

Bullet For My Valentine (2010) Fever. Available: Spotify (Accessed: 1 August 2023).

Single Song/Track (Subscription/streaming service)

Bullet For My Valentine (2010) ‘Bittersweet memories’, Fever. Available at: Spotify (Accessed: 1 August 2023).

Song Lyric Online

Please note this example is based on local guidance as an exact example is not available in CTR.

Required elements: Lyricist (Year of release) Title of song/track. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Bullet For My Valentine (2010) Breaking out, breaking down. Available at: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bulletformyvalentine/breakingoutbreakingdown.html (Accessed: 1 August 2023).

Play/Performance (filmed and viewed online)

Shakespeare, W. (2016) Cymbeline. Directed by Melly Still. Produced by Zoë Donegan. Performed by Royal Shakespeare Company. Available: Digital Theatre+ (Accessed: 2 August 2023). 

Shakespeare, W. (2016) Cymbeline. Performed by Shakespeare by the Sea. Available at: https://youtu.be/eGcS6C9_kkY (Accessed: 2 August 2023). 

For plays that have been filmed and viewed online you can use either the name of the subscription service in which it has been viewed, or the URL from the website where it is available.  

Play/Performance (live on stage)

A streetcar named desire by Tennessee Williams (2023) Directed by Elizabeth Newman [Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry. 2 June]. 

Lines within Plays

Required elements:  

Author (year of publication) Title. Place of publication: Publisher, Act.scene:line.  

Munro, R. (2009) The last witch. London: Nick Hern Books, 1.1: 13.  

Rockstar Games (2018) Red Dead Redemption II [Video game]. Rock Star Games. 

General Advice

Social media sites, especially Blogs are produced by individuals on topics of concern or interest. As these are someone's opinions, they may not provide objective discussion of an issue. Reference them in conjunction with reputable academic sources. Many authors of such sites use aliases or first names only, use the name they have used in your reference. 

A wider range of social media referencing examples are available in the CTR Harvard online platform.

Blogs/Vlogs

Andrews, A. (2019) ‘Clemency’, Oh! That film blog, 22 July. Available at: https://ohthatfilmblog.com/2020/07/22/clemency-2019/ (Accessed: 23 July 2020). 

Twitter

Holthaus, E. [@EricHolthaus] (2020) 'Major new study out today: Climate scientists have refined one of the most important metrics they use to predict warming…This makes rapid emissions cuts even more important.' [Twitter] 22 July. Available at: https://twitter.com/search?q=global%20warming&src=typed_query (Accessed: 23 July 2020). 

Instagram

Earthneeds (2020) ‘Climate change? Animal extinction? Who cares?! We only live once!’ [Instagram]. 12 March. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9pPIwunJq2/?igshid=n3ifliug6lu9 (Accessed: 23 July 2020).