Know the Key Differences Between APA Vs Harvard Referencing

Your research paper must use APA/Harvard referencing style with proper in-text citations." As a UK college student, you must be familiar with this guideline irrespective of the course you have opted for. Citing the sources in the prescribed style is necessary to transform the dream of getting an A+ into reality. However, APA vs Harvard referencing confuses most of the university students, and raises several questions in their minds like, "How to do referencing in APA?" "How to cite sources using Harvard referencing style?" and so on.

If you are also facing a problem in differentiating between the two citation styles, then this blog is your match made in heaven. Hello, readers! Welcome to this write-up. The piece of information sheds light on each of the styles separately along with the comparison. But before moving further, let us know the importance of citing sources in your academic paper. Grab yourself a cup of coffee before you scroll further!

What Is APA Referencing Style?

The APA referencing was first adopted by the American Psychological Association. This style is used for subjects like social science, psychology, and other Behavioural fields. It plays a vital role in the accurate formatting of academic papers. Now, when it comes to the benefits of this style,

It helps to provide clarity from easy to complex topic assignments

This generates clarity in the paper, makes it easy to understand

knowledge about its structure and format helps to draft a successful paper

It helps to provide proper referencing on sources like books, journals, and websites. However, while using this style, you must follow the instructions carefully.

Thus, this was all about APA style. Also, you should know its format to develop a successful paper. But before understanding that, let's explore the meaning of Harvard. Moreover, referencing is also necessary while writing coursework. Yet, if you face any issues, seek online coursework help from our experts.

What Is Harvard Referencing Style?

If you want to cite sources, the Harvard referencing style is the most common and effective style of citation. You need to first mention the author's name, then the date, similar to the APA. It is widely used in the subject related to science. Moreover, if you are using this style, you need to ensure to mention the name and publication date in-text citation. Further, mention the references you have utilised to collect details in the list. Now, let's clear your doubts better by learning the benefits of Harvard referencing.

At first, it helps to acknowledge all the author's ideas that you have used

Emphasize the scope and significance of your analysis to the readers

It helps readers find the materials you have cited in your reference list

Surely, after understanding the meaning of both styles, you must be wondering about their importance in the assignment. So go through the next section to find the essence of APA referencing vs Harvard.

What Is the Importance of Referencing Sources in Academics?

Students usually refer to multiple sources of information for gathering relevant and authentic data. There are instances when they are required to include someone else's piece of work/ideas/quotes to strengthen the argument effectively. Thus, it is essential to acknowledge the work either within the text (in-text citation) or at the end of the document (reference list). Before dwelling into the topic- APA vs Harvard referencing, let us have a glimpse of some other advantages of citing sources:

• Save students from accidental plagiarism
• Assists readers in finding original information
• Gives the document a touch of 'originality'
• Glorifies research skills of students

Reading so far, you must have got the answer to the question, "What is the importance of referencing?" Now, comes the time to provide the answer to your second question, "What is the difference between APA and Harvard referencing?" or is APA the same as Harvard? Scroll further for a detailed answer.

APA vs Harvard Referencing? Key Difference

APA referencing style is derived from the Harvard citation style, and therefore, there are many similarities between the two. Due to this, many UK students get confused and end up creating a blunder in the academic paper. To rest the worry of such students, all the differences between APA and Harvard referencing have been listed below.

Reference/Reference List

Harvard Style: all the sources are cited under the section 'Reference list.'

APA Style: the list of references is known as 'References.'

Page Number Citation:

Another important point in APA vs Harvard referencing is the style in which page number is cited. Below is the style followed by the two:

APA Style: (year: page number)

Harvard Style: (year, p.page number)

Also Read: Referencing Result

Edit Citation

APA Style: The edited work in APA style is written as "(Ed[s])" along with the author's name, which is mentioned after the title of the work.

Harvard Style: However, the edited work in Harvard citation style is done by writing "ed[s]" or "edited by" after the editor's name followed by the title of the work.

Popular Areas

Harvard Style: The Harvard citation is widely used in the universities of the UK and Australia.

APA Style: Moreover, the USA universities primarily use APA citation.

Website Reference

Harvard Style: In the case of Harvard style, the website reference follows the pattern: Last name, First name initial. (Year published). Page title. [online] Website name. Available at: Website link [Accessed Day Month. Year].

APA Style: The APA style follows the pattern: Last name, First initial. (Year, Month, Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL.

We hope you are clear about the difference between APA and Harvard referencing. This blog till now has been helpful enough to understand both citations. Now it's time to explore the APA vs Harvard referencing system in the below section. Moreover, if you ever get to write a personal statement, then ensure to write it with the proper format. If you face any issues, get a personal statement writing service from our experts.

How to Reference Sources Using APA Citation Style?

APA is an acronym for the American Psychological Association which is widely used for citing the sources in subjects like, psychology, behavioural science, social science, etc. Among the 7 types of referencing styles, it is one of the most popular. It follows the parenthetical system & below is the APA citation format corresponding to in-text and referencing list.

APA Format In-Text Citation

In the case of in-text citations, the APA format uses the last name of the author along with the year of publication. The APA format example, in this case, would be- (Jones, 2004). Moreover, if you are using direct quotations, then the format will also include the page number as well. For instance, the APA citation example, in this case, will look like- (Jones, 2004, p. 25). However, for the reference sources having no page numbers (websites, e-books, etc.), using the paragraph number in the APA format template will solve the problem like- (Jones, 2004, para. 5).

Now, let us flash light on how to cite the 'references' using APA style.

APA Format Reference Page

The last name of the author should be listed alphabetically. Each of the entry mentioned should hold the following information sequentially:

1. Author's surname

2. First Initial of their name

3. Date of publications (in brackets)

4. Title of the page

5. Place of publication

6. Publisher

An example of an entry in APA bibliography is-

Smith, A. (1995) Social Science: An insight into the world. Bridgend: Seren.
*for reference purpose only*

By now, you must have got complete information about the APA style. Before you begin referencing the sources in your document, have a look at some tips. Moreover, if you still face any issues in citing sources in your paper, seek our expert assignment help UK.

Tips for APA Citation Format

1. Begin citing on a new page under the title 'References' and centre align the text.

2. Use double-spacing

3. The title of books, newspapers, or magazines should appear in italics

4. Use two spaces after each sentence (as per the sixth edition)

After you are done reading the tips, the time has come to understand Harvard style in the next section.

How to Do Harvard Referencing in Academic Papers?

Also known as parenthetical references, Harvard referencing works on 'author-date' method. It is an umbrella term which is used for any style which follows 'author-date' method. This reference style is widely used in academic paper related to scientific study. Below are Harvard referencing style examples for in-text and reference list separately. The information available will help you to cite the sources without using Harvard generator.

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Harvard Citations In-Text

In case, you are incorporating information/idea from a source, then make sure to include the author's last name along with the date of publication. Both of the elements must be present in bracket within the text. For instance, (William 2009). There are instances when a student is required to mention the name of the writer. In such a scenario, he should place the date in the bracket like William (2009). As per the experts of assignment help service providers, when a piece of information is directly quoted from a source, then the data should be present in quotation marks. Also, the page number should also be mentioned. For example- The World Health Organization (2009, p.5) states that '..................'

After learning the process of doing in-text citations using Harvard referencing style, let us overview how to reference list using this style. 

Harvard Referencing Bibliography

Similar to the APA referencing style, all the entries must be listed alphabetically (A-Z). Each entry of the Harvard referencing style should contain the following parts:

1) Author

2) Year

3) Title

4) Editing

5) Publisher

6) Place of publication

If you are reading this line, then you must have all the information related to Harvard referencing. Here are a few tips that will prove beneficial for you.

Tips for Harvard Citation Format

• Note the edited work by "ed" or "edited by" followed by the name of the editor and title
• The year of publication is not mentioned in parenthesis
• In the case of in-text citation, the page number is separated by a colon. For example- (William, 2011:85)
• Use double-spacing
• Hope you are clear with both types of referencing styles. This brings us to the end of the blog on APA vs Harvard referencing. After reading the piece of information, you can easily cite the sources in any of the two citation styles. Moreover, you will be glad to know that the Assignment Desk offers the services of APA citation generator and Harvard citation generator. In case you need help, quickly reach out to the team of professionals.

Facing Issues in Referencing Style? Seek Our Help

We hope from the above discussion, the difference between Harvard and APA referencing style is clear, along with the formatting rules. Citation plays a crucial role in your academic writing. It allows you to quote the references you have used. Yet, if you are still facing issues in referencing, then professionals at the Assignment Desk help complete the suitable referencing. Our experts have completed their study with intense research in referencing or other services, like online exam help.

They are well-educated and knowledgeable enough to assist you with any style. You can avail of our services at any time of the day, as we are available 24*7 for your assistance. We understand that plagiarism is a large and essential problem. Our professionals ensure to reference your source to avoid such issues. So reach out to us now and get the best assistance!