Struggling to reference a website correctly in Harvard style? You're not alone. Websites are the most commonly cited source in essays today — and one of the most commonly formatted incorrectly.
This guide shows you exactly what to write, with five worked examples covering every website type you're likely to encounter.
What Is Harvard Referencing?
Harvard referencing is an author-date citation system. Every in-text citation contains the author's surname and the year of publication in brackets, for example: (Smith, 2023).
At the end of your document, a reference list provides full details of every source you cited, ordered alphabetically by the author's surname.
There is no single official "Harvard" standard — universities adapt it slightly. Always check your institution's guide. The format below follows the widely-used Anglia Ruskin University style, which is accepted by most UK universities.
General Format for a Website
Reference list entry:
Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year) Title of page or article. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
In-text citation:
(Author Surname, Year)
Key rules:
- Use the date the page was last updated if shown, otherwise the copyright year
- If there is no named author, use the organisation name as the author
- The title of the web page goes in italics
- Always record the exact URL and the date you accessed it
- If no date is available, write (no date) in place of the year
5 Worked Examples
1. News Article (BBC News)
Reference list:
Sherwood, H. (2024) UK universities urge students to avoid AI plagiarism. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-67891234 (Accessed: 3 April 2025).
In-text: (Sherwood, 2024)
2. Government or Organisation Web Page
When a government department or organisation authored the page, use the organisation name.
Reference list:
NHS (2023) Overview: Stress, anxiety and depression. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/stress/ (Accessed: 10 March 2025).
In-text: (NHS, 2023)
3. Online Journal Article (with DOI)
If an article has a DOI, use the DOI as the URL — it will always resolve even if the page moves.
Reference list:
Jones, A. and Patel, R. (2022) 'Academic integrity in the age of AI', Journal of Higher Education, 45(3), pp. 112–130. Available at: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jhes.2022.045 (Accessed: 20 January 2025).
In-text: (Jones and Patel, 2022)
4. YouTube Video
Use the channel name or individual as the author.
Reference list:
Khan Academy (2023) How to write a thesis statement. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123 (Accessed: 5 February 2025).
In-text: (Khan Academy, 2023)
5. Social Media Post (X / Twitter)
Reference list:
@NASA (2024) Webb Telescope captures clearest image of a stellar nursery to date [X post]. Available at: https://x.com/NASA/status/example (Accessed: 12 April 2025).
In-text: (@NASA, 2024)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Putting the URL in the in-text citation | URLs go only in the reference list |
| Forgetting the access date | Always include "Accessed: Day Month Year" |
| Using a shortened/redirect URL | Paste the full, permanent URL |
| Italicising the URL | Only the page title is italicised |
| Using "n.d." instead of "no date" | Write (no date) in full |
| Forgetting to check if there's a named author | Named author always takes priority over organisation |
A Faster Way: Generate Harvard References Instantly
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Quick Reference Card
| Element | Format |
|---|---|
| Author | Surname, Initial. |
| Year | (Year) |
| Title | Italics |
| Available at | Full URL |
| Accessed | (Accessed: Day Month Year) |
| No author | Organisation name |
| No date | (no date) |
This guide follows the Anglia Ruskin Harvard referencing style (2023 edition). Always verify against your institution's specific guidelines.