Referencing - The Harvard System
Introduction
As a student, it is important that you identify in your assessment when you are using the words or ideas of another author. The most accepted way of acknowledging the work of another author is to use a referencing system. Within the Business School you are required to use the Harvard referencing system. This guide therefore describes the Harvard referencing style, which uses an ‘alphabetical-by-author’ approach.

What is referencing?

It is a method used to demonstrate to your readers that you have conducted a thorough and appropriate literature search, and carried out appropriate reading. Equally, referencing is an acknowledgement that you have used the ideas and written material belonging to other authors in your own work.
There are many styles that can be used to reference.
Why you should use a referencing system
As a part of an academic community, it is important that you show the reader where you have used someone else’s ideas or words. Failure to properly reference using the Harvard system may make the reader think that you are cheating by claiming someone else’s work as your own. In the academic environment, we call this plagiarism and it is seen as a very serious offence. Please remember that plagiarism is not just when you directly copy words from another student’s or expert’s work. Plagiarism also occurs when you re-word someone else’s ideas in your own work and you do not give credit to the original source.
Plagiarism can have disastrous consequences for students. If you are suspected of plagiarism you may find that your assignment receives a grade of zero. In extreme or repeated cases, you may find that your enrolment at the Business School is reviewed. For further information, please consult the General Academic Regulations (GAR’s).
On a more positive note, referencing is important