Mistakes Checklist
Common Harvard Article Citation Mistakes
Published studies report citation/reference error rates between 25-54%. Use this page to catch the most frequent formatting failures before submission.
Top mistakes to avoid
- ⚠Omitting publication date
- ⚠Using double quotes
- ⚠Forgetting to italicize publication name
- ⚠Not including page numbers
Wrong vs correct examples
Using double quotes instead of single quotes
Wrong
Brown, L. (2024) "The rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare", The Guardian, 10 February, p. 12.
Correct
Brown, L. (2024) 'The rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare', The Guardian, 10 February, p. 12.
Harvard style uses single quotation marks for article titles, following the British convention. Double quotes are used in styles like APA and IEEE.
Missing full date for newspaper article
Wrong
Brown, L. (2024) 'The rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare', The Guardian, p. 12.
Correct
Brown, L. (2024) 'The rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare', The Guardian, 10 February, p. 12.
Newspaper articles in Harvard style require the full publication date (day and month) after the publication name. Omitting the date makes it impossible to locate the article.
Fix checklist
- ✓Include full date for newspapers
- ✓Use single quotes for article titles
- ✓Italicize publication names
- ✓Add page numbers when available
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite an online newspaper article?
Add "Available at: URL (Accessed: Date)" at the end of the reference.
What's the difference between magazine and newspaper citations?
Both follow similar formats. Newspapers typically include specific dates; magazines may use month/season.
Build the corrected citation now
Use the template and guide, then generate the final citation from verified academic sources.