How to Write a Harvard Referencing for English Literature

In English Literature, precise referencing is essential for distinguishing between original primary texts and the vast body of secondary literary criticism. Harvard referencing in this field requires careful attention to specific editions, translations, and the unique formatting of dramatic or poetic works within your bibliography.

What Is a Harvard Referencing in English Literature?

In the context of literary studies, Harvard referencing is an author-date system used to attribute ideas, themes, and direct quotations to their original creators. Unlike other disciplines, English Literature students must frequently cite diverse media including archival manuscripts, performance reviews, and theoretical frameworks like Post-colonialism or New Historicism, ensuring that the specific edition of a classic text is identified to account for varying pagination or editorial notes.

Before You Start

• Identify the specific edition and publisher of your primary text, as literary analysis often relies on specific introduction notes or appendices.
• Locate the original publication date of the work versus the publication date of the specific edition you are using.
• Distinguish between primary sources (the novel, play, or poem) and secondary sources (peer-reviewed journal articles or critical monographs).
• Verify the full names of editors or translators, as these are critical for works in translation like Beowulf or The Odyssey.
• Ensure you have the DOI or stable URL for any literary journals accessed through databases like JSTOR or Project MUSE.

Format a Standard Book Reference

For literary monographs or novels, include the author's surname, initials, the year of the edition, the title in italics, the place of publication, and the publisher.

Example: Eagleton, T. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.

Tip: If you are citing a classic novel, always use the edition you have physically or digitally in front of you, as page numbers vary between Penguin Classics and Oxford World's Classics.

Cite an Edited Collection of Essays

When referencing a chapter within a critical anthology, cite the specific author of the essay first, then the editor of the full volume.

Example: Gilbert, S. and Gubar, S. 'The Queen's Looking Glass', in Bloom, H. (ed.) The Brontës. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, pp. 15-44.

Tip: Always include the full page range of the specific essay or chapter in your reference list.

Reference a Journal Article from a Literary Database

Include the author, year, article title in single quotes, journal title in italics, volume, issue number, and page range.

Example: Greenblatt, S. 'Invisible Bullets: Renaissance Authority and Its Subversion', Shakespearean Negotiations, 21(1), pp. 21-65.

Tip: For articles found on JSTOR, you do not need the URL if the volume and issue details are complete.

Cite a Play or Performance

When referencing a specific edition of a play, treat the playwright as the author. If referencing a live performance, include the director and the theatre company.

Example: Shakespeare, W. Hamlet. Edited by Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor. London: Arden Shakespeare.

Tip: In your actual essay text, you will use act, scene, and line numbers, but the reference list remains focused on the book details.

Handle Translated Literary Works

It is vital to credit the translator in English Literature, as the choice of words significantly impacts your close reading analysis.

Example: Flaubert, G. Madame Bovary. Translated by Lydia Davis. London: Penguin Books.

Tip: Place the translator's name immediately after the title to acknowledge their role in the linguistic construction of the text.

Reference an Introduction or Foreword

If you are quoting the critical introduction rather than the primary text itself, the author of the introduction is the primary name in your reference.

Example: Sutherland, J. 'Introduction', in Thackeray, W.M. Vanity Fair. Oxford: Oxford World's Classics, pp. vii-xxix.

Tip: This is common when using the historical context provided by the editor to support your argument.

Cite a Poem from an Anthology

Cite the individual poet and the poem title, followed by the details of the anthology where it was found.

Example: Plath, S. 'Lady Lazarus', in Ariel. London: Faber and Faber, pp. 14-17.

Tip: If the poem is part of a collected works volume, ensure the title of the collection is italicized.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing the original publication date of a 19th-century novel with the modern reprint date in the citation.
• Failing to italicize the titles of long-form works like 'Paradise Lost' while using quotes for shorter poems.
• Omitting the editor's name for 'Norton Anthology' excerpts, which is a standard requirement for academic rigor.
• Including the 'Act and Scene' numbers in the reference list rather than keeping them for in-text citations only.
• Inconsistent capitalization of titles in literary journals like 'PMLA' or 'The Review of English Studies'.

Pro Tips

• Use 'anon.' for anonymous Middle English texts like 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' if no specific editor is being cited.
• When citing a graphic novel like 'Maus', ensure you credit both the writer and the illustrator if they are different people.
• Keep a separate list for primary and secondary sources to make organizing your final bibliography easier.
• Double-check the 'Place of Publication' for older texts, as many literary publishers have moved from London to New York or vice versa.
• Always use the 'ed.' or 'eds.' abbreviation correctly when referencing critical companions published by Cambridge or Oxford.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a specific line from a poem in Harvard style?

In your reference list, you cite the book or anthology containing the poem. In your in-text citation, you include the author and year, but for the location, you use line numbers (e.g., lines 10-12) instead of page numbers.

Do I need to include the publisher for a classic novel like Jane Eyre?

Yes, because different publishers use different editors and may include unique footnotes or variations in the text that are relevant to scholarly analysis.

How do I reference a literary theory I found in a textbook?

If you are citing the theorist's original idea, it is best to find the original source. If you must cite the textbook, use the format: [Theorist] cited in [Textbook Author].

Should I cite the Bible or Shakespeare differently in Harvard?

While some styles use unique formats, Harvard usually requires a standard book reference for the specific edition of the Bible or the Collected Works of Shakespeare you are using.

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