Harvard Referencing: A Guide for Youth Worker Apprentices

Referencing is an essential part of academic writing.

Whenever you use someone else's ideas, research, theories, data or words, you need to acknowledge the original source.

The Level 6 Youth Worker Degree Apprenticeship uses the Harvard author-date referencing system. Always follow the most recent referencing guidance provided for your programme, as specific Harvard conventions can vary.

Why do I need to reference?

Referencing allows you to:

• Show where your ideas and evidence came from
• Demonstrate the breadth of your research
• Support your arguments
• Give credit to other people's work
• Allow readers to locate your sources
• Avoid plagiarism

A strong academic argument doesn't simply state what you think. It uses evidence to explain and support your position.

What needs to be referenced?

You should reference:

Direct quotations

• Paraphrased ideas
• Theories and concepts
• Research findings
• Statistics and data
• Information from reports
• Tables and figures
• Facts that are not common knowledge

If the idea or information isn't your own, check whether you need to reference it.

In-text citations

Harvard referencing generally uses the author's surname and publication year.

For example:

(Smith, 2024)

If the author's name forms part of your sentence:

Smith (2024) argues that...

For a direct quotation, include the page number where available:

(Smith, 2024, p. 25)

Always check your programme's specific referencing guidance for the required format.

Direct quotations

Use direct quotations selectively.

Your assignments should primarily demonstrate your own understanding and analysis.

When using a quotation, make sure:

• The wording is reproduced accurately
• The source is cited
• A page number is included where available
• The quotation clearly supports your argument
• Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing means explaining another author's ideas in your own words.

Changing a few words isn't enough. You need to understand the original idea and express it genuinely in your own academic writing, while still acknowledging the source.

Your reference list

Every source cited in your work should appear in your reference list.

Your reference list should:

• Be presented at the end of your main work
• Be organised alphabetically
• Include the full details of the sources you cited
• Not be numbered
• Include each source only once
• Keep track as you research

Don't leave your references until the end.

When you find a useful source, record:

• Author
• Publication date
• Title
• Publisher or journal details
• Page numbers where relevant
• URL for online sources
• Date accessed for online material where required

Keeping this information as you work will save time later and reduce the risk of missing references.

Reference as you go

A useful habit is:

Read → make notes → record the source → write → cite → add to your reference list.

This makes referencing part of your writing process rather than a task you have to complete at the end.

If you're unsure how to reference a particular source, check the guidance provided for your programme or speak to your Development Coach.