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A Harvard style quote is a passage copied word for word from a source, marked as a quotation and followed by an author-date citation with a page or other locator. Harvard has no single governing manual, so the rules that change from one university to the next are the length at which a quote becomes a block, the punctuation of the page locator, and how to alter a quotation. This guide sets out the steps the university guides agree on, then shows exactly where three of them differ.
Purpose of the section: when to quote in Harvard style
Quote only when the exact wording matters. The University of Sussex Skills Hub says paraphrasing is generally preferred, and that quoting suits precise definitions, memorable wording, or cases where you are responding to the exact words an author used. Every quotation, short or long, needs a citation that lets the reader find it, which is why Harvard quotations carry a page or equivalent locator. For the author-date formats that surround a quote, see our guide to Harvard in-text citation.
Structure: how to quote in Harvard style, step by step
- Decide short or long. The threshold is set locally (see the comparison table below). Under it, the quote sits inside your sentence in quotation marks; over it, it becomes an indented block with no quotation marks.
- Introduce the quote. Name the author or point to the idea in your own words. Atlantic Technological University (ATU) advises introducing a long quote with a colon.
- Copy the wording exactly. Keep the original spelling, punctuation and capitalisation. Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and ATU both mark source errors with [sic] and show any change in square brackets.
- Use single quotation marks for a short quote. MMU, ATU and Sussex all show single quotation marks for short quotes.
- Add the citation: author, year, locator. Give the surname, the year and the page, for example (Selwyn, 2017, p. 23), the pattern ATU uses.
- Place the final punctuation. Sussex puts the full stop after the closing bracket for a short quote. For a long quote, Sussex places the citation after the final punctuation mark of the block.
Short and long quotes: the thresholds differ by university
There is no universal Harvard word count. Each guide below sets its own limit. Sussex states that requirements vary between schools and modules, so follow the guide for your module.
| Guide | Short quote (in the text) | Long quote (block) |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester Metropolitan University Library, MMU Harvard | Up to and including 20 words, or up to two sentences, whichever is greater | Longer than that; indented, separate paragraph, no quotation marks |
| Atlantic Technological University library guide | Under 40 words | Over 40 words; introduced with a colon, indented, blank line before and after, single spaced, no quotation marks |
| University of Sussex Skills Hub | Up to two or three lines | More than three lines; new indented paragraph, no quotation marks |
A short annotated example
The text below is invented for illustration. It follows the pattern ATU gives and is not a real quotation.
Example of a short quote: As Author (2020, p. 14) argues, a good reference list is ‘a map that another reader can follow back to the source’.
Example of the same quote with the citation at the end: A good reference list is ‘a map that another reader can follow back to the source’ (Author, 2020, p. 14).
- The quoted words sit in single quotation marks and match the source exactly.
- The citation holds the surname, year and page. In the first form it follows the author’s name; in the second it follows the quote, and the full stop comes after the closing bracket (the Sussex placement).
Locators: page numbers and what to use without them
Page and year punctuation
ATU writes the page with a comma and p.: (Selwyn, 2017, p. 23). MMU writes it after the year with a colon and no p.: (Author, year:page), and two pages as (year:1-2). Both are labelled Harvard, so pick the one your university teaches and apply it throughout.
Quote with no page number
Sussex says to use another locator when there are no page numbers: a timestamp, slide number, table number, chapter number or percentage. MMU’s variants are (Organisation, no date:online) for an online source without a date and (Author, year: no pagination) for print without pagination.
Altering a quotation
Omissions with an ellipsis
Both MMU and ATU use an ellipsis for omitted words, and ATU specifies three dots with a space each side. They disagree about position: MMU allows an ellipsis at the start, middle or end of a quote, while ATU says never to start or end a quotation with one. When the guides conflict, follow your own module guide.
Additions and capitalisation in square brackets
Words you add go in square brackets, and ATU shows a capital changed with brackets, such as ‘[t]hey’. Only omit words that are superfluous and do not change the meaning (ATU).
Errors in the source
Leave the error unchanged and put [sic] in square brackets straight after it (ATU). MMU also applies [sic] to spelling variants such as ‘color’.
Adding emphasis
MMU puts ’emphasis added’ inside the citation. Sussex says to italicise the words and state ‘my emphasis’.
Quotes in another language and quotes you did not read directly
For a quote from another language, Sussex says to quote the original and cite the original author, and you may add a translation in square brackets marked as your own, or paraphrase. For a secondary quotation, read the original if you can; otherwise use ‘cited in’ or ‘quoted in’ and list only the secondary source you read in the reference list (Sussex). See how to write a Harvard reference list.
Common mistakes
- Applying one university’s word limit to another’s assignment: the 20-word, 40-word and three-line rules above are three different local rules.
- Leaving quotation marks on a block quote. MMU, ATU and Sussex all say a long quote has none.
- Dropping the locator. All three guides show a page or equivalent locator on direct quotes; use another locator when there is no page.
- Silently editing a quote. Show additions in square brackets and omissions with an ellipsis.
- Correcting the source’s spelling. Keep it and add [sic] where it is an error.
- Mixing the (year:page) and (year, p. page) forms in the same document.
Checklist
- I have checked my module or department guide for the short/long threshold.
- The wording matches the source exactly.
- Short quotes sit in single quotation marks; block quotes are indented with none.
- Each quote has author, year and a page or other locator.
- Additions are in square brackets, omissions use an ellipsis, errors carry [sic].
- Every quoted source appears in the reference list; secondary sources use ‘cited in’.
Institutional differences
The table and sections above show the main differences: threshold, locator form, ellipsis position and the wording for emphasis. Other styles handle quotes differently; for example, see block quotes in Chicago style, how to cite article quotes in APA and MLA, and our overview of citation styles and referencing formats.
FAQ
How do you quote in Harvard style?
Put short quotes in single quotation marks inside your sentence and add (Author, year, p. x). Indent long quotes as a block without quotation marks and cite after the final punctuation. Your university sets the dividing length.
How long can a Harvard quotation be before it becomes a block quote?
It depends on the guide: up to 20 words or two sentences at MMU, under 40 words at ATU, and up to two or three lines at Sussex.
How do you do Harvard quote referencing without a page number?
Use another locator, such as a timestamp, slide, table or chapter number, or a percentage (Sussex), or MMU’s (Organisation, no date:online) form for online sources.
Does Harvard use single or double quotation marks?
MMU, ATU and Sussex all show single quotation marks for short quotes.
How do you quote a source you only read in another book?
Use ‘cited in’ or ‘quoted in’ and list only the source you read (Sussex).
Sources
- Manchester Metropolitan University Library, ‘MMU Harvard: direct quotes’: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/library/referencing-and-study-support/referencing/mmu-harvard/direct-quotes. Checked 2026-10-29. The page notes MMU Harvard support ended on 30 September 2024, MMU now uses Cite Them Right Harvard as its institutional style, a reminder that Harvard variants change; check your current department style.
- Atlantic Technological University library guide, Harvard ‘Quotations’: https://atlantictu.libguides.com/harvard/quotations. Checked 2026-10-29.
- University of Sussex Skills Hub, ‘Harvard style’: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/skills-hub/referencing-and-academic-integrity/harvard. Checked 2026-10-29.
Harvard is a family of author-date variants rather than one edition of one manual. This guide attributes each rule to the guide that states it.
