While studying for a higher degree in college or university, your instructor may assign you the task of writing a blog. You must write a good blog but may struggle with the referencing part. Referencing is the most difficult part of writing a blog. Most institutes prefer to do referencing according to the Harvard style.
As a student, you must include your references to the blog according to Harvard style with proper in-text citations. However, most university students are confused during referencing according to this style. They don’t have a proper understanding of that referencing style. To help you in this matter, I’m writing this article.
This article will explain a guide on referencing a blog using the Harvard style.
The most common referencing style that is used in blog and academic writing is the Harvard style. It was established by Harvard university in the 1880s. This style of referencing uses the author-date system. In academic and blog writing, mostly physiotherapists and nursing students use it. However, this referencing style was generated by Harvard University. Many other universities also follow this referencing style in their academic writing. This style of referencing includes two types of citations.
An in-text citation is used when you include paraphrased information from other sources. Citation means you are citing the included information copied from another source. You must provide in-text citations right after including the copied information. To include an in-text citation, write the author’s name with the publication year of the source.
For example:
“After that, they start doing practice.” (David 2001).
The reference list is included at the end of the blog. It provides the full reference to the sources from which you collect the topic’s information. It has a specific format. That is:
Author’s Last name, first initial. (Publication Year). ‘Blogpost title’, Internet Site Title. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date of Access).
The following elements must exist in the references to cite a blog using the Harvard style:
Referencing is important in blog writing because it prevents plagiarism in your content. Plagiarism means copying and including the information, idea, or results in your blog from other sources. Plagiarism in writing is unacceptable in academic institutes, businesses, and organizations. To avoid this, you must present a citation of the source in your blog.
Referencing is key to presenting evidence to support the information and ideas in the blog. It shows how deeply you researched your topic and collected information and data about it. Because of this, it impacts a long-lasting effect on the reader or professor.
Here are some advantages of referencing using the Harvard style:
It is very important to provide credit to the original author of the source. Using proper citation formation, like the Harvard style, would be best. Adding references to your blog will improve its authenticity.
When writing a blog for your academic institute, it is normal to research to collect information and data about the topic. For this sake, you use different sources such as books, journals, magazines, research papers, and many others.
You will surely learn more about the topic when you include references to other sources in your blog. However, when you list all of these references in your paper, your readers or professor will learn more about the topic by reading those sources.
Including references in your blog will lower the chance of plagiarism. Which results in, automatically enhances the credibility of your blog.
Your professor always assigns you the task of writing a blog. Blog writing is an important part of your studies. It is used to enhance the students’ in-depth knowledge, writing, and communication skills. Most universities prefer to cite and reference the sources in the Harvard style. However, this referencing style is not difficult, but students struggle while including the references in their blogs. Referencing is very important because it enhances the credibility of your work. To do proper referencing, you must understand the general format of the Harvard referencing style.