How To Cite An Online Article In Harvard Style

Citing an online article correctly is an important part of academic writing. It helps you acknowledge the original author and allows readers to trace your sources. In Harvard referencing, online articles are cited similarly to printed ones, but you must include the website link (URL) and the date you accessed the material. Whether the article is from a news site, academic journal, or online magazine, the format remains straightforward once you understand the key elements.

1. Basic Format for an Online Article

The general format for citing an online article in Harvard style is:

Author’s surname, Initial(s). (Year) ‘Title of article’, Title of website or publication, Date published or updated. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date).

This includes all the key details a reader needs to locate the source.

2. Example of an Online News Article

If you are citing a news article from a website such as BBC or News24, follow this structure:

Reference list:
Moyo, T. (2024) ‘South Africa launches new renewable energy project’, News24, 15 July. Available at: https://www.news24.com/renewableenergy (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(Moyo, 2024)

If the article has no specific author, use the name of the organisation:

Reference list:
BBC News (2023) ‘Global climate summit begins in Kenya’, BBC News, 10 November. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(BBC News, 2023)

3. Example of an Online Journal Article

For an academic article published in an online journal, the format is slightly different. Include the journal’s title, volume, issue number, and page range if available.

Reference list:
Ngugi, L. and Naidoo, P. (2022) ‘The impact of digital learning on student performance in South Africa’, Journal of Educational Research Online, 10(2), pp. 45–58. Available at: https://www.jerojournal.org/articles/2022 (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(Ngugi and Naidoo, 2022)

If the article has a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), you can use it instead of the full URL:

Reference list:
Ngugi, L. and Naidoo, P. (2022) ‘The impact of digital learning on student performance in South Africa’, Journal of Educational Research Online, 10(2), pp. 45–58. doi: 10.1234/jero.2022.105.

4. Example of an Online Magazine Article

For an article from an online magazine, include the publication name and access details:

Reference list:
Khan, R. (2023) ‘The rise of electric vehicles in Africa’, African Business Magazine, 20 September. Available at: https://africanbusinessmagazine.com/electric-vehicles (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(Khan, 2023)

5. Citing an Online Article Without an Author or Date

If there is no author, use the name of the website or organisation. If the date is missing, use n.d. (no date).

Reference list:
Healthline (n.d.) ‘Benefits of regular exercise’, Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/benefits-of-exercise (Accessed: 18 October 2025).

In-text citation:
(Healthline, n.d.)

6. Citing Multiple Online Articles

When citing more than one article by the same author from the same year, add a letter (a, b, c) after the year to differentiate them.

Example:
(Moyo, 2024a) and (Moyo, 2024b)

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