How to Cite a Book in Elsevier Harvard (current)
Learn how to cite printed and electronic books in Elsevier Harvard format (current). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Elsevier Harvard Reference List Format
Here is the standard Elsevier Harvard format for citing a book in your reference list:
Elsevier Harvard Example for a Book
A complete Elsevier Harvard reference for a book, formatted by the official Elsevier Harvard CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Okafor, A., 2019. The craft of research writing, 2nd ed. University Press, Cambridge.
Matching in-text citation: (Okafor, 2019)
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your book.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Elsevier Harvard (current) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Elsevier Harvard requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: elsevier-harvard.csl
Metadata to collect
- author or editor
- book title
- edition
- publisher
- publication year
- ISBN
Common metadata traps
- Match the ISBN and year to the edition you actually used.
- Do not cite the whole book when your source is a chapter by another author.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a book in Elsevier Harvard?
- To cite a book in Elsevier Harvard (current), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Elsevier Harvard format for a book citation?
- The Elsevier Harvard format for a book is: Okafor, A., 2019. The craft of research writing, 2nd ed. University Press, Cambridge.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a book in Elsevier Harvard?
- In Elsevier Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (Okafor, 2019)
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