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How to Cite an Email in Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Learn how to cite emails, letters, and personal communications in Harvard format (Cite Them Right). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Harvard Reference List Format

Here is the standard Harvard format for citing an email in your reference list:

Sender, A.A. (Year) 'Subject of email', Email to Recipient Name, Day Month.

Harvard In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Sender, 2024)

Narrative

Sender (2024) wrote in an email...

Key Harvard Formatting Rules

  • Cite Them Right (Harvard) does include a reference-list entry for a personal email.
  • Give the sender, year, the subject in single quotation marks, then “Email to” and the recipient's name.
  • End with the day and month the email was sent.
  • In the text, cite the sender and year, e.g. (Sender, 2024).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your email.
  2. Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Harvard (Cite Them Right) template shown above.
  3. Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
  4. Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
  5. Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Harvard requirements.

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Cite an Email in Other Styles

Cite Other Sources in Harvard

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