Skip to Main Content

Citing and referencing legal resources using Harvard

A guide covering citing and referencing legal materials using Harvard, including examples for case law and legislation.

Hansard

Hansard is the written record of debates and speeches which have taken place in the House of Commons or House of Lords. You may want to refer to Hansard if you are explaining the background to a particular piece of legislation or policy.

Cite them right has advice on referencing Hansard.

In-text citation: Luke Graham MP (2018) asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about improved food labelling for people with diabetes.

Reference list: Graham, L. (2018) 'Leaving the EU: food and drink industry', Hansard: House of Commons debates, 26 April, 639, c.998. Available at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-04-26/debates/C3B42532-8126-439F-9E74-F1465B01A8BD/LeavingTheEUFoodAndDrinkIndustry (Accessed: 16 May 2018).

Government department publications

Cite them right contains guidance on citing and referencing government department publications.

If you have accessed the publication online (as you probably will), the elements you need to include are: Name of government department (year) Title. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

In-text citation: Food business operators have been given guidance (Department of Health, 2016) on the following labelling issues: ....

Reference list: Department of Health (2016) Technical guidance on nutrition labelling. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/595961/Nutrition_Technical_Guidance.pdf (Accessed: 17 May 2018).

Green and White Papers

Cite them right explains how to reference Green and White Papers.

If you have read the Green or White Paper in hard copy, the elements you need to include are:

Department (year of publication) Title of report/paper (Command Paper number). Place of publication: publisher.

If you have read the Green or White Paper online, the elements you need to include are:

Department (year of publication) Title of report/paper (Command Paper number). Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

In-text citation: At the time of the coalition government, a White Paper was produced in relation to public health (Department of Health, 2010).

Reference list: Department of Health (2010) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England (Cm 7985). Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/136384/healthy_lives_healthy_people.pdf (Accessed: 17 May 2018).

International organisations

Sometimes you may need to cite publications from international organisations, e.g. the United Nations, World Health Organization, etc. 

In these instances, you can consult Cite them right for guidance on citing and referencing publications of international organisations. It gives you the elements you need to include. For example, for a publication you have sourced online, you need to include the following in your reference: Name of organisation (year) Title. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

In-text citation: Global trends in fisheries and aquaculture have been highlighted in a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2016).

Reference list: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2016) The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture: Contributing to food security and nutrition for all. Available at: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5555e.pdf (Accessed: 17 May 2018).