How to Cite Software in Harvard
Cite software and apps when you name a specific program your work depends on; common tools such as Word need no citation. This page follows Harvard (Cite Them Right), Cite Them Right, 12th edition.
Harvard format for software
Reference list entry
In-text citation
Style: Harvard (Cite Them Right)
Check the details
3 required fields are empty: the citation will be incomplete until you fill them in.
Missing: most styles need this.
Missing: most styles need this.
Missing: most styles need this.
Preview: Harvard (Cite Them Right)
Reference list (0)
Your citations appear here, formatted in Harvard (Cite Them Right). They are saved in this browser only: nothing is sent to us, and no account is needed.
Where to find the details
- The version is under About or Help; R, Python packages and Stata print their own suggested citation.
Required in most styles: author or organisation, date published, name.
Cite software in another style
Other sources
- How to cite a journal article in Harvard
- How to cite a book in Harvard
- How to cite a chapter in an edited book in Harvard
- How to cite a web page in Harvard
- How to cite a YouTube video in Harvard
- How to cite a podcast episode in Harvard
- How to cite a lecture or speech in Harvard
- How to cite a newspaper article in Harvard
- How to cite a magazine article in Harvard
- How to cite a report in Harvard
- How to cite a thesis or dissertation in Harvard
- How to cite a conference paper in Harvard
- How to cite a dataset in Harvard
- How to cite a film in Harvard
- How to cite ChatGPT or another AI tool in Harvard
- How to cite a dictionary or encyclopedia entry in Harvard
- How to cite a preprint in Harvard
- How to cite a blog post in Harvard
- How to cite a court case in Harvard
- How to cite legislation in Harvard
Questions
What do I need to cite software in Harvard?
At minimum: author or organisation, date published, name. The version is under About or Help; R, Python packages and Stata print their own suggested citation.
What does software look like in Harvard?
Reference list entry: R Core Team (2023) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Version 4.3.1. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Available at: https://www.R-project.org/. In-text citation: (R Core Team, 2023)
Is this free?
Yes. No account and no limit. Your bibliography is saved in this browser only, and you can export it to Word, BibTeX, RIS or CSL-JSON.
Citations are formatted by citeproc-js by Frank Bennett (CPAL-1.0, or AGPL-1.0), the engine behind Zotero and Mendeley, running the official Citation Style Language styles (10,863 styles, commit 2e93558) and locales (commit a89adec), used under CC BY-SA 3.0. AGLC4 citations use the LexIntellect AGLC4 engine, checked against the Guide's worked examples. Always check a citation against the manual or your institution's guide before you submit.