APA vs Harvard vs IEEE: which citation style do you need?
Three of the most common university citation styles, what they look like, and which subjects use them — so you can pick the right one with confidence.
Different fields settled on different citation styles, which is why there's no single "correct" way to reference. The three you'll meet most often at university are APA, Harvard and IEEE. Here's how they differ and how to know which one your assignment wants.
Quick comparison
| Style | In-text | Common in |
|---|---|---|
| APA | Author–date, e.g. (Smith, 2024) | Psychology, education, social sciences, nursing |
| Harvard | Author–date, e.g. (Smith 2024) | Business, humanities; widely used in UK & Australian unis |
| IEEE | Numbered, e.g. [1] | Engineering, computer science, IT |
APA
APA uses an author–date system and is the standard across the social sciences. References are listed alphabetically, and in-text citations pair the author with the year.
Harvard
Harvard is also author–date and looks similar to APA, but it isn't a single fixed standard — institutions publish their own slightly different versions. That's why your university's Harvard guide is the one that counts.
IEEE
IEEE is a numbered style used in technical fields. Each source gets a number in square brackets in the order it first appears, and the reference list is ordered by those numbers rather than alphabetically.
So which do you use?
Your assignment brief or unit outline almost always specifies the style — start there. As a rough rule of thumb: social sciences lean APA, business and humanities often use Harvard, and engineering and computer science use IEEE. When in doubt, ask your tutor; using the wrong style can cost easy marks.
Open the citation generators →Frequently asked questions
Check your unit outline or assignment brief first — it almost always names the required style. If not, ask your tutor.
No. Pick the one your course requires and use it consistently throughout.
No — others like MLA, Chicago and Vancouver exist. APA, Harvard and IEEE are among the most common in universities.
Related
Citation styles have institution-specific variations. Always confirm the exact format with your university's official guide.