How do I cite sources correctly in geography writing?

To cite sources correctly in geography writing, use the Harvard referencing style, including in-text citations and a reference list.

In geography writing, it's essential to give credit to the sources of your information. The Harvard referencing style is commonly used in geography and other social sciences. This style involves two main components: in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your work.

In-text citations are brief references within your text that indicate where you got your information. They usually include the author's surname and the year of publication. For example, if you are discussing climate change and you use information from a book by Smith published in 2020, your in-text citation would look like this: (Smith, 2020). If you directly quote from the source, you should also include the page number: (Smith, 2020, p. 45).

The reference list is a detailed list of all the sources you cited in your text. It appears at the end of your work and provides full details so that readers can locate the sources themselves. Each entry should include the author's surname and initials, the year of publication, the title of the work, the place of publication, and the publisher. For example:

Smith, J. (2020). *Climate Change and Its Impacts*. London: Green Earth Publishing.

If you are citing a journal article, the format is slightly different. You need to include the article title, the journal name, the volume number, the issue number, and the page range. For example:

Brown, L. (2018). 'Urbanisation and Flood Risk in Coastal Cities', *Journal of Geography*, 12(3), pp. 234-250.

For online sources, include the URL and the date you accessed the information. For example:

Jones, M. (2019). 'Deforestation in the Amazon'. Available at: www.environmentalstudies.org/deforestation (Accessed: 15 March 2023).

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your geography writing is well-referenced and credible.