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Harvard Reference Style

An introduction to the Harvard referencing system with reference formats & examples. This variation of Harvard Reference Style is compiled by Nelson Mandela University Library and Information Services.

Television programmes: Reference formats & examples

References for television programmes will depend on the format of the programme, e.g. single episode, complete series.

Please see below for the different types of television programmes with the corresponding reference formats and examples:

TYPE REFERENCE LIST IN-TEXT CITATION
Individual television broadcast

Components:

Name of producer (Producer). Year, month, day. Title [Programme type]. Place: Network, Studio or Distributor.

 

 

Example:

Smith, K.G. (Producer). 2009, October 1. Every day news [Television broadcast]. New York, NY: West Broadcasting.

 

 

Notes:

List the primary contributors in the author position, and use parentheses to identify their contribution.

Example:

 

 

 

 

... (Smith, 2009).

 

In this news report Smith (2009) …

Television series

Components:

Name of producer (Producer). Year. Title [Programme type]. Place: Studio or Distributor.

 

Example:

Engel, R. (Producer). 2004. Oliver [Television series]. New York: KLC.

 

Example:

… (Engel, 2004).

 

With this series Engel (2004) proved …

Television series (online)

Components:

Name of producer (Producer). Year. Title [Programme type].

Available: URL [Date of access].

 

Example:

Grazer, B. (Producer), Howard, R. (Producer), Hurwitz, M. (Producer & Creator) & Nevins, D. (Producer). 2003–2006. Arrested development [Television series]. Available: http://www.hulu.com/arrested-development [12 July 2018].

 

 

Notes:

List the primary contributors in the author position, and use parentheses to identify their contribution.

 

Example:

… (Grazer, Howard, Hurwitz & Nevins, 2003-2006).

 

In this series Grazer et al. (2003-2006) proved …

 

 

Notes:

When a television series has three or more contributors, cite all the contributors the first time the reference occurs; in subsequent citations, include only the surname of the first contributor followed by et al.

Single episode from a television series

Components:

Name of writer (Writer) & Name of Director (Director). Year. Title of television series episode/webisode [Television series episode/webisode]. In Name of Executive Producer [Executive Producer], Series Title. Place: Network, Studio or Distributor.

 

 

Example:

 

Egan, D. (Writer) & Alexander, J. (Director). 2005. Failure to communicate [Television series episode]. In D. Shore (Executive producer), House. New York, NY: Fox Broadcasting.

Example:

 

In this episode Egan and Alexander, (2005) …

 

… (Egan & Alexander, 2005).

 

Notes:

References to the contributors of the specific episode should be cited within your text using the name of the contributors of only the specific episode and not the producer of the whole series.

 Single episode from a television series (online) Name of writer (Writer) & Name of Director (Director). Year. Title of television series episode/webisode [Television series episode/webisode]. In Name of Executive Producer [Executive Producer], Series Title. Available: URL [Date of access].

 

Thompson, B. (Writer), Weddle, D. (Writer) & Rose, W. (Director). 2006. Webisode 1 [Television series webisode]. In D. Eick & R.D. Moore (Executive Producers), Battlestar Galactica: the resistance. Available: http://video .syfy.com/sr/webisode-1/v31166 [27 October 2018].

 

Notes:

For an episode from a television series, use the same format as for a chapter in a book, but list the script writer and director in the author position and the producer in the editor position.

 

 Example:

 

In this episode Thompson, Weddle & Rose (2006) …

 

… (Thompson et al., 2006).

 

 

Notes:

When a television series episode has three or more contributors, cite all the authors the first time the reference occurs; in subsequent citations, include only the surname of the first contributor followed by et al.

 

 

 

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