How to Harvard Reference Shakespeare Plays Correctly

Learn the correct way to Harvard reference Shakespeare plays with examples of formatting titles, acts, scenes, lines, and publication details.

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To Harvard reference Shakespeare plays, include the play title in italics, followed by the year in parentheses, the act, scene, and line numbers separated by periods. The city of publication, publisher, and year of publication come next. For example: Shakespeare, W. (1606). Macbeth. Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 1-13. London: Penguin Books, 1994. Remember, formatting may slightly vary based on specific guidelines provided by your institution.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What details are needed to Harvard reference a Shakespeare play? You need the play title in italics, the year of the play, act, scene, and line numbers, followed by city of publication, publisher, and year of the edition used.
  2. How do you format acts, scenes, and lines in a Harvard citation for Shakespeare? Use 'Act X, Scene Y, Lines A-B' separated by commas after the play title and year, e.g., Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 1-13.
  3. Does Harvard referencing Shakespeare differ by institution? Yes, some formatting details may vary based on specific institutional guidelines, so always check your university’s referencing handbook.