Referencing errors are some of the easiest marks to lose and some of the easiest to fix. Markers notice them quickly, and inconsistent referencing can make strong work look careless. This guide gives you a checklist for any style, then the specific things to check in Harvard, OSCOLA and MHRA.
Step 1: confirm the exact style and version
Check your module handbook. Many UK universities publish their own version of Harvard, and small differences — where the year goes, how page numbers are shown — matter. Always follow your university's guide rather than a generic website.
Step 2: the universal checklist
Every in-text citation has a matching entry in your reference list or bibliography, and every entry is actually cited. Author names are spelled the same everywhere. Years match between citation and reference. Direct quotations have page numbers. Formatting — italics, capitals, punctuation — is consistent from the first entry to the last.
Harvard: what to check
In-text citations give the author and year, for example (Smith, 2021), with a page number for quotations. The reference list is alphabetical by author surname. Check 'et al.' is used consistently for multiple authors, that the title in italics is the right part (the book or journal, not the article), and that online sources include the URL and access date if your university's version requires them.
OSCOLA: what to check
OSCOLA, used in law, relies on footnotes rather than in-text citations. Check that every footnote ends with a full stop, that case names are italicised, and that neutral citations and law report references are in the correct order. Later references to the same source should use a short form, and your table of cases and legislation should be separate from your bibliography where required. OSCOLA uses minimal punctuation in abbreviations — for example, no full stops in report abbreviations.
MHRA: what to check
MHRA, common in the humanities, also uses footnotes. The first citation of a source gives full details; later citations use a shortened form. Check that titles of books are italicised and article titles are in single quotation marks, that page ranges are given correctly, and that your bibliography lists surnames first while footnotes give names in their natural order.
Step 3: read it once, only for referencing
Do a separate pass focused only on references, ideally on a printed copy or with the reference list open beside your draft. It is much easier to catch slips when you are not also reading for argument.
Get a second pair of eyes
Tiger's Eye checks your draft against the referencing style you choose — Harvard, APA, OSCOLA, MHRA and more — and flags inconsistencies and missing references without changing a word of your work.