Surveys turn responses into data. They sit alongside questionnaires, interviews, and polls in many projects. You’ll meet them in the Literature Review, Methodology, and Discussion of a research paper or dissertation.
In Harvard Referencing Style, the format depends on what you used:
- Your own survey (not public).
- A survey about a named subject (private).
- A survey published online or in a database (public).
Keep in-text citation tight. Keep the reference list consistent.
What Counts as a “Survey” Here?
- A study using a questionnaire or structured questions.
- Often part of primary vs secondary research decisions.
- Watch for Sampling Methods notes (size, frame) and risks like Nonresponse Bias or Self-Selection Bias. These live in Reliability and Validity checks, not the citation itself, but you can flag them in Methodology.
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Core Harvard Patterns For Surveys
In-text citation
(Survey Subject Surname Year)
Add a page or item only if your source provides one: (Surname Year, p. #).
Reference list — private survey (named subject)
Survey Subject Surname, Initial(s). (Year). *Title of the survey*. Surveyed by: Conductor Surname, Initial(s). Day Month.
Some projects use “Interviewed by” when the survey is administered as a structured interview. Match your department’s sheet.
Harvard citation example
- In-text: (Bloggs 2017)
- Reference list: Bloggs, J. (2017). Management of absenteeism in manufacturing. Interviewed by: Fred Smith. 15 March.
Self-Conducted Survey (Your Data)
Your survey is not public. Readers can’t retrieve it. Treat it like personal communications.
- In-text only: (Participant A 2024, survey response, 12 May) or (Author’s survey 2024) if anonymity applies.
- No reference list entry.
- Describe instruments and Sampling Methods in Methodology. Place the blank questionnaire or codebook in appendices if your supervisor allows.
Surveys Published Online (public sources)
Here the survey is a public electronic source, often a report, book, or chapter. Cite it by the container type, not by a private subject’s name.
Pattern
Author Surname, Initial(s). (Year). *Title in italics*. City: Publisher.
Add URL and Accessed date if it’s a web PDF or page.
Harvard citation example
- In-text: (Biemer & Lyberg 2003)
- Reference list: Biemer, P. P. & Lyberg, L. E. (2003). Introduction to Survey Quality. Chichester: Wiley.
If the public entry names respondents, include them only when the source itself does so and permissions are stated.
Company or Database Surveys
When a survey sits behind a database record, include the viewed date and the database name.
Pattern
Corporate/Analyst Year, *Title*, viewed Day Mon. Year, Database Name.
Example
- In-text: (Datamonitor 2010, p. 13)
- Reference list: Datamonitor 2010, Rio Tinto SWOT Analysis, viewed 20 Jan. 2012, Business Source Premier (EBSCOhost).
Anonymous or Protected Subjects
- If a subject’s name is withheld, start the entry with the year and title, or use a neutral label in text, e.g., (Survey participant 2024).
- Keep identities out of the reference list unless the source itself shows them and permissions are clear. This supports plagiarism and ethics checks.
What to Record
| Scenario | In-text | Reference list essentials |
|---|---|---|
| Your private survey | (Author’s survey Year) or (Participant code Year) | None. Describe in Methodology; place instrument in appendices |
| Named private subject | (Subject Surname Year) | Subject; Year; Title; “Surveyed by: …”; date |
| Public survey report/book | (Author Year) | Author; Year; Title; place; publisher; URL + Accessed (if online) |
| Database record | (Corporate/Analyst Year) | Corporate/Analyst; Year; Title; viewed date; Database name |
Frequently Asked Questions
Examples of Harvard style citations:
- Book: Author. (Year). Title. Publisher.
- Journal article: Author. (Year). Article title. Journal, Volume(Issue), Page range.
- Website: Author. (Year). Page title. Website. URL.
- In-text: (Author, Year) or (Author1 & Author2, Year).
- Reference list: Alphabetical order by author’s last name.
Yes in text, not in the reference list. Put the questionnaire in appendices and describe it in Methodology.
Only if consent is recorded and your source shows it. Otherwise use a neutral label.
Add one for quotes, table pulls, or figure captions when the public source provides them.
Your own survey is primary. A published survey report is secondary for your project.
To mark when a claim rests on your data. Clear signals also help with plagiarism checks.
