Secondary Citations in UK Harvard: When and How

A secondary citation is used when you refer to a source you have not read yourself, and in UK Harvard it takes the form (Porter, 1985, cited in Johnson, 2020), with only Johnson appearing in your reference list. UK markers expect them to be rare, because they show you relied on someone else’s reading of the original.

The Correct Form

In Cite Them Right Harvard, the variant most UK universities follow:

Listing Porter in your reference list when you have not read Porter is the error markers actually penalise, because the list is a record of what you consulted.

Why UK Markers Dislike Them

Three reasons, all legitimate:

• Distortion risk. You are relying on someone else's summary, which may be selective or simply wrong. Secondary chains propagate errors.
• It signals shallow reading. A dissertation with a dozen secondary citations reads as built from textbooks rather than from the literature.
• Foundational sources should be read. If Porter's positioning theory is central to your argument, an examiner expects you to have opened Porter.

Three Situations Where It Is Acceptable

1. The original is genuinely unobtainable — out of print, untranslated, held in one archive. Say so if it is central.
2. You are citing the secondary author's interpretation rather than the original claim. If your point is how Johnson reads Porter, that is a direct citation of Johnson.
3. Historical or minor context where the point is incidental — noting that an idea originated in the 1930s without building on it.

Related Errors That Cost the Same Marks

• Citing an abstract as the article. Reading the abstract is not reading the paper, and abstracts routinely overstate findings.
• Citing a lecture slide for a claim the lecturer drew from a source. Follow the reference on the slide.
• Citing a source found via an AI tool without verifying it. If it is not in your library catalogue, it may not exist.
• Copying a reference list entry from another paper. Formatting errors travel with it and reveal the shortcut.

How Many Is Too Many

There is no stated limit, but a Masters dissertation with more than three or four secondary citations invites the question of how much of the literature you actually read. In a 3,000-word essay, one is usually the most that passes without comment.

Frequently asked questions

How do I cite a source I read about in another book?

Use a secondary citation: (Porter, 1985, cited in Johnson, 2020, p. 45). Only Johnson goes in your reference list, because Johnson is the source you actually read. Listing the original as though you consulted it is the error markers penalise.

Is it acceptable to use secondary citations at a UK university?

Occasionally, but they should be rare. They are accepted where the original is genuinely unobtainable, where you are citing the second author’s interpretation rather than the original claim, or where the point is incidental historical context.

How many secondary citations are too many?

In a Masters dissertation, more than three or four invites the question of how much of the literature you read directly. In a 3,000-word essay, one is usually the most that passes without comment.

Can I cite an abstract instead of the full article?

No. Reading an abstract is not reading the paper, and abstracts frequently overstate or simplify findings. If you cannot obtain the full text, request it through your library’s inter-library loan service, which is free to students.