To cite Harvard Business Review, use your style guide’s magazine format, list Harvard Business Review as the source, and include date and URL or DOI.
If you’re writing a paper or report and pulled an idea from an article on HBR.org or the print edition, your reference needs to match the rules of a specific style guide. The good news: you’ll treat it like a magazine article in most systems. That means you’ll record the author, the headline, the publication (Harvard Business Review), the date, and a link or DOI when it exists. This walkthrough gives you clean patterns, live checks, and copy-ready templates, so you can add the right entry fast and move on.
Citing Harvard Business Review In APA, MLA, Or Chicago
Different disciplines prefer different systems. Business and social sciences lean toward APA; humanities often use MLA; history and many publishers rely on Chicago. All three can handle HBR smoothly. The entries below map the moving parts and the matching in-text format you’ll use inside your paragraphs.
Core Elements You’ll Always Need
Before you open a guide, collect these items from the article page: author name exactly as shown; article headline; the words “Harvard Business Review” as the source name; the publication date (month and day if listed); a DOI if present, or the stable HBR URL. If the site lists a volume/issue for a print version, grab those too. If you can’t find volume/issue on the web version, you can still cite the piece using date and link.
Quick Comparison Table (What Goes Where)
| Style | Reference Entry Pattern | In-Text Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| APA (7th) | Author. (Year, Month Day). Title. Harvard Business Review. URL or DOI | (Author, Year) or Author (Year) |
| MLA (9th) | Author. “Title.” Harvard Business Review, Day Month Year, URL. | (Author Page/Paragraph) or (Author) |
| Chicago | Notes/Bibliography: Author, “Title,” Harvard Business Review, Month Day, Year, URL. | Footnote or endnote number; bibliography lists full entry |
APA Style: Magazine Treatment For HBR Articles
APA classifies HBR pieces as magazine articles. Use author, date, headline, source name, and URL or DOI. If a volume/issue is visible on a print PDF, you can include those, but they’re not mandatory for the web version. For the headline, capitalize sentence-case. For the source, write the full name Harvard Business Review in title case and italics. Place a period after the source name, then add the link or DOI without a period so the URL remains clickable.
APA Reference Template (Copy And Edit)
Lastname, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article: Subtitle if any. Harvard Business Review. URL
APA In-Text Examples
- Parenthetical: (Lastname, Year)
- Narrative: Lastname (Year)
- Quotation with locator: (Lastname, Year, p. X) or (para. X) for web-only paragraphs
APA expects the most precise date available for magazine material. If the web page lists only a month and year, that’s fine. If a DOI exists, present the DOI URL format (https://doi.org/…).
MLA Style: Works Cited For HBR On The Web Or In Print
MLA treats HBR as a periodical. Use the author’s name in normal order in the Works Cited entry, put the headline in quotation marks with title-case capitalization, then italicize the source name. Include the publication date in Day Month Year order. Supply the URL. If you viewed a print PDF with volume and issue, you can add volume, issue, page range, and then the medium if your assignment asks for it.
MLA Works Cited Template (Copy And Edit)
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article: Subtitle.” Harvard Business Review, Day Month Year, URL.
MLA In-Text Examples
- (Lastname) for a paraphrase
- (Lastname page) if you used a print or paginated PDF
MLA encourages a stable link. HBR pages provide a canonical URL; use that exact address from the browser bar. Include access date only if your instructor requires it.
Chicago Style: Notes And Bibliography Or Author-Date
Chicago offers two systems. In the notes-and-bibliography system, place a full citation in a footnote the first time you cite the piece, then add a shortened note for later mentions. The bibliography entry mirrors the footnote but changes the order slightly. In the author-date system, you’ll add a parenthetical (Lastname Year) in the sentence and list the full entry in the reference list. For an HBR article online, include the publication date and the URL. If you have a print issue with volume and issue, you can include those as well.
Chicago Notes/Bibliography Templates
First note: Author Firstname Lastname, “Title of Article,” Harvard Business Review, Month Day, Year, URL.
Short note: Lastname, “Shortened Title.”
Bibliography: Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Harvard Business Review, Month Day, Year. URL.
What About DOIs, Volume/Issue, And PDFs?
Some HBR pages include a DOI link or list a print volume and issue. If you see a DOI, add it in the spot your style expects. If a page offers a printable PDF with pages, you may cite page numbers for quotations. If the page shows no pagination, use paragraph numbers for APA quotations and omit locators for standard MLA paraphrases unless your instructor asks for them.
Finding The Right Details On HBR.org
Open the article and scan near the headline for the author and date. Scroll to the bottom for any DOI or citation hint. If you’re viewing a classic piece that only lists the month and year, that’s acceptable in all three styles. Confirm the link is the canonical address (no tracking parameters).
Worked Examples (With A Sample Article)
The patterns below fill in with a real-looking headline and author so you can see the shape. If you’re working from a specific story, replace the name, date, and link with your article’s details. These samples are for the web version without volume/issue and show one clean way to present each style.
| Style | Sample Reference | In-Text Sample |
|---|---|---|
| APA | Porter, M. E. (2011, March). Creating shared value. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value | (Porter, 2011) |
| MLA | Porter, Michael E., and Mark R. Kramer. “Creating Shared Value.” Harvard Business Review, Jan. 2011, https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value. | (Porter and Kramer) |
| Chicago | Porter, Michael E., and Mark R. Kramer. “Creating Shared Value.” Harvard Business Review, January 2011. https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value. | Footnote first: Michael E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer, “Creating Shared Value,” Harvard Business Review, January 2011, https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value. |
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Calling HBR A Journal When You’re Citing The Web Version
The print edition has volume and issue numbers, so it looks like a journal in some databases. When you pull an article directly from the website, your entry should match magazine rules in APA and MLA. If your instructor asks for volume and issue and you can verify them from a print PDF or catalog entry, you can add them; otherwise, skip them for a clean web citation.
Dropping The Publication Name
Don’t leave out the source name. “Harvard Business Review” is the periodical title and should be italicized in the reference list or Works Cited entry. Without it, your reader can’t find the piece quickly.
Using A Tracked Link Instead Of The Canonical URL
Strip tracking parameters from the end of the link. Keep only the canonical hbr.org path so the address looks professional and stable.
Mismatching Capitalization Rules
APA uses sentence-case for article titles in the reference list; MLA and Chicago use title case within quotes. The source name takes title case in all three. Match the capitalization rules exactly for a polished entry.
Where To Confirm Each Style’s Rules
If you want the original wording, check the official style pages. APA gives a clear magazine example and clarifies how to format web entries. Chicago’s quick guide shows the pattern for notes and bibliography entries. Purdue OWL’s MLA pages outline how to build periodical entries, including the order of elements and punctuation. Linking to those pages in your digital notes helps you double-check edge cases.
See the APA magazine example and the Chicago citation quick guide. For MLA periodicals, Purdue OWL’s page on Works Cited: Periodicals lays out the pattern.
How To Handle Multiple Authors
APA lists up to twenty authors in the reference; in-text, use “&” between two names in a parenthetical and “and” in a narrative citation. MLA uses “and” between two names; for three or more, list the first author followed by “et al.” Chicago mirrors MLA in the bibliography and uses “et al.” in notes after the first author when there are four or more authors. Always match the punctuation and spacing your guide shows.
Quotations, Paraphrases, And Locators
Quoting from a web page without page numbers? APA suggests a paragraph number or a section heading plus paragraph number. MLA prefers page numbers when they exist; if none, a normal author citation is acceptable. Chicago notes use a footnote number placed at the end of the sentence; include a pinpoint if you’re quoting a specific part of a paginated PDF. If there is no pagination, you can omit a pinpoint or mention a section name in your prose.
When HBR Posts Link To Research Papers
Many pieces summarize academic studies. If you quote or rely on the primary study, cite the study itself, not only the magazine article. If you’re only drawing from the HBR write-up, cite the HBR piece as shown in the templates above. If you do both, include entries for each source.
Cases, Reprints, And Permissions
Case studies sold through Harvard Business Publishing’s shop use a different format than regular articles and usually include a product number. If you cite a case product, use your style’s case pattern (author, year, title, case number, publisher, and link). For typical HBR opinion and management pieces, keep the magazine format shown earlier. If you plan to distribute copies beyond fair use, review the rights and permissions page for rules on sharing and reprints.
Fast Templates You Can Paste
Use these lines as a starting point. Replace the placeholders with details from your article. Keep punctuation and spacing exactly as shown.
APA (Web Version)
Lastname, A. A., & Lastname, B. B. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Harvard Business Review. URL
MLA (Web Version)
Lastname, Firstname, and Firstname Lastname. “Title of Article: Subtitle.” Harvard Business Review, Day Month Year, URL.
Chicago Notes/Bibliography (Web Version)
Note: Firstname Lastname, “Title of Article,” Harvard Business Review, Month Day, Year, URL.
Bibliography: Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Harvard Business Review, Month Day, Year. URL.
Proof Checklist Before You Submit
- Author names exactly as printed on the page
- Headline capitalization matches the rules for your style
- Harvard Business Review italicized in the entry
- Date matches the online stamp or the print issue
- URL or DOI points to the canonical page
- In-text or notes match the reference line exactly
Edge Cases You Might See
Only A Month And Year Shown
Use just month and year. That’s acceptable in all three styles for magazine entries.
No Author Listed
APA starts the entry with the headline and moves the date next. MLA begins with the headline as well. Chicago notes begin with the headline in the note and the bibliography.
Audio Or Video On An HBR Page
Match the format: podcast episode or video. Keep Harvard Business Review as the container and include the publication date and link. If the episode lists hosts and guests, choose the creator role your guide prefers for that format.
Why These Patterns Work
HBR pieces are magazine content written for managers and leaders. Treating them as periodical articles aligns with the official instructions in each style’s documentation. When you follow that structure, your citations stay consistent across assignments and reports, and your readers can reach the original article without friction.