MHRA Referencing Style: Everything Students Need to Know

As a student, you’ve probably heard the word “referencing” more times than you can count. And if you’ve been asked to use the MHRA referencing style, you may be wondering what exactly is that, and how is it different from the others?

Don’t stress. While MHRA might sound a bit intimidating at first, it’s actually a straightforward and elegant referencing system once you get the hang of it.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the essentials of MHRA citation, including how to use footnotes, create a bibliography, and avoid common mistakes. Whether you’re new to academic writing or just need a refresher, this MHRA citation guide has got your back.

 

What Is MHRA Referencing?

MHRA stands for the Modern Humanities Research Association, and its referencing style is most commonly used in subjects like literature, history, and philosophy. What sets it apart from styles like APA or Harvard is that MHRA uses footnotes instead of in-text citations, followed by a full bibliography at the end of your document.

So, instead of something like (Smith, 2022) interrupting your paragraph, you’ll simply add a superscript number after the sentence, and then include the citation details in a footnote at the bottom of the page. This makes your writing cleaner and more professional, especially in essay-heavy fields.

 

Why Use MHRA?

MHRA is a favorite among humanities students and professors because it allows you to provide detailed source information without cluttering the main body of your writing. It also gives you room to add brief explanatory notes if needed, something most other referencing styles don’t allow.

Plus, citing your sources correctly using MHRA not only helps you stay academically honest but also boosts the credibility of your work. It shows your reader whether that’s your lecturer, examiner, or peer that your arguments are supported by real, credible research.

 

How to Use MHRA Footnotes

Let’s break down how footnotes work in the MHRA referencing style.

Whenever you quote, paraphrase, or refer to someone else’s work, you need to insert a superscript number right after the sentence or clause. This number corresponds to a footnote at the bottom of the page.

Here’s an example of what a book citation looks like in a footnote:

1. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (London: Penguin Classics, 2003), p. 45.

The first time you cite a source, you must include all the details: author name, book title in italics, publication city, publisher, year, and the specific page number.

If you refer to the same source again later, you don’t need to repeat everything. A shortened version will do:

4. Shelley, Frankenstein, p. 112.

This helps keep your footnotes clear and avoids repetition.

 

Creating Your MHRA Bibliography

At the end of your essay or dissertation, you’ll need to include a bibliography listing all the sources you’ve cited. Unlike footnotes, bibliography entries:

• Are listed alphabetically by the author’s last name

• Do not include page numbers (unless citing an article or chapter)

• Use slightly different formatting the author’s surname comes first, and there are no superscript numbers

Here’s how that same book would appear in your bibliography:

Shelley, Mary, Frankenstein (London: Penguin Classics, 2003)

If you cited journal articles, websites, or films, you’d follow similar rules: author first, then title, then publication info.

 

MHRA for Other Source Types

Here’s how to format different types of sources using MHRA:

Journal Articles
In a footnote:
2. John Smith, ‘Romanticism and Revolution’, Literature Review, 18 (2019), 122–134 (p. 123).

In the bibliography:
Smith, John, ‘Romanticism and Revolution’, Literature Review, 18 (2019), 122–134

Websites
In a footnote:
3. Modern Humanities Research Association, ‘MHRA Style Guide’, https://www.mhra.org.uk/style [accessed 15 July 2025].

In the bibliography:
Modern Humanities Research Association, ‘MHRA Style Guide’, https://www.mhra.org.uk/style [accessed 15 July 2025]

Films or Media
In a footnote:
4. The Great Gatsby, dir. by Baz Luhrmann (Warner Bros, 2013).

In the bibliography:
The Great Gatsby, dir. by Baz Luhrmann (Warner Bros, 2013)*

 

Common MHRA Mistakes to Avoid

Even though MHRA is relatively simple, many students make a few common errors. Here are a few to watch out for:

• Placing footnote numbers before punctuation – Always insert the number after the full stop or comma.

• Repeating full citations unnecessarily – Use short forms after the first mention.

• Mixing up footnotes and bibliography formatting – They follow different structures, so double-check.

• Forgetting to cite online sources properly – Always include the full link and the date you accessed the page.

• Inconsistent italics or punctuation – MHRA is strict with formatting, so stay consistent.

If you’re not confident, use citation tools or refer to the official MHRA Style Guide for more examples.

 

MHRA vs Other Referencing Styles

Many students wonder how MHRA compares to other styles like APA, Harvard, or Chicago. Here’s the short version:

• MHRA uses footnotes and a bibliography

• APA and Harvard use in-text citations and a reference list

• MHRA is mainly for arts and humanities

• APA is more common in psychology and social sciences

• Harvard is often used in business and general academic writing

So, if you’re writing essays in literature, philosophy, or history. MHRA is probably your best bet.

 

Tools and Help for MHRA Referencing

There are plenty of ways to make MHRA referencing easier:

• Use Zotero, Mendeley, or RefWorks all of which support MHRA-style citations.

• Keep a running list of sources while writing so you don’t forget to include them later.

• Ask your professor for a departmental guide, many universities have their own MHRA cheat sheets.

• And if you’re completely swamped, consider using assignment help services for formatting or proofreading support.

 

Final Thoughts

Learning to cite properly using the MHRA referencing style may take a little practice at first, but it’s a valuable skill and one that reflects your attention to detail and academic honesty.

From adding clear footnotes to formatting your final bibliography, every step contributes to a more professional and polished paper. Plus, once you’ve mastered MHRA, you’ll find it much easier to navigate other referencing styles in the future.

So the next time your professor asks for MHRA, you’ll know exactly what to do and you might even impress them with how clean and organized your work looks.

 

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