Republished Book with Translator & Editor

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 07/04/2025

Citing a republished book with both a translator and an editor in Harvard citation format requires careful attention. The source includes several contributors and publication dates, which must be recorded properly to achieve academic clarity.

Understanding the Elements of the Citation

• Author – The organization or individual responsible for the initial work. For individuals, provide the surname followed by initials (e.g. Freud, S.). For organizations, provide the full name as it is presented (e.g. World Health Organization).
• Year of Original Translation – The year that the book was initially translated and edited, presented in round brackets. This is not the year the book was initially written or published.
• Title (in italics) – Include the full title of the book in sentence case. Capitalise only proper nouns and the first word. Italicise the entire title.
• Translated – Use this term if the book has been translated into English (or another language) from another language. It brings in the name of the translator.
• Edited by – Use this phrase prior to inserting the name of the editor(s) of the publication.
• Translator/Editor Initial(s) – Include the initial(s) of the translator’s and/or editor’s first and middle name, if any.
• Translator/Editor Surname – Include the full surname of the translator and/or editor.
• Republished Year – The year of the specific version to be republished. This makes it separate from earlier editions.
• Location of publication – Include the city where the headquarters of the publisher are located. If a list of cities is provided, use the one that the headquarters of the publisher is located.
• Publisher – Include the full name of the publishing company that did the republication.

Citation Examples

Harvard standard citation style of a republished book with translator and an editor is:

Citation	Tolstoy, L. (1904) Anna Karenina. Translated and edited by C.J. Hogarth. Republished 2003. London: Wordsworth Editions.
Structure	Author Surname, Author Initial. (Year of original translation) Title. Translated and edited by Translator/Editor Initial. Translator/Editor Surname. Republished Year. Place of publication: Publisher.

The book was initially translated in 1904, and republished in 2003. C.J. Hogarth did the translation and editing.

In-Text Citations

Harvard in-text citation is in two forms: parenthetical and narrative. The format type depends on whether the author’s name is present or absent in the sentence.

Parenthetical

When the author’s name is absent in the sentence.

Example	(Tolstoy, 1904)
Structure	(Author Surname, Year)

Narrative

When the author’s name is present in the sentence.

Example	Tolstoy (1904) indicates that morality and social norms are sophisticated matters.
Structure	Author Surname (Year)

Key Formatting Rules

1. Italicise Title – Only italicise the title of the book. Don’t italicise “translated and edited by”.
2. Use Sentence Case for Titles – Capitalise only the first word and proper nouns in the title.
3. Give Full Credit to Contributors – Translator as well as editor both should be credited. If the same person carried out both the roles, mention their name once with both the functions.
4. List the Year of Original Translation, Not Original Work – Always give the year when it was translated and edited, and never the year the original was written.
5. Include the Year of Republication Separately – This year should follow the translator/editor credit and be specifically highlighted as the republication year.

Inspect the Title Page: Whenever you are citing a re-published book with both a translator and an editor, always use the title page of either the physical or electronic copy that you have. The title page gives the most up-to-date information for use in citation like the complete title, the name of the translator and the editor, and the publisher. Do not use the front cover, spine, Internet product listings, or library catalogues as the primary source of this data, as these generally give abbreviated or truncated information. Only the title page provides the official bibliographic record as planned by the publisher. Include the Correct Edition: Before producing a citation, make sure that the edition you are employing is identical to the republication year you plan on utilizing in your citation. Republished editions typically have new introductions, updated typesetting, or supplementary editorial comment. Employing an incorrect edition—i.e., the original publication or subsequent reprint—can mislead readers and affect the validity of your scholarly work. Always cite the very same edition that you have read and physically consulted. Use the Correct City: Several cities are occasionally listed on the title page or copyright page by publishers. In that case, use the city most strongly associated with the publisher’s main office. That is typically the first listed or the one identical to the country where the book is published. For example, if the cities “New York, London, Toronto” are listed, and the publisher is based primarily in the United States, then “New York” should be used. Do not list more than one city in the citation unless instructed by your institution or style guide. Follow Consistent Style: Harvard referencing requires spacing, punctuation, and formatting accuracy. Random formatting may create confusion or make your references appear amateurish, especially when citing multiple sources in a bibliography. Avoid Secondary Source Citations Where Possible: Wherever you can, cite the original republished version you have read rather than relying on other people’s quotations or summaries in other books. Secondary referencing—where one writer quotes another’s handling of a text—is prone to errors, misinterpretations, or out-dated information. Where direct access to the original republished version is not available, be explicit in showing that the source is secondary by having in place phrases like “cited in” following institutional guidelines. But where possible, cite on the basis of the actual edition you used so that you are sure to be right and be academically correct.