The standard style manuals do not provide examples for citing all the variants of government publications in a consistent fashion. The document itself may not have all the information needed, or it may be presented in a confusing fashion thus making citing difficult. Some government publications include a suggested citation, but overall citing government documents can be tricky.
The following is a good starting point:
- Arizona State University Libraries. Government Documents Service – DocsCite. [Interactive guide to MLA and APA formatting for government documents using templates and dropdown menus.]
The following sites and publications can also be helpful.
- The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law Review Association, c1991-. Guide for citing legal materials. Also available electronically.
- Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications. The University of Memphis. University Libraries. Government Publications. Online citation guide for government documents.
- Citing Government Documents. Columbia University Library. U.S. Government Documents. Bibliography of citation guides.
- Citing Maps. Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries. Online citation guide for citing maps.
- Citing Records in the National Archives of the United States. General Information Leaflet 17. Revised 2010. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2010. National Archives guide for citing their materials.
- The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: A Manual for Social Science & Business Research. 3rd. Edition. Debora Cheney. Bethesda, Maryland: LexisNexis: Congressional Information Service, c2002. A comprehensive guide to citing not only U.S. government documents but also foreign in all formats.
- Electronic Styles: A Handbook for Citing Electronic Information. Li, Xia. Medford, NJ: Information Today, 1996. Guide to citing electronic information resources.
- Online!: a Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources. Andrew Harnack and Gene Kleppinger. Boston, Massachusetts: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. Provides examples of citations for government document based on standard style manuals.
- Tutorial: Citing Government Publications (General Guidelines). University of North Texas. University Libraries. Basic overview of the elements required for a good citation and suggestions on how to find these elements for a government publication.
Ohio faculty, staff, and students who still have questions should consult the Citation Help LibGuide or contact the Copyright Resources Center for assistance.
