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Citing Government Documents in APA | Format & Examples

Published on February 11, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 27, 2023.

APA Style doesn’t provide a special format for citing government documents. Instead, you should determine what kind of source you’re dealing with—usually a report or a web page—and use the appropriate format.

To cite a government web page that doesn’t list an individual author , use the following format, listing the name of the government organization in the author position . If the name listed in the author position is the same as the website name (as in the example here), only list it once.

You can also use our free APA Citation Generator to automatically create accurate citations.

Table of contents

Citing government websites with individual authors, citing a government report in apa style, frequently asked questions about apa style citations.

When a government webpage does list an individual author or authors, list them in the author position, and always include the site name.

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If the document you are trying to cite is a report (usually labeled as such and often found in PDF form online), the format again differs slightly based on whether individual authors are listed.

Individual authors

To cite a report with one or more named authors, use the format below.

If there is no report number, leave that part out. The publisher should be identified clearly; list the specific organization and any department they are a part of if needed to identify them unambiguously.

Group authors

When a report doesn’t list a specific author, list the organization in the author position .

Any parent agencies necessary to identify the organization clearly can be listed in the publisher position. Otherwise, just omit this part; don’t repeat the same name in the author and publisher positions.

When no individual author name is listed, but the source can clearly be attributed to a specific organization—e.g., a press release by a charity, a report by an agency, or a page from a company’s website—use the organization’s name as the author in the reference entry and APA in-text citations .

When no author at all can be determined—e.g. a collaboratively edited wiki or an online article published anonymously—use the title in place of the author. In the in-text citation, put the title in quotation marks if it appears in plain text in the reference list, and in italics if it appears in italics in the reference list. Shorten it if necessary.

When you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a source, you need to indicate the location of the passage in your APA in-text citation . If there are no page numbers (e.g. when citing a website ) but the text is long, you can instead use section headings, paragraph numbers, or a combination of the two:

(Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).

Section headings can be shortened if necessary. Kindle location numbers should not be used in ebook citations , as they are unreliable.

If you are referring to the source as a whole, it’s not necessary to include a page number or other marker.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, December 27). Citing Government Documents in APA | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 8, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/goverment-document/

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Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite a government website in APA

Generally, it is not necessary to cite a website in a reference entry in APA style. According to the APA guidelines , one can simply add the URL of the website as an in-text citation, e.g.:

The website USA gov (https://www.usa.gov/) claims to be an online guide to government information and services.

To cite a government website in a reference entry in APA style 6th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of government website: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to seven authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For eight or more authors include the first six names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
• Date of publication: Give the year, month and day in brackets followed by a full stop, e.g. (2019, June 13).
• Title of government website: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Format: Describe any specific item found on the website, e.g. Brochure, Image, Video file, etc.
• URL: Give the full URL of the web page including the protocol (http:// or https://).

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a government website in APA style 6th edition:

Author(s) of government website . ( Date of publication ). Title of government website [ Format ]. Retrieved from URL

To cite a government website in a reference entry in APA style 7th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of government website: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For 21 or more authors include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
• Title of the webpage: Give the title of the specific webpage an italicize.
• Title of the website: Give the official title of the website.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a government website in APA style 7th edition:

Author(s) of government website . ( Date of publication ). Title of the webpage . Title of the website . URL

APA reference list examples

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the APA style guidelines for a government website citation in action:

A brochure found on a website by a government agency

Office for Human Research Protections . ( n.d. ). Becoming a research volunteer: It's your decision [ Brochure ]. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/sites/default/files/ohrp/education/ brochures/3panelfinal.pdf

A website by a government agency

Office for Human Research Protections . ( n.d. ). Becoming a research volunteer: It's your decision . U.S. Department of Health & Human Services . https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/sites/default/files/ohrp/education/ brochures/3panelfinal.pdf

A video found on a website by a government agency

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau . ( 2018, Oct 19 ). Managing someone else's money: Guidebooks for financial caregivers [ Video file ]. Retrieved from https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/managing-someone-elses-money/

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau . ( 2018, Oct 19 ). Managing someone else's money: Guidebooks for financial caregivers . https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/managing-someone-elses-money/

Note: When the author and website name are the same, omit the website name from the citation.

This citation style guide is based on the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ( 6 th edition).

More useful guides

• APA Citation for Government Documents
• How to Cite a Government Site Without an Author in APA Format
• APA blog: How to Cite Something You Found on a Website in APA Style

More great BibGuru guides

• Harvard: how to cite an online magazine article
• Chicago: how to cite an honors thesis
• MLA: how to cite a website

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APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Government & Legal Documents

• Introduction
• Journal Articles
• Magazine/Newspaper Articles
• Books & Ebooks
• Government & Legal Documents
• Biblical Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Films/Videos/TV Shows
• How to Cite: Other
• Additional Help

Table of Contents

Government document from a website, government document in print, court decision.

Statute (Legislation)

Unenacted Bill or Resolution

Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

Government Documents often have a group/corporate author listed instead of a specific person's name. The author may be the name of a department, commitee or agency.

When the government department, agency or committee that created the document is also the publisher, omit the publisher name to avoid repetition. The names of parent agencies, if applicable, may be used as the publisher.

Capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title. If there is a colon (:) in the title, also capitalize the first letter of the first word after the colon.

Capitalize the first letter of proper names in titles, such as names of places or people.

Place of Publication

Omit the publisher location in the reference unless they are works associated with specific locations (e.g. a conference presentation). For cities in the US and Canada list the city name and the province or state code. For other countries, list the city name and the country. Examples: Toronto, ON ; Tokyo, Japan

Electronic Government Documents

Many government documents are now published electronically as well as in print. Provide the publisher name and the url.

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of Publication, Month Day).  Title of document: Subtitle if given  (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name. URL

United States Department of Children and Youth Services. (2010, April 27).  Your preschool child's speech and language development. United States Department of Health & Human Services. http://www.children.gov./htdocs/English/topics/earlychildhood/ speechlanguage/brochure_preschool.aspx

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee, Year)

Example: (United States Department of Children and Youth Services, 2010)

In-Text Quote:

(Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee, Year, Section Name section, para. Paragraph Number if more than one paragraph in section)

(United States Department of Children and Youth Services, 2010, By Age Five section, para. 4)

Note: When there are no visible page numbers or paragraph numbers, you may cite the section heading and the number of the paragraph in that section to identify where your quote came from.

Abbreviating Corporation/Group Author Name in In-Text citations:

Author names for corporations/groups can often be abbreviated. The first time you refer to the author, provide the full name, along with the abbreviation.

If the group name appears in the text of your paper, include the abbreviation in the in-text parenthetical citation:

Example: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA, 2019) assisted in the rescue of 40 dogs.

If the group name first appears within a parenthetical citation, include the full group name as well as the abbreviation in square brackets:

Example: Forty dogs were rescued in Bendena, Kansas (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [ASPCA], 2019).

Provide the full group name (without an abbreviation) in the reference list entry: 

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (2019, November 21).  Justice served: Case closed for over 40 dogfighting victims . https://www.aspca.org/news/justice-served-case-closed-over-40-dogfighting-victims

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of Publication).  Title of document: Subtitle if given  (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name.

National Health Council. (2007).  Americans' experience with chronic illness care in 2007 .

Note: When the government department, agency or committee that created the document is also the publisher, omit the publisher name in the reference.

Example: (National Health Council, 2007)

(Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee, Year, p. Page Number)

Example: (National Health Council, 2007, p. 4)

Name v. Name, Volume Source Page (Court Date).

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).

(Brown v. Board of Education, 1954).

(Brown v. Board of Education, 1954, Syllabus (d)).

Italicize the case name if you include it in the text of your paper.

Name of Act, public law number, (year).

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Pub. L. No. 104-191, § 264, 110 Stat.1936.

(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA] of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191)

(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191, S. 264)

Title [if there is one], bill or resolution number, xxx Cong. (year).

Example (Senate):

Anti-Phishing Act, S. 472, 109th Cong. (2005).

Example: (House):

Anti-Phishing Act, H.R. 1099, 109th Cong. (2005).

(Anti-Phishing Act, 2005)

(Anti-Phishing Act, 2005, S. 1351 "Internet Fraud")

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• Next: Websites >>
• Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024 3:40 PM
• URL: https://libguides.up.edu/apa

APA Citation Style, 7th edition: Government Document

• General Style Guidelines
• One Author or Editor
• Two Authors or Editors
• Three to Five Authors or Editors
• Article or Chapter in an Edited Book
• Article in a Reference Book
• Edition other than the First
• Translation
• Government Publication
• Journal Article with 1 Author
• Journal Article with 2 Authors
• Journal Article with 3–20 Authors
• Journal Article 21 or more Authors
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Basic Web Page
• Web page from a University site
• Web Page with No Author
• Entry in a Reference Work
• Government Document
• Film and Television
• Youtube Video
• Audio Podcast
• Electronic Image
• Twitter/Instagram
• Lecture/PPT
• Conferences
• Secondary Sources
• Citation Support
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting Your Paper

Online Government Document

For more tips on citing government sources, check out the Government Publication section under the Books tab.

General Format

In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):

(Government Author, Year)

In-Text Citation (Quotation):

(Government Author, Year, page or paragraph number [if available])

References:

Name of Government Agency. (Year). Title of document: Subtitle . URL of specific document

First time: (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 2020)

Subsequently: (HUD, 2020)

First time: (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 2020, p. XX)

Subsequently: (HUD, 2020, p. XX)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2020). National comprehensive housing market analysis . https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/pdf/National-CHMA-20.pdf

TIP: To abbreviate or not abbreviate?

QUESTION: If I am citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the in-text citation, do I need to use the full name or can I just use CDC?

ANSWER: If the corporate author names (corporations, organizations, and government agencies) are readily identified by an abbreviation, you should include the full name in the first citation along with the abbreviation in brackets and then use the abbreviation in all other subsequent in-text citations.

Example: First in-text citation

• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014)

Example: Subsequent in-text citations

• (CDC, 2014)

Subject Guide

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• Next: Audiovisual Media >>

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APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Government Documents

• Audiovisual Media
• Books and eBooks
• Dictionaries, Thesauruses and Encyclopedias
• Figures and Tables
• Government Documents
• Journal, Magazine and Newspaper Articles
• Personal Communications
• Presentations and Class Notes
• Social Media
• Websites and Webpages
• Generative AI
• In-Text Citation
• Reference List and Sample Papers
• Annotated Bibliography
• Citation Software

Report by a Government Agency or Other Organization

Organization name. (Year).  Title of report (Report No. xxx [if applicable]). Publisher .  URL

World Health Organization. (2014). WHO guidance to protect health from climate change through health adaptation planning . https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-guidance-to-protect-health-from-climate-change-through-health-adaptation-planning

Note : When the publisher is the same as the author, which is often the case for group authors, omit the publisher.

Report by Individual Authors at a Government Agency or Other Organization

Author, A. A. (Year).  Title of report  (Report No. xxx [if applicable]). Organization Name. URL

Copeland, M. E. (2005).  Recovering your mental health: A self-help guide . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://permanent.fdlp.gov/lps80208/SMA-3504.pdf 

• << Previous: Figures and Tables
• Next: Journal, Magazine and Newspaper Articles >>

• Research guides

A Guide to APA Style 7th Edition

Citing government documents, example legal references and citations in apa.

• Bill Digest or Bill Summary
• Federal Legislation and Laws
• Hearings and Testimonies
• House and Senate Reports
• Congressional Debates
• Codes/Regulations
• CQ Databases
• Unnumbered Federal/Committee Documents
• State Legislation and Laws
• Executive Documents
• Congressional Research Service Reports
• European Union Directives and Proposals
• Govtrack.us
• Court Rules
• UN Convention/Treaty
• Symbols and Abbreviations

Bill summary from a database

Congressional Research Service. (1993, September 10). Violence Against Women Act of 1993: S. 11, 103rd Cong. Proquest Congressional.

(Congressional Research Service [CRS], 1993), successive citations as (CRS, 1993)

Congressional Research Service (1993)

Bill summary from Congress.gov

Congressional Research Service. (1993, September 10). Summary: S.11 - Violence Against Women Act of 1993. https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/11

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, P.L. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1796. (1994).

Violence Against Women Act of 1994, P.L. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1902.

Violence Against Women Act, 42 U.S.C. § 13701 (1994).

(Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act [VCCLEA], 1994), successive citations as (VCCLEA, 1994)

Unenacted Bill

Violence Against Women Act, H.R. 1502, 102nd Cong. (1991).

H.R. 1502, 102nd Cong. (1991).

(Violence Against Women Act [VAWA], 1991), successive citations as (VAWA, 1991)

(H.R 1502, 1991)

Enacted Bill

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, H.R. 3355, 103rd Cong. (1994) (enacted).

(Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, 1994)

Entire Hearing

Violence against women: Victims of the system: Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, Senate , 102nd Cong. 1 (1991).

( Violence Against Women , 1991)

Testimony during the Hearing:

Violence against women: Victims of the system: Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, Senate , 102nd Cong. 131 (1991) (testimony of Amy Kaylor).

( Violence Against Women , 1991, p. 131)

State Hearing

An Act Relative to Work and Family Mobility H.3012 & S.2061: A Public Hearing before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Transportation , 191st Gen. Crt. (Mass. 2019, September 4). https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3261

( An Act Relative to Work , 2019)

Senate Report

S. Rep. No. 103-138 (1993).

Senate Report No. 103-138 (1993)

(S. Rep. No. 103-138, 1993)

House Report

H. Rep. No. 103-395 (1993).

House Report No. 103-395 (1993)

(H. Rep. No. 103-395, 1993)

Congressional Record Daily

140 Cong. Rec. E1,449 (daily ed. July 13, 1994) (statement of Rep. Schroeder).

(140 Cong. Rec. E1,449, 1994)

In her statements to Congress, Rep. Schroeder stated that, "VAWA would send an unequivocal message that police, prosecutors, and judges, the public can no longer cast aside domestic violence and stalking as personal problems" (140 Cong. Rec. E1449, 1994).

Permanent Bound Edition of Congressional Record

140 Cong. Rec. 16,496 (1994) (statement of Rep. Schroeder).

(140 Cong. Rec. 16,496, 1994)

State Journals or Records

H. 166-1, 2nd Sess., at 89 (Nh. 2020). http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/caljourns/journals/2020/HJ_1.pdf

(H. 166-1, 2020)

Code of Federal Regulations

8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2018-title8-vol1/CFR-2018-title8-vol1-sec101-1

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2018-title8-vol1/CFR-2018-title8-vol1-sec101-1

8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018).

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018).

Federal Register

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 68 Fed. Reg. 9832 (Feb. 28, 2003) (to be codified at 8 C.F.R. pt. 101). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/02/28/03-4935/aliens-and-nationality-homeland-security-reorganization-of-regulations

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 68 Fed. Reg. 9832 (2003)

State Codes

603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018). http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr28.html

Special Education, 603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018). http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr28.html

Massachuesetts

603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018)

Special Education, 603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018)

Greenbook (Print/PDF)

Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives. (2004). 2004 green book: Background material and data on the programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means (18th ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office.

Committee on Ways and Means (2004) reported that enrollment in the AFDC soared in 1994, covering more than a fifth of children in the country (p. 7-2).

(Committee on Ways and Means, 2004, p. 7-2)

Greenbook (Web Version)

Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives. (2014). 2014 green book: Background material and data on the programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means (22nd ed.). http://greenbook.waysandmeans.house.gov/2014-green-book

According to the Committee on Ways and Means (2014) 50% of the Employee Benefits program is covered federally and the other half is covered by the state (chapter 4, Introduction section, para. 3).

(Committee on Ways and Means, 2014, chapter 4, Introduction section, para. 3)

Landmark education bill signed. (2002). CQ almanac 2001 (57th ed.). Congressional Quarterly.

"Landmark Education Bill" (2002)

("Landmark Education Bill," 2002, Highlights section)

Unnumbered Federal/ Committee Documents

Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 104th Cong., Rep. on Violence Against Women Act in action (Comm. Print 1995).

(Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1995)

Senate Committee on the Judiciary (1995)

Unenacted State Bill

H. 199, 189 th Gen. Ct., Sess. (Mass. 2015). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H199

(H. 199, 2015) or H. 199 (2015)

Enacted State Bill

H. 199, 189 th Gen. Ct., Sess. (Mass. 2015) (enacted). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H199

State General Law

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101 (2017). https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXV/Chapter106/Article1/Section1-101

Subscription Database

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101 (LexisNexis 2013)

(Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101, 2013)

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101 (2013)

Association of Social Work Boards. (2012). Return of organization exempt from income tax [Form 990] . http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/222/222414510/222414510_201212_990.pdf

(Association of Social Work Boards, 2012)

Executive Order from Whitehouse.gov

Trump, D. (2017, February 9). Presidential executive order on enforcing federal law with respect to transnational criminal organizations and preventing international trafficking. White House Press Office. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/09/presidential-executive-order-enforcing-federal-law-respect-transnational

Trump (2017)

(Trump, 2017, section 2(a))

Executive Orders in the Federal Register

Exec. Order. No. 13,515, 74 F.R. 53635 (2009). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/10/19/E9-25268/increasing- participation-of-asian-americans-and-pacific-islanders-in-federal-programs

Exec. Order No. 13,515 (2009)

(Exec. Order No. 13,515, 2009, p. 53,637)

Memorandum From Other Departments or Agencies

Napolitano, J. (2012, June 15). Exercising prosecutorial discretion with respect to individuals who came to the United States as children [Memorandum]. United States Department of Homeland Security Digital Library. https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=712428

Napolitano (2012)

(Napolitano, 2012, para. 5)

Letter From One Department to Another

Letter from Jessica Shahin, Assoc. Admin., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to Elizabeth Berlin, Exec. Deputy Comm., New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (Aug. 18, 2011). https://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/SNAP-Waiver-Request-Decision.pdf

"Letter from Jessica Shahin" (2011)

("Letter from Jessica Shahin," 2011, para. 5)

Presidential Papers from the Public Papers of the Presidents

Remarks on a Parental Leave Initiative and an Exchange With Reporters, 2 Pub. Papers 2163 (Nov. 30, 1999). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PPP-1999-book2/pdf/PPP-1999-book2-doc-pg2163.pdf

"Remarks on a Parental Leave" (1999)

("Remarks on a Parental Leave," 1999, p. 2165)

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Presidential Statement on Signing S. 643 Into Law, 16 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 503 (Mar. 18, 1980). Hein Online.

"Presidential Statement" (1980)

("Presidential Statement",1980)

Congressional Research Services Reports

Sacco, L. (2014, March 6). Violence Against Women Act: Overview, legislation, and federal funding (CRS Report No. R42499). Hein Online.

Without author:

Congressional Research Services. (2015, May 26). Violence Against Women Act: Overview, legislation, and federal funding (CRS Report No. R42499). https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R42499

With author:

(Sacco, 2014)

Sacco (2014) stated that ... (p. 18)

(Congressional Research Services, 2014)

Congressional Research Services (2014) stated that... (p. 18)

Directive 2013/32 of the European Parliament and the Council of 26 June 2013 on Common Procedures for Granting and Withdrawing International Protection (recast), 2013 O.J. (L 108) 60.  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2013:180:TOC

(Directive 2013/32, 2013)

Proposal of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing a Common Procedure for International Protection in the Unionand Repealing Directive 2013/32/EU , COM (2016) 467 final (July 13, 2016). http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016PC0467  

(Proposal of the European Parliament, 2016)  

Govtrack.us Comparing Bill Versions

Reference both bills that are being compared and indicate their stage in parenthesis with the date.

Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, H.R. 315, 115th Cong. (as passed by House, January 9, 2017). Civic Impulse. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr315/text/eh#compare=350473:is

Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, S. 783, 115th Cong. (as introduced by Senate, March 30, 2017). Civic Impulse. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr315/text/eh#compare=350473:is

(Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, H.R. 315, 2017)

(Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, S. 783, 2017)

Govtrack.us as a Website Tool

Govtrack.us [Web tool]. (n.d.). https://www.govtrack.us/

Govtrack.us (n.d.)

State Court Rule

Mass. Sup. Ct. R. 3:30. (2012). https://www.mass.gov/supreme-judicial-court-rules/supreme-judicial-court-rule-303-legal-assistance-to-the-commonwealth

Mass. Sup. Ct. R. 3:30. (2012)

United Nations Convention or Treaty

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol, December, 13, 2006, http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (2006)

Common Symbols and Abbreviations

§ = section, refers to a particular part of a document, usually in legal materials

• To create the § use the Character Map on a PC or go to Edit then Emoji and Symbols and search for "section" on Mac.

ch. = Chapter

Cong. = Congress, usually refers to a specific session of congress, i.e. 101st Cong.

CRS = Congressional Research Service, an arm of the Library Congress that conducts research on policy for the US Congress

Gen. Ct. = General Court, usually refers to a state level congressional session

H.R. or H. = House of Representatives

P.L. = Public Law

Rep. or Rep. No. = Report or report number

S. or Sen. = Senate

Sess. = Session

Stat. = Statute, usually refers to session laws, a chronological compilation of laws organized by volume and page number

U.S.C. = United States Code

Citation Resources

The APA Publication Manual gives guidelines for referencing some legal resources on page 216, Appendix 7.1. For anything not represented in the Manual, APA recommends using The Bluebook.

We include as many citation examples as possible in this guide. If you don't find what you are looking for in this guide, ask a librarian for assistance.

Quick Links to Example Legal Citations in APA:

• Basic Legal Citation - Cornell University
• Citing Government Documents in APA - Cornell University
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APA (7th ed.) Citation Style Guide: Government Documents

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Government Documents and Grey Literature

Government document citations include:

• Author or authors.  The Author may be a government or corporate entity.
• Title of report.  Provide the report number in brackets if given.
• Publisher.  Omit the publisher information if the author and the publisher are the same 
• DOI or URL is hyperlinked. "Retrieved from" is omitted.

"There are many kinds of reports, including government reports, technical reports, and research reports...They are part of a body of literature sometimes referred to as grey literature.  The category of grey literature includes press releases, codes of ethics, grants, policy briefs, issue briefs, and so forth.  It is optional-but often helpful-to describe these less common types of grey literature in square brackets after the title....When the publisher is the same as the author, which is often the case for group authors, omit the publisher from the source element." ( Publication manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed., 2020, p. 329)

For a government agency, use the most  specific agency .

Report by a Government Agency or Other Organisation

Author, A.A. (Year of report). Title of report (report number if given). URL

British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. (2005). British Columbia pandemic influenza preparedness plan: Guidelines for planning, response and recovery . http://www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_plans/BC_PI_Plan_Fina1_PAB_REVISED-AUG.pdf

Parenthetical citation: (British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 2005)

Narrative citation: British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (2005)

Use the specific agency as the author for government documents. APA says that it may look complicated with a lot of different levels and agencies and that we can simplify by using just the specific agency. The rest of the information is not lost as it will come up later in the citation. For further information on citing government agencies as the author, please refer to the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020, p. 288

Report by Individual Authors at a Government Agency or Other Organization

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of report (report number if given). Publisher. URL

Pearson, C. (2015). The impact of mental health problems on family members . Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2015001/article/14214-eng.pdf

Parenthetical citation: (Pearson, 2015)

Narrative citation: Pearson (2015)

Government Document - Print

Statistics Canada. (2006). Women in Canada, 2005: A gender-based statistical report (Catalogue no. 89-503-XIE). 

Parenthetical citation: (Statistics Canada, 2006)

Narrative citation: Statistics Canada (2006)

"When the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher from the source element." (Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., 2020, p. 324)

Statistics Canada - CANSIM data

Statistics Canada. (2021). Canadian economic dashboard and COVID-19 [Data visualization tool]. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2020009-eng.htm

Parenthetical citation: (Statistics Canada, 2021)

Narrative citation: Statistics Canada (2021)

Parliamentary Document

House of Commons Canada. (2013, February). Tax incentives for charitable giving in Canada. Report of the Standing Committee on Finance, 41st Parliament, 1st Session.  https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/41-1/FINA/report-15

Parenthetical citation: (House of Commons Canada, 2013)

Narrative citation: House of Commons Canada (2013)

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APA Citation Style, 7th Edition: Government Websites & Publications, & Gray Literature

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Government Websites, Government Publications, & Gray Literature

Tips on citing APA 7th edition references for Government reports and Gray (or Grey) Literature (p. 329-331): 

• Gray literature (or grey literature: either spelling is correct), is generally unpublished research that can include government reports, research reports, theses, dissertations, poster sessions, conference sessions or proceedings, etc... While gray literature is not considered scholarly (or technically peer-reviewed) it is still an important source of information because it is produced by researchers and practitioners in the field. It is often data, summaries, facts, statistics, or other information from current and ongoing research (Weintraub, 2000). (Paraphrased from Weintraub, I. (2000). The role of grey literature in the sciences .  https://web.archive.org/web/20080212130534/https://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/access/greyliter.htm ) 
• Government reports often contain a publication number or report number. Make sure to add this information after the title of the document in parenthesis.
•  As in all other APA 7th edition citations, if the publisher is the same as the author (which can often be the case for government reports and gray literature), you do not include the publisher in the source area of the reference. 
• If an agency or corporation is the author, the names can be abbreviated after the first in-text citation. For example, a first citation from the National Institute of Mental Health would be (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018), and all remaining citations would be (NIMH, 2018). 

Reference Example 1:

National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute. (2016).  The heart truth for African American women: Take action to protect your heart fact sheet (NIH Publication No. 16-5066). US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health .  https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/all-publications-and-resources/heart-truth-african-american-women-take-action-protect

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute [NHLBI], 2016) - first citation

(NHLBI, 2016) - all subsequent citations

In-text Citation (Direct Quote):

(National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute [NHLBI], 2016, p.8) - first citation

(NHLBI, 2016, p. 8) - all subsequent citations

Reference Example 2:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, June 16). Clinical growth charts .  https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017) - first citation

(CDC, 2017) - all subsequent citations

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016, para.3) - first citation

(CDC, 2016, para.3)  - all subsequent citations

• APA 7 Government Website Examples A PDF with three examples of different types of government websites and how to correctly add reference entries for them in your paper.

Carrie Forbes, MLS

Page References

Citation information has been adapted from the APA Manual (7th Edition). Please refer to Chapter 10: Reference Examples, pp. 329-331 for more information. 

Helpful Tips

If you are citing a report, issue brief, or any other type of document issued with a number, include the type of document and number of publication in parenthesis directly after the title.

Example from page 329 of APA Manual:

National Cancer Institute. (2018).  Facing forward: Life after cancer treatment  [NIH Publication No. 18-2424]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/life-after-treatment.pdf

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Need to contact a specific librarian? Find your liaison.

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APA Style 6th Edition: Citing Your Sources

• Basics of APA Formatting
• In Text Quick View
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Standard Format

Various examples.

• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
• Additional Resources
• Sample Reference Page

Census Data

U.S. Census Bureau (year data was published). Name of data or report. Retrieved from URL

Federal Statutes

Name of the Statute, Title number Source § Section number(s) (Year).

Congressional Bills

Title, Bill or Resolution Number, Number of Congress Cong., Number of Session Sess. (Year).

Government report

Government Author/Agency. (year). Title of report: Subtitle of report if applicable (Report No. 123). Retrieved from URL

IRS/Tax Forms

Government agency. (Year of publication). Title of form . Retrieved from source URL

Court Cases United States Supreme Court Decisions

Name v. Name. Vol. number U.S. Page number. (Year).

CA Court Cases

Name v. Name, volume number Reporter Abbreviation page number (Court abbreviation year).

CA Code (usually preferred format, using citation to California Codes)

Name of law (if available), State Abbreviation Code Abbreviation § section number(s) (Year if available).

CA Bill/Chapter (use if new law updates many code sections instead of one)

Name of law, State Abbreviation Branch (Assemb. or S.) Bill number, Chapter number (Cal. Stat. Year).

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How to Cite U.S. Government Documents in APA Citation Style: Rules/Regulations -- Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) and the Federal Register

• House and Senate Reports and Documents
• Congressional Hearings & Testimony
• Congressional Record
• Congressional Bills and Resolutions
• Federal Laws/Statutes
• Executive Documents -- Presidential Papers, Proclamations and Executive Orders
• Rules/Regulations -- Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) and the Federal Register

A note about URLs

Rules/regulations.

• Foreign Relations of the United States
• State Legislative Documents
• State Statutes (Laws)
• Court Cases
• Government Agencies
• Other legal citations

If you found your reference in an academic database (like Proquest Congressional Publications, or Hein Online), the database URL is not included.

If you found your reference on the open web (for example, govinfo.gov, add the DOI (or, if a DOI is not available, the URL), after the final period.

See page 296 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , (2020) for more information.

• Regulations are first published in the Federal Register before being codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) . 
• If the regulation does not yet appear in the C.F.R, cite to the Federal Register.
• The Federal Register entry will include information about where the regulation will appear in the C.F.R. This information should also be included at the end of your citation, in parentheses.

Note: The C.F.R. is organized by titles, chapters, parts, and sections. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association provides an example of citing to a specific section, using the section symbol. If you are citing to the entire part, you may wish to use the The Bluebook guidelines, by adding pt. or pts. Chapters are not included in citations.

Regulation published in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.):

• (Filing Copies of Campaign Finance Reports and Statements With State Officers, 2000)
• Filing Copies of Campaign Finance Reports and Statements With State Officers (2000)

Reference list:

• Filing Copies of Campaign Finance Reports and Statements With State Officers, 11 C.F.R. pt.108 (2000). URL
• Filing Copies of Campaign Finance Reports and Statements With State Officers, Duties of State Officers, 11 C.F.R. § 108.6 (2000). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2000-title11-vol1/pdf/CFR-2000-title11-vol1.pdf

Regulation that has appeared in the Federal Register as a Final Rule but has not yet been published in the Code of Federal Regulations:

Provide the title or number (or other descriptive information) and the date published.

• (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program, 2013)
• Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program (2013)
• Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program, 78 Fed. Reg. 73356 (2013) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. pts. 1710, 1717, 1721, 1724, 1730). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2013-12-05/2013-29158

Explanation: The official posting of this new rule appears on page 73355 of the 78th volume of the Federal Register, affecting parts 1710, 1717, et. al. in the Code of Federal Regulations. The Federal Register does not point to specific sections of the parts.

Regulation proposed in the Federal Register for comments.

• (Endangered and Threatened Species, 2021)
• Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Threatened Indo-Pacific Corals (2021)

Note: It is generally permissible to shorten long titles when included in a parenthetical reference. The important point is to lead your reader to the location of the reference in the reference list.

Reference List:

Endangered and Threatened Species; Critical Habitat for the Threatened Indo-Pacific Corals, 85 F.R. 76262 (proposed November 27, 2020) (to be codified at 50 C.F.R. pts. 223, 226). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2020-11-27/2020-21226

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Government Documents

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On This Page

Government document from a website, government document in print.

Note : All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

Government Documents often have a group/corporate author listed instead of a specific person's name. The author may be the name of a department, commitee or agency.

When the government department, agency or committee that created the document is also the publisher, omit the publisher name.

Capitalize the first letter of the first word of the title. If there is a colon (:) in the title, also capitalize the first letter of the first word after the colon.

Capitalize the first letter of proper names in titles, such as names of places or people. Example: Canada

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of Publication, Month Day). Title of document: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name. URL

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of Publication). Title of document: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name.

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How to Cite Government Websites in APA

Last Updated: March 6, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 31,852 times. Learn more...

When you're writing a research paper, American Psychological Association (APA) style requires you to cite your sources in two ways. The entry in your Reference List at the end of your paper provides full publication information that will allow readers to locate the source and read it themselves. A parenthetical in-text citation points the reader to the full entry in the Reference List. APA style does not have a distinct category for government publications. If you use a government website as a source, you would generally use the same format as you would use for any other website . However, if you're citing a report or brochure available on the website, your format will be somewhat different. [1] X Research source

Reference List Entry

• Example: National Cancer Institute.

Tip: While government agencies often list a hierarchy of departments, you only need to include the name of the most specific responsible agency. For example, you would use "National Cancer Institute" instead of "U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute."

• Example: National Cancer Institute. (2016).

• Example: National Cancer Institute. (2016). Taking part in cancer treatment research studies

• Report example: National Cancer Institute. (2016). Taking part in cancer treatment research studies (Publication No. 16-6249).
• Brochure example: U.S. Department of the Interior. (2012). Snakes of the Everglades [Brochure].

• Report example: National Cancer Institute. (2016). Taking part in cancer treatment research studies (Publication No. 16-6249). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/CRS.pdf
• Brochure example: U.S. Department of the Interior. (2012). Snakes of the Everglades [Brochure]. Retrieved from https://www.doi.gov/fl/everglades/snakes.aspx

In-Text Citation

• Example: (U.S. Department of Interior,

Exception: APA style allows you to use an abbreviated version of the government author in your text if you're mentioning the agency often. In that case, you can also use the abbreviation in your parenthetical citation.

• (U.S. Department of Interior, 2012).

• For example, you might write: Invasive Burmese pythons are blamed for the decline of native small mammal populations because they "have been regularly found in the stomachs of Burmese pythons" captured in and around the Everglades (U.S. Department of Interior, 2012, para. 3).

• For example, you might write "A 2012 study by the U.S. Department of Interior noted the raccoon population of the southernmost region of Everglades National Park has decreased by 99.3 percent since 1997."
• If you include the name of the agency in your text, place the year of publication in parentheses immediately after the name of the agency. For example, you might write "According to the U.S. Department of Interior (2012), invasive Burmese pythons have eradicated or nearly eradicated many species of native mammals, including marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits, raccoons, and foxes."

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/c.php?g=27779&p=170369
• ↑ https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2018/09/how-to-cite-a-government-report-in-apa-style.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_electronic_sources.html
• ↑ https://libguides.up.edu/apa/websites
• ↑ https://columbiacollege-ca.libguides.com/apa/governmentdocs
• ↑ https://nwtc.libguides.com/citations/APA7
• ↑ https://columbiacollege-ca.libguides.com/apa/websites
• ↑ https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/intext

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APA Format & Citation Style, 7th edition

• Government Document
• General Style Guidelines
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• Edition other than the First
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• Government Publication
• Journal Article with One Author
• Journal Article with 2 Authors
• Journal Article with 3 or More Authors
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• Basic Web Page
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Online Government Document

For more tips on citing government sources, check out the Government Publication section under the Books tab.

General Format

In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):

(Government Author, Year)

In-Text Citation (Quotation):

(Government Author, Year, page or paragraph number [if available])

References:

Government Name. Name of Government Agency. (Year). Title of document: Subtitle (Report No. xxx [if available]). URL of specific document

(Environment Canada, 2004)

Environment Canada. Canadian Wildlife Service. (2004). The 1995 peregrine falcon survey in Canada. U. Banasch & G. Holroyd (Eds). (Occasional Paper no. 110). http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/publications/AbstractTemplate.cfm?lang=e&id=1067

TIP: To abbreviate or not abbreviate?

QUESTION: If I am citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the in-text citation, do I need to use the full name or can I just use CDC?

ANSWER: If the corporate author names (corporations, organizations, and government agencies) are readily identified by an abbreviation, you should include the full name in the first citation along with the abbreviation in brackets and then use the abbreviation in all other subsequent in-text citations.

Example: First in-text citation

• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014)

Example: Subsequent in-text citations

• (CDC, 2014)
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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

In-Text Citations: The Basics

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Reference citations in text are covered on pages 261-268 of the Publication Manual. What follows are some general guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay.

Note:  On pages 117-118, the Publication Manual suggests that authors of research papers should use the past tense or present perfect tense for signal phrases that occur in the literature review and procedure descriptions (for example, Jones (1998)  found  or Jones (1998)  has found ...). Contexts other than traditionally-structured research writing may permit the simple present tense (for example, Jones (1998)  finds ).

APA Citation Basics

When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

If you are referring to an idea from another work but  NOT  directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference.

On the other hand, if you are directly quoting or borrowing from another work, you should include the page number at the end of the parenthetical citation. Use the abbreviation “p.” (for one page) or “pp.” (for multiple pages) before listing the page number(s). Use an en dash for page ranges. For example, you might write (Jones, 1998, p. 199) or (Jones, 1998, pp. 199–201). This information is reiterated below.

Regardless of how they are referenced, all sources that are cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

In-text citation capitalization, quotes, and italics/underlining

• Always capitalize proper nouns, including author names and initials: D. Jones.
• If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source:  Permanence and Change . Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs:  Writing New Media ,  There Is Nothing Left to Lose .

( Note:  in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized:  Writing new media .)

• When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word:  Natural-Born Cyborgs .
• Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: "Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock's  Vertigo ."
• If the title of the work is italicized in your reference list, italicize it and use title case capitalization in the text:  The Closing of the American Mind ;  The Wizard of Oz ;  Friends .
• If the title of the work is not italicized in your reference list, use double quotation marks and title case capitalization (even though the reference list uses sentence case): "Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds;" "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry."

Short quotations

If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference (preceded by "p." for a single page and “pp.” for a span of multiple pages, with the page numbers separated by an en dash).

You can introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the author's last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses.

If you do not include the author’s name in the text of the sentence, place the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses after the quotation.

Long quotations

Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout, but do not add an extra blank line before or after it. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.

Because block quotation formatting is difficult for us to replicate in the OWL's content management system, we have simply provided a screenshot of a generic example below.

Formatting example for block quotations in APA 7 style.

Quotations from sources without pages

Direct quotations from sources that do not contain pages should not reference a page number. Instead, you may reference another logical identifying element: a paragraph, a chapter number, a section number, a table number, or something else. Older works (like religious texts) can also incorporate special location identifiers like verse numbers. In short: pick a substitute for page numbers that makes sense for your source.

Summary or paraphrase

If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference and may omit the page numbers. APA guidelines, however, do encourage including a page range for a summary or paraphrase when it will help the reader find the information in a longer work. 

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APA Style 7th Edition Tutorials for Students in Psychology and Social Work

What is apa style.

• The Importance of Citing

Why is APA Style needed?

How do i get started with apa style, let us practice what we have learned, attribution and acknowledgement.

• Basics of APA Style Tutorial
• Reference Entry Elements
• Reference Examples
• Reference List
• In-Text Citations
• Student Paper Format
• Managing References - Zotero

Origination of APA Style

• Where did APA Style come from?

Commonly Used APA Related Terms

Abstract : Abstract is a brief synopses of article. It provides a brief but comprehensive summary of the article. 

Citing : In the context of academic writing, citing is the act of acknowledging the sources of information you have used when writing your work.

Citation:  A citation gives credit to a source, and contains publication information such as author(s), title and date.

DOI (digital object identifier): It is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to a digital object, mainly a scholarly article, to provide a persistent link to its location on the internet. 

In-Text Citation : It is a brief note that appears within the body of the paper and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. An in-text citation should always match the corresponding entry in the reference list at the end of paper.

Paraphrasing : A paraphrase restates another’s idea (or your own previously published idea) in your own words. 

Plagiarism : It is the act of presenting the words, ideas, or images of another as your own; it denies creators of content the credit they are due. 

Quoting : It is the act of reproducing the exact wording used by the original author. Direct quotations appear within quotation marks and end with a citation.

Reference : It contains details about one cited work, generally including four elements:  author, date, title, and source.  

Reference List : It identifies all the sources you cited in the text of your paper. It generally is at the end of the paper and definitely on a new page after the text of your paper. 

APA Style is the most common writing style used in college and career. Its purpose is to promote excellence in communication by helping writers create clear, precise, and inclusive sentences with a straightforward scholarly tone. It addresses areas of writing such as how to

• format a paper so it looks professional;
• credit other people’s words and ideas via citations and references to avoid plagiarism; and
• describe other people with dignity and respect using inclusive, bias-free language.

APA Style is primarily used in the behavioral sciences, which are subjects related to people, such as psychology, education, and nursing. It is also used by students in business, engineering, communications, and other classes. Students use it to write academic essays and research papers in college, and professionals use it to conduct, report, and publish scientific research.

In addition, APA Style provides you with a powerful tool that will hep you avoid deliberate or unintentional plagiarism. Please review the Avoiding Plagiarism Guide created by the APA experts to understand what two common types of plagiarism are and how to avoid them. 

Why is learning citations important? Citations help readers understand where the information used in your paper comes from, enabling them to trace the path of that information. When readers wish to explore a specific point or reference cited in the text, citations make it easier by providing information about your sources in a standardized format.

Besides showing readers where you obtained information, using citations also has a strong ethical purpose. In academic writing, it is important to credit ideas that are not your own. Citations allow you to integrate the ideas of others with your own thoughts in a fair and honest way.

The reference formats for APA Style manuals are as follows:

APA Style provides a foundation for effective scholarly communication because it helps authors present their ideas in a clear and concise, and organized manner.  Uniformity and consistency enable readers to (a) focus on the ideas being presented rather than formatting and (b) scan works quickly for key points, findings, and sources. When style works best, ideas flow logically, sources are credited appropriately, and papers are organized predictably and consistently. 

Students are encouraged to first learn about APA Style by reading works written in APA Style. A couple of guides created by APA experts from the American Psychological Association can help you with that:

Anatomy of a Journal Article   https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/anatomy-journal-article.pdf

Scholarly journal articles share a common anatomy or structure. Each part of an article serves a specific purpose. The handout of  Anatomy of a Journal Article explains how journal articles are structured and how to become more efficient at reading and understanding them. Understanding the structure of a scholarly article and the purpose of each part helps you grasp a strategy called targeted reading. Targeted reading means to read specific sections of research articles first to determine if the article seems useful for your research topic. This way you will save time, find useful article faster, and choose which articles to read in full.

Reading and Understanding Abstracts https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reading-abstracts.pdf

Abstracts are short summaries of scientific research articles. The handout of Reading & Understanding Abstracts explains the definition and purpose of abstracts and the benefits of reading them, including analysis of a sample abstract. The skill of reading and understanding abstracts of scholarly articles not only saves time but also helps you conduct better research and write more effectively.

APA Style Writing Principles https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/writing-principles.pdf

The poster created by APA experts shows the three main principles of APA Style: clarity, precision, and inclusion and lists steps on how to achieve them. As a student writer, you always should write your academic paper with clarity, precision, and inclusion. 

Research Article Activity https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/apa-style-research-activity.pdf

Reading research articles is not an easy task for you as a student. The Research Article Activity designed by APA Style experts aims to make it easy to read and understand a scholarly article. This activity worksheet helps you find, cite, analyze, and summarize a research article. Completing this activity breaks down a lengthy research article into easily understandable chunks. This way helps you better understand the study in the article before you write about it. 

The information in this Guide   is courtesy of   the official APA Style website by the American Psychological Association.

Source Credit: Information on this LibGuide comes from APA Style website https://apastyle.apa.org/ This website has a wealth of free and authoritative resources designed to help anyone new to APA Style.

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• Last Updated: Apr 6, 2024 12:06 PM
• URL: https://research.ewu.edu/APAStyleTutorial