Government Documents: Citing Government Publications

There are two reasons for citing government publications in your work: to show where you found your information, and to allow others to find the same information. Unlike regular books and articles, however, there is often no individual author given for a government document or web site. In those cases, use the agency that issued the information as the author. The following sources will help you produce the correct citation:

• The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: a manual for writers & librarians. by Diane L. Garner. Z7164 .G7 G37 1993, Drinko General Reference Desk.
• The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation. 17th edition. KF245 .B58, Drinko General Reference Desk
• Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications - Examples based on the Chicago/Turabian style.
• Citing Government Information Sources Using MLA (Modern Language Association) Style
• DocsCite - A step-by-step guide to proper citation style.
• Suggested Citation Styles for our Internet Information - Census Bureau guide for citing their various formats (html, ascii, ftp, and pdf files; dynamically generated tables and files). A similar guide is available from the National Center for Health Statistics
• How to cite electronic, print, and microfiche congressional publications - A guide within LexisNexis Congressional. Start from the "How Do I?" link at the top of the page, click on number 11 (Cite the congressional publications...), and then follow the "How to cite...guide" link.