The diverse formats of government information often make citing the material more problematic than journals or books. The following recommended references may help you determine the proper citation format.
- How to Cite US Government Documents in MLA, APA Citation Style
Cornell Univesity Library provides general principles for citing US Government documents in student research papers in MLA or APA format, along with examples by type of document. - DocsCite
A step-by-step guide to putting government publication citations into proper style format (APA or MLA) using a template; from Arizona State University. - Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide for Government Documents
This Quick Guide from Bowdoin College Library provides examples of citations for government documents based on the Notes and Bibliography system of the 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style as the 16th edition does not include guidance for the creation of bibliographic entries for these documents.
Books:
- The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law Review Association. 2010. Reference, 1st Flr.: KF 245 .U55 2010. The authoritative guide for citing legal materials.
- Cheney, Debora. The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: a Manual for Social Science & Business Research. 3rd ed. Bethesda, MD : LexisNexis ; Congressional Information Service, 2002. Reference Desk, 1st Flr.: J 9.5 .G37 2002.
The best, most comprehensive guide to citing government documents at all levels -- U.S. federal, state, and local; IGO; and foreign -- and in all formats. Includes extensive coverage of electronic formats (website files, data files, e-mail messages, webcasts, image files, etc.)