Citing Government Documents

Most citation manuals do not cover government publications in depth. Important things to remember when citing government sources are making sure you cite enough information for items to be findable and maintaining consistency in your chosen citation style!

To give you an idea of how these citations should look, refer to the following examples below, which are cited from the following book:

Brown, C. C. (2020). Citing Government Publications. In C. C. Brown (Ed.), Mastering United States Government Information: Sources and Services. (1st ed., pp. 372-381). Libraries Unlimited.

Executive Orders, Presidential Proclamations, and Other Issuances

Obama, Barack. "Fundamental Principles and Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships with Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations" (Executive Order 13559, November 17, 2010), Federal Registrar, vol. 75, p. 71317 (November 22, 2010).

Obama, Barack. "Fundamental Principles and Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships with Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations" (Executive Order 13559, November 17, 2010), Compilation of Presidential Documents. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/DCPD-201000991.

Bluebook Style

Exec. Order No. 13,559 (November 17, 2010), 3 C.F.R. 273 (2011).

Treaties

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water, U.S.-U.K.-U.S.S.R., August 5, 1963, 14 U.S.T. 1313.

Agreement concerning the program of the Peace Corps of the United States in the Republic of Moldova. Signed at Chisinau February 2, 1993. Entered into force February 2, 1993. TIAS 12485; 2364 UNTS 37.

General Publications

Capel, Paul D. 2018. "Agriculture—A River  Runs through It: The Connections between Agriculture and Water Quality." Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey. (I 19.4/2:1433; https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo106600).

Annual Reports

U.S. Department of Justice. Annual Report of the Attorney General of the Year 1903. Washington, DC: GPO. (J 1.1:)

U.S. Department of Defense. 2018. Annual Report on Civilian Casualties in Connection with United States Military Operations. (D 1.146:2018; https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo119811).

Foreign Relations of the United States

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969-1976, Volume XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969-1972, eds. Daniel J. Lawler and Erin R. Mahan (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2010), Document 75.

Topographic Map

U.S. Geological Survey. 1997. Pawnee National Grassland, Colo., and Other Forest Areas. 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series. Reston, VA: United States Department of the Interior, USGS. (I 19.81 P 28/997/40103-E).

Regulations

"Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Revisions to Red Snapper and Hogfish Management Measures." 2019. Fed. Reg. 7829. Final Rule.

Technical Reports

Gu, Hongmei, and Richard Bergman. 2018. "Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Building Declaration for the Design Building at the University of Massachusetts." General Technical Report FPL-GTR-225. Madison, WI: United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. (A 13.88: FPL-GTR-255; https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo90993).

Congressional Record

161 Cong. Red. 1626 (2015).

Jackson Lee, Sheila (TX). Speech on the Value of Vaccinations. Congressional Record, One Hundred and Fourteenth Congress 1st Session (February 3, 2015), p. 1626.

Congressional Hearing

U.S. Senate, Committee on Finance. Elder Justice: Protecting Seniors from Abuse and Neglect, Hearing, June 18, 2002 (S. Hrg. 107-734). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2002. (Y 4.F 49: S.HRG.107-734).

Congressional Report

H.R. Rep. No. 115-1110(2019).

U.S. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Termination of Day-Light-Saving Time. (H. Rpt. 79-945). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1945.

Congressional Document

H.R. Doc. No. 96-374 (1980).

U.S. Congress. Joint Committee on Printing. The Capitol: A Pictorial History of the Capitol and of the Congress, 8th ed. (H. Doc. 96-374). Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1980.

Public Law

TANF Extension Act of 2019, P.L. 116-4 (2019).

Supreme Court Case

Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966).

Appellate Court Case

Hunt v. Nuclear Regulatory Com., 468 F. Supp. 817 (United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, 1979).