How to Cite Government Reports in APA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 10/11/2024
• Updated on04/12/2025

Citing government reports in APA is necessary by following certain guidelines in order to maintain clarity and consistency. APA style for government publications is especially necessary when quoting reports written by government agencies, as these reports are frequently used in research to offer authoritative and reliable information.

This article provides a thorough explanation on how to cite such reports, in particular the author, source, and in-text citation components, with examples to illustrate.

CITATION ELEMENTS FOR A GOVERNMENT REPORT

When citing a report from a government agency, the format of citation normally follows the normal way of citing a report but paying special attention to government agencies. The general formula is as follows:

• Author: The author of a government report is usually most frequently the individual agency, department, or organization that produces and publishes the report content. Unlike traditional sources that are prone to listing authors by name, government reports usually make use of group authorship, which refers to an entity and not a person.
• Year: The publication year is a relevant element that gives the year the report was indeed published or issued. It is background information to the information and helps readers ascertain whether the information or recommendations contained in the report are up to date or not.
• Title of the Report: Title of report should be in italics and according to APA capitalization rules. The APA style asks for capitalizing only the first word of title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns (names of organizations, locations, and individuals’ names). The rule is directed at ensuring even formatting while allowing readability.
• Report Number: Certain government reports are assigned a report number or publication number for identification and tracking purposes. If such a number is present, it should be included after the report title in parentheses.
• Publisher: The publisher component of the citation is the title of the chief government agency or department responsible for publishing or disseminating the report. This is particularly important when the author-listed agency is a sub-agency of a bigger one. The parent agency should be identified in the source component as the publisher if it has not been mentioned as the author.
• URL or DOI: The final element of the citation is the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or DOI (Digital Object Identifier), which provides the reader with a direct link to the report. Giving the URL or DOI allows users to download the actual document being cited, thereby providing greater transparency and accessibility in research work.

EXAMPLE CITATIONS FOR A GOVERNMENT REPORT

Identifying the Authorship: Ensure proper identification of the specific government agency or department that wrote the report. Normally, this will be obviously indicated on the title page or cover page of the report. If the report was written by a subsidiary or department of a parent agency, indicate the true name of the division as the author. Corporate Authors: If the author of the report is a corporate body like a government ministry, provide the full name of the organization as displayed on the document. Do not abbreviate unless they are generally accepted (e.g., CDC for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Where the department exists within an umbrella organization, indicate this clearly within the citation for accuracy. Including Report Numbers: If the report has a specific identification number or code, for example, publication number or report number, add it in parentheses immediately following the title. This helps identify the document uniquely and locate it accurately. Show the number exactly as it is presented on the report. Using Retrieved from URLs: In quoting online government reports, insert the URL where the report is found. Insert the word “Retrieved from” and then the URL. Ensure the URL specifically points to the particular report and not a general website homepage. Providing Accessibility: Double-check that the given URL is working and takes readers directly to the complete text of the report. Government websites sometimes change their URLs or reorganize their websites, so make sure the link given is active and accessible to readers. If the report is given a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), use it in place of a URL for a more stable and reliable citation. Using Sentence Case for Titles: Ensure that the report title uses sentence case, where only proper nouns and the first word of the title are capitalized. This applies to the title in the in-text reference as well as in the list of references.