Presidential Papers, Proclamations and Executive Orders

Executive Orders in the Code of Federal Regulations

In Text

  • Executive Order No. 13,231 (2002)
  • (Executive Order No. 13,231, 2002)

Reference List

The Publication Manual of the APA, directs writers to reference the Executive Order by number, followed by its place in Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

  • Exec. Order No. 13,231, 3 C.F.R. 805 (2002). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2002-title3-vol1/pdf/CFR-2002-title3-vol1.pdf

Note: If the Executive Order does not yet appear in the Code of Federal Regulations, see citing to the Federal Register below.

Citing Executive Orders as first published in the Federal Register

If the Executive Order has not yet appeared in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.),  follow the The Bluebook rule for citing to the Federal Register.

In text

  • Same as above

In Reference List

  • Exec. Order No. 13648, 78 Fed. Reg. 129 (July 5, 2013).

Proclamations:

The Publication Manual of the APA does not include an example for Proclamations. The Bluebook directs writers to cite to the Code of Federal Regulations (Title 3) or to the Federal Register if the material is not in the C.F.R..

  • Proclamation No. 8782, 3 C.F.R. 11 (2013).
  • Proclamation No. 8985, 78 F.R. 101 (May 24, 2013)

Public papers of the President

The Publication Manual of the APA does not address citing documents published in the Public Papers of the President.

The Bluebook directs writers to, "Cite to the Public Papers of the Presidents (Pub. Papers) if therein. For material not recorded in the Public Papers, cite the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (Weekly Comp. Pres. Docs.) published from 1965 to January 29, 2009, the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents (Daily Comp. Pres. Doc.), published from January 29, 2009 to date, or the U.S. Code Congressional and Administrative News (U.S.C.C.A.N.) [See: The Bluebook, 2020, p. 238]

Note:

The Bluebook uses the legal format, PUB PAPERS,  in all caps. It may be best to adapt this to APA Style, i.e. Pub. Papers or Weekly Comp. Pres.Doc, or avoid abbreviating altogether. The important rule-of-thumb is to make it easy for your reader to locate the document.

In text citations should point seamlessly to the items in the Reference List. For that reason, it might be best to include all or part of the citation title narratively, before the parenthetical.

In Text

  • (Remarks, 2002)
  • Remarks Announcing Bipartisan Agreement (2002)
  • (Memorandum, 1994)
  • Memorandum on Assistance (Weekly Comp.Pres.Doc., 1994)

Reference List

  • Remarks Announcing Bipartisan Agreement on a Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq, II Pub. Papers 1707 (October 2, 2002). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PPP-2002-book2/PPP-2002-book2-doc-pg1707
  • Memorandum on Assistance to the States of the Former Soviet Union,1994, 30 Weekly.Comp.Pres.Doc.19-20. (Jan. 17, 1994). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/WCPD-1994-01-17/WCPD-1994-01-17-Pg19