Introduction

This guide provides general principles for citing US Government documents in student research papers in APA format, along with examples by type of document.

Please note: There are some types of government documents that are not addressed in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

In cases where the APA style manual does not specifically address the type of document in question, suggested examples in this guide are based on The Bluebook: A uniform system of citation, adapted to APA style.

For more in-depth guidelines on citing legal materials users are referred to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.

For additional guidance on citing court cases, statutes and regulations, see also: Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (online ed. 2020), by Peter W. Martin.

For MLA Citation Style, see Documenting Legal Works in MLA Style.

 

 

Style Manuals Consulted -- Print Editions

A note on the Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style offers extensive guidance for citing US and some international and foreign documents, beginning with section 14.281.