Government documents provide a wealth of information, from statistics to policy outlines. When citing these in your research, it's essential to do so accurately. APA7 offers guidelines specifically for this.
Recognizing Government Documents
Government documents can vary: reports, policy papers, brochures, and more. Many come from federal agencies, but state and local entities also produce valuable documents. Recognize them by official emblems, publication numbers, or specific issuing agencies.
Basic Format
The basic format for citing government documents in APA7 is:
Agency name. (Year of Publication). Title of document (Report No. xxx). Publisher. URL
No Author?
Often, government documents don't list individual authors. In this case, the agency acts as the author. For instance:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Annual health report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/
Multiple Agencies
If more than one agency is listed, use the most specific one as the author. The broader agency can be listed as the publisher:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2019). Blood health and diseases. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
Specific Parts of a Document
When citing a specific chapter or section, include the section name:
National Institute of Mental Health. (2018). Anxiety disorders. In Mental health conditions (chap. 3). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
No Date?
If there's no publication date, replace with “n.d.”:
U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Education statistics. https://www.ed.gov/
Print Documents
For non-digital government documents, the citation would exclude the URL:
Environmental Protection Agency. (2017). Air quality standards (Report No. 245). U.S. Government Printing Office.
Properly citing government documents enriches your research with credible sources while maintaining academic integrity. With these guidelines, you're set to acknowledge these valuable resources effectively.
