HOW TO CITE GOVERNMENT & LAW RESOURCES

 

KEY SOURCES


The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources. (2002) 3rd ed. Gov't & Law Help Desk.

Part 1 provides four "Quick Citation Guides" with numerous examples for each common category of material: books and monographs; legislative/parliamentary sources; periodical articles and statistical sources; special cases and well-known sources. Examples include Internet resources. There is also an index to look up well-known titles and types of resources. If you need to use a specific style manual, the form and punctuation can be adapted, but the content of the citation would remain the same.

Selected Examples


The Bluebook A Uniform System of Citation. 17th ed. Gov't & Law Ref KF 245 .B58 2000

The standard guide for citing legal materials. Popular sections include Cases (Rule 10, p.55- ), Statutes (Rule 12, p.76- ) and Administrative and Executive Materials (Rule 14, p.96- ). Also contains tables of sources by jurisdiction and lists of abbreviations.

Selected Examples


LIBRARY DATABASES

For materials identified through full-text library databases, consult the individual database Help area for citation examples and instructions. Example:

LexisNexis Congressional. Click on "Help" in the upper right corner, then "How to cite" in the left menu column.


RefWorks (M.U. only)

Bibliographic management software that can generate a bibliography in any style format. Add new references directly using the provided online forms. Specific forms available relating to government and law resources include bills/resolutions, case/court decision, hearing, and laws/statutes. Other forms that can be adapted include report, book, and journal. See RefWorks guide.



ONLINE SOURCES

General Guidelines for Citing Government Publications. (University of North Texas Libraries)

DocsCite (Arizona State University Libraries)

Follow the steps to create MLA or APA citations.

Government Documents: Examples for Works Cited Lists (Duke University Libraries)

Single example shown in multiple style formats.

Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications (University of Memphis Libraries)

Based on Chicago/Turabian and patterned after The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources.

Citing Government Information Sources Using MLA (Modern Language Association) Style (University of Nevada, Reno Libraries)

How to Cite Government Documents According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (University of Nebraska - Kearney)

How to Cite Government Documents According to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. (University of Nebraska - Kearney)

Introduction to Basic Legal Citation. Peter W. Martin. Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School.

Citing Legal Materials in APA Style. (Westfield State College, Ely Library)

 


POPULAR STYLE MANUALS - Government & Law Sections


Turabian, Kate. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 6th ed. King Ready Ref & King Reserve LB 2369 .T8 1996.
Public Documents, chapter 12. Legal citations 8.133 - 8.135.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. King Ref & King Ready Ref LB 2369 .G53 2003

Sections 5.6.21 A Government Publication and 5.8.14 A Legal Source. Refers to the Bluebook for greater detail on legal citations.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. King Ref & King Ready Ref & King Reserve BF 76.7 .P83 2001

Reference List Examples, section 4.16: Technical & Research Reports, nos. 41, 44, 45 and Appendix D: References to Legal Materials. Appendix D is based on the Bluebook.

The Chicago Manual of Style. 15th ed. King Ref Z 253 .U69 2003.

Legal Citations 17.275 - 17.289 (Based on Bluebook and ALWD). Public Documents 17.290 - 17.356.

Style Manual for Political Science. American Political Science Association. King Ref JA 86 .A52 2001

Follows the Chicago Manual of Style. Government Documents Citations, p.23; References p.33-36.



SELECTED EXAMPLES FROM THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CITING GOVERNMENT INFORMATION RESOURCES:

REMEMBER: IF USING A PARTICULAR STYLE MANUAL, ADAPT PUNCTUATION AND FORMAT TO MATCH .

 

U.S. General Accounting Office. Combating Terrorism: Accountability Over Medical Supplies Needs Further Improvement. Washington, Mar. 2001. (GA1.13:GAO-01-463)

U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. The 1990 Science Report Card: NAEP’s Assessment of Fourth, Eighth, and Twelfth Graders. By Lee R. Jones et al. Washington, 1992. (ED1.302:Sci1)

U.S. Census Bureau. County and City Data Book, 2000. Washington: Government Printing Office, 2002.

U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 1990: Summary Social Economic, and Housing Characteristics, Virginia 1990 (CPH-5-48). Final Report. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1992.

”GCT-P5. Age and Sex: 2000 – Rhode Island – Place and County Subdivision.” Data Set: Census, 2000 (SF 1). Available at: American FactFinder (Census Bureau). http://factfinder.census.gov; Accessed: 1/26/02.

U.S. Dept. of State. Background Notes: China. Jan. 2002. Available at: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/2742.html; Accessed: 2/5/02.

U.S. House, Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families. Babies and Briefcases: Creating a Family-Friendly Workplace for Fathers, Hearing, June 11, 1991. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1991. (Y4.C43/2:B11/2)

“Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991” (PL 102-240, Dec. 18, 1991), United States Statutes at Large, 105 (1991) pp. 1914-2207.

“Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990” (P.L. 101-336, July 26, 1990). Text from: Legislative Histories, Bills & Laws (Statutes at Large). Available from: LexisNexis Congressional; Accessed: 2/21/02.

“Vocational Rehabilitation Services,” Title 29 U.S. Code Annotated, Pts. 720 et seq. 1999.

“Misbranded Food,” 21 U.S. Code Service, Pt. 343 (1996). Current through 12/21/01. Text from: Legislative Histories, Bills & Laws ( U.S. Code). Available from: LexisNexis Congressional; Accessed: 12/15/02.

“Product Noise Labeling,” Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Pt. 211. 1991 ed.

“Minimum Wage Determinations,” Title 41 Code of Federal Regulations, Sec. 50-202.2. (Current Through 1/24/2002). Text from: Regulations. Available from: LexisNexis Congressional. Accessed: 2/10/02.

“National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Revisions and Additions to the Vaccine Injury Table – II” (Final Rule; RIN 0905-AE52), Federal Register 62:34 (Feb. 20, 1997) pp. 7685-7690. Available from: LexisNexis Academic, Legal Research; Accessed: 2/10/02.

 

 

 

SELECTED EXAMPLES FROM THE BLUEBOOK

 

Meritor Sav. Bank v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986).

Charlesworth v. Mack, 727 F.Supp. 1407 (D. Mass. 1990).

Specific page within case: Charlesworth v. Mack, 727 F.Supp. 1407, 1412 (D. Mass. 1990).

Jackson v. Metro. Edison Co., 348 F. Supp. 954 (M.D. Pa. 1972), aff’d, 483 F.2d 754 (3d Cir. 1973), aff’d, 419 U.S. 345 (1974).

Charlesworth v. Mack, No. 90-345, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20837, at *6 (D. Mass. Dec. 4, 1990).

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601-9675 (1994).

Tax Reduction Act of 1975, Pub. L. No. 94-12, 89 Stat. 26 (codified as amended in scattered sections of 26 U.S.C.).

FCC Broadcast Radio Services, 47 C.F.R. § 73.609 (1999).

Importation of Fruits and Vegetables, 60 Fed. Reg. 50,379, 50,381 (Sept. 29, 1995) (to be codified at 7 C.F.R. pt. 300).