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Citing Government & Legal Sources
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Acknowledgment
This guide was originally created by Rita Wilson (1948-2024), UTSA Government Documents librarian for 27 years and liaison for Anthropology, Spanish and Modern Languages, Geography, Criminology, and Paralegal Studies.
Citing Government Information
Citing Government and Legal Sources can be difficult. I've listed some resources on this guide to assist you. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Natasha.Arguello@utsa.edu
Citing Government Documents: Webinar
- Cite It With Style! How to Cite Government Information Resources like a ProFree webinar provides an overview of the principles of scholarly citation and focus on the specific problems and peculiarities involved in citing Government documents. 66 min.
APA Legal Citation: How APA Differs from The Bluebook
APA and other style guides rely mostly on The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation for Legal Citing.
For APA, consult the print Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association in Appendix 7.1: References to Legal Materials on pp. 216-224 (in 6th edition) or Chapter 11 on pp. 355-368 (in 7th edition). APA gives general examples but for more detailed information refers to the Bluebook. The major difference between the two, according to the APA Style Guide, is Bluebook lists references as footnotes but APA uses a reference list instead. Books and periodicals (other than law reviews) are cited in regular APA style.
For more detailed information on citing students should consult The Bluebook. State specific examples are available in the Bluebook; The Greenbook sets forth detailed Texas legal authorities.
Also see: Cornell University's webpage: How to Cite U.S. Government Documents in APA Citation Style
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association : The Official Guide to APA Style (7th edition)Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020Publication Date: 2020 (7th edition)See Chapter 11 on pp. 355-368 (in 7th edition) based on the Bluebook. The major difference between the two, according to the APA Style Guide, is Bluebook lists references as footnotes but APA uses a reference list instead. Books and periodicals (other than law reviews) are cited in regular APA style. For specific Texas examples, see The Greenbook. Also see: Citing Court Decision Using APA Style
Legal Citation: Bluebook, Greenbook & APA
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation by Call Number: KF245 .B58 2015 (JPL Info Desk & DT Stacks)Publication Date: 2015 (20th edition)Published by the Harvard Law Review, this is the definitive style guide for the legal field. For more than 80 years, has provided authoritative guidance to legal citation for American students, professionals, and scholars.
Texas Rules of Form (The Greenbook)Call Number: KFT1275 .T4 2010 (JPL Info Desk, JPL & DT Reserves)Publication Date: 2015 (13th edition)A citation style guide that complements The Bluebook by setting forth the decisive citation form for Texas legal authorities.
see Development and Evolution of the Greenbook for a history.
- Legal Citations to Legislation (Texas)
Basic examples from the Legislative Reference Library of Texas.
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association : The Official Guide to APA Style.Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2020Publication Date: 2020 (7th edition)See Chapter 11 on pp. 355-368 (in 7th edition) based on the Bluebook. The major difference between the two, according to the APA Style Guide, is Bluebook lists references as footnotes but APA uses a reference list instead. Books and periodicals (other than law reviews) are cited in regular APA style. For specific Texas examples, see The Greenbook. Also see: Citing Court Decision Using APA Style
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition)Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2010 (JPL & DT)Publication Date: 2009 (6th edition)Appendix 7.1: References to Legal Materials (pages 216-224) (in 6th edition) based on the Bluebook. The major difference between the two, according to the APA Style Guide, is Bluebook lists references as footnotes but APA uses a reference list instead. Books and periodicals (other than law reviews) are cited in regular APA style. For specific Texas examples, see The Greenbook.
Also see: Citing Court Decision Using APA Style
- Chicago Manual of Style Online This link opens in a new windowChicago Manual of Style Online provides the complete, full text of the 16th and 17th editions of the style guide. A Quick Guide provides common examples for formatting citations.
See Chapter 14 for government documents.
U.S. Government Printing Office Style ManualPublication Date: 2017An official guide to the form and style of Federal Government printing
is a standardization device designed to achieve uniform word and type treatment, and aiming for economy of word use. The Style Manual has served Federal printers since 1894, and with each new edition, the traditions of printing and graphic arts are carried forward into new technologies.
- MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new windowContains the full MLA Handbook with information about how to fully format and provide citations in the MLA citation style. Currently the ninth edition.
Congressional Record - Daily vs Permanent Bound Editions - Citing
Congressional Record Daily Edition reports each day's proceedings and is printed and delivered to all members of Congress by the following morning. It contains four independently-numbered parts:
- House Proceedings
- Senate Proceedings
- Extension of Remarks (additional materials inserted into the public record by legislators)
- Daily Digest (brief overview)
The Daily Edition includes the prefixes H, S and E. before page numbers.
Example: 159 Cong. Rec. H227 (daily ed. Jan. 23, 2013) (statement of Rep. Yarmuth)
Permanent "Bound" Edition is the annual compilation of all the Daily Editions for an annual session, re-paginated, edited, and permanently bound. There is a delay of several years for this to be produced.
The permanent edition does not include prefixes and is cited by volume and page number.
Example: 142 Cong. Rec. 14982 (1996).
or,
142 Cong. Rec 14982 (1996) (statement of Sen. John McCain).
Cite the Daily Edition only for matters not yet appearing in the permanent edition.
Citing Historical Legislative Materials
- Historical Legislative Materials: CitingLibrary of Congress guide for citing historical legislation.