How to Cite Government Documents from

SIRS Government Reporter Database

The following suggestions for citing government documents are made following MLA style guidelines. There are many sources of government information; in many cases they are cited differently. If you have any questions about your source, ask a librarian for assistance.

The following is the information (if available) that you have to include in your works cited page.

• Name of government
• Name of department
• Name of agency
• Title of article (in quotation marks)
• Name of author
• Title of complete work (underlined)
• Volume, issue or SuDoc #
• Year
• Paging or indicator of length (of article)
• Publication information
• Name of Database
• Name of Service
• Name and location of Library
• Date of Access.
• URL

Examples:

U. S. Justice Dept. Federal Bureau of Investigation. “Truancy: Not Just Kids Stuff Anymore” by Tom Gavin. 
    FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. J 1.14/8:66/3 (March 1997): 8-14. SIRS Government Reporter. ProQuest. E.P.C.C. 
    Library, El Paso. 22 Feb. 2005 <http://sks.sirs.com>. 

U.S. Justice Dept. Justice Assistance Bureau. “Historic Trends and Issues in Structured Sentencing.” 
    National Assessment of Structured Sentencing: Monograph. J 26.30: ST 8/2 (Feb. 1996): 5-18. 
    SIRS Government Reporter. ProQuest. E.P.C.C. Library, El Paso. 22 Feb. 2005 <http://sks.sirs.com>.

From the Census:

U.S. Commerce Dept. Census Bureau. Report to Congress: The Plan for Census 2000. 
    Aug. 1997): 9-15. SIRS Government Reporter. ProQuest. E.P.C.C. Library, 
    El Paso. 22 Feb. 2005 <http://sks.sirs.com>.

U.S. State Dept. Public Affairs Bureau. “Afghanistan.” Background Notes. S 1.123:Af3/994 
    (July 1994):1-7. SIRS Government Reporter. ProQuest. E.P.C.C. Library, El Paso. 22 Feb. 
    2005 <http://sks.sirs.com>. 

U.S. Justices. “Clark, Thomas Campbell (1949).” SIRS Government Reporter. ProQuest. E.P.C.C. Library, El 
    Paso. 22 Feb. 2005 <http://sks.sirs.com>.

Barnes v. Glen Theatre 501 U.S. 560 90-26. SIRS Government Reporter. ProQuest. 
    E.P.C.C. Library, El Paso. 22 Feb. 2005 <http://sks.sirs.com>. 

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