How to Cite a Government Document in BibTeX (standard)
Learn how to cite government reports, legislation, and official documents in BibTeX format (standard). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
BibTeX Reference List Format
Here is the standard BibTeX format for citing a government document in your reference list:
BibTeX Example for a Government Document
A complete BibTeX reference for a government document, formatted by the official BibTeX CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
@techreport{Department2023National, address = {Washington, DC}, author = {{Department of Education}}, year = {2023}, number = {ED-2023-114}, institution = {Government Publishing Office}, title = {National literacy strategy}, url = {https://www.example.gov/literacy-strategy}, }
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your government document.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the BibTeX (standard) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match BibTeX requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: bibtex.csl
Metadata to collect
- issuing agency and parent department
- document title
- report or publication number
- publication year
- publisher, if different from the agency
- URL or DOI
Common metadata traps
- Name the agency that wrote the document, not the website that hosts it.
- Include the report number so readers can tell similar titles from the same agency apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a government document in BibTeX?
- To cite a government document in BibTeX (standard), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the BibTeX format for a government document citation?
- The BibTeX format for a government document is: @techreport{Department2023National, address = {Washington, DC}, author = {{Department of Education}}, year = {2023}, number = {ED-2023-114}, institution = {Government Publishing Office}, title = {National literacy strategy}, url = {https://www.example.gov/literacy-strategy}, }
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