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How to Cite a Government Document in MLA (9th edition)

Learn how to cite government reports, legislation, and official documents in MLA format (9th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

MLA Works Cited Format

Here is the standard MLA format for citing a government document in your Works Cited page:

Agency Name. Title of Document. Publisher, Year.

MLA Example for a Government Document

A complete MLA reference for a government document, formatted by the official MLA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Department of Education. National Literacy Strategy. ED-2023-114, Government Publishing Office, 2023, https://www.example.gov/literacy-strategy.

Matching in-text citation: (Department of Education)

MLA In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Agency Name 12)

Narrative

The Agency reports that...

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your government document.
  2. Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the MLA (9th edition) template shown above.
  3. Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
  4. Add to your Works Cited: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
  5. Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match MLA requirements.

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Cite a Government Document in Other Styles

Government Document in APAGovernment Document in ChicagoGovernment Document in HarvardGovernment Document in VancouverGovernment Document in IEEEGovernment Document in AMAGovernment Document in TurabianGovernment Document in CSEGovernment Document in BibTeXGovernment Document in NatureGovernment Document in ACSGovernment Document in OSCOLAGovernment Document in BluebookGovernment Document in AGLCGovernment Document in ASAGovernment Document in APSAGovernment Document in AAAGovernment Document in NLMGovernment Document in ACMGovernment Document in APSGovernment Document in AIPGovernment Document in CellGovernment Document in ScienceGovernment Document in PLOSGovernment Document in BMJGovernment Document in LancetGovernment Document in JAMAGovernment Document in Elsevier HarvardGovernment Document in Springer

Cite Other Sources in MLA

Website in MLABook in MLAJournal Article in MLAYouTube Video in MLAPodcast in MLANewspaper Article in MLAMagazine Article in MLABlog Post in MLAWikipedia in MLAPDF in MLAInterview in MLASocial Media Post in MLADissertation or Thesis in MLAConference Paper in MLALecture or PowerPoint in MLAWebinar in MLAOnline Course in MLAPowerPoint Presentation in MLAImage or Photograph in MLAMovie or Film in MLADocumentary in MLATV Show in MLASong or Music in MLAPoem in MLACourt Case in MLAPatent in MLAEncyclopedia Entry in MLADictionary Entry in MLADataset in MLASoftware or App in MLAVideo Game in MLAPress Release in MLAReport in MLAPreprint in MLABook Chapter in MLAChatGPT in MLABible in MLATED Talk in MLAEmail in MLAReddit or Forum Post in MLAX (Twitter) Post in MLAMap in MLA

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