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How to Cite a Government Document in PLOS (current)

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

PLOS Reference List Format

Here is the standard PLOS format for citing a government document in your reference list:

PLOS Example for a Government Document

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

1. Department of Education. National literacy strategy. Washington, DC: Government Publishing Office; 2023. Report No.: ED-2023-114. Available: https://www.example.gov/literacy-strategy

Matching in-text citation: [1]

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 PLOS (current) 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 reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
  5. Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match PLOS requirements.

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Cite a Government Document in Other Styles

Government Document in APAGovernment Document in MLAGovernment 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 BMJGovernment Document in LancetGovernment Document in JAMAGovernment Document in Elsevier HarvardGovernment Document in Springer

Cite Other Sources in PLOS

Website in PLOSBook in PLOSJournal Article in PLOSYouTube Video in PLOSPodcast in PLOSNewspaper Article in PLOSMagazine Article in PLOSBlog Post in PLOSWikipedia in PLOSPDF in PLOSInterview in PLOSSocial Media Post in PLOSDissertation or Thesis in PLOSConference Paper in PLOSLecture or PowerPoint in PLOSWebinar in PLOSOnline Course in PLOSPowerPoint Presentation in PLOSImage or Photograph in PLOSMovie or Film in PLOSDocumentary in PLOSTV Show in PLOSSong or Music in PLOSPoem in PLOSCourt Case in PLOSPatent in PLOSEncyclopedia Entry in PLOSDictionary Entry in PLOSDataset in PLOSSoftware or App in PLOSVideo Game in PLOSPress Release in PLOSReport in PLOSPreprint in PLOSBook Chapter in PLOSChatGPT in PLOSBible in PLOSTED Talk in PLOSEmail in PLOSReddit or Forum Post in PLOSX (Twitter) Post in PLOSMap in PLOS

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