How do I cite a pdf in ACM?

To cite a pdf in ACM (current), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for a pdf in ACM?

In ACM, the in-text citation for the example above is [1]

How to Cite a PDF in ACM (current)

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

ACM Reference List Format

Here is the standard ACM format for citing a pdf in your reference list:

ACM Example for a PDF

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

[1] Open Scholarship Council. 2023. Annual review of open scholarship. Open Scholarship Council, Geneva. Retrieved from https://www.example.org/reports/2023.pdf

Matching in-text citation: [1]

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your pdf.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the ACM (current) 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 ACM 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: acm.csl

Metadata to collect

actual source type
author
title
publisher or journal
date
DOI or stable URL

Common metadata traps

PDF is a file format, not usually the source type.
Prefer publisher metadata or a DOI over text scraped from a PDF.

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a pdf in ACM?: To cite a pdf in ACM (current), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the ACM format for a pdf citation?: The ACM format for a pdf is: [1] Open Scholarship Council. 2023. Annual review of open scholarship. Open Scholarship Council, Geneva. Retrieved from https://www.example.org/reports/2023.pdf
What does the in-text citation look like for a pdf in ACM?: In ACM, the in-text citation for the example above is [1]