Citing and referencing: Government sources

A guide to the styles recommended by Monash schools and departments for students and researchers

Government sources

Government documents with no clear personal author

Government documents commonly list an organisation as the author, and include a catalogue number. Note that a government organisation, agency, or department may be both the author and the publisher of a document. The Chicago Manual of Style does not require that access dates be included in references to formally published online sources. However, students may be required to include them for assessment tasks.  Include the URL if the report was accessed online.

Note that abbreviations to Australian states and territories follow the Australia Post Address Presentation Standards on page 24.

Rule for Note

Note number. Organisation’s Name, Title of Document: Subtitle of Document, Catalogue Number (Place of Publication, Year of Publication), Page or Pages, URL.

Example of Note entry

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Young Homeless People in Australia 2001-02: A Report from the SAAP National Data Collection, AIHW cat. no. HOU 87 (Canberra, ACT, 2003), 20, aihw.gov.au/getmedia/71203167-30cc-4bdb-a9ff-d4cef1c785af/yhpa01-02.pdf.aspx?inline=true.

Subsequent Note entry

2. Young Homeless People in Australia 2001-02, 20.

Rule for Bibliography

Organisation's, Name. Title of Document. Catalogue Number. Place of Publication, Year of Publication. URL.

Example of Bibliography entry

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Young Homeless People in Australia 2001-02: A Report from the SAAP National Data Collection. AIHW cat. no. HOU 87. Canberra, ACT, 2003. aihw.gov.au/getmedia/71203167-30cc-4bdb-a9ff-d4cef1c785af/yhpa01-02.pdf.aspx?inline=true..

 

Government documents with personal authors acknowledged on the title page

Government documents sometimes recognise an author or authors. List up to three authors in the notes and the bibliography. For four or more authors, list only the first followed by et al. in the notes. For more information on listing multiple authors see Journals and periodicals. Government documents commonly include a catalogue number. Note that a government organisation, agency, or department is often listed as the publisher of a document.

The Chicago Manual of Style does not require that access dates be included in references to formally published online sources. However, students may be required to include them for assessment tasks. Include the URL if the report was accessed online.

Rule for Note

Note number. First Author’s Full Name and Subsequent Authors’ Full Names, Title of Document: Subtitle of Document, Catalogue Number (Place of Publication: Organisation's Name, Year of Publication), Page or Pages, URL.

Example of Note entry

1. Denis Goodrum, Mark Hackling, and Leonie Rennie, The Status and Quality of Teaching and Learning of Science in Australian Schools. DETYA No. 6623DRED00A (Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, 2001), 5.

Subsequent Note entry

2. Goodrum, Hackling, and Rennie, The Status and Quality of Teaching and Learning of Science in Australian Schools.

Rule for Bibliography

First Author’s Surname, First Author’s Given Name, and Subsequent Authors’ Full Names. Title of Document: Subtitle of Document. Catalogue Number. Place of Publication: Organisation's Name, Year of Publication, URL.

Example of Bibliography entry

Goodrum, Denis, Mark Hackling and Leonie Rennie. The Status and Quality of Teaching and Learning of Science in Australian Schools. DETYA No. 6623DRED00A. Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, 2001.

 

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Rule for Note

Note number. Organisation’s Name, Title of Document, Catalogue Number (Place of Publication, Year of Publication), Page or Pages, URL.

Example of Note entry

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Social Trends, December 2012, Cat. no. 4102.0 (Canberra, ACT, 2012), http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features1Dec%202012?OpenDocument.

Subsequent Note entry

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Social Trends, December 2012.

Rule for Bibliography

Organisation's Name. Title of Document. Catalogue Number. Place of Publication, Year of Publication. URL.

Example of Bibliography entry

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Social Trends, December 2012. Cat. no. 4102.0. Canberra, ACT, 2012. http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features1Dec%202012?OpenDocument.