How to Cite a Government Document in AMA 11th Edition

This guide explains how to format a government document citation in AMA 11th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a government document in AMA 11th Edition:

Template

Organization. *Title*. Publisher; Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

superscript 1

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. *Healthy People 2030: Building a Healthier Future for All*. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; 2024. Accessed March 28, 2026. https://health.gov/healthypeople

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the authoring organization
Write the full name of the government agency or department. Do not abbreviate unless the abbreviation is universally recognised (e.g., WHO).
2
Write the document title
Italicise the title. Use sentence case. End with a full stop.
3
Add the publisher and year
Write the name of the publishing body (if different from the author). Follow with a semicolon and the year of publication. End with a full stop.
4
Include the access date
Write 'Accessed' followed by the date in Month Day, Year format. End with a full stop.
5
Add the URL
Include the full URL where the document can be accessed. Do not add a trailing full stop.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicise the document title — AMA requires italics for titles of reports and government publications.
Omitting the 'Accessed' date for online government documents.
Using an abbreviation for the government agency instead of the full name.
Including 'Retrieved from' instead of simply placing the URL after the access date.
Adding a full stop after the URL.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does AMA italicise government document titles?

Yes. AMA style italicises the titles of government reports and publications. This distinguishes them from article titles, which are not italicised.

Do I need an access date for government documents in AMA?

Yes. For online government documents, include 'Accessed' followed by the date in Month Day, Year format. This records when you retrieved the content.

How do I cite a government document with a publication number in AMA?

Include the publication number in parentheses after the title, before the period. For example: *Title of Report* (Publication No. 2024-001).

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your government document:

Author/Agency
Title
Publication Number
Publisher
Year
URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the authoring organization

Write the full name of the government agency or department. Do not abbreviate unless the abbreviation is universally recognised (e.g., WHO).

Write the document title

Italicise the title. Use sentence case. End with a full stop.

Add the publisher and year

Write the name of the publishing body (if different from the author). Follow with a semicolon and the year of publication. End with a full stop.

Include the access date

Write 'Accessed' followed by the date in Month Day, Year format. End with a full stop.

Add the URL

Include the full URL where the document can be accessed. Do not add a trailing full stop.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to italicise the document title — AMA requires italics for titles of reports and government publications.

Omitting the 'Accessed' date for online government documents.

Using an abbreviation for the government agency instead of the full name.

Including 'Retrieved from' instead of simply placing the URL after the access date.

Adding a full stop after the URL.