How to Cite a Report in APA 7th Edition

This guide explains how to format a report citation in APA 7th 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 report in APA 7th Edition:

Template

Author, A. A. (Year). *Title of report* (Report No. xxx). Publisher. https://www.example.com

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(National Institute of Mental Health, 2022)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Technology and the future of mental health treatment (NIH Publication No. 22-MH-8138). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/technology-and-the-future-of-mental-health-treatment

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author
The author can be an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. Use the full organizational name if the organization authored the report.
2
Add the year
Place the year of publication in parentheses.
3
Write the report title and number
Italicize the report title. Use sentence case. If the report has a number, include it in parentheses after the title (not italicized).
4
Add the publisher
Include the name of the organization that published or issued the report. If the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher to avoid repetition.
5
Include the URL or DOI
Provide the full URL or DOI where the report can be accessed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting the report number when one is available.
Not distinguishing between the author (who wrote the report) and the publisher (who issued it).
Forgetting to italicize the report title.
Including "Retrieved from" before the URL when a stable publication date is available.
Not including the full organizational name as author when no individual author is listed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a government report in APA?

Use the government agency as the author. Include the report or publication number if available. List the parent department as the publisher if it differs from the author. Example: National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Digest of education statistics (NCES 2023-009). U.S. Department of Education.

What if the author and publisher of a report are the same?

If the same organization is both the author and the publisher, omit the publisher from the reference to avoid repetition. This is a change from APA 6th edition, which required you to write "Author" in the publisher position.

How do I cite a white paper?

Cite a white paper the same way as a report. Include the title in italics and identify it as a white paper only if that designation appears in the title or is necessary for retrieval.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your report:

Author(s) or Organization
Year of publication
Title of report
Report number (if applicable)
Publisher or issuing organization
URL or DOI

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Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author

The author can be an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. Use the full organizational name if the organization authored the report.

Add the year

Place the year of publication in parentheses.

Write the report title and number

Italicize the report title. Use sentence case. If the report has a number, include it in parentheses after the title (not italicized).

Add the publisher

Include the name of the organization that published or issued the report. If the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher to avoid repetition.

Include the URL or DOI

Provide the full URL or DOI where the report can be accessed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting the report number when one is available.

Not distinguishing between the author (who wrote the report) and the publisher (who issued it).

Forgetting to italicize the report title.

Including "Retrieved from" before the URL when a stable publication date is available.

Not including the full organizational name as author when no individual author is listed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a government report in APA?

What if the author and publisher of a report are the same?

How do I cite a white paper?

Cite a white paper the same way as a report. Include the title in italics and identify it as a white paper only if that designation appears in the title or is necessary for retrieval.