How to Cite a Report in Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography)

This guide explains how to format a report citation in Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography). 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 Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography):

Template

Note: Author/Organization, Title of Report (Place: Publisher, Year), page, URL. Bibliography: Author/Organization. Title of Report. Place: Publisher, Year. URL.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

1. National Institute of Mental Health, Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment (Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022), 12.

Bibliography Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your bibliography:

Bibliography entry

National Institute of Mental Health. Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2022. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/technology-and-the-future-of-mental-health-treatment.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author
Use the individual author(s) or the organizational name. In notes: standard order. In bibliography: inverted for first author.
2
Write the report title
Italicize the title. Use headline-style capitalization.
3
Add publication information
Include the place of publication, publisher, and year. In notes, enclose in parentheses. In bibliography, follow a period.
4
Include report number if available
Add the report number after the title if one exists.
5
Add the URL
Include the full URL where the report can be accessed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not italicizing the report title.
Omitting the place of publication.
Forgetting to include the URL for online reports.
Not distinguishing between the author and the publisher.
Using the wrong name order in notes vs. bibliography.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Chicago handle government reports?

Use the issuing agency as the author and the parent department as the publisher. Include the report number if available. Chicago style retains the place of publication for government documents.

Do I need to include the place of publication for online reports?

Yes. Chicago style includes the place of publication for reports regardless of how they were accessed. If the place is unknown, you may omit it, but this is uncommon for official reports.

How do I handle multiple agencies or authoring bodies?

List the most specific authoring body as the author. You can include the parent organization in the publisher position. For jointly authored reports, list all organizations separated by "and."

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

Generate citations automatically with CiteDash

Stop formatting citations by hand. CiteDash automatically generates accurate Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography) citations for all your sources while you research and write.

Start Free Trial More Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography) Guides

Bibliography Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your bibliography:

Bibliography entry

Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author

Use the individual author(s) or the organizational name. In notes: standard order. In bibliography: inverted for first author.

Write the report title

Italicize the title. Use headline-style capitalization.

Add publication information

Include the place of publication, publisher, and year. In notes, enclose in parentheses. In bibliography, follow a period.

Include report number if available

Add the report number after the title if one exists.

Add the URL

Include the full URL where the report can be accessed.