How to quote government-published statistical data or research reports?

Government-published statistical data and research reports must be accurately cited using a recognized academic style guide to ensure verifiability and avoid plagiarism. This entails including specific identifying elements like the authoring agency, publication date, and precise source location. Key principles involve selecting an appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, Chicago, Harvard) and adhering to it consistently throughout the work. Essential elements typically include the full name of the issuing government body (e.g., U.S. Census Bureau, Office for National Statistics), the year of publication, the complete title of the report or dataset, any assigned report numbers or identifiers, and the exact URL (preferably a stable link or DOI) from which the data was retrieved. Specific tables or figures referenced should include page numbers or table identifiers. Prioritize citing data from official government portals or archives where possible. To implement this, identify the precise issuing government entity, publication year, report title, and the specific page/table/figure used. Locate the permanent URL or database identifier. Format these elements precisely according to your chosen style guide (e.g., APA: Author, Year. *Title*. URL; Chicago Notes: Author, "Title," Year, URL). Citing from recognized repositories like data.gov enhances credibility. Proper citation allows readers to locate the original data, enabling transparency, verification, and replication of analysis, thereby strengthening academic integrity and research impact.