PLATO: Plagiarism Teaching Online
Advanced Referencing
Q1) How do I reference a publication by the British government?
Q2) How do I reference a publication by the Scottish parliament?
Q3) How do I reference a publication by the European commission?
Q4) How do I reference a publication by a foreign government?
Q5) How do I reference a report by the United Nations?
Governments around the world produce documents, often with very similar titles, so it is important to make clear the country of origin - and this takes the place of 'author' as the first item in any reference. The United Kingdom comprises all four constituent countries - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the name of the larger island which comprises England, Scotland and Wales only. Government is devolved in different ways to regional bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and all three can produce their own legislation which modifies the legislation produced in the British Parliament.
However, the convention in the case of reports and legislation by the British government in London is to identify them as from 'Great Britain'. In the case of reports and legislation from the devolved parliaments, they are identified by the country of origin. Government is made up of many civil service departments, which produce the reports. The department should be stated where known. All British government reports are published and printed by HMSO - Her Majesty's Stationary Office, or just The Stationary Office.
Format: Great Britain, (year), Title of the report or legislation, Government department, publication reference number. London: HMSO
Example:
Great Britain, (2001), The globalisation white paper: report together with minutes of evidence, appendices and proceedings of the committee. International Development Committee of the House of Commons, HC 2000-2001 (208). London: HMSO.
Format: Scotland, (year), Title, Scottish Assembly, publication reference number. Edinburgh: Scottish Assembly.
Example:
Scotland, (20p;05), Scottish Parliament official report: Environment and Rural Development Committee, Scottish Assembly, cols. 2437-2466, Edinburgh: Scottish Assembly.
Format: European Union, (?year), Title, European Commission, Name of issuing office, reference number. Brussels: European Commission.
Example:
European Union, (2006), Equal Success Stories, European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs, KE7005504ENC. Brussels: European Commission.
Format: Country of origin, (year), Title, Government department, reference number. Place of publication: publishing/printing office.
Examples:
USA, (1990), Clinical training in serious mental illness, National Institute of Mental Health, DHSS number ADM 90-1679. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office.
Australia, (1991), Forest and timber enquiry: draft report, volume 1, Resource Assessment Commission. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.