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Chicago Citation Guide (17th Edition): Government Documents

Tips

Access Date

If the website does not show a copyright date or the date it was last modified/updated, you should include the date you last accessed the site.

Titles

Capitalize the first letter of every important word in the title. You do not need to capitalize words such as: in, of, or an. Do not use all-caps (except for words like USA where each letter stands for something), even if the words appear that way on the book or article.

If there is a colon (:) in the title, include what comes after the colon (also known as the subtitle).

Government Document from a Website

Bibliography Entry:

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. Title of Government Publication. Date of copyright or modification or access. URL.

Footnote:

Footnote Number. Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee, Title of Government Publication, Date of copyright or modification or access, Page Number [if available], URL. 

Bibliography Entry Example

Health Canada. Human Health Effects of Wildfire Smoke. 2024. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/services/publications/healthy-living/human-health-effects-wildfire-smoke/human-health-effects-wildfire-smoke.pdf.

Footnote Example

1. Health Canada, Human Health Effects of Wildfire Smoke, 2024, 7, https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/services/publications/healthy-living/human-health-effects-wildfire-smoke/human-health-effects-wildfire-smoke.pdf.

Shortened Footnote Example

2. Health Canada, Human Health Effects, 8.

Government Document in Print

Footnote:

1. Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee, Title of Government Publication, Edition if given and is not first edition, Publication Date, Page Number.

Bibliography Entry:

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. Title of Government Publication. Edition if given and is not first edition. Publication Date.

Footnote Example

1. Statistics Canada, Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report, 7th ed., 2015, 2.  

Shortened Footnote Example

2. Statistics Canada, Women in Canada, 4.  

Bibliography Entry Example

Statistics Canada. Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report. 7th ed. 2015.