Australian Government Website Referencing: Apa Style Guide

how to reference australian government website apa

The Australian Government has specific guidelines for referencing, known as the Style Manual - Australian Government (author-date). This style is commonly used by students and researchers, with over 400,000 users of the Citationsy app utilising it to automate their citations. The Style Manual includes guidelines for referencing a range of sources, from books and journal articles to podcasts, songs, and even YouTube videos. While the Style Manual - Australian Government (author-date) is widely used, there are also other referencing styles relevant to the Australian context, such as the Harvard Australian Government Publishing Service (AGPS) style, which is used by some universities. Additionally, when referencing Australian government websites specifically in APA style, there are particular formats to follow, which differ slightly between the 6th and 7th editions.

Characteristics Values
Author(s) of government website Last name and initials of author(s) (up to 20 authors)
Date of publication Year, month and day in brackets followed by a full stop, e.g. (2019, June 13)
Title of the webpage Title of the specific webpage in italics
Title of the website Official title of the website
URL Full URL of the webpage including the protocol (http:// or https://)
In-text citation (Last name, year)

shunculture

Citing a government website in APA 6th edition

When citing a government website in APA 6th edition style, the basic format for a reference list entry is as follows:

Author(s) of the government website. (Date of publication). Title of government website [Format]. Retrieved from URL

Australian Government. (2023, March 20). National Cabinet Plan for Australia's COVID-19 Response [PDF]. https://www.nationalcabinet.gov.au/national-cabinet-plan-australias-covid-19-response

In this example, the Australian Government is the author of the website, the date of publication is 20 March 2023, the title of the website is "National Cabinet Plan for Australia's COVID-19 Response," and the URL is https://www.nationalcabinet.gov.au/national-cabinet-plan-australias-covid-19-response. The format of the website is PDF, indicated by [PDF] in the reference.

It is important to note that, according to APA guidelines, it is generally not necessary to include a website in a reference entry. Instead, one can simply add the URL of the website as an in-text citation. For example:

The Australian Government website (https://www.australia.gov.au/) provides a range of information and services for citizens.

However, if you choose to include a reference entry for a government website, the basic format outlined above can be followed, ensuring that the relevant elements are included.

shunculture

Citing a government website in APA 7th edition

The Australian Government has its own style of referencing, known as the Australian Government (author-date) style. This style is used for referencing a variety of sources, including books, journal articles, podcasts, songs, and websites.

When referencing a government website in particular, the general APA guidelines suggest that it is not necessary to include a reference entry. Instead, simply add the URL of the website as an in-text citation, for example:

> The website USA gov (https://www.usa.gov/) claims to be an online guide to government information and services.

However, if you choose to include a reference entry for a government website in APA 7th edition, the basic format is as follows:

Reference list entry format:

Author(s) of the government website. (Date of publication). Title of the webpage. Title of the website. URL

  • Author(s): Provide the last name and initials of the author(s). For one author, it would look like this: Watson, J. D. For multiple authors, list up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For example, Watson, J. D. & Brown, A. K. If there are more than 20 authors, include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (...) and then the last author's name, like this: Watson, J. D., Brown, A. K., ... Smith, J.
  • Date of publication: Give the year, month, and day in brackets, for example: (2023, June 15).
  • Title of the webpage: Italicize the title of the specific webpage.
  • Title of the website: Provide the official title of the website.
  • URL: Include the full URL of the webpage, including the protocol (http:// or https://).

Office for Human Research Protections. (n.d.). Becoming a research volunteer: It's your decision. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/sites/default/files/ohrp/education/brochures/3panelfinal.pdf

shunculture

Citing a book in the Style Manual

The Style Manual – Australian Government (author-date) referencing style is a citation style that follows the author-date method. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, for example, (Jones, 1998).

Last Name, FN 2000, "Title", Edition, EFN Editor Last Name (ed.), Publisher, City

For example, to cite "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, the citation would look like this:

Angelou, M 1969, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1st edn, Random House, New York

The in-text citation for this book would be (Angelou 1969).

Note that the Style Manual – Australian Government (author-date) style is different from the APA style. In the APA style, a book citation includes the author, title, year, and publisher. To cite a chapter in a book, include the editor and page range. Here is an example of an APA book citation:

Author Last Name, Author First Name or Author Last Name, Author First Name & Author Last Name, Author First Name. (Year). Title (Edition). Publisher.

For example:

Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1st ed.). New York: Random House.

The in-text citation for this book would be (Angelou, 1969).

shunculture

Citing a podcast in the Style Manual

To cite a podcast in the Style Manual (Australian Government), you need to follow a specific format. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Firstly, identify the basic elements that are required for citing a podcast. These typically include the host's name or the name of the company that posted the content, the publication date, the title of the podcast episode, and the URL or link where the podcast can be accessed or retrieved. It is important to note that the specific format and order of these elements may vary depending on the citation style guide you are using, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style.

Now, let's break down the structure for citing a podcast in the Style Manual (Australian Government). The basic format is as follows:

Last name, First name or Company Name. (Year of publication). "Title of the Podcast Episode." [Podcast or Audio]. Retrieved or Accessed date, URL.

Smith, J. (2023). "The Science of Sleep." [Podcast]. Retrieved March 7, 2023, https://example.com/sleep-podcast.

In this example, "Smith, J." represents the host's name, with their last name followed by their first name initial. The year of publication is "2023," and the title of the podcast episode is "The Science of Sleep." The format or medium is indicated as "[Podcast]," and the retrieval or access date is "March 7, 2023." Finally, the URL or link to the podcast episode is provided.

It is important to note that the Style Manual (Australian Government) may have specific variations or guidelines for podcast citations. Therefore, it is always recommended to refer to the latest version of the style guide or consult a reputable citation generator or tool for accurate and up-to-date guidance.

shunculture

Citing a song in the Style Manual

Lastname, F. (Year of publication). Song title [Recorded by First name(s) or initials. Last name of performer(s)]. On Album title [Audio file]. Retrieved from URL

For example, if you wanted to cite "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles from the "Abbey Road" album, the citation would look like this:

The Beatles. (1969). Here Comes the Sun. On Abbey Road [Audio file]. Retrieved from [URL]

An in-text citation would look like this: (The Beatles 1969).

If you are citing a song from iTunes, the citation would include the iTunes app in the container field:

Last name, First name (of the individual or the name of the band performing the song). "Title of the Song." Name of Album, Container (e.g. iTunes app), Version (optional), Publisher, Date published.

For example, here is how you would cite Pharrell Williams' song "Happy":

Williams, Pharrell. "Happy." GIRL, iTunes app, Columbia Records, 2014.

An in-text citation would look like this: (Williams 2014).

Frequently asked questions

To reference a government website in APA style 6th edition, include the following elements:

- Author(s) of the government website: Give the last name and initials (e.g. Watson, J. D.) of up to seven authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For eight or more authors, include the first six names followed by an ellipsis (...) and add the last author's name.

- Date of publication: Give the year, month and day in brackets followed by a full stop, e.g. (2019, June 13).

- Title of the government website: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.

- Retrieved from URL: Give the full URL of the webpage, including the protocol (http:// or https://).

For a reference list entry in APA style 7th edition, the basic format is as follows:

Author(s) of government website. (Date of publication). Title of webpage. Title of website. URL

A book citation in the Style Manual- Australian Government (note) format includes the author's name(s), publication year, book title, and publisher. Here is an example:

Last Name, FN 2000, Title, Editor First Name Editor Last Name (ed.), Edition, Publisher, City

To reference a podcast in the Style Manual- Australian Government (author-date) format, include the following elements:

- Last name, first name or initials

- Year of publication

- Title of the podcast episode

- Viewed date

Lastname, F 2000, “Title”, viewed 7 March 2025, .

Written by
Reviewed by
Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment