How to Cite a Report in MLA 9th Edition

General Format

MLA 9 format for a report: Author or Organization. *Title of Report*. Publisher, Year. For online reports: Author or Organization. *Title of Report*. Publisher, Year. URL. If the report has a number, include it after the title: Author or Organization. *Title of Report*. Report No. xxx, Publisher, Year.

Worked Example

Government report: United States, Government Accountability Office. *Actions Needed to Evaluate the Impact of Efforts to Estimate Costs of Reports and Studies*. GAO, 2012. www.gao.gov/products/gao-12-480r. Organizational report: Oxfam International. *An Economy for the 99%*. Oxfam, 2017. With report number: National Institute of Mental Health. *Technology and the Future of Mental Health Treatment*. Report No. 20-MH-8098, NIMH, 2019.

Common Mistakes

1. **Confusing government author format** -- For U.S. government reports, use "United States" as the government entity, followed by the specific agency. 2. **Not italicizing the report title** -- Report titles are italicized in MLA, like book titles. 3. **Omitting the publisher when it differs from the author** -- If the authoring agency and the publisher are different, include both.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a PDF report found online?

Cite it the same way as any online report. The format (PDF) is not usually specified in MLA unless it is relevant to your discussion.

Do I cite the report or the organization's website?

Cite the report itself, not the website where you found it. The report title should be the focus.

How do I cite a report with multiple authors from different organizations?

List the authors as they appear on the report. If organizations are co-authors, list them separated by commas.