Whether you are writing a research paper, creating a presentation, or drafting a report, citing your sources is essential. Among these sources, executive orders can be crucial in understanding and analyzing government regulations and actions. In this article, we will explore three easy ways to cite executive orders using the most common citation styles: American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), and Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).

1. APA Style

In APA style, executive orders are cited similarly to other legal citations. To cite an executive order in APA, you must include the following elements:

– The name of the issuing authority (i.e., the President’s name)

– The year of the order

– The title or description of the executive order

– The source name (e.g., Federal Register)

– The volume number and page numbers

Example:

Obama, B. (2016). Executive Order 13714: Strengthening the Senior Executive Service. Federal Register, 81, 74519-74524.

2. MLA Style

Citing an executive order in MLA style follows a slightly different format compared to APA style:

– Include the title of the order or a brief description

– Name the original publisher as “Office of the Federal Register”

– Provide the publication date

– Indicate that you retrieved it from a website (if applicable) by adding “Web”

Example:

“Executive Order 13714: Strengthening the Senior Executive Service.” Office of the Federal Register, 29 Dec. 2016. Web.

3. Chicago Manual of Style

In CMS, executive orders should be cited within footnotes or endnotes using the following format:

– Begin with “Executive Order”

– Include the order number

– Add a comma followed by the title of the document

– Provide both the original publication date and access date (for online resources)

– Include the URL (if applicable)

Example:

Executive Order 13714, “Strengthening the Senior Executive Service”, Office of the Federal Register, December 29, 2016, accessed May 1, 2021, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/12/29/2015-32611/strengthening-the-senior-executive-service.

In conclusion, citing executive orders is a simple process that only requires a few key pieces of information. By consistently using the proper citation styles and guidelines, you can ensure your work is professional and credit-worthy.