How to Cite Technical Reports
Learn how to properly cite technical reports and research documents in APA format.
Basic Format
Author(s). (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). Publisher/Organization.
Author(s). (Year). Title of report (Report No. xxx). URL
Examples
Organization as Author
National Institute of Mental Health. (2018). Research priorities for strategic objective 2 (NIMH Publication No. 18-6368). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Individual Authors with Organization
Smith, J. D., & Johnson, K. L. (2021). Analysis of renewable energy implementation (Technical Report No. NREL/TP-6A20-71714). National Renewable Energy Laboratory. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy21osti/71714.pdf
Report from University
Wilson, M. R., & Thompson, S. K. (2020). Climate change impact on urban infrastructure (Research Report No. CEE-2020-01). Stanford University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Key Elements
Author Information
- List individual authors if available
- Use organization name if no individual authors
- Include both authors and organization when applicable
- Follow standard APA author formatting rules
Report Numbers
- Include report number in parentheses after title
- Use exact format as shown on report
- Include series or contract numbers if relevant
- Add grant numbers if applicable
Publisher Information
- Include full organization name
- Add department or division if specified
- Use parent organization for government reports
- Include location for older reports if relevant
Special Cases
Additional Guidelines
- For draft reports, indicate "Draft" in square brackets after title
- Include "Advance online publication" if applicable
- Note "In press" for forthcoming reports
- Specify "Internal report" for unpublished internal documents
In-Text Citations
First Citation
Use the full organization name:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2018)...
Subsequent Citations
Use the abbreviation:
The research findings (NIMH, 2018) indicated...
Online Access
Digital Reports
- Include DOI when available
- Use permanent URLs or repository links
- Add database name for restricted access reports
- Include retrieval date for dynamic content
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't confuse report numbers with contract numbers
- Don't omit organizational hierarchy in author position
- Don't use informal report titles
- Don't forget to include report type and number
- Don't cite superseded versions without noting updates