Reports are also known as grey literature. They include research and technical material that is produced by government, academics, charities, business and industry.
Reports with named author(s)
Online report with a single author
Reference
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Abrams, D. (2010). Processes of prejudices: Theory, evidence and intervention (Research report 56). Equalities and Human Rights Commission. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/research-report-56-processes-of-prejudice-theory-evidence-and-intervention.pdf
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It was shown that... (Abrams, 2010).
Abrams (2010, p. 84) argued that...
For examples of online reports with multiple authors please see below.
Online report with two authors
Reference
Author, Initials., & Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Wisdom, J., & Creswell, J. W. (2013). Mixed methods: Integrating quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis while studying patient-centered medical home models (13-0028-EF). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - Patient Centred Medical Home Resource Center. https://pcmh.ahrq.gov/page/mixed-methods-integrating-quantitative-and-qualitative-data-collection-and-analysis-while#h=Mixed%20Methods
In-text Citation
For sources with two authors, you should use both authors' surnames in each citation. If the citation is inside brackets, use an ampersand (&) between the names. If they are in the text of your work, use 'and' between them.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It has been suggested that... (Wisdom & Creswell, 2013).
Wisdom and Creswell (2013, p. 3) argue that...
Online report with three or more authors
Reference
Author, Initials., Author, Initials., & Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Donnelly, S., O'Brien, M., Walsh, J., McInerney, J., Campbell, J., & Kodate, N. (2017). Adult safeguarding legislation and policy rapid realist literature review. Health Services Executive. https://researchrepository.ucd.ie/bitstream/10197/9183/1/AdultSafeGuardLitReview%20v0.3%20pdf.pdf
In-text Citation
For sources with three or more authors, you only need to state the name of the first author, followed by 'et al.'
'et al.' is plural, meaning "and others".
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
I can be argued that... (Donnelly et al., 2017).
Donnelly et al. (2017, p. 122) argued that...
Printed report with a single author
Reference
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher.
Slater, J. (2009). Conservation Area no. 30 St. David’s Road, Southsea: Guidelines for conservation. Portsmouth City Council.
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It was shown that... (Slater, 2009).
Slater (2009, p. 14) explains that...
For examples of printed reports with multiple authors please see below.
Printed report with two authors
Reference
Author, Initials., & Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher.
Daniels, P.W., & Bobe, J.M. (1990). Planning for office development in the City of London and adjacent boroughs: a review of recent policy (SIRC papers: Working paper no.1). Portsmouth Polytechnic Service Industries Research Centre.
In-text Citation
For sources with two authors, you should use both authors' surnames in each citation. If the citation is inside brackets, use an ampersand (&) between the names. If they are in the text of your work, use 'and' between them.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It has been suggested that... (Daniels & Bobe, 1990).
Daniels and Bobe (1990, p. 16) suggested that...
Printed report with three or more authors
Reference
Author, Initials., Author, Initials., & Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher.
Neiland, A., Soley, N., & Baron, J. (1997). A review of the literature on shrimp culture (Research papers 128). Centre for the Economics and Management of Aquatic Resources.
In-text Citation
For sources with three or more authors, you only need to state the name of the first author, followed by 'et al.'
'et al.' is plural, meaning "and others".
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It can be argued that... (Neiland et al., 1997).
Neiland et al. (1997, p. 7) argued that...
Reports by an organisation
If the organisation which wrote the report is also the publisher, omit the publisher element from the reference.
Reference
Author. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. (2020). Animal wellbeing (PAW) report. https://www.pdsa.org.uk/media/10540/pdsa-paw-report-2020.pdf
In-text Citation
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
Findings show that... (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, 2020).
As the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (2020, p. 10) found...
If the organisation which wrote the report is also the publisher, omit the publisher element from the reference.
Reference
Author. (Year of publication). Title of report (Series number if available). Publisher.
Consumers' Association. (2003). Patient information: what's the prognosis?
Gwent Family History Society. (n.d.). Pontypool Union Workhouse Register of deaths 1869-1880 (PB053).
In-text Citation
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
The records show that... (Consumers' Association, 2003).
Gwent Family History Society (n.d., p. 4) detail...
Reports by government departments
House of Commons Briefing Papers, House of Lords Briefing Papers and any other departmental reports.
If the report is a Command Paper, please see the guidance here.
Reference
Author, Initials or Name of government department. (Year of publication). Title (Report series and number if available). URL
Department for Education. (2014). School admissions code: Statutory guidance for admission authorities, governing bodies, local authorities, school adjudicators and admission appeals panels (DFE-00728-2014). https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389388/School_Admissions_Code_2014_-_19_Dec.pdf
Wilson, W., & Barton, C. (2021). Social rented housing (England): Past trends and prospects (House of Commons Library Briefing Paper 8963). https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8963/
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
The process involves... (Department for Education, 2014).
Wilson and Barton (2021, p. 11) state that...
Reference
Author, Initials or Name of government department. (Year of publication). Title (Report series and number if available).
Gadd, E. (2018). Brexit glossary (House of Commons Library Briefing Paper 7840).
Department for Education. (2014). School admissions code: Statutory guidance for admission authorities, governing bodies, local authorities, schools adjudicators and admission appeals panels (DFE-00728-2014).
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
This can be defined as... (Gadd, 2018).
The Department for Education (2014, p. 7) describe this as...
Annual reports
Reference
Author. (Year of publication). Title of report. URL.
Tesco. (2021). Serving shoppers a little better every day: Annual report and financial statements 2021. https://tescoplc.com/media/757589/tesco_annual_report_2021.pdf
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
...as a result they reported profits of... (Tesco, 2021).
Tesco (2021, p. 3) reported profits of...
Reference
If the publisher is the same company as the author, omit this from the reference.
Author. (Year of publication). Title. Publisher.
John Lewis Partnership. (2021). Annual report and accounts 2021.
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It was reported that the company... (John Lewis Partnership, 2021).
John Lewis Partnership (2021, p. 14) reported...
Reports from business databases
Reference
If there is a personal or corporate author listed, use this and put the database name before the web address. If there is no personal or corporate author, use the database name as the author and do not include it before the web address.
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title. Database name. https://doi.org/ or URL
Wisson, C. (2012). Chocolate confectionery: Issues in the market. Mintel. https://academic.mintel.com/display/590114/
Whitbread. (2019). Number of Costa coffee shops in the United Kingdom (UK) from fiscal year 2008/09 to 2017/18. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/283302/number-of-costa-coffee-stores-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
IBISWorld. (2020). Brexit impact statement A01.200. Fruit growing in the UK. https://my.ibisworld.com/uk/en/industry/a01.200/about
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
A recent report showed that... (Wisson, 2012).
Whitbread (2019) reported that...
It was reported... (IBISWorld, 2020, p. 9)
Working papers
Reference
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of working paper (Working Paper Series and Number if available). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Thorn, W. (2020). Improving the collection of information on literacy proficiency in household surveys (OECD Education Working Paper No. 240). Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. https://doi.org/10.1787/d02155e2-en
If the working paper has no number or series, include the words Working paper in square brackets after the title.
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of working paper [Working paper]. Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
Huong, D., Donoghoe, M., Hughes, N., & Goesch, T. (2018). A micro-simulation model of irrigation farms in the southern Murray-Darling basin [Working paper]. Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences. https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/working-papers/micro-simulation-model-irrigation-farms
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It was argued... (Thorn, 2020).
Thorn (2020, p. 40) explains that...
Current debates suggest... (Huong et al., 2018).
Huong et al. (2018, p. 5) argue that...
Reference
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of working paper (Working Paper Series and Number if available). Publisher.
Deming, D., & Dynarski, S. (2008). The lengthening of childhood (NBER Working Paper No. 14124). National Bureau of Economic Research.
If the working paper has no number or series, include the words Working paper in square brackets after the title.
Author, Initials. (Year of publication). Title of working paper [Working paper]. Publisher.
In-text Citation
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It was argued ... (Deming & Dynarski, 2008).
Deming and Dynarski (2008, p. 6) discuss the idea that...
If the working paper has more than two authors, please follow the guidance here.
Guidelines and protocols
Reference
If an organisation wrote the guidance and they are also the publisher, omit the publisher element from the reference.
Author, Initials. (Year). Title (Series and/or Publication Number). Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2021). Safeguarding adults in care homes (NG189). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng189
In-text Citation
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
Guidance says that... (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2021).
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2021, p. 48) state that...
Reference
If an organisation wrote the guidance and they are also the publisher, omit the publisher element from the reference.
Author, Initials. (Year). Title (Series and/or Publication Number). Publisher.
Council of Europe. (2012). Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on child-friendly justice.
In-text Citation
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It is required that... (Council of Europe, 2012).
The Council of Europe (2012, p. 15) require that...
Standards
Reference
When the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher from the reference.
Name of organisation. (Year of publication). Number and title. Publisher. https://doi.org/ or URL
British Standards Institution. (2020). BS EN 71-2:2020 Safety of toys. Flammability. https://bsol.bsigroup.com/Bibliographic/BibliographicInfoData/000000000030379151
In-text Citation
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It is required that... (British Standards Institution, 2020).
The British Standards Institution (2020, p. 25) require that...
Reference
When the author and publisher are the same, omit the publisher from the reference.
Name of organisation. (Year of publication). Number and title. Publisher.
British Standards Institute. (2020). BS EN 1871:2020 Road marking materials. Paint, thermoplastic and cold plastic materials. Physical properties.
In-text Citation
If the organisation is known by an acronym, you can use this in your second or subsequent citation by following this guidance.
For information about the use of page numbers within in-text citations, please see our guidance here.
It is required that... (British Standards Institution, 2020).
The British Standards Institution (2020, p. 40) require that...
Patents
Reference
The year used in the reference should be the year the patent was issued, not the year in which it was applied for.
Author, Initials. (Year patent issued). Title (Patent No.). Issuing office. URL
Polus, M. (2019). Device for composite mesh braiding (Patent No. EP 3444 390 A1). European Patent Office. https://data.epo.org/publication-server/rest/v1.0/publication-dates/20190220/patents/EP3444390NWA1/document.html
In-text citation
The new device invented by Polus (2019) …
Reference
The year used in the reference should be the year the patent was issued, not the year in which it was applied for.
Author, Initials. (Year patent issued). Title (Patent No.). Issuing office.
Ferrette, L. E. F. (1925). Air pump for safety lamps (Patent No. US 1534369 A). United States Patent Office.
In-text citation
The new device invented by Ferrette (1925) enabled …