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How to Cite a PDF in American Sociological Association (ASA)

In ASA cite a PDF by the underlying work, usually a report or document, giving author or issuing body, year, the title in italics, the publisher, and a Retrieved access date with the URL. ASA does not treat PDF as its own source type.

Citation style American Sociological Association (ASA)
Source type PDF

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How to cite a pdf in ASA step by step

  1. Identify the work. Decide whether the PDF is a report, book, or article, since that sets the ASA pattern, not the file format.
  2. Author or issuer. Use the named author or the organization that issued the document.
  3. Year and title. Give the year after the author and italicize a standalone report title.
  4. Publisher. Name the issuing body or publisher.
  5. Retrieval and URL. Add a Retrieved access date with the full URL to the PDF.

ASA pdf citation format

ASA treats a PDF report as author, year, title, publisher, and a Retrieved URL. The format label is optional, which the worked example reflects.

Reference list entry
Adams, Ansel. 1942. The Tetons and the Snake River.
In-text citation
(OECD 2023)

Common pdf citation variations

How do I cite a government report PDF in ASA?

Use the issuing agency as the author, give the year, the report title and any number, the publisher, and the Retrieved access date with the URL.

How do I cite a research center working paper PDF in ASA?

Name the author or center, the year, the paper title and series number, and the Retrieved URL, common in sociology research.

Do I write PDF in an ASA citation?

Usually no. ASA cites the underlying document and uses the URL, adding a format note only when it helps the reader find the file.

How do I cite a PDF with no clear author in ASA?

Use the issuing organization as the author, or begin with the title when none is shown, keeping the author-year order in the text.

Cite any source in ASA

Cite journal article Cite a journal article with author, journal, volume and DOI. Cite book Cite a book with author, title, publisher and year. Cite website Cite a web page with author, site name, URL and access date. Cite youtube video Cite a YouTube video with uploader, title, date and URL. Cite image Cite an image, figure or photograph with creator, title and source. Cite chatgpt Cite ChatGPT or another AI chatbot with model, owner, date and prompt.

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PDF citation FAQ

Is a PDF a separate source type in ASA?

No. ASA cites the underlying report, book, or article and treats PDF only as the delivery format.

Does ASA add a retrieval date for a PDF?

For an online PDF, yes; ASA uses a Retrieved access date with the URL to the file.