A policy brief is a succinct document that outlines the rationale behind a specific policy choice. Just as with any other source, you must include a policy brief in a reference list at the end of your paper if you use it as a source of information. If you are adhering to Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines, you should cite a policy brief as you would any other non-periodical Internet source.

  • A policy brief is a succinct document that outlines the rationale behind a specific policy choice.
  • Just as with any other source, you must include a policy brief in a reference list at the end of your paper if you use it as a source of information.

List the author's last name, a comma, first initial and a period. For example:

Kirkegaard, J.

List the year in which the brief was issued. This should appear in parentheses and be followed by a comma. For example:

(2010).

  • Retrieved from http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1723.
  • Combine the elements so that the finished citation appears in the following format: Kirkegaard, J.
  • (2010).

List the full title of the brief in italics, followed by a period. List the policy number in parentheses, if available. Capitalise only the first letter of the title, along with the first letters of any proper nouns. For example:

  • List the full title of the brief in italics, followed by a period.

How Europe can muddle through its crisis (Policy brief 10-27).

List the full URL in the following format:

Retrieved from http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1723.

Combine the elements so that the finished citation appears in the following format:

Kirkegaard, J. (2010). How Europe can muddle through its crisis (Policy brief 10-27). Retrieved from http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1723.

  • Retrieved from http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1723.
  • Combine the elements so that the finished citation appears in the following format: Kirkegaard, J.
  • (2010).

List the last name, a comma, first name and a period. For example:

Kirkegaard, Jacob.

List the full title of the brief in italics, followed by a period. For example:

  • List the full title of the brief in italics, followed by a period.

Policy Brief 10-27: How Europe Can Muddle Through Its Crisis.

List the name of the publisher, followed by a comma. For example:

Peterson Institute for International Economics,

List the date of publication, followed by a period. This should appear in a day-month-year format. For example:

1 Dec. 2010.

List the medium of publication, followed by a period. For example:

  • List the date of publication, followed by a period.
  • List the medium of publication, followed by a period.

Web.

List the date on which you accessed the information, followed by a period. For example:

1 Dec. 2010.

List the full URL in angle brackets:

http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1723

Combine the elements so that the finished citation appears in the following format:

Kirkegaard, Jacob. Policy Brief 10-27: How Europe Can Muddle Through Its Crisis. Peterson Institute for International Economics, 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. http://www.petersoninstitute.org/publications/interstitial.cfm?ResearchID=1723