Are Policy Titles Italicized?
In APA-style reference contexts, a stand-alone policy or issue brief treated as a report uses an italicized report title; this is not a universal rule for every named policy. Do not universalize this to every policy name. A named policy mentioned in running text, a law, an internal policy heading, or another citation style can follow different conventions.
In APA-style reference contexts, a stand-alone policy or issue brief treated as a report uses an italicized report title; this is not a universal rule for every named policy.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
Do not universalize this to every policy name. A named policy mentioned in running text, a law, an internal policy heading, or another citation style can follow different conventions.
Further guidance
Example
APA-style invented reference element: *Remote Work Policy Review* is italicized when cited as the title of a stand-alone report-like policy document.
Practical Application
For an APA-style reference to a stand-alone policy or issue brief treated as a report, italicize the report title. Keep that decision separate from how a policy name appears in running text.
Reader Check
Ask whether you are formatting a bibliographic reference to a stand-alone report-like policy document, a policy name in prose, a law, or an internal heading. Those are different contexts.
Recommendation
For an APA-style reference to a stand-alone policy or issue brief, italicize the report title.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- APA 7th Style Guide 2026 (opens in a new tab)Mohawk Valley Community College · APA 7 reference-format guidance grouping policy and issue briefs under report formatting and showing the report title in italics.