How Do You Cite The World Health Organization

Citing the World Health Organization (WHO) is crucial for academic integrity and to give proper credit to the source of information. The WHO is a leading authority on international health, providing valuable data, reports, guidelines, and publications that are widely used in research, policy-making, and public health interventions. This article will guide you through the various citation styles, offering detailed examples and best practices for citing WHO resources accurately.

Understanding the Importance of Citing WHO

Properly citing the World Health Organization is essential for several reasons:

• Credibility: Citing WHO enhances the credibility of your work by referencing a reputable source.
• Transparency: It allows readers to verify the information and consult the original source for further details.
• Academic Integrity: It avoids plagiarism and gives due credit to the WHO for their work.
• Supporting Arguments: Citing WHO can strengthen your arguments with evidence-based information.

General Guidelines for Citing WHO

Before diving into specific citation styles, here are some general guidelines to keep in mind:

• Identify the Source: Determine the exact WHO publication you are citing. This could be a report, guideline, webpage, or dataset.
• Collect Relevant Information: Gather all necessary details, including the title of the publication, author (if specified), publication date, and URL.
• Choose a Citation Style: Select the appropriate citation style based on your field of study or the requirements of your institution. Common styles include APA, MLA, Chicago, and Vancouver.
• Follow the Style Guidelines: Adhere to the specific rules and formatting guidelines of your chosen citation style.
• Be Consistent: Maintain consistency in your citations throughout your document.

Citing WHO in APA Style

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is widely used in social sciences, education, and health-related fields. Here’s how to cite WHO resources in APA format:

Citing a WHO Report

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of report. World Health Organization. URL

Example:

World Health Organization. (2023). Global Tuberculosis Report 2023. World Health Organization.

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization, 2023) - for parenthetical citations
• World Health Organization (2023) stated that… - for narrative citations

Citing a WHO Webpage

Format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. World Health Organization. URL

Example:

World Health Organization. (2023, November 24). Health topics: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). World Health Organization.

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization, 2023)
• World Health Organization (2023) reported…

Citing a WHO Guideline

Format:

World Health Organization. (Year). Title of guideline. URL

Example:

World Health Organization. (2021). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization, 2021)
• World Health Organization (2021) recommends…

Citing a WHO Dataset

Format:

World Health Organization. (Year). Title of dataset. URL

Example:

World Health Organization. (2023). Global Health Observatory (GHO) data.

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization, 2023)
• According to the World Health Organization (2023)…

Citing WHO in MLA Style

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used in humanities disciplines, such as literature, languages, and cultural studies. Here’s how to cite WHO resources in MLA format:

Citing a WHO Report

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of Report. Publisher, Year, URL.

Example:

World Health Organization. Global Tuberculosis Report 2023. World Health Organization, 2023, .

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization)

Citing a WHO Webpage

Format:

World Health Organization. "Title of Webpage." Website Name, Date of Publication, URL. Accessed Date.

Example:

World Health Organization. "Health topics: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)." World Health Organization, 24 Nov. 2023, . Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization)

Citing a WHO Guideline

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of Guideline. Publisher, Year, URL.

Example:

World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. World Health Organization, 2021, .

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization)

Citing a WHO Dataset

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of Dataset. Publisher, Year, URL.

Example:

World Health Organization. Global Health Observatory (GHO) data. World Health Organization, 2023, .

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization)

Citing WHO in Chicago Style

The Chicago Manual of Style is used in a variety of disciplines, including history, literature, and the arts. Here’s how to cite WHO resources in Chicago format:

Citing a WHO Report

Format (Notes-Bibliography):

World Health Organization, Title of Report (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), URL.

Example:

World Health Organization, Global Tuberculosis Report 2023 (Geneva: World Health Organization, 2023), .

Shortened Note:

World Health Organization, Global Tuberculosis Report 2023.

Format (Author-Date):

World Health Organization. Year. Title of Report. Place of Publication: Publisher. URL.

Example:

World Health Organization. 2023. Global Tuberculosis Report 2023. Geneva: World Health Organization. .

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization 2023)

Citing a WHO Webpage

Format (Notes-Bibliography):

World Health Organization, "Title of Webpage," Name of Website, Date of Publication, URL, accessed Date.

Example:

World Health Organization, "Health topics: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)," World Health Organization, November 24, 2023, , accessed November 28, 2023.

Shortened Note:

World Health Organization, "Health topics: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)."

Format (Author-Date):

World Health Organization. Year. "Title of Webpage." Name of Website, Date of Publication. URL. Accessed Date.

Example:

World Health Organization. 2023. "Health topics: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)." World Health Organization, November 24, 2023. . Accessed November 28, 2023.

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization 2023)

Citing a WHO Guideline

Format (Notes-Bibliography):

World Health Organization, Title of Guideline (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), URL.

Example:

World Health Organization, WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour (Geneva: World Health Organization, 2021), .

Shortened Note:

World Health Organization, WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

Format (Author-Date):

World Health Organization. Year. Title of Guideline. Place of Publication: Publisher. URL.

Example:

World Health Organization. 2021. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization. .

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization 2021)

Citing a WHO Dataset

Format (Notes-Bibliography):

World Health Organization, Title of Dataset (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), URL.

Example:

World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory (GHO) data (Geneva: World Health Organization, 2023), .

Shortened Note:

World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory (GHO) data.

Format (Author-Date):

World Health Organization. Year. Title of Dataset. Place of Publication: Publisher. URL.

Example:

World Health Organization. 2023. Global Health Observatory (GHO) data. Geneva: World Health Organization. .

In-Text Citation:

• (World Health Organization 2023)

Citing WHO in Vancouver Style

The Vancouver style is typically used in medical and scientific writing. It employs a numerical system for in-text citations and a corresponding numbered list in the bibliography.

Citing a WHO Report

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of report. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. Available from: URL

Example:

World Health Organization. Global Tuberculosis Report 2023. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. Available from:

In-Text Citation:

• (1)

Citing a WHO Webpage

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of webpage. Place of publication: Publisher; Date of publication. Available from: URL. [Accessed Date]

Example:

World Health Organization. Health topics: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 Nov 24. Available from: . [Accessed 2023 Nov 28]

In-Text Citation:

• (2)

Citing a WHO Guideline

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of guideline. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. Available from: URL

Example:

World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Available from:

In-Text Citation:

• (3)

Citing a WHO Dataset

Format:

World Health Organization. Title of dataset. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. Available from: URL

Example:

World Health Organization. Global Health Observatory (GHO) data. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. Available from:

In-Text Citation:

• (4)

Tips for Accurate and Effective Citations

• Verify Information: Always double-check the accuracy of the information you include in your citations.
• Use Citation Management Tools: Consider using citation management tools like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote to organize your sources and generate citations automatically.
• Consult Style Manuals: Refer to the official style manuals for detailed guidelines and examples.
• Be Consistent: Maintain consistency in your citation style throughout your document.
• Include Access Dates: For online sources, include the date you accessed the information, as URLs can change over time.
• Cite Direct Quotes: When quoting directly from a WHO publication, enclose the quote in quotation marks and include the page number (if available).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Missing Information: Omitting essential details like the publication date or URL.
• Inconsistent Formatting: Not adhering to the specific formatting guidelines of your chosen citation style.
• Incorrect URLs: Providing broken or outdated links.
• Failure to Cite: Neglecting to cite WHO resources when you have used their information.
• Plagiarism: Presenting WHO's work as your own without proper attribution.

Examples of In-Text Citations in Different Contexts

Let's look at some examples of how to incorporate in-text citations of WHO resources into your writing:

Example 1: APA Style

"According to the World Health Organization (2023), global efforts to combat tuberculosis have saved millions of lives, but the disease remains a major public health challenge."

Example 2: MLA Style

"The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of regular physical activity for maintaining good health (World Health Organization)."

Example 3: Chicago Style

"The WHO's guidelines on mental health provide valuable recommendations for addressing the global mental health crisis (World Health Organization 2021)."

Example 4: Vancouver Style

"A recent study highlighted the importance of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases (1)."

Conclusion

Citing the World Health Organization accurately and effectively is crucial for maintaining academic integrity, enhancing the credibility of your work, and giving proper credit to the source of information. By following the guidelines and examples provided in this article, you can confidently cite WHO resources in various citation styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago, and Vancouver. Remember to verify information, use citation management tools, and consult style manuals to ensure consistency and accuracy in your citations. Properly citing WHO not only avoids plagiarism but also supports your arguments with evidence-based information, contributing to the overall quality and impact of your work.