BLS: methods, series documentation and source files

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a Handbook of Methods organized by statistical program. It is a useful starting point when a downloaded observation needs to be connected with its survey definitions and production methods. Begin with the program, not just a familiar subject label. Employment, prices and compensation can appear in different products with different populations and measurement procedures. Once the program is identified, retain the title and location of its methods chapter alongside the series documentation and source file. For an archival citation, separate three objects: the methodological description, the release containing the observation, and the file used for the extract. They may answer different questions. A methods page can explain a concept while a dated release establishes which version was published. Suggested source record: publisher; program; publication or chapter title; URL; date checked; file name; release or vintage if stated; and the series or table identifier. Add a short note explaining which claim the source supports. This page is a navigation guide to BLS documentation. It does not provide an exhaustive agency publication history, and it does not establish that every historical machine-readable file remains accessible.