Jonah Patel
When writing or publishing content that references the preamble of a constitution, it is important to know whether the title should be italicized. The general rule is that the titles of constitutions are not italicized or placed within quotation marks when mentioned in text. However, if you are citing a specific published edition of the constitution, then the title should be italicized, and treated like the title of any published work.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Titles of constitutions | Not italicized or enclosed in quotation marks |
| Titles of individual published editions of constitutions | Italicized |
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What You'll Learn
When to Italicize the Title of the Constitution
The general rule is that the title of a constitution is not italicized or enclosed in quotation marks when it is referred to in the running text. For example, it is correct to write: "The Constitution grants all American citizens a wide range of rights, including the right to free speech."
However, when citing a specific published edition of the constitution, such as "The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription," the title should be italicized, just like the title of any other published work. In this case, the correct format would be: "As stated in 'The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription,' (art. 1, sec. 4)..."
Similarly, when including the title of a published edition of the constitution in a works-cited-list entry, it should be italicized. For example: "*The Constitution of the United States, with Case Summaries*."
It is worth noting that when mentioning the constitution in a general context, it is common to simply refer to it as "the Constitution" without any italicization or quotation marks.
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Published Editions of the Constitution
The US Constitution has been published in book form in various editions, with publishers like Random House, Skyhorse, Penguin, Barnes & Noble, and Bauman Rare Books releasing their editions. When citing the title of an individual published edition of the Constitution, it should be italicized and treated like the title of any other published work. For example, in an MLA citation, the title of the book is italicized, and editors, annotators, or other contributors are listed after the title.
However, when referring to the Constitution in general, it is not customary to italicize or enclose the title in quotation marks. For instance, in the sentence "The Constitution grants all American citizens a wide range of rights, including the right to free speech," the word "Constitution" is not italicized.
The same rule applies to the preamble of the Constitution. The preamble is considered part of the Constitution itself and therefore follows the same formatting guidelines. When citing a specific published edition of the preamble, it would be italicized, but when referring to the preamble in a general sense, it would not be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks.
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Referring to the Constitution in Text
When referring to the Constitution in text, there are a few formatting conventions to follow, depending on the style guide being used. In general, when mentioning the Constitution in a paper, it is not italicized or placed in quotation marks. For example, one might write, "The Constitution grants all American citizens a wide range of rights, including the right to free speech."
However, if one is citing a specific published edition of the Constitution, the title of that edition should be italicized, as with any other published work. For example, "The *Constitution of the United States, with Case Summaries*, provides a detailed look at the document's legal implications."
In an MLA-style citation, the title of the Constitution is not italicized or enclosed in quotation marks in the running text. However, in the Works Cited list, the title is italicized when referring to a specific published edition. For example:
In-text citation: "The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech for all Americans (Constitution of the United States)."
Works Cited entry: *Constitution of the United States: With Case Summaries*.
When citing a specific article, section, or amendment of the Constitution, use the appropriate abbreviations ("art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section) and convert any Roman numerals to Arabic numerals. For example: "The Fourth Amendment (amend. IV) protects the right to privacy."
Remember that specific formatting and style guidelines may vary depending on the citation style being used (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.), so always consult the relevant style guide for detailed instructions.
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Citing the Constitution in Works
When citing the Constitution in your work, you can simply refer to it as ("the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. However, if you are citing a specific published edition of the Constitution, you should italicize the title and treat it like the title of any other published work. For example, you would italicize "The Constitution of the United States, with Case Summaries" in your works-cited-list entry.
In MLA style, your in-text citation for the Constitution should include the version or edition you are citing, such as the article, amendment, or section number. You can use standard abbreviations for these, such as "art." for Article and "sec." for Section. For example, your in-text citation may look like this: (Constitution, art. 1, sec. 4).
Additionally, your Works Cited entry should include information about where you accessed the Constitution. If you are citing a book edition of the Constitution, your citation should include the author, title, publisher, and year, following standard MLA book citation format. For example, your citation may look like this:
"The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription." Publisher, Year.
If you are citing an online version of the Constitution, your citation should include the author or editor, page title, website name, date, and URL, following standard MLA website citation format. For example:
Last name, First name (editor). "Constitution of the United States." Website Name, Date, URL.
Remember to consult the MLA guidelines or a style guide for specific instructions and examples, as the exact format may vary depending on the specific source and context of your citation.
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MLA Style and Italics
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used for writing papers and citing sources in the liberal arts and humanities. The MLA handbook provides guidelines for formatting manuscripts and citing research in writing. It also offers writers a system for referencing sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages.
When it comes to using italics in MLA style, there are a few key principles to keep in mind. Firstly, titles of longer works, such as books, should be italicized in the text of your paper or in your bibliography. This includes titles of published editions of constitutions, which are treated like titles of any other published work. However, when simply referring to a constitution in your text, you can use the term "Constitution" without italics or quotation marks.
Italics can also be used in MLA style to indicate emphasis, but this should be done sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. Additionally, when using titles in your own title, you should use italics or quotation marks, just as you would in the body of your text. For example: "Analysis of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play".
It is important to note that the preparation of papers in MLA style should follow specific formatting guidelines. This includes using a legible font with distinct regular and italic type styles, double-spacing the text, and setting appropriate margins and indentations. These guidelines ensure consistency and readability in academic writing.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the preamble of a constitution does not need to be italicized.
The title of a constitution is not italicized or enclosed in quotation marks when referring to the document in general.
The title of a constitution should be italicized when referring to a specific published edition of the constitution.
When citing the United States Constitution in MLA style, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry. In the text, you can refer to it as "the Constitution" without italics or quotation marks.
To cite a published edition of the United States Constitution in MLA style, write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title. In the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited to match the first words of the Works Cited entry.
