Simone Lawson
The citation style for the U.S. Constitution varies depending on the style guide being used. In APA style, citations of the U.S. Constitution begin with U.S. Const. followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. In MLA style, the citation includes information about where the Constitution was accessed in the Works Cited entry, and uses article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers in the in-text citation. For state constitutions, the federal constitution can be cited by U.S. or the abbreviated name of the state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | MLA or APA |
| Abbreviation | U.S. Const. or the abbreviated name of the state |
| Article | art. or "Article" followed by Roman numerals or Arabic numerals |
| Amendment | amend. or "Amendment" followed by Roman numerals |
| Section | § or "Section" followed by Arabic numerals |
| Clause | cl. or "Clause" followed by Arabic numerals |
| Preamble | pmbl. or "Preamble" |
| Date | Include the year in parentheses if referring to a repealed or amended part of the Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in APA style
Citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style requires a specific format. Firstly, it is important to note that you do not need to create a citation for the entire U.S. Constitution; simply referring to it by name in the text is sufficient. However, when citing specific articles, amendments, sections, or clauses, a more detailed format is required.
The basic structure for citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style is as follows:
> U.S. Const. article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers
> U.S. Const. art. I, § 3
This format indicates "Article I, Section 3" of the U.S. Constitution. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and they are always written in Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.). On the other hand, "section" and "clause" are abbreviated as "§" and "cl." and are written in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses, like this:
> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)
This indicates that the 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933.
It is important to note that APA style defers to Bluebook style for legal materials, so it is always a good idea to consult the Bluebook for specific guidelines on citing legal documents, including state constitutions, which may have slightly different formatting requirements. Additionally, if you are unable to find specific guidance on how to cite a particular source in APA style, you can create a generic reference using the elements outlined in the Publication Manual, such as author, date, and title.
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Citing the US Constitution in MLA style
In your in-text citation, instead of page numbers, use article/amendment and section numbers. For example: ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4). If you are citing an online version of the Constitution, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry.
When creating a Works Cited list entry, follow the appropriate format for the specific source type. For example, if you are citing a printed copy of the Constitution found in a book, cite it as you would a book, with the title in italics and any editors or contributors listed. If you are citing a digital version of the Constitution from a website, follow the format for a "website" source type.
It is important to note that, in MLA style, you generally do not need to cite the entire Constitution as it is considered a well-known document. Instead, you can simply refer to it in the text of your paper. However, if you are citing a specific part of the Constitution, a citation is necessary, and you should follow the formatting guidelines provided by MLA.
Additionally, when citing legal works in MLA style, it is important to document the version of the work you consulted, not the canonical version of the law. This means including information such as the date of access or publication, depending on the specific source type.
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Citing state constitutions
MLA Style
When citing the state constitution in MLA style, the general rule is to use article and section numbers in your in-text citations. You would list the abbreviated name of the state, followed by "Const." to denote the constitution, then the article number in Roman numerals, and finally the section number in Arabic numerals. Here's an example:
> "The right to freedom of assembly is guaranteed by Mass. Const. art. IX, § IV."
In this example, "Mass." is the abbreviated name for Massachusetts, "Const." refers to the constitution, "art. IX" denotes Article 9, and "§ IV" represents Section 4. Note that Roman numerals are used for article numbers, while Arabic numerals are used for section numbers.
Additionally, when mentioning the constitution in your paper, you can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" without the need for italics or quotation marks. However, in your parenthetical citation, specify the version cited to match the Works Cited entry.
APA Style
For APA style citations, the format is similar. Begin with the abbreviated name of the state, followed by "Const." to indicate the constitution. Then, provide the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. The terms "article," "amendment," "section," and "clause" are abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. Here's an example:
> "According to the Massachusetts Constitution, freedom of assembly is protected (Mass. Const. art. IX, § IV)."
Similar to MLA style, article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). If you are referring to a part of the constitution that has been amended or repealed, include the year of the change in parentheses.
Bluebook Style
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation sets the standard for legal citations. When citing a state constitution in Bluebook style, follow a similar structure to the APA style. Begin with the abbreviated name of the state, followed by "Const." Then, provide the article, amendment, section, and clause details. Here's an example:
> "The Hawaii Constitution guarantees certain rights (Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2)."
Note that for Bluebook citations, you cannot use a short cite other than "Id." for constitutions.
By following these guidelines, you can confidently cite state constitutions in your academic work, ensuring proper credit and providing transparency for your research.
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Creating a generic reference
When creating a generic reference for the U.S. Constitution in APA style, you should include the following elements:
Who/Author
Begin with "U.S. Const." to indicate the United States Constitution. This is followed by the specific piece you are referencing, such as an article, amendment, section, or clause. Use the appropriate abbreviations: "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, "§" for Section, and "cl." for Clause.
When/Date
Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses, such as "(repealed 1933)." For parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date.
What/Title
After the specific piece and its details, provide the title of the Constitution: "Constitution."
> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933). Constitution.
This example references the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was repealed in 1933.
It is important to note that when citing the Constitution, you should typically cite the specific pieces you are using rather than the entire document. APA style guidelines suggest that simply indicating "Constitution" in the narrative may be sufficient when referring to the whole Constitution.
Additionally, the Bluebook sets the standard for all legal citations. If you need further guidance on legal citations, it is recommended to consult the Bluebook directly or seek assistance from a law librarian.
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Using Chicago style
When using Chicago style to cite the US Constitution in the text of your paper, the basic format is as follows:
> U.S. Const. art. [Article number in Roman numerals], § [Section number], cl. [Clause number]
For example, if you were citing Article 2, Section 1, Clause 3, your in-text citation would look like this:
> U.S. Const. art. II, § 1, cl. 3
If you are citing an amendment to the Constitution, the format is slightly different:
> U.S. Const. amend. [Amendment number in Roman numerals], § [Section number]
So, for example, if you were citing Amendment XIV, Section 2, your in-text citation would appear as follows:
> U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2
Note that in Chicago style, legal documents such as the US Constitution are typically only cited in footnotes or within the text of your paper, and are not included in the bibliography. The only exception to this is if the document is included in a secondary publication, such as a book, in which case you would cite the book in your bibliography.
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Frequently asked questions
Begin with U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. Use "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, "§" for Section, and "cl." for Clause. Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
Use article and amendment numbers instead of page numbers. You can simply call it "the Constitution" without italics or quotation marks. If you are citing a specific state constitution, use the abbreviated name of the state, e.g. "Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV".
No, if you are making a passing reference to the U.S. Constitution, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are citing a specific part of the Constitution, use the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as outlined above.
For APA and MLA styles, include the date it was amended or repealed in parentheses in the reference entry. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
Chicago style requires only footnote citations for legal documents, and the documents do not need to be listed in the bibliography. When citing a specific provision, include the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as in other styles.
