Jonah Patel
The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a citation format that is commonly used in academic writing. When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, it is recommended to follow the Bluebook uniform system of citation for legal materials. The basic format for citing the U.S. Constitution is to begin with U.S. Const. followed by the specific article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. 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). For example, a citation for Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution would be written as U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start with | U.S. Const. |
| Article | art. in Roman numerals (I, II, III) |
| Amendment | amend. in Roman numerals (I, II, III) |
| Section | § in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) |
| Clause | cl. in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) |
| Preamble | pmbl. |
| Date | Only include the date if the amendment has been repealed or amended |
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What You'll Learn
Begin with 'U.S. Const.'
Citing the U.S. Constitution accurately in APA style is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and ensuring that readers can easily locate the referenced sections. When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, it is important to begin with the abbreviation "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article," "amendment," "section," and "clause" are abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. Article and amendment numbers are denoted by Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
For example, a citation of the U.S. Constitution's Preamble would be abbreviated as "U.S. Const. pmbl." The Bluebook, a widely accepted guide for legal citations, recommends omitting the date for currently enforced provisions of the Constitution. However, if you are referring to a repealed or amended section, include the year of the change in parentheses.
It is worth noting that some federal statutes may include public law numbers, which can be used in reference list entries instead of U.S.C. publication information. Additionally, other legislative materials, such as testimony, hearings, and bills that have not become law, can also be cited with reference list templates that may optionally include URLs.
By adhering to these guidelines, you can ensure that your citations of the U.S. Constitution in APA style are accurate and conform to academic standards.
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Article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, it is important to follow the Bluebook uniform system of citation for legal materials. The basic format for citing the U.S. Constitution is as follows:
> U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant.
The terms "article," "amendment," "section," and "clause" are always abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." Article and amendment numbers are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
For example, to cite Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the citation would look like this:
> U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses, such as "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)."
Additionally, when citing a specific provision that has been amended, add the date it was amended in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. art. III, § 2 (amended 2005)."
It is important to note that when citing the Constitution, you should reference specific pieces rather than the whole document.
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Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, it is important to note that 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). The terms "article" and "amendment" are always abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively. For example, the citation for Article IX, Section 3 of the South Carolina Constitution would be written as "S.C. Const. art. IX, § 3".
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
State constitution article numbers are also in Roman numerals, but state constitution amendment numbers are in Arabic numerals. For example, "Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV".
When citing the Constitution, it is generally recommended to cite the specific pieces you are using rather than the whole document. In your references list, include the source you have on hand. In your in-text citation, use the name and date of the original source, followed by the words "as cited in" and then the source you used.
Additionally, the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005; www.legalbluebook.com) provides guidance on citing the U.S. Constitution.
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Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, all citations begin with "U.S. Const.", followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. The terms article and amendment are always abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III). Section and clause numbers, on the other hand, are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). For example, the citation for the First Amendment would be "U.S. Const. amend. I".
The Bluebook, which sets the standard for all legal citations, states that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, no date should be included. However, if you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses.
Arabic numerals, also known as Hindu-Arabic numerals, were introduced to Europe in the 10th century by Arabic speakers of Spain and North Africa. They gradually spread throughout Europe, with the printing press in the 15th century and European trade, books, and colonialism popularizing their adoption worldwide. By the mid-16th century, they had been widely adopted in Europe, and by 1800, they had almost completely replaced the use of counting boards and Roman numerals in accounting.
Today, Arabic numerals are used worldwide and have become common in writing systems where other numeral systems previously existed, such as Chinese and Japanese numerals. In the context of legal documents, different jurisdictions have adopted various numbering styles. Some prefer using simple numerical systems like Arabic numerals for all headings, while others adhere to traditional Roman numerals for their unambiguous representation and hierarchical structure.
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Abbreviations for preamble, article, amendment, section, and clause
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, you should always begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§", and "cl.," respectively. The preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl."
Article and amendment numbers are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). For example, a citation might read: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 2."
If you are citing a state constitution, use the abbreviated name of the state, followed by "Const." and the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. For example, "Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV."
It is important to note that when citing a specific provision that has been amended or repealed, you should include the date of the change in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)."
Additionally, when referring to the entire U.S. Constitution or a state constitution, you do not need to provide a formal citation. Simply referring to it as the "U.S. Constitution" or "Wisconsin Constitution" in the narrative is sufficient.
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Frequently asked questions
Begin with U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. The terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated to art., amend., §, and cl., respectively. 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).
The Bluebook states that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date. However, if you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses.
State constitutions should be abbreviated using the legal state abbreviations, such as In. Const. for Indiana's Constitution. In the narrative, spell out the state name, for example, Indiana.
