Omar Bennett
The citation style for the Constitution depends on the style guide being used. In APA, MLA, and Bluebook styles, the United States Constitution is abbreviated as U.S. Const. and state constitutions are abbreviated as [abbreviated state name] Const. For example, Haw. Const. for the Hawaii Constitution. When citing a specific provision, include the amendment, article, and section numbers. For example, U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2 for the 14th Amendment, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. In MLA style, include information about where the Constitution was accessed in the Works Cited entry and use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers. For church documents, the SBL Handbook of Style may be used for citations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | MLA, APA, Chicago, Bluebook |
| Document | Use specific pieces instead of the whole document |
| Article and amendment numbers | Given in Roman numerals (I, II, III) |
| Section and clause numbers | Given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) |
| State constitutions | Abbreviated name of the state (e.g. N.C. Const., Ariz. Const.) |
| Amended provision | Add the date it was amended in parentheses |
| Bibliography | Not required for legal documents in Chicago style |
| In-text citation | Use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers |
| Work issued by the Church | Cite by its title from the publication information |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in MLA style
When citing the US Constitution in MLA style, it is generally recommended to cite specific pieces of the Constitution instead of the whole document. In the in-text citation, use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers. For example, ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4). Use the abbreviations "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section) as appropriate in your citations. Convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals (e.g., "XIV" becomes "14").
Article and amendment numbers are typically given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). For state constitutions, use the abbreviated name of the state, such as "N.C. Const." or "Ariz. Const.". When citing a provision that has been amended, include the date it was amended in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
The US Constitution has also been published in book form in various editions. To cite one of these editions, write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title. When simply mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally refer to it as "the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks.
Both MLA and APA styles require reference list entries and in-text citations for specific pieces of constitutions. The formatting is generally the same for both reference list entries and in-text citations. However, when using Chicago style, it is recommended to limit legal citations to the text itself, using the narrative to include information that would typically go in the footnotes. When using several legal documents in Chicago style, supplement with footnotes. Chicago style only requires footnote citations for legal documents, and these documents do not need to be listed in the bibliography.
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Citing the US Constitution in APA style
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005; www.legalbluebook.com) is the standard reference for legal citations. The Publication Manual of the APA Style, on the other hand, includes a variety of legal citation examples, but citing constitutions is not among them. Thus, the Bluebook is the go-to reference for citing the US Constitution in APA style.
According to the Bluebook, when citing the US Constitution, you generally do not cite the whole document. Instead, cite the specific pieces you are using. All citations of the US Constitution 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 always abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." 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, when citing a provision that has been amended, add the date it was amended in parentheses.
- U.S. Const. art. I, § 3.
- U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
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Citing the US Constitution in Chicago style
When citing the US Constitution in Chicago style, it is generally recommended to cite specific pieces of the Constitution rather than the whole document. Chicago style requires only footnote citations for legal documents, and these documents do not need to be listed in the bibliography.
For example, when citing Article III, section 2 of the US Constitution, the following formats can be used:
- U.S. Const. art. III, § 2.
- U.S. Const., art. III, § 2.
- U.S. Constitution, art. III, § 2.
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 instance, when citing Article III, sections 1 through 2, it would appear as follows: U.S. Const. art. III, §§ 1–2.
When citing a provision that has been amended, include the date it was amended in parentheses. For Chicago style, this would be included in the footnote: U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
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Citing the Vatican Council Constitution
The Second Vatican Council, also known as Vatican II, was summoned by Pope John XXIII because he felt the Church needed "updating" or "aggiornamento". The council was officially summoned by the apostolic constitution Humanae Salutis on 25 December 1961, and its work continued under Pope John's successor, Paul VI, until 8 December 1965. The council produced sixteen documents, including four constitutions: Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation; Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World; Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church; and the Constitution on the Church of Vatican Council II.
When citing the Vatican Council Constitution, the specific piece being referenced should be indicated rather than the whole document. The SBL Handbook of Style, MLA Style Manual, Turabian, and Chicago style are all options for the citation style. Here are some examples of how to cite the Vatican Council Constitution in different styles:
SBL Handbook of Style:
The SBL Handbook of Style is a common citation style for theological sources. In this style, an in-text citation for the first paragraph in the section on "Eternal Newness" in Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, would look like this: (Evangelii Gaudium, §11). The paragraph symbol (§) can be inserted in Microsoft Word by going to the "Insert" tab and then selecting the "Symbol" tab on the right.
For a book citation, the following information should be included:
- Author's last name, first name.
- Book title in italics.
- City of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.
For example:
Peters, Edward H., and Gregory Baum. De Ecclesia; The Constitution on the Church of Vatican Council II Proclaimed by Pope Paul VI, November 21, 1964.. Glen Rock, N.J.: Paulist Press, 1965.
MLA Style:
In MLA style, honorific titles like "Pope," "Father," or "Cardinal" are not added before or after a name. An example of an MLA citation for an online papal encyclical is as follows:
Pope Benedict XVI. "Deus Caritas Est - Encyclical Letter, Benedict XVI." Vatican: the Holy See. Vatican Website. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2005. Web. 29 Jan. 2013.
For a book citation, the following information should be included:
- Author's last name, first name.
- Book title in italics.
- City of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.
For example:
Pope Paul VI. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium."
Chicago Style:
In Chicago style, legal citations are typically limited to the text itself, with narrative information included that would otherwise go in the footnotes. Footnotes are used for legal documents, but they are not included in the bibliography. An example of a Chicago-style citation for a state constitution is: N.C. Const. or Ariz. Const.
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Citing state constitutions
Citing the U.S. Constitution typically involves citing specific pieces within the document, rather than the whole text. When citing state constitutions, use the abbreviated name of the state, for example, N.C. Const. or Ariz. Const. The basic form is as follows:
> Abbreviated name of Constitution art. Article number in Roman numerals. § Section number. Abbreviated name of Constitution amend. Amendment number in Roman numerals, § Section number. Abbreviated name of Constitution art. Article number in Roman numerals, pt. Part number in Roman numerals.
- U.S. Const. art. I,§9,cl.2.
- U.S. Const. amend. XIV,§ 2.
- Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV.
When citing a provision that has been amended, include the date it was amended in parentheses. For instance, in APA and MLA styles, this would be the reference entry, whereas in Chicago style, this would be the footnote:
> U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)
APA style explains that when referring to an entire constitution, indicating the constitution in the narrative is sufficient. 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).
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Frequently asked questions
When citing the Constitution, cite the specific pieces you are using, instead of the whole document.
In SBL style, cite the United States Constitution by writing "U.S. Const." followed by the article and amendment numbers, which are given in Roman numerals, and the section and clause numbers, which are given in Arabic numerals. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2"
Cite state constitutions by writing the abbreviated name of the state followed by "Const." For example, "Haw. Const. art. IX, § 1, cl. 2"
