Omar Bennett
The citation style for the US Constitution varies depending on the style guide being used, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. For instance, in APA and MLA styles, in-text citations are placed inside the sentence where the Constitution is quoted or referenced, while Chicago style uses footnotes for in-text citations. Additionally, when citing the Constitution as a whole, it is not included in the bibliography for APA, Chicago, or MLA 9 styles because it is considered a well-known document. However, when citing specific parts of the Constitution, the format may differ depending on the style guide being used. For example, in MLA style, the title Constitution is not italicized or put in quotation marks, and the in-text citation specifies the version cited. Overall, the key is to be consistent with your citations and include as much information as possible.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start with | Abbreviation "U.S. Const." |
| Article | Use Roman numerals: I, II, III |
| Amendment | Use Roman numerals: I, II, III |
| Section | Use Arabic numbers: 1, 2, 3 |
| Clause | Use Arabic numbers: 1, 2, 3 |
| Preamble | Abbreviated "pmbl." |
| Date | Include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses |
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What You'll Learn
MLA style
When citing the Constitution in MLA style, you should include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry. In the in-text citation, use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers. For example, the correct format for an in-text citation would be ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4), using the abbreviations "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section). Convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals (e.g., "XIV" becomes "14").
The federal constitution can be cited by using "U.S." or the abbreviated name of the state, followed by "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section. Here is an example of this style: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
If you are citing a published book edition of the Constitution, write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title. When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally just refer to it as the "Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. However, in the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited to match the first words of the Works Cited entry.
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APA style
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, you should follow the Bluebook uniform system of citation for legal materials. The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005; www.legalbluebook.com) sets the standard for all legal citations. The Publication Manual (see Appendix 7.1: References to Legal Materials, pp. 216–224) also includes a variety of legal citation examples, but citing constitutions is not among them.
If you are making a passing reference to the US Constitution in an APA Style paper, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a part of the Constitution as evidence, you should construct the citation using Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
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). For parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date.
For example, "The founding fathers addressed the process by which new states may join the union (U.S. Const. art. I, § 3)". Or, "During prohibition, the sale of liquor was made illegal (U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, repealed 1933)".
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Chicago style
When citing the US Constitution in Chicago style, you generally won't need to include it in a bibliography or reference list. Instead, you should use footnotes or in-text citations.
The first footnote or endnote citation for the US Constitution might look like this:
> US Constitution, art. 2, sec. 1, cl. 3.
Or, if you're citing an amendment:
> US Constitution, amend. XIV, sec. 2.
You can then shorten subsequent citations to just the article or amendment number in Roman numerals, e.g.:
> US Const. art. II.
If you're citing a state constitution, you can use the abbreviated name of the state, e.g.:
> Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV.
If you're citing a case that has been published in a secondary source, such as a book, you would cite that source in the bibliography. For example:
> Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist., 393 U.S. 503 (1969).
For congressional documents, be sure to include the number of the Congress and the session when the hearing was held or resolution passed, as well as the report number. For example:
> US Congress. House. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. 112th Cong., 2d sess., H. Rep. 112-445.
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Bibliography entry
The citation style for a bibliography entry of the Constitution depends on the style guide being used, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) style, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, or Chicago style. Here are some guidelines for each of these styles:
APA Style
When using APA style, the citation for the Constitution will be different depending on whether you are citing a specific part or the document as a whole. If you are citing specific sections, clauses, or amendments, include this information in your in-text citation to be as specific as possible. However, if you are citing the Constitution as a whole, it is considered a well-known document, so you don't need to include it in your APA bibliography or reference list. Instead, only include it in your in-text or parenthetical citations.
MLA Style
In MLA style, you should include information about where you accessed the Constitution in the Works Cited entry. If you are citing a book version of the Constitution, write the title in italics and list any editors or contributors. When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. If you are citing a specific part, specify the version in your parenthetical citation.
Chicago Style
When using Chicago style, the recommendation is to limit legal citations to the text itself using narrative citations if you are only using a small number of legal citations. However, if you are using several legal documents, you should supplement with footnotes. In Chicago style, the Constitution citation is optional in the bibliography, and you can include the information in the text or in a footnote or endnote.
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In-text citation
When citing the Constitution in a bibliography, there are different styles to follow depending on the format of the source material and the required referencing style. Here is a guide to in-text citations for the Constitution, focusing on the MLA and APA styles:
MLA Style
When citing the Constitution in MLA style, the in-text citation should specify the version of the Constitution being used. Generally, the word "Constitution" is not italicized or put in quotation marks. Instead, use abbreviations such as "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section), and convert any Roman numerals to Arabic numerals. For example: ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4).
If you are citing a specific article or amendment, the basic form is to use the abbreviated name of the Constitution, followed by "art." or "amend." and the relevant number in Roman numerals. For example: U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
If you are citing an online version of the Constitution, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry.
APA Style
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, all citations should 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. Article and amendment numbers are written in Roman numerals, while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals. For example: U.S. Const. art. I, § 2, cl. 3.
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. However, for parts of the Constitution that are still in force, do not include a date.
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Frequently asked questions
In MLA style, include information about where you accessed the Constitution in the Works Cited entry. When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally just call it the Constitution without italicization or quotation marks. In the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited to match the first words of the Works Cited entry.
APA style requires a reference list entry and in-text citations for specific pieces of constitutions. The in-text citation goes inside the sentence where you are quoting or referencing the Constitution.
In Chicago style, use a footnote for your in-text citation. The citation in the bibliography is optional depending on the reference style you are using. If you are citing the Constitution as a whole, do not cite it in your bibliography as it is considered a well-known document. Instead, include the information in the text or in a footnote or endnote.
The citation style depends on the formatting guidelines you are using, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style. You need a citation for the Constitution if you reference it directly or quote it. The U.S. Constitution is a special case because it is a common document that can be found in various places, so you don't need as much information as you would for other sources.
