Isabella Carter
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the go-to source for citing the US Constitution in APA format. While the Bluebook does not cover how to cite constitutions, it does provide the standard style for legal citations. According to APA guidelines, the basic format for citing the US Constitution is U.S. Const. followed by the amendment number in Roman numerals, the section number, and the clause number. For example, the citation for the Second Amendment would be U.S. Const. amend. II. If the part of the Constitution you are citing has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Referencing Style | APA |
| Constitution Type | Federal |
| Abbreviation | U.S. Const. |
| Article | II |
| Amendment | II |
| Section | N/A |
| Clause | N/A |
| Date | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in APA Style
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, if you are simply making a passing reference to the US Constitution, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a specific part of the Constitution as evidence to support your argument, you should follow the citation guidelines provided by The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. This publication sets the standard for legal citations and is recommended by the APA for citing legal materials.
- Begin the citation with "U.S. Const." This is the standard abbreviation for the US Constitution in legal citations.
- Include the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and are written in Roman numerals (e.g., II for the Second Amendment). The terms "section" and "clause" are abbreviated as "§" and "cl." respectively, and are written in Arabic numerals (e.g., 2 for Section 2). For example, the citation for the Second Amendment would look like this: "U.S. Const. amend. II".
- If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year of the change in parentheses. This provides important context for your citation.
- Do not include a date if you are citing a part of the Constitution that is currently in force. The Bluebook specifies that dates are only necessary when referring to repealed or amended sections.
- For reference list entries, follow the basic form of "U.S. Const. art./amend. § Section number". This format includes all the necessary information for a clear and concise reference.
In-text citation: "The right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution (U.S. Const. amend. II)."
Reference list entry: U.S. Const. amend. II, § [section number]
It's important to note that the APA may have updated guidelines in their latest publication manual. While The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005) is a reliable source for legal citation guidelines, it is recommended to cross-reference with the most recent edition of the APA Publication Manual to ensure your citations are up-to-date and accurate. Additionally, if you are unable to find specific guidelines or your source does not fall under the legal materials category, you can create a generic reference using the elements provided in the Publication Manual.
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Using Bluebook Rule 11
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the go-to source for legal citation styles, including APA citations for the US Constitution. The 18th edition of The Bluebook covers how to cite the US Constitution in an APA Style paper.
For example, if you are citing the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, your in-text citation would look like this:
> U.S. Const. amend. II
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year of the repeal or amendment in parentheses. However, for parts of the Constitution that are currently in force, do not include a date.
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Referencing an amended part
When referencing an amended part of the US Constitution in APA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, all citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and the section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals. For example, the citation for the Second Amendment would be written as "U.S. Const. amend. II".
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been amended, it is important to include the year of the amendment in parentheses. This is in accordance with Rule 11 of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, which is the standard reference guide for legal citations. The Bluebook specifies that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, no date should be included.
Additionally, when referencing an amended part, it is crucial to provide the specific section and clause numbers if relevant to your discussion. For example, if you are citing a particular section of the Second Amendment, your citation would look like this: "U.S. Const. amend. II, § [section number]". Remember that the "§" symbol indicates the section number.
It is worth noting that if you are simply making a passing reference to the US Constitution without specifically citing an amended part, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a specific part of the Constitution as evidence to support your argument, a formal citation following the above guidelines is necessary.
In the event that you are unable to find specific guidelines from APA or The Bluebook for your citation, you can create a generic reference. The Publication Manual provides guidance on the elements to include in a generic reference, such as the author or source, date, and title of the work.
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Abbreviating article and amendment numbers
When abbreviating article and amendment numbers in APA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, always use the standard abbreviations for the terms "article" and "amendment", which are "art." and "amend.", respectively. In addition, article and amendment numbers should be given in Roman numerals (e.g. I, II, III), while section and clause numbers should be in Arabic numerals (e.g. 1, 2, 3).
It is important to note that abbreviations should be used sparingly and only when they enhance clarity. Overusing abbreviations can make your writing harder to understand. As a general rule, an abbreviation should appear at least three times in your paper to ensure your reader doesn't forget what it refers to. However, you should also avoid underusing abbreviations, as too few instances may make your writing appear cluttered and inconsistent.
Additionally, when abbreviating, do not use apostrophes to form plurals of abbreviations or numbers. For example, write "the 1990s" instead of "the 1990's". This rule also applies to the plural form of ages, such as "clients in their 80s".
In the context of article and amendment numbers, you would apply these guidelines by using the standard abbreviations ("art." and "amend.") followed by the appropriate Roman numeral, such as "amend. II" to refer to the Second Amendment.
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Creating a generic reference
The APA citation style for the US Constitution is not included in the Publication Manual. However, the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005; www.legalbluebook.com) provides the standard for all legal citations.
If you are creating a generic reference for the second amendment of the US Constitution, you can follow the guidelines provided by the Publication Manual for elements that should be included in a generic reference:
Who/Author
The author is the person or organization responsible for the work. In the case of the US Constitution, the author would be "U.S. Const." or "United States Constitution."
When/Date
The date is the year, month, and day that the work was published. For the US Constitution, the date would be the year it was enacted, which was 1787. However, if you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been amended, include the year of amendment in parentheses, e.g., (Amended 1791).
What/Title
The title is the name of the work you are citing. In this case, it would be "Constitution of the United States of America" or simply "Second Amendment."
U.S. Const. (1787, Amended 1791). Constitution of the United States of America.
Alternatively, you can follow the Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions. Here is an example of an in-text citation:
U.S. Const. amend. II.
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Frequently asked questions
If you are simply making a passing reference to the US Constitution, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. If you are using a part of the Constitution as evidence, you should construct the citation using Bluebook Rule 11. 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 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 that are 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.
The Bluebook is a uniform system of citation for legal materials. The APA Publication Manual includes legal citation examples, but citing constitutions is not among them. For further guidance on legal citations, you should consult the Bluebook directly or speak to a law librarian.
If you can't find guidelines from APA for your source, you can create a generic reference using certain elements listed in the Publication Manual: author or editor, date, and title. If there is no date, use "n.d." If there is no title, create one and enclose it in square brackets.
