Eleanor Finch
The citation style for a provision of the Constitution depends on the style guide being used. In MLA style, use art. for Article, amend. for Amendment, and sec. for Section, and convert any Roman numerals to Arabic numerals. In APA style, all citations of the U.S. 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).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | MLA or APA |
| In-text citation | Use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers |
| Full citation | Include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry |
| Abbreviations | Use "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section) |
| Numerals | Convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals |
| Date | If the part of the Constitution you're citing has been repealed or amended, include the year |
| Bluebook | The Bluebook sets the standard for all legal citations |
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What You'll Learn
Citing a provision of the US Constitution in APA style
When citing a provision of the US Constitution in APA style, it is important to follow the Bluebook uniform system of citation for legal materials, as APA defers to Bluebook style for legal citations. The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005; www.legalbluebook.com) is the go-to reference for legal citation standards.
If you are making a passing reference to the US Constitution, you can simply mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a specific 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 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. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." 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, if you are citing a provision from Article I, Section 3 of the US Constitution, the citation would be: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3." If you are citing a provision from an amendment, you would use the abbreviation "amend." followed by the amendment number in Roman numerals. For instance, if referring to Amendment XVIII, the citation would be: "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII."
It is important to note that the Bluebook specifies that no date should be included for parts of the Constitution that are currently in force. Additionally, when citing a provision that has been amended, the date of amendment should be added in parentheses. For example: "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)."
In summary, when citing a provision of the US Constitution in APA style, follow the Bluebook guidelines for legal citations. Begin with "U.S. Const." and then provide the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers using the appropriate abbreviations and number styles. Include the date of amendment in parentheses if applicable.
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Citing a provision of the US Constitution in MLA style
When citing a provision of the US Constitution in MLA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, it is important to cite the specific pieces you are using instead of the entire document. This involves using article, amendment, and section numbers in your citations rather than page numbers. For example, use the abbreviations "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section, and convert any Roman numerals to Arabic numerals (e.g., "XIV" becomes "14").
Additionally, when mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" without the need for italicization or quotation marks. However, if you are using a named edition, treat it like the title of a book and include the full title, such as "The Constitution of the United States, with Case Summaries." Also, specify the country of origin if it is not clear from the title.
For in-text citations, provide enough information to direct your readers to the exact entry in the Works Cited. This typically involves using the relevant article, amendment, and section numbers. For example: ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4).
In your Works Cited entry, include information about where you accessed the Constitution. If you are citing an online version, provide the URL or website name. For example:
"Constitution of the United States." National Archives and Records Administration. www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript.
It is important to follow the guidelines of the specific MLA style manual you are using, such as the 8th or 9th edition, as there may be slight variations in formatting requirements.
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Citing a repealed or amended provision of the US Constitution
When citing a repealed or amended provision of the US Constitution, it is essential to follow specific guidelines to ensure accuracy and adherence to the appropriate style conventions. Here is a detailed guide on how to structure these citations effectively.
In APA Style, 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, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." Article and amendment numbers are denoted by Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). When referencing a repealed or amended provision, include the year of repeal or amendment in parentheses. This format is consistent with Bluebook Rule 11, which governs the citation of federal and state constitutions.
For example, if citing the US Constitution's Preamble, the citation would appear as follows: "U.S. Const. pmbl." If referring to a specific article, such as Article I, the citation would be "U.S. Const. art. I." To cite a section within an article, include the section number in Arabic numerals, like "U.S. Const. art. I, § 2." If the cited provision has been repealed or amended, add the year within parentheses, for instance, "U.S. Const. art. I, § 2 (repealed 1805)."
In MLA style, the format differs slightly. While in-text citations use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers, the abbreviations "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section are employed. Any Roman numerals in the text should be converted to Arabic numerals. For example, "The Fourteenth Amendment (amend. XIV) guarantees due process (sec. 1)." When mentioning the Constitution in the text, it is generally referred to as "the Constitution" without italicization or quotation marks.
It is worth noting that the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the definitive resource for legal citations. While the APA Style guidelines draw from the Bluebook, it is recommended to consult the Bluebook directly or seek guidance from a law librarian for more intricate or specific citation needs related to the US Constitution.
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Using the Bluebook to cite the US Constitution
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the go-to guide for citing the US Constitution. The 18th edition of the Bluebook, published in 2005, is the standard for all legal citations. It is important to note that the Bluebook is distinct from the APA Style's blue-covered 6th edition Publication Manual.
To cite the US Constitution using the Bluebook, follow these steps:
- Begin with "U.S. Const." as the standard abbreviation for the United States Constitution.
- Combine the geographic region ("U.S.") with the word "CONST." in small caps typeface.
- Abbreviate subdivisions according to Table 16 of the Bluebook. For example, use "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, "§" for Section, and "cl." for Clause.
- Include the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. For example, "U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2" or "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
- Use Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers (e.g., I, II, III) and Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3).
- If the constitutional provision is still in force, there is no need to include a date. However, if you are referring to a repealed or amended part of the Constitution, indicate the year of the action in parentheses.
- U.S. CONST. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
- U.S. CONST. amend. XIV, § 2.
- U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
- U.S. CONST. art. I, § 3, cl. 1 (amended 1913).
Remember to consult the latest edition of the Bluebook for the most up-to-date guidelines on citing the US Constitution.
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Citing the US Constitution as evidence in an academic paper
APA Style
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005) is the recommended source for proper legal citations. All citations of the US Constitution in this style begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 2" refers to the 14th Amendment, Section 2 of the US Constitution. The Bluebook specifies that article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
Additionally, if you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year of the change in parentheses. However, for parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date.
MLA Style
When citing the US Constitution in MLA style, use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers in your in-text citations. You can simply refer to it as the "Constitution" without the need for italics or quotation marks. However, when citing a specific version of the Constitution, specify the version in the parenthetical citation. For example, " (“Constitution of the United States,” art. 1, sec. 4). Use the abbreviations “art.” (Article), “amend.” (Amendment), and “sec.” (Section) as appropriate, and convert any Roman numerals to Arabic numerals.
The Bluebook
The Bluebook is a comprehensive guide for legal citations. When citing the US Constitution using the Bluebook style, the abbreviation "Const." is used, followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and clause identifiers. For example, "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1" refers to Article I, Section 3, Clause 1 of the US Constitution.
In summary, when citing the US Constitution as evidence in an academic paper, the specific style guide required by your discipline or publication should be consulted. Properly formatting these citations ensures clarity and consistency in your academic writing.
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Frequently asked questions
You can cite it using Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions. All citations of the U.S. 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).
