Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution is a crucial document in the nation's history, outlining the country's fundamental laws and principles. When referencing this important text, it is essential to provide proper citations to ensure academic integrity and credibility. This paragraph aims to guide you through the process of correctly citing a quote from the US Constitution, ensuring that your work adheres to established formatting styles and conventions. Whether you are using APA, MLA, or another style, understanding the intricacies of citation is vital to producing well-researched and properly attributed academic writing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start with | U.S. Const. |
| Article | art. (in Roman numerals) |
| Amendment | amend. (in Roman numerals) |
| Section | § (in Arabic numerals) |
| Clause | cl. (in Arabic numerals) |
| Preamble | pmbl. |
| Date | Not required for parts of the Constitution currently in force |
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What You'll Learn
Begin with U.S. Const
When citing a quote from the US Constitution, the citation should always begin with "U.S. Const.". This is 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. For example, a citation might appear as follows: "U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 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). The Bluebook 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 However, if you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses.
If you are citing the Constitution in MLA style, 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, a citation might appear as follows: ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4).
If you are simply making a passing reference to the US Constitution in an APA Style paper, you can mention it in text without a reference list entry.
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Abbreviate article, amendment, section, and clause
When citing a quote from the US Constitution, it is important to correctly abbreviate article, amendment, section, and clause. The standard for all legal citations is set by The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.
The terms "article", "amendment", "section", and "clause" are always abbreviated as "art.", "amend.", "§", and "cl.", respectively. 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, "Article 1, Section 4" of the US Constitution would be written as "art. 1, § 4".
It is worth noting that the style of citation may vary depending on the specific guidelines being followed, such as APA or MLA style. For example, in MLA style, you would use the abbreviations "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section. Additionally, any Roman numerals used in the text should be converted to Arabic numerals.
When citing a quote from the US Constitution, it is also important to include information about where the quote was accessed, especially when citing an online version or a specific edition of the document.
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Use Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, it is customary to use Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers. For example, "Amendment V" would be written as "Amend. V". The terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated as "art.", "amend.", "§", and "cl.", respectively.
The use of Roman numerals in legal documents has been a long-standing tradition, providing a clear and distinct style that is easily understandable and identifiable. Roman numerals are often used to represent hierarchical headings, starting with top-level headings such as I, II, and III, followed by capital letters (A, B, C), Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3), lowercase letters (a, b, c), and finally, romanettes (i, ii, iii) for more detailed breakdowns.
This structure is particularly important in legal writing, as it provides a consistent framework for organizing and presenting information within documents. It ensures that legal documents have a clear and distinct structure, enhancing readability and organization.
Additionally, familiarity with the Roman numeral system is expected among legal professionals, adding an element of consistency and professionalism to one's work. It is worth noting that California mandates the use of Arabic numerals for pagination, so understanding the specific rules and guidelines of your jurisdiction is essential.
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Use Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers
When citing a quote from the US Constitution, it is important to follow the correct format. In this case, we are focusing on the instruction to "use Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers".
Firstly, it is important to understand the structure of the US Constitution. The Constitution is divided into articles and amendments, which are further divided into sections and clauses. When citing a specific part of the Constitution, you need to identify the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause.
The key instruction here is that the article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (e.g. I, II, III), while the section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (e.g. 1, 2, 3). For example, if you are citing Article I, Section 4, your citation should look like this: art. I, § 4.
This format is consistent across different citation styles, including APA and MLA. For example, in APA style, all citations of the US Constitution begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The abbreviations for article and amendment (art. and amend.) are always in Roman numerals, while the abbreviations for section and clause (§ and cl.) are always in Arabic numerals.
Similarly, in MLA style, you would use the abbreviations "art." for article, "amend." for amendment, and "sec." for section, with Roman numerals for articles and amendments, and Arabic numerals for sections. For example: "art. I, sec. 4".
Using Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers is, therefore, a consistent element across different citation styles when citing the US Constitution. This allows for clear and consistent referencing of the various sections and clauses within the document.
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Include the year if referring to a repealed or amended part
When citing a quote from a repealed or amended part of the US Constitution, it is important to follow the correct format. The style of citation may vary depending on the format required, such as APA or MLA.
For example, in APA format, all citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const.", followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. Article and amendment numbers are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). If you are referring to a repealed or amended part of the Constitution, include the year in parentheses. For example:
> "The Senate was established with the Legislature intending to choose the two senators for each state for six-year terms (U.S. Const. Art. I, §3, cl. 1, amended 1919)."
In this example, the citation refers to Article 1, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which was amended by Section 1 of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1919.
Similarly, in MLA format, you would use the same abbreviations for article, amendment, and section ("art.," "amend.," and "sec."). However, in MLA, you must convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals. Additionally, include information about where you accessed the Constitution in your Works Cited entry.
It is important to be consistent and follow the specific guidelines of the chosen format to ensure accurate and effective citations.
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Frequently asked questions
Begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. Article and amendment numbers should be given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers should be in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
Include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses.
Use "Constitution of the United States" followed by the article, amendment, and section numbers. Convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals. For example, "Constitution of the United States, art. 1, sec. 4".
No, you should use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers.
Write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title.
Note: These answers refer to specific citation styles (APA and MLA) and may not apply to other styles.
