Eleanor Finch
When citing a section of the Constitution, it is important to follow the correct style guide, such as MLA or Bluebook, and to include specific information, such as article and section numbers, depending on the style. This paragraph will explore the correct ways to cite a section of the Constitution, ensuring that your work is accurately referenced and your sources are clear. Whether you are citing the Constitution of the United States or a state constitution, there are specific rules to follow to ensure your work is correctly formatted and your references are clear and consistent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Constitution | "Constitution of the United States" or "U.S. Const." |
| Article | Use "art." as an abbreviation and convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals |
| Amendment | Use "amend." as an abbreviation and convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals |
| Section | Use "sec." as an abbreviation and convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals |
| Clause | Use "cl." as an abbreviation |
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What You'll Learn
Use U.S. or state name abbreviation
When citing a section of the US Constitution, it is important to use the correct abbreviations for the US or state names. All citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the specific section you are referencing. The standard format for citing a section of the US Constitution is as follows:
"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. The article and amendment numbers are written in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while the section and clause numbers are in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
For example, to cite Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 of the US Constitution, the correct citation would be:
> U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2.
Similarly, when citing a state constitution, use the abbreviated name of the state followed by the relevant section. For example, to cite Article IX, Part IV of the Massachusetts Constitution, the citation would be:
> Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV.
This format ensures that legal citations are clear and consistent, allowing readers to easily identify the specific section of the constitution being referenced.
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Article number in Roman numerals
When citing a section of the constitution, it is important to adhere to the specific style guidelines for the type of citation you are using. For example, the MLA style of citation uses Arabic numerals for article and section numbers, whereas other citation styles, such as the Bluebook, use Roman numerals for article and part numbers and Arabic numerals for sections and clauses.
Roman numerals are commonly used in legal documents, including federal constitution citations, to indicate divisions or amendments. For example, when citing the U.S. Constitution, it is customary to use Roman numerals for divisions and Arabic numerals for counts, such as "Amendment V". Roman numerals are advantageous in legal documents because they provide an unambiguous representation of numbers. Unlike the Arabic numeral system, Roman numerals do not use place values or zero, eliminating potential confusion or misinterpretation. This ensures a clear and distinct document structure with easily distinguishable section numbers, improving readability and facilitating a smoother reading experience for legal professionals.
Additionally, Roman numerals are used in case citations to indicate volume and page numbers of legal reports. For example, a case citation might appear as "Smith v. Jones, 5 VI. 123," where "5" is the volume number, "VI" indicates the series of legal reports, and "123" is the page number. This format allows for quick identification of relevant information when researching and citing case law.
It is worth noting that the use of Roman numerals in legal documents can also present challenges. One such challenge is that Roman numerals can be difficult to read for those unfamiliar with the system, impacting the clarity and accessibility of the document. To mitigate this issue, it is recommended to include a brief explanation of the Roman numeral system at the beginning of the document to aid readers in easily referencing and following along.
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Convert Roman numerals to Arabic
When citing a section of the Constitution, the general format is as follows:
> Abbreviated name of Constitution art. [Article number in Roman numerals]. § [Section number].
For example, "U.S. Const. art. I, §9, cl.2" or "Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV".
Note that when using MLA style, you should convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals, for example, writing "14" instead of "XIV".
To convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals, you can use a dedicated conversion app or website, or write a script or code to do the conversion. For example, in C++, Python, or VB.net. A basic script for Python involves defining a dictionary of Roman numerals and their corresponding Arabic values, then iterating through a given Roman numeral input and summing up the Arabic values to get the final conversion.
Alternatively, you can use a text editor like Notepad++ with a plugin that supports such conversions, such as PythonScript.
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Cite book form with title in italics
To cite a section of the Constitution in book form with the title in italics, you can follow the guidelines outlined by The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. This is the standard reference for legal citations.
When citing the US Constitution, use "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, section, and clause numbers. For example, "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1". Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers are in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
If you are referring to a specific edition of the Constitution published as a book, you should write the title in italics and include any editors or contributors. For example, "The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription".
It's important to note that the specific formatting and style may vary depending on the citation style guide you are using, such as MLA or APA. For example, in MLA style, you would use "art." for "article" and "sec." for "section", and you would include information about where you accessed the document.
Additionally, when citing books, it is standard to use small caps for the title rather than underlining it, and the format may differ depending on whether the book has an author or an editor.
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Include where accessed in Works Cited
When citing a section of the Constitution in MLA style, it is important to include information about where you accessed the text in your Works Cited entry. This is because there are multiple versions of the Constitution available, and citing where you accessed it helps others find the exact version you are referring to.
For example, if you are citing an online version of the Constitution, your in-text citation should include article/amendment and section numbers, instead of page numbers. The first few words of your Works Cited entry should then match the version you are citing. For instance, if you are citing "The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription," your in-text citation might look like this: ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4).
Alternatively, if you are citing a book version of the Constitution, your in-text citation would also include article/amendment and section numbers, but your Works Cited entry would include the title of the book in italics, followed by any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition.
It is important to note that when mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can simply refer to it as the "Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. However, in your parenthetical citation, you should specify the version you are citing to provide clear guidance on the source.
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Frequently asked questions
Use the abbreviations “art.” (Article), “amend.” (Amendment), and “sec.” (Section) along with the relevant numbers, e.g. "Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4.
Cite the federal constitution by "U.S." or the abbreviated name of the state, followed by the article and section number, e.g. Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV.
Include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry.
