Omar Bennett
Citing old versions of a constitution in MLA style is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and ensuring the credibility of your work. The MLA style has specific rules for referencing legal documents, and it's important to adhere to these guidelines closely to demonstrate attention to detail and respect for academic standards. When citing old versions of a constitution, it's important to document the version of the work consulted, rather than the canonical version of the law. This involves including information about where the source was accessed and using article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers. Proper citation of old constitutional versions helps readers locate the referenced sections and ensures that credit is given to the original source.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Title of the constitution | In italics in the Works Cited entry |
| In-text citations | In quotation marks with article, amendment, and section numbers |
| Article and amendment numbers | In Roman numerals (I, II, III) |
| Section and clause numbers | In Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) |
| State constitutions | Use the abbreviated name of the state |
| Amended provisions | Add the date it was amended in parentheses |
| Works Cited entry | Include the title of the document, the article and section being referenced, and publication details |
| Print version citation | Include the name of the publisher, publication date, and medium |
| In-text citation | Include the title of the document, article and section being referenced |
| Cite a specific version | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
Citing old versions of the US Constitution in MLA
Citing the Source:
Firstly, identify the specific version of the US Constitution that you are referencing. When citing this source, include the title of the document, which is "Constitution of the United States." Use quotation marks around the title in your in-text citations. You can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" in the body of your text without using italics or quotation marks.
Article, Amendment, and Section Numbers:
In your in-text citations, provide the relevant article, amendment, and section numbers instead of page numbers. Use the appropriate abbreviations: "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section. For example, this is how you would cite Article 1, Section 4: ("Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4).
Roman Numerals and Italics:
Convert any Roman numerals in the original text to Arabic numerals in your citation. For example, "XIV" becomes "14." The title of the constitution should be in italics in your Works Cited entry.
Access Information:
Include information about where you accessed the document in your Works Cited entry. This is an important aspect of MLA style, as it helps readers locate the specific version you referenced.
Book Form and Editions:
If you are citing a published book version of the US Constitution, write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to that edition.
Citing State Constitutions:
When citing state constitutions within the US, include the name of the state, followed by the relevant article, section, or amendment information.
Remember, proper citation of legal documents like the Constitution is crucial for maintaining academic integrity, providing accurate references for your readers, and adhering to academic standards.
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Citing old versions of the UK Constitution in MLA
When citing old versions of the UK Constitution in MLA style, it is important to follow the guidelines provided by the Modern Language Association (MLA). Here are some detailed instructions and examples to help you properly cite old versions of the UK Constitution:
Citing Specific Articles, Amendments, and Sections
When referencing specific articles, amendments, or sections of the UK Constitution in MLA format, use the appropriate abbreviations and arabic numerals. Use "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section. For example, if you are citing Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution, the MLA citation would look like this: ("Constitution of the UK," art. 1, sec. 4).
Works Cited Entry
For the Works Cited entry, include relevant publication details such as the title of the document ("Constitution of the UK"), the specific article and section being referenced, and any other relevant information such as the publisher and publication date. Here is an example of how the Works Cited entry may appear:
"Constitution of the UK," art. 1, sec. 4. The UK Constitution. Publisher, Publication Date.
In-Text Citation
In the in-text citation, you can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. Specify the version cited in the parenthetical citation to match the first words of the Works Cited entry. For example: (Constitution, art. 1, sec. 4).
Online or Digital Versions
If you are citing an online or digital version of the UK Constitution, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry. Provide a URL or link to the specific website or database where you accessed the document. Here is an example:
"Constitution of the UK," art. 1, sec. 4. The UK Constitution. Accessed via [URL or Database Name], Access Date (if required).
Print Versions
When citing a print version of the UK Constitution, include the name of the publisher, the publication date, and the medium in your Works Cited entry. Here is an example:
"Constitution of the UK," art. 1, sec. 4. The UK Constitution. Publisher, Publication Date, Print.
Remember to capitalize the "C" in "Constitution" when writing it in the body of your text, and always ensure that you are following the latest guidelines provided by the MLA for citing legal works and government documents.
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MLA citation of print versions
When citing a print version of a constitution in MLA style, there are several key components to include in your citation. Firstly, always capitalise the "C" in "Constitution" when referring to it in the body of your text. The citation should include the title of the document ("Constitution"), along with the article and section being referenced. Use the abbreviations "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section) as appropriate in your citations and convert any Roman numerals to Arabic numerals. For example, "XIV" becomes "14".
In the Works Cited entry, provide the publication details, including the name of the publisher, the publication date, and the medium. If the source has no author, start with the name of the national government, followed by any relevant agencies or subdivisions. For congressional documents, include the Congress number, session details, and report number.
> "Constitution of the United States," art. 1, sec. 4.
Note that in the above example, "art." refers to Article, "sec." refers to Section, and Roman numerals have been converted to Arabic numerals.
When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally 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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MLA citation of online versions
When citing online sources in MLA style, it is important to follow the general MLA principles while also incorporating certain considerations unique to digital sources. Here are some guidelines for citing online versions of a source in MLA:
Documenting Online Sources
Firstly, it is crucial to document the specific version of the online source consulted. This is a fundamental principle in MLA style, as online sources can change or disappear over time. Include information such as the date published and accessed, as well as the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier). If the URL is long, include only the www. address, omitting https://. If the source has no author, start with the source title.
Citing E-books
When citing e-books, indicate that the source is an electronic version by adding "e-book" in the "version" slot of the MLA template. If the e-book is formatted for a specific device or service, you can replace "e-book" with "[App/Service] ed." For example, "Kindle ed."
Citing Online Articles
For articles that appear exclusively online and do not use page numbers, indicate the URL or other location information, such as a chapter number or timestamp. If the article is from a scholarly journal, include the volume and issue number, as well as the URL and date of access.
Using MLA Citation Generators
To simplify the citation process, you can use an MLA citation generator. These tools create academic citations by taking information such as document titles, authors, and URLs as input and producing formatted citations that can be copied directly into your Works Cited page.
Remember that the Works Cited page contributes to the overall grade of your paper, so it is essential to follow the guidelines in the official MLA Handbook and accurately format your citations.
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MLA citation of book versions
When citing book versions in MLA style, there are several elements you need to include in your citation. Firstly, the author's name should be provided in "last name, first name" format. If there are two authors, list both authors in the citation. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by "et al.".
The title of the book should be italicized, with all major words capitalized. If the book has a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space, even if no colon appears in the source. For example: "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance". The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when mentioning the book title within the text, excluding the subtitle is acceptable.
The publisher and publication year are also essential components of an MLA book citation. If relevant, include the names of editors or translators, the edition, and the volume. If the book was published before 1900, include the city of publication. For books with multiple volumes, cite each volume separately if you are referencing specific sections from those volumes. In such cases, the in-text citations must include both the volume and page numbers.
If the book has no identified author, begin the citation with the book title. If the source has no page numbers, you can use alternative locators, such as a chapter number, to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation.
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date.
Additionally, if you are citing an electronic edition of a book, you can specify the file type in the "final supplemental" section of the citation. For instance:
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. E-book ed., Barnes & Noble Classics, 2004. EPUB.
If you are citing a translated book, include the translator's name after the book's title, as shown in the example below:
Latour, Bruno. Politics of Nature: How to Bring the Sciences into Democracy. Translated by Catherine Porter, Harvard UP, 2004.
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Frequently asked questions
For the Works Cited entry, include the title of the document ("The Constitution"), the article and section being referenced, and the publication details. If citing a print version, include the name of the publisher, the publication date, and the medium. In-text citations should include the title of the document, along with the article and section being referenced.
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.
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). Use the abbreviations "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section).
Include the name of the state, followed by the relevant article, section, or amendment information. For state constitutions, use the abbreviated name of the state (e.g., N.C. Const., Ariz. Const.).
When citing a provision that has been amended, add the date it was amended in parentheses, e.g., "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
