Simone Lawson
The Chicago Manual of Style is a style guide for American English that is used for academic and professional publishing. It provides guidelines for citing sources, including government and legal documents such as the US Constitution. When citing a specific part of the US Constitution in Chicago style, the basic format is to use US or the abbreviated name of the state, followed by Const. and the relevant article, section, and clause numbers. For example, US Const. art. I, sec. 9, cl. 2 or Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV. It's important to note that legal documents and statutes are typically only cited in the footnotes or within the text of a paper, and not in the bibliography.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | Chicago Manual 14.230, 290 |
| First Footnote or Endnote | 32. US Constitution, art. 2, sec. 1, cl. 3 |
| Bibliography | Usually not cited in bibliography |
| First Parenthetical Note | (US Constitution, art. 1, sec. 9) |
| Reference List | Usually not cited in reference list |
| Author | Cite the author of the publication if the author is identified |
| No Author | Start with the name of the national government, followed by the agency |
| Congressional Documents | Include the number of Congress and the session when the hearing was held or resolution passed, as well as the report number |
| Access Dates | Only include if no date of publication or last revision for the source may be located |
| Social Media Citations | Limited to the text, with a note added if a more formal citation is needed |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in Chicago Style
The Chicago Manual of Style is a time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar. It is a useful reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers. Here is a guide to citing the US Constitution in Chicago style.
Footnotes or Endnotes
When citing the US Constitution in Chicago style, you will typically use footnotes or endnotes. In the first footnote or endnote, you would include the following information:
> US Constitution, art. [article number], sec. [section number], cl. [clause number]
For example:
> US Constitution, art. 2, sec. 1, cl. 3.
Bibliography
The US Constitution is usually not included in the bibliography. However, if you are citing a specific edition or version of the Constitution published by a secondary source, such as a book, you would cite that source in your bibliography.
Author-Date Style
In the author-date style, the first parenthetical reference would look like this:
> (US Constitution, art. [article number], sec. [section number])
For example:
> (US Constitution, art. 1, sec. 9)
Reference List
The US Constitution is typically not included in the reference list. However, if you are referencing a specific treaty or agreement, you would include the following information:
> Treaty [name of treaty], [date], [parties involved], [date and location of signing], [citation information]
For example:
> Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water, US-UK-USSR, August 5, 1963, UST 14, pt. 2, 1313.
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Citing congressional documents
When citing parts of the US Constitution in Chicago style, the general format is as follows:
> US Constitution, art. #, sec. #, cl. #
> 32. US Constitution, art. 2, sec. 1, cl. 3.
In Chicago style, legal documents, statutes, bills, and resolutions are typically only cited in the footnotes or within the text of your paper. They are generally not included in the bibliography unless they are included in a secondary publication, such as a book, in which case the book would be cited in the bibliography.
> 3. Name of Government & Issuing Agency, Title of Publication, Author(s) First-name Last-name. Publication/Report Number, Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Medium, URL (Accessed Date).
For example:
> 3. U.S. National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, 9/11 Commission Report: The Official Report of the 9/11 Commission and Related Publications, Report Number, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 2004. Online, https://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911_Report.pdf (accessed July 18, 2023).
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Citing journal articles
To cite a part of the US Constitution in Chicago style, the citation should include the article, section, and clause numbers. Here is an example of how to format this in a footnote or endnote:
US Constitution, art. 2, sec. 1, cl. 3.
Now, for citing journal articles in Chicago style, the following information should be included: the author's name, the article title, the journal name, volume and issue numbers, the publication date, the page range, and a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or URL. The DOI is a string of numbers and letters that starts with 10. and provides a permanent address for the article. If the DOI is not available, include a URL instead. Here is an example of a journal article citation:
Kwon, Hyeyoung. “Inclusion Work: Children of Immigrants Claiming Membership in Everyday Life,” American Journal of Sociology 127, no. 6 (2022): 1842–43, https://doi.org/10.1086/720277.
Journal titles should be listed in italics with headline capitalization, and all volume and issue information should be included. The date of publication should be included, even if it is just the year. If only the year is given, expand it to the full four digits (e.g., 1997 instead of 97). Seasons should also be capitalized (e.g., Spring instead of spring). Page numbers in notes refer to specific pages being cited, while the bibliography entry should include the full page range for the article. For articles found online, include a URL or DOI, with the latter being preferred.
When citing an article with three or more authors, the first citation should use "et al." (meaning "and others" in Latin) after the first author's name to shorten the citation. For example:
Caulfield, J., et al. (2024, April 9). Citing a Journal Article in Chicago Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 21, 2025, from https://www.scribbr.com/chicago-style/journal-articles/
In Chicago style, the standard is to use a full note for the first citation of a source and then use short notes for subsequent citations of the same source. However, this may vary depending on the guidelines of your institution.
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Citing social media content
When citing social media content in the Chicago referencing style, the general format is as follows:
> Author Last Name, First Name (@Username), "Post text (up to 160 characters)", Social Media Platform, Date, Timestamp, URL.
For example:
> Walsh, Fionnuala (@Fionnuala88). “@gmeaney asking important questions about what it means to be a commissioned researcher for the State on a project (M & B Homes Report), whose work is valued & published, but…. Twitter, March 12, 2021, 4:52pm, https://twitter.com/MaryMcAuliffe4/status/1370417537452802059.
Note that the username and timestamp are optional and should only be included if they are relevant to your citation. If the post is longer than 160 characters, it is acceptable to cut it off with an ellipsis. Additionally, if the real name of the author is unknown, use their screen name or handle. If both the real name and screen name are provided, list the real name first, followed by the screen name in parentheses.
For Facebook posts, a similar format can be used:
> Author Last name, First name or Facebook page name (Screen name). “Post text/Page Title.” Facebook, Month Day, Year, Time stamp, URL.
For example:
> Irish Arts Review (Irish_Arts_Review). “Dublin: Living with Pride.” Facebook, June 11, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/395224270497111/posts/4351208668231965/?sfnsn=mo.
If the Facebook account belongs to a group or organisation, use the account name in place of an individual author's name.
For Instagram posts, the Chicago Manual of Style recommends primarily citing in-text, mentioning only the name, username, and date in parentheses. However, a formal citation in a footnote can be added if needed, and in rare cases, an entry in the bibliography may be included.
> Last Name, First Name (@username). Instagram post. Month day, year. URL.
For example:
> Library of Congress (@librarycongress). One of the most beloved and free-to-use photos in the Library’s collection is of Brunnhilde, for obvious reasons. Instagram photo, January 4, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/p/CnAsv6-L5qg/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=.
For Reddit posts, the format is similar to that of other social media platforms, but with some minor differences:
> u/Username, "Post title", r/Subreddit, Date, URL.
For example:
> u/labtec901, “Accepted Undergrad Questions Megathread,” r/Purdue, January 14, 2019, https://www.reddit.com/r/Purdue/comments/ag3841/.
It is important to note that social media posts are typically cited only as notes, and a full citation in the bibliography is usually unnecessary unless you are discussing the content in depth. Additionally, it is recommended to take a screenshot or record of the post you are citing, as social media posts can be edited or deleted.
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Citing web pages
When citing web pages in Chicago style, there are two options: using footnotes/endnotes or including author-date citations in the text. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to cite web pages using both methods:
Using Footnotes/Endnotes:
- In-text citation: Place a small superscript number immediately after the sentence or idea you are citing. This number corresponds to a footnote or endnote that contains the citation information.
- First footnote/endnote: In the first footnote or endnote, provide the full details of the source, including the author's last name, the title of the page or document, the title of the website, the name of the owner or sponsor (if different from the title of the website), and the date of access, copyright, or modification. Include the URL at the end. Here is an example:
> 1. "Title of Page or Document," Title of Website, Name of Owner or Sponsor, Date of Access/Copyright/Modification, URL.
Subsequent footnotes/endnotes: For subsequent footnotes or endnotes of the same source, you can simply include the author's last name, a shortened version of the title (if the title is long), and the page number (if applicable).
Using Author-Date Citations:
In-text citation: In the text, include the author's last name and the date of publication in parentheses immediately after the sentence or idea you are citing. Here is an example:
> (Last name, year)
Reference list: In your reference list or bibliography, provide the full details of the source. Start with the author's last name, followed by their first name. Then, include the title of the page or document, the title of the website, the name of the owner or sponsor (if different), the date of access, copyright, or modification, and the URL. Here is an example:
> Last name, First name. "Title of Page or Document." Title of Website. Name of Owner or Sponsor, Date of Access/Copyright/Modification, URL.
Additional Considerations:
- Web page dates: When citing a web page, use the date of last modification or update. If no such date is provided, look for a copyright or original publication date. If none of these dates are available, include the date you accessed the web page, preceded by the word "Accessed."
- Author information: Web content often does not have an individual author. If there is no author, start the citation with the title of the page or document. If the author is a corporation, group, or organization, include their name in the author position.
- Title formatting: Titles of websites should follow headline-style capitalization and are usually set in roman without quotation marks. Sections of a website, such as individual pages or blog entries, should be written in roman with quotation marks. However, titles of blogs are set in italics.
- Social media posts: When citing social media posts, use the author's first and last name, their screen name, the text of the post in quotation marks, the name of the social media service, the publication date, timestamp, and URL.
Remember to adapt the formatting and punctuation of your citations to align with the specific guidelines of the Chicago style you are using (such as the 17th edition or the Chicago Manual of Style).
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Frequently asked questions
US Constitution, amend. XIV, sec. 2.
The citation format for the US Constitution in Chicago style is:
1st Footnote or Endnote: US Constitution, art. 2, sec. 1, cl. 3.
1st Parenthetical Note: (US Constitution, art. 1, sec. 9)
Yes, legal documents are only cited in the footnotes or within the text of your paper and not in the bibliography unless they are included in a secondary publication such as a book.
