Jonah Patel
The U.S. Constitution is a crucial document that outlines the country's fundamental laws and principles. It has been amended several times since its creation to adapt to the evolving needs of the nation. When citing the 8th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in an academic or legal context, it is important to follow a specific format to ensure clarity and consistency. The APA (American Psychological Association) citation style is commonly used in the social sciences and other disciplines. To correctly reference the 8th Amendment in APA format, one must adhere to certain guidelines, including the use of specific abbreviations and numerical notations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Referencing style | APA |
| Reference type | Amendment |
| Constitution type | U.S. Constitution |
| Amendment number | 8 |
| Abbreviation | amend. VIII |
| Full reference | U.S. Const. amend. VIII |
| In-text citation | (U.S. Const. amend. VIII) |
| Date | N/A |
| Additional notes | If referring to a repealed amendment, include the year in parentheses. |
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What You'll Learn
Referencing the 8th Amendment
Firstly, if you are simply making a passing reference to the 8th Amendment, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. For example, "The 8th Amendment of the US Constitution states...".
However, if you are using the 8th Amendment as evidence to support a point, you should construct the citation as follows: "U.S. Const. amend. VIII". The terms 'article', 'amendment', 'section', and 'clause' are always abbreviated as 'art.', 'amend.', '§', and 'cl.', respectively. Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III), and section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). So, if you were citing Article 8, Section 2 of the US Constitution, it would look like this: "U.S. Const. art. VIII, § 2".
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year that the part in question was repealed or amended in parentheses. For example, "During prohibition, the sale of liquor was made illegal (U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, repealed 1933)".
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is a useful resource for legal citations, and the style for legal citations in the Publication Manual comes directly from this source. The Bluebook states that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date.
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Using Bluebook Rule 11
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the standard guide for legal citations. The Bluebook contains Rule 11, which covers how to cite the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions.
To cite the 8th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution using Bluebook Rule 11, follow the format below:
U.S. Const. amend. VIII
Here's a breakdown of the format:
- U.S. Const.: This is the standard abbreviation for the U.S. Constitution.
- Amend.: This is the abbreviation for "amendment."
- VIII: This is the amendment number in Roman numerals.
If you are referring to a specific section or clause within the 8th Amendment, you would include those numbers in Arabic numerals after the amendment number. For example:
U.S. Const. amend. VIII, § 1
§ 1: This indicates Section 1 of the 8th Amendment.
It's important to note that if you are simply making a passing reference to the U.S. Constitution, you may mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a specific part of the Constitution as evidence or support for your point, you should use the citation format provided above.
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. For example:
U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)
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Citing an amendment
When citing an amendment of the U.S. Constitution in APA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, it is important to note that the Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation sets the standard for legal citations, and APA style defers to Bluebook style for legal materials. Therefore, when citing an amendment, it is recommended to follow Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
- Begin the citation with "U.S. Const." This is the standard abbreviation for the U.S. Constitution in APA style.
- After "U.S. Const.", include the relevant amendment number using Roman numerals. For example, if you are citing the 8th Amendment, you would write "U.S. Const. amend. VIII".
- If you are referring to a specific section or clause within the amendment, include the relevant numbers after the amendment number. Use Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. VIII § 1".
- If the part of the Constitution you are citing has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. VIII (repealed 1983)".
- In the reference list, include an entry for the amendment, following the same format as the in-text citation. For example:
U.S. Const. amend. VIII. Retrieved from [URL or source]
Cite the specific resource where you found the amendment, such as a website or database.
It is important to note that these guidelines specifically apply to citing amendments of the U.S. Constitution in APA style. If you are citing amendments from other constitutions, such as state constitutions, there may be slight variations in the format. Additionally, always refer to the latest edition of the APA Publication Manual or consult reliable APA style guides for the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on citing legal materials.
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Referencing a repealed amendment
The 8th Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as Amendment VIII, was repealed and is no longer in force. To reference this amendment in APA format, you should follow the guidelines for citing a repealed or amended part of the Constitution.
Firstly, it is important to note that if you are simply making a passing reference to the 8th Amendment, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using the repealed amendment as evidence to support a point, you should construct a citation using Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
In-text citation:
> "The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as Amendment VIII, prohibited excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments (U.S. Const. amend. VIII, 1791). However, it was later repealed and is no longer in force."
In this example, "U.S. Const." indicates that you are referring to the United States Constitution. "Amend. VIII" indicates that you are referring to the eighth amendment. The year "1791" is the year the amendment was adopted.
For the reference page entry, you would include the following:
> U.S. Const. amend. VIII (1791).
Remember to include a retrieval date and URL if you are citing an online source for the repealed amendment.
By following these guidelines, you can properly reference a repealed amendment, such as the 8th Amendment, in APA format.
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Citing an amendment in text
To cite an amendment in text, follow the guidelines set out by The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation. This is the standard for all legal citations and is where the style for legal citations in the Publication Manual comes from.
If you are simply making a passing reference to the U.S. Constitution, you can mention it in text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using part of the Constitution as evidence, you should construct the citation as follows:
> All citations of the U.S. Constitution begin with U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant.
For example, in text, you would write:
> Women gained the right to vote in 1920 (U.S. Const. amend. XIX).
> During prohibition, the sale of liquor was made illegal (U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, repealed 1933).
Note that the terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated to art., amend., §, and cl., respectively. Preamble is abbreviated to 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).
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. For parts of the Constitution that are currently in force, do not include a date.
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Frequently asked questions
All citations of the U.S. Constitution begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the amendment number in Roman numerals. So, to cite the 8th Amendment, your in-text citation would be: "U.S. Const. amend. VIII".
No, if you are simply making a passing reference to the 8th Amendment, you can mention it in text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using the 8th Amendment as evidence to support a point, you should include a reference list entry.
The reference list entry for the 8th Amendment would be: "U.S. Const. amend. VIII". You do not need to include a date because the 8th Amendment is still in force.
If you are citing a part of the 8th Amendment that has been repealed, include the year it was repealed in parentheses. For example, if the 8th Amendment was repealed in 2023, your in-text citation would be: "U.S. Const. amend. VIII (repealed 2023)". Your reference list entry would be: "U.S. Const. amend. VIII (repealed 2023)".
