Omar Bennett
The style of citation depends on the style guide being used. For example, the APA style guide suggests that when citing the US Constitution as a whole, it is sufficient to indicate the constitution in the narrative without a citation in the references list. However, if you are citing a specific part of the Constitution, you should use the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The Bluebook sets the standard for all legal citations and should be consulted for further guidance on legal citations. In MLA style, when mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally just call it the Constitution without italicization or quotation marks. In the parenthetical citation, you should specify the version cited.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cite the whole document | No, cite the specific pieces you are using |
| Reference the date | For parts of the Constitution that have been repealed or amended, include the year |
| Abbreviations | art. (Article), amend. (Amendment), § (Section), cl. (Clause), pmbl. (Preamble) |
| Numerals | Article and amendment numbers: Roman numerals (I, II, III); section and clause numbers: Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) |
| State Constitutions | Use the abbreviated name of the state: N.C. Const., Ariz. Const., etc. |
| MLA Style | Include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry |
| APA Style | No citation in the references list is needed when citing the Constitution as a whole |
| Chicago Style | Only footnote citations are required for legal documents; no bibliography needed |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, if you are simply making a passing reference to the U.S. Constitution, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a specific part of the Constitution as evidence to support your argument, a more structured citation format is required.
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th ed., 2005; www.legalbluebook.com) is the recommended resource for legal citation guidance. While the APA Publication Manual provides some examples of legal citation, it does not specifically cover the citation of constitutions. Therefore, for more detailed instructions on citing the U.S. Constitution, it is advisable to refer to The Bluebook directly or consult a law librarian.
That being said, there are some basic citation rules outlined by APA that can be applied when citing the U.S. Constitution. All citations should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article," "amendment," "section," and "clause" are abbreviated as "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. It is important to note that article and amendment numbers are denoted by Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
Additionally, the APA recommends omitting the date for parts of the Constitution that are currently in force. However, if you are referring to a repealed or amended section, include the year of the change in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)" denotes the 18th Amendment, which was repealed in 1933.
In summary, when citing the U.S. Constitution in APA style, it is crucial to follow the guidelines set by The Bluebook for legal citations. For specific sections of the Constitution, use the standard format of "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers, with appropriate abbreviations and numeral styles. Remember to omit dates for current sections and include dates for repealed or amended parts.
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Citing the Constitution in MLA style
To cite the Constitution of the United States in MLA style, the in-text citation should include the article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers. For example: "As stated in the Constitution, … (“Constitution of the United States,” art. 1, sec. 4)". Use the abbreviations “art.” (Article), “amend.” (Amendment), and “sec.” (Section) as appropriate in your citations and convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals (e.g., “XIV” becomes “14”).
If you are citing a specific edition of the Constitution in book form, write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title. For example: "The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription," … (art. 1, sec. 4).
When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally just call it the Constitution without italicization or quotation marks. However, in the parenthetical citation, you should specify the version cited to match the first words of the Works Cited entry.
For all citations, include information about where you accessed the Constitution in the Works Cited entry. If you are citing an online version of the Constitution, your in-text citations should help your readers locate the exact entry in the Works Cited. For example, if citing the Constitution of France, your citation would look like this: (France. Le Constitution. 4 October 1958. Legifrance, www.legifrance.gouv.fr/Droit-francais/Constitution/Constitution-du-4-octobre-1958).
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Citing the Constitution in Chicago style
When citing the US Constitution in Chicago style, it is important to note that legal documents, including the Constitution, are typically only cited in footnotes or within the text of your paper. They are not included in the bibliography.
The first time you cite the Constitution, use the following format:
> U.S. Const. art. II, sec. 1, cl. 3
This stands for:
- U.S. Const. - United States Constitution
- Art. - article (use Roman numerals, e.g., I, II, III)
- Sec. - section (use Arabic numerals, e.g., 1, 2, 3)
- Cl. - clause (use Arabic numerals, e.g., 1, 2, 3)
If you are citing an amendment to the Constitution, use the following format:
> U.S. Const. amend. XIV, sec. 2
This stands for:
- U.S. Const. - United States Constitution
- Amend. - amendment (use Roman numerals, e.g., I, II, III)
- Sec. - section (use Arabic numerals, e.g., 2)
For state constitutions, use the abbreviated name of the state, e.g., N.C. Const., Ariz. Const., Mass. Const.
If you are citing a provision that has been amended, add the date it was amended in parentheses, e.g., U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933).
When citing congressional documents, be sure to include the number of the Congress and the session when the hearing was held or resolution passed, as well as the report number. For example:
> U.S. Congress. House. Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act. 112th Cong., 2d sess., H. Rep. 112-445.
Remember that Chicago style does not recommend including access dates in the citation unless no date of publication or last revision can be located.
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Citing a book form of the Constitution
The US Constitution has been published in book form in various editions. To cite one of these in MLA style, write the title of the book in italics, and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title. For example, "The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription".
When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally just call it the Constitution without italicization or quotation marks. In the parenthetical citation, you should specify the version cited (to match the first words of the Works Cited entry). For example, "As stated in the Constitution, (“Constitution of the United States,” art. 1, sec. 4)".
Use the abbreviations “art.” (Article), “amend.” (Amendment), and “sec.” (Section) as appropriate in your citations and convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals. For example, "U.S. Const. art. IV, § 1" instead of "IV, § 1".
If the constitutional provision is still in force, no date is needed. 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. For example, "U.S. CONST. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
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Citing a source not listed in APA guidelines
If you are citing the U.S. Constitution as a whole, you may simply mention it in your paper without including a citation in the references list. However, if you are citing a specific part of the Constitution, you should follow a certain format. All citations of the U.S. Constitution should begin with "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. 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).
For example, if you are citing Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, your citation should look like this: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3".
Additionally, 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, if you are citing the 18th Amendment, which was repealed in 1933, your citation should look like this: "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
The Bluebook sets the standard for all legal citations and is the source for the style of legal citations in the Publication Manual. Although the Publication Manual includes various legal citation examples, citing constitutions is not among them. Therefore, if you need further guidance on legal citations, you should consult The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation or your local law librarian.
In general, if you are trying to cite a source that is not listed in the APA guidelines and cannot find specific guidelines elsewhere, you can create a generic reference. The Publication Manual lists certain elements that should be included in a generic reference:
- Author: Who is responsible for the work? This can be a person (author or editor) or an organization. If there is no author or editor, follow the guidelines for "no author."
- Date: When was the work published? A year is usually acceptable, but you may need to include the month and day as well. If there is no date, use "n.d."
- Title: What is the work called? This is the title of the actual work you are using, not the larger "container" like a website. If there is no title, create one and enclose it in square brackets. You may also wish to clarify the format of the item in square brackets after the title.
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Frequently asked questions
When citing the U.S. Constitution in APA format, you generally don't cite the whole document. Instead, cite the specific pieces you are using. Begin with "U.S. Const." and then add the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers.
When citing the U.S. Constitution in MLA format, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry. When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can simply refer to it as the "Constitution." In the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited.
No, you don't need to include a citation in the references list when citing the U.S. Constitution as a whole. Simply mentioning it in your paper is sufficient.
If you can't find specific guidelines, you can create a generic reference. The Publication Manual lists certain elements to include: author or organization, date, and title of the work.
