Malcolm Rivera
Citing the constitution in a research paper depends on the formatting style of the paper. For example, in APA style, you can mention the constitution in passing without a reference list entry. However, if you are citing a specific part of the constitution, you should use Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions. All citations of the U.S. Constitution begin with U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. In MLA style, you should include information about where you accessed the constitution in the Works Cited entry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | APA, MLA, Bluebook |
| Reference list entry | Not required when mentioning the Constitution in passing. |
| In-text citation | U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. |
| Abbreviations | art. (Article), amend. (Amendment), § (Section), cl. (Clause), pmbl. (Preamble) |
| Numerals | Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III); section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). |
| Date | For parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date. |
| Title | Generally, "Constitution" without italics or quotation marks. |
| Version | Specify the version cited in the parenthetical citation. |
| 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. |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in APA style
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, if you are simply making a passing reference to the US Constitution, you can mention it in the text without including a citation in the reference list. However, if you are using a specific part of the Constitution as evidence or support for your argument, a more formal citation is required.
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the recommended guide for legal citations in APA style. According to The Bluebook, all citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const." followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. The terms "article" and "amendment" are abbreviated as "art." and "amend." respectively, and are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.). On the other hand, "section" and "clause" are abbreviated as "§" and "cl." and are written using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.). For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII, § 1" refers to Amendment XVIII, Section 1 of the US Constitution.
It is important to note that when citing a provision that has been amended, the date of amendment should be included in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)". Additionally, if you are citing a state constitution, use the abbreviated name of the state, such as "N.C. Const." or "Ariz. Const.".
In certain cases, you may need to create a generic reference if specific guidelines are not available. The Publication Manual provides guidance on creating such references, including information on authorship, date, and title.
For federal laws or statutes, the APA style recommends including the name of the law, "U.S.C." (United States Code), the title and section of the code, and the year. The URL is optional but can be included to aid the reader in retrieving the source.
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Citing specific parts of the Constitution
When citing specific parts of the U.S. Constitution in an APA Style paper, you 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. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." Article and amendment numbers are written using Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
For example, a citation might look like this: "U.S. Const. amend. I." or "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3." If you are referring to a preamble, it would appear as "U.S. Const. pmbl."
If you are citing a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)."
When citing the Constitution in MLA style, you can generally refer to it as "the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. In the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited. For example, "As stated in the Constitution ('Constitution of the United States,' art. 1, sec. 4)."
In MLA, use "art." for Article, "amend." for Amendment, and "sec." for Section. Convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals.
When creating a sentence that requires a citation, you can paraphrase or directly quote the Constitution. An in-text citation generally goes at the end of the sentence. For example, "In the United States, citizens are guaranteed the right to freedom of religion."1 or "The U.S. Constitution notes that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'"1
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Citing the Constitution in MLA style
In-Text Citation
When referencing the Constitution in the body of your text, you can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. However, if you are citing a specific edition, treat it like a book title and include the full title, such as "The Constitution of the United States, with Case Summaries." In-text citations should help your readers locate the exact entry in the Works Cited list. Additionally, use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers.
Works Cited Entry
The Works Cited entry for the Constitution depends on the format in which you accessed it. If you accessed the Constitution online, include information about where you retrieved it, such as the URL and date accessed. For example:
> The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription. National Archives, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, 28 Feb. 2017, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript.
If you are citing a book edition of the Constitution, write the title in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors. For example:
> *The Constitution of the United States: A Transcribed Version.* Edited by John Doe, Anytown Publishing, 2024.
General Guidelines
When citing legal works in MLA style, it is important to document the specific version of the work consulted, rather than the canonical version of the law. This means including information about the publication or website where you accessed the document. Additionally, always follow the MLA guidelines for capitalization, formatting dates, and abbreviating months. Remember to consult the official MLA resources and style guides for further clarification and specific examples.
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Citing the Constitution in book form
The US Constitution has been published in book form in various editions. To cite one of these editions in a research paper, follow the citation style required by your professor or institution.
MLA Style
When citing the Constitution in MLA style, include information about where you accessed it in the Works Cited entry. In the in-text citation, use article and section numbers.
When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally just call it the Constitution without italicization or quotation marks. In the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited. For example:
> As stated in “The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription,” … (art. 1, sec. 4).
> 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.
APA Style
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, you can mention it in text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a part of the Constitution as evidence to support a point, construct the citation using Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
All citations of the US Constitution 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. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals (I, II, III); section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
The Bluebook states that for parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date. 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.
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Creating a generic reference
When creating a generic reference for the US Constitution in APA style, you can simply mention it in your paper without including a citation in the reference list. However, if you are citing a specific part of the Constitution as evidence, you should use Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
All citations of the US Constitution 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. Preamble is abbreviated as "pmbl." Article and amendment numbers are written in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
For example, to cite the provision of the US Constitution stating that each state shall have two senators, the citation would be: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1."
If you are creating a generic reference because you cannot find guidelines from APA or The Bluebook, the Publication Manual lists certain elements that should be included:
- Who/Author: Identify the person or organization responsible for the work. If it's an individual author or editor, list their name. If there is no clear author or editor, follow the guidelines for "No Author."
- When/Date: Indicate the publication date, usually the year, but you may need the full date (year, month, day). If no date is available, use "n.d." for "no date."
- What/Title: Provide the title of the work you are using, not the larger 'container' like a website. If untitled, create a brief descriptive title in square brackets [ ]. You can also clarify the format in brackets, e.g., [PDF], [Image].
Remember, these guidelines are for creating a generic reference when specific citation style guidelines are unavailable. Whenever possible, consult The Bluebook or APA guidelines for citing legal materials.
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Frequently asked questions
If you are citing the US Constitution as a whole, you can simply mention it in your paper without a reference list entry. However, if you are citing a specific part of the Constitution, you should use Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions. All citations of the U.S. Constitution 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. Preamble is abbreviated as "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).
When mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can generally refer to it as "the Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. In the parenthetical citation, specify the version cited. As stated in "The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription" (art. 1, sec. 4).
If you are citing a published book version of the Constitution, write the title of the book in italics and list any editors, annotators, or other main contributors to the edition after the title.
