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The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the standard guide for legal citations, and the APA defers to Bluebook style for legal materials. The Bluebook includes rules for citing federal and state constitutions, which are also followed by the APA. To cite the US Constitution in APA style, begin with U.S. Const., followed by the article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant. 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).
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in APA Style
The US Constitution is a key document in the history of the United States, and it is sometimes necessary to cite it in academic writing. When using APA style, there are specific guidelines to follow to ensure your citation is correct and consistent with other legal citations in your work.
Firstly, it is important to note that the APA style guide defers to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation for legal materials. This comprehensive guide covers all aspects of legal citation and is the standard reference for legal writing. While the APA Publication Manual includes a range of legal citation examples, it does not specifically cover constitutions, so The Bluebook should be your primary reference for this task.
If you are simply referring to the US Constitution in passing, 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 or support for your argument, you should construct a formal citation. All citations of the US Constitution should begin with "U.S. Const.", followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. Use Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers (e.g., I, II, III) and Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3). The Bluebook specifies that no date is required for parts of the Constitution currently in force. Additionally, follow the US Constitution's numbering pattern, using Roman numerals for articles and amendments and Arabic for sections.
For example, a citation for the Preamble would look like this: "U.S. Const. pmbl." (as seen in the quotation at the beginning of this paragraph). Another example is "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3", which refers to Article I, Section 3 of the US Constitution. If citing an amendment that has been repealed, add the year of repeal to the end of the reference, like so: "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)".
In addition to The Bluebook, you can also consult other resources, such as your local law librarian or online guides, to ensure your citations are accurate and conform to APA style guidelines for legal materials.
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Using Bluebook Rule 11
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the standard reference for legal citations. APA Style defers to Bluebook style for legal materials, including the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions, which are covered by Bluebook Rule 11.
Rule 11 outlines the format for citing the U.S. Constitution 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 to "art.," "amend.," "§," and "cl.," respectively. The 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 the constitutional provision is still in force, no date is needed.
For state constitutions, the format is similar, but with some differences in style. State constitutions are abbreviated to "S.C. CONST." and subdivisions are not capitalised. For example, "S.C. CONST. art. I, § 12 article I, section 12 the double jeopardy clause."
The Bluebook also provides guidance on citing other legal documents, such as federal regulations, state regulations, books, reports, and non-periodic materials. It is important to note that The Bluebook is updated regularly, and the latest edition should be consulted for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
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Article, amendment, section, and clause numbers
When citing the US Constitution in APA style, all citations 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 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). For example, "U.S. Const. art. IV, § 3" refers to Article IV, Section 3 of the US Constitution.
If you are referring to a part of the Constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XIX" refers to the 19th Amendment, and "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)" refers to the 18th Amendment, repealed in 1933.
State constitutions follow a similar format, but with some differences. Use the legal state abbreviations for state constitutions, such as "In. Const." for Indiana's Constitution. State constitutions use Roman numerals for article numbers and Arabic numerals for amendment numbers.
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Citing federal and state constitutions
Citing the U.S. Constitution in APA Style can be tricky, as the standard APA manual does not include specific guidelines for citing constitutions. Instead, you should refer to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, which sets the standard for all legal citations.
All citations of the U.S. 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 using Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). If citing a repealed amendment, add "(repealed Year)" to the end of the reference. For parts of the Constitution currently in force, do not include a date.
For example, a citation for the founding fathers' address of the process by which new states may join the union would look like this: "U.S. Const. art. I, § 3."
When citing federal laws in APA Style, include the name of the law, "U.S.C." (United States Code), the title and section of the code, and the year. Optionally, you can include a URL. The year included is when the law was published in the source consulted, not when it was passed, amended, or supplemented.
Federal laws that have not been codified (published in the United States Code) should be cited using their public law number and information about where they were published. For example: "Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-2, 123 Stat. 5 (2009)."
When citing state constitutions, follow the same format as the U.S. Constitution, using Roman numerals for article numbers and Arabic numerals for state amendments. State amendments should be cited using Arabic numerals.
For state laws, follow a similar format to federal laws, replacing "U.S.C." with the abbreviation for the relevant state's law code. Some state codes use article or chapter numbers instead of section numbers, or they may not use titles. In these cases, adapt the citation format accordingly.
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The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation
The Bluebook is particularly useful for constructing citations, covering various legal sources, including court cases, statutes, books, periodicals, electronic media, and international documents. It is also the standard reference for all legal citations, including federal and state constitutions.
For example, when citing the US Constitution in APA style, The Bluebook recommends using Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions. All citations of the US Constitution 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. Article and amendment numbers are written in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
The Bluebook also provides guidance on citing federal laws, also known as statutes or acts, in APA style. It suggests including the name of the law, "U.S.C." (United States Code), the title and section of the code, and the year of publication. Additionally, The Bluebook addresses laws that have not been codified in the United States Code, recommending the use of public law numbers and information about their publication location.
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Frequently asked questions
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 to "art.", "amend.", "§", and "cl." respectively. Article and amendment numbers are written in Roman numerals (I, II, III), while section and clause numbers use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3).
The Bluebook is the standard style guide for legal citations. It is called "The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation".
State constitutions follow the same numbering pattern as the US Constitution, except for state amendments, which use Arabic numerals. For example, "State Const. amend. 1".
