Jonah Patel
The in-text citation of constitutions varies depending on the style guide being used, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style. For APA and MLA styles, the in-text citation is placed within the sentence where the constitution is referenced or quoted. In Chicago style, a footnote is used for the in-text citation, while the bibliography citation is optional. For the U.S. Constitution, a standard format is followed across styles, with some variations. The citation begins with U.S. Const. or an abbreviation of the state name, followed by art. or amend. and the relevant article or amendment number in Roman numerals. Section and clause numbers are provided in Arabic numerals. If a part of the constitution has been repealed or amended, the year is included in parentheses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Style | APA, MLA, Chicago |
| Referencing a whole constitution | Indicate the constitution in the narrative |
| Referencing a specific part of a constitution | Cite the specific pieces used, including article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers as relevant |
| Abbreviation | Use "U.S." or the abbreviated name of the state for federal and state constitutions respectively |
| Roman numerals | Use Roman numerals for article and amendment numbers |
| Arabic numerals | Use Arabic numerals for section and clause numbers |
| Dates | Include the year in parentheses if referring to a repealed or amended part of the constitution |
| Bluebook | The Bluebook sets the standard for all legal citations and is to be followed for the U.S. Constitution in APA style |
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What You'll Learn
Citing the US Constitution in APA style
If you are making a passing reference to the U.S. Constitution in an APA Style paper, you can mention it in the text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using a part of the U.S. Constitution as evidence to support a point, you should cite it using 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 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, a citation of the first article of the U.S. Constitution would appear as:
> U.S. Const. art. I
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. XVIII (repealed 1933).
The Bluebook sets the standard for all legal citations, and the style for legal citations in the Publication Manual comes directly from it. However, the Publication Manual does not include citing constitutions among its examples. Therefore, if you need further guidance on legal citations, you should consult the Bluebook directly or a law librarian.
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Citing the US Constitution in MLA style
When citing the US Constitution in MLA style, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Firstly, when mentioning the Constitution in your paper, you can simply refer to it as the "Constitution" without using italics or quotation marks. However, in your parenthetical citation, you should specify the version of the Constitution that you are citing to ensure clarity.
In the in-text citation, instead of using page numbers, use article/amendment and section numbers. Convert any Roman numerals used in the text to Arabic numerals. For example, “XIV” becomes “14,” and "I," "II," and "III" become "1," "2," and "3," respectively. Here is an example of how this would look in practice: ("Constitution of the United States,” art. 1, sec. 4). Use the abbreviations "art." (Article), "amend." (Amendment), and "sec." (Section) as appropriate in your citations.
If you are citing a specific provision that has been amended, be sure to include the date it was amended in parentheses. For example, "U.S. Const. amend. XVIII (repealed 1933)." Additionally, list where you accessed the Constitution in the Works Cited section of your paper.
If you are citing a book edition 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. Here is an example: *The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription*, edited by John Smith.
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Citing state constitutions in APA style
Firstly, if you are simply making a passing reference to a state constitution, you can mention it in text without a reference list entry. However, if you are using part of a state constitution as evidence, you should construct the citation using Bluebook Rule 11, which covers federal and state constitutions.
State constitutions are cited by their abbreviated name, followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. For example, "Md. Const." for the Maryland Constitution. The terms article, amendment, section, and clause are abbreviated to "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 instance, "Md. Const. amend. XIV, § 2".
If you are referring to a part of the constitution that has been repealed or amended, include the year in parentheses. If the part you are citing is still in force, do not include a date.
In the narrative, use the state's name in full, for example, "the Wisconsin Constitution".
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Chicago style in-text citations
The Chicago style of writing in-text citations for constitutions follows a basic format. When citing the federal constitution, use "U.S." or the abbreviated name of the state.
The basic form is as follows:
> Abbreviated name of Constitution art. [Article number in Roman numerals]. § [Section number]
> Abbreviated name of Constitution amend. [Amendment number in Roman numerals], § [Section number]
> Abbreviated name of Constitution art. [Article number in Roman numerals], pt. [Part number in Roman numerals]
- U.S. Const. art. I,§9,cl.2.
- U.S. Const. amend. XIV,§ 2.
- Mass. Const. art. IX, pt. IV.
Note that the bibliography must be single-spaced, with the last names of the authors arranged alphabetically and the second line of the source indented.
When a source is used in a research paper, place a Roman numeral at the end of the borrowed information as superscript (smaller than the normal line of text and raised). This is because Chicago style requires writers to use footnotes and endnotes that acknowledge the different sources used in the work.
If you are citing the same source continually throughout your text, use a shortened version of the full citation in your footnotes. In the current version of Chicago style, the 17th edition, the use of "ibid" is accepted but not preferred. This is because it requires readers to go back and search for the previous source cited, which can be inconvenient.
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When to skip a final citation
There are a few instances where you might choose to skip a final citation when referencing a constitution. Firstly, if you are using the APA style, you can simply mention the U.S. Constitution in the text without providing a reference list entry. This is applicable when making a passing reference to the Constitution and not specifically citing a particular section or amendment.
Similarly, when using the Chicago style, if you are only using a small number of legal citations, you can limit your references to the text itself. This means incorporating relevant information, such as the name of the constitution and any relevant article or amendment numbers, directly into the narrative of your writing, rather than providing a separate citation.
For example, you might write: "The U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 2 guarantees freedom of speech." Here, you are providing the relevant information within the text itself, making a separate citation redundant.
Additionally, when referencing the United States Constitution, it is generally acceptable to refer to it as "the Constitution" without the need for italics or quotation marks. This simplified reference is widely understood and accepted in academic writing.
However, it is important to remember that if you are citing a specific provision or amendment that has been changed or updated, you should include the date of the amendment in parentheses to provide accurate and contextual information to your readers.
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Frequently asked questions
If you are 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 part of it as evidence, you should cite it using Bluebook Rule 11. All citations begin with "'U.S. Const.'" followed by the relevant article, amendment, section, and/or clause numbers. Article and amendment numbers are given in Roman numerals, while section and clause numbers are given in Arabic numerals.
When citing the U.S. Constitution in MLA style, use article/amendment and section numbers instead of page numbers. Include information about where you accessed the document in the Works Cited entry. You can simply refer to it as "the Constitution" in the text.
Chicago style requires footnote citations for legal documents, and these documents do not need to be listed in the bibliography. When using only a handful of legal citations, limit them to the text itself, and include information that would usually go in the footnotes in the narrative.
Generally, you don't need to cite the Constitution if you are only referring to it in general terms without quoting or referencing it directly. This is because it is a widely accessible document that can be found in various places. However, if you do reference or quote it directly, a citation is required.
