Anaya Nolan
When writing a law paper, it is essential to understand the proper citation format for the various sources you may use. While legal dictionaries are not typically cited, there are instances when doing so is necessary. For example, Black's Law Dictionary, the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States, can be cited in memos and briefs to support the meaning of a legal term. This is covered in Rule B15.1 of The Bluebook, which provides the standard format for citing to a legal dictionary. Other rules in The Bluebook guide the citation of other sources, such as Rule 15 for books and Rule 16 for periodicals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can law papers cite dictionaries? | Yes, law papers can cite dictionaries. |
| Which dictionary to use | Black's Law Dictionary is the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States. |
| How to cite | Rule B15.1 of The Bluebook includes an example of how to correctly cite to Black's Law Dictionary. There are three necessary elements to a Black's Law Dictionary citation: the word (italicized), the edition and year, and the title in small caps. The edition number should never be in superscript. The Bluebook does not require page numbers when citing dictionaries. |
| Citing online dictionaries | There is no universally accepted standard for citing online sources, but it is generally adequate to indicate the document's URL and the date accessed. Since online sources are subject to change, the content should be downloaded or printed and stored as a permanent record. |
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What You'll Learn
Citing Black's Law Dictionary
Black's Law Dictionary is the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States. It is available in print and online on Westlaw. It is a highly trusted source for legal definitions and is often used as a starting point for legal research.
When citing Black's Law Dictionary, The Bluebook is the go-to guide. Rule B15.1 of The Bluebook includes an example of how to correctly cite Black's Law Dictionary. There are three necessary elements to a Black's Law Dictionary citation:
- Black's Law Dictionary
- Edition number (not in superscript) and year
- Page number (not required by The Bluebook)
For example, the correct citation for the 10th edition (2014) would be: Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014).
It is important to note that while legal dictionaries like Black's can be cited in memos and briefs, they are generally not cited in academic legal writing. Instead, definitions from legal dictionaries can be used to jump-start your research and lead you to relevant primary law sources, such as cases.
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Citing a dictionary in a law paper
Rule 15.1 of the Bluebook, as noted by the University of South Carolina School of Law, outlines the three necessary elements for citing Black's Law Dictionary: the word (italicized), the dictionary (in small caps), and the edition and year. For example, "Replevin, Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014)". It is important to note that the edition number should not be in superscript, and the "th" should be in regular Roman typeface.
The Loyola University Chicago Law Library also provides guidance on citing legal dictionaries. While it is generally uncommon to cite a legal dictionary, Rule B15.1 (Bluepages) of the 21st edition of The Bluebook is the relevant rule for non-academic legal documents. An example of this citation style is: "Good-Faith Bargaining, Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014)".
When citing online dictionaries, it is important to follow the specific guidelines for online sources. Rule 18 of The Bluebook covers how to cite online sources and other non-print materials. While there is no universally accepted standard for citing online sources, it is generally considered adequate to indicate the document's web address or URL in the citation.
In addition to The Bluebook, other style guides and resources, such as the Case Western Reserve University Law Library and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, may provide further guidance on citing dictionaries and other reference materials in law papers. It is always essential to consult the specific rules and examples provided by the chosen citation style guide to ensure accurate and consistent citations.
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Citing a dictionary in a memo or brief
While you generally will not cite a legal dictionary, rule B15.1 (Bluepages) of The Bluebook (21st edition) is the relevant rule for non-academic legal documents. The Bluebook includes an example of how to correctly cite to Black's Law Dictionary, the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States. There are three necessary elements to a Black's Law Dictionary citation: the name of the dictionary, the edition number, and the year. For example:
> Black's Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019)
The edition number should never be in superscript, and the "th" must be in regular Roman typeface. The Bluebook does not require page numbers when citing to dictionaries, allowing citations to be used for both print and online sources.
If you are creating an in-text citation for a dictionary entry, you can follow APA's standard in-text citation guidelines of including the first part of the reference and the year. For example:
> (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 1999)
These in-text citations would then align with your reference list citations. If you are citing a full dictionary in your reference list, you would place the title of the dictionary in the position where the author's name would normally go:
> Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th ed.). (1999). Merriam-Webster Incorporated.
If you are citing a single entry in an online dictionary, you will need to include the word you looked up first:
> Onomatopoeia. (n.d.) In Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onomatopoeia
There is no universally accepted standard for citing online sources, but it is generally considered adequate to indicate the document's URL, usually following the date on which the electronic document was published, posted, or last revised (if known). Thus, a typical citation of an online source would show the author's name, the title of the document, the title of the complete work (in italics), the date, and the full URL.
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Citing a dictionary online
While you generally will not cite a legal dictionary, rule B15.1 (Bluepages) of The Bluebook (21st edition) is the relevant rule for non-academic legal documents. The Bluebook includes an example of how to correctly cite Black's Law Dictionary, the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States. There are three necessary elements to a Black's Law Dictionary citation: the edition number, the name of the dictionary, and the year. The edition number should never be in superscript, and the “th” must be in regular Roman typeface. The Bluebook does not require page numbers when citing to dictionaries, allowing citations to be used for both print and online versions.
There is no universally accepted standard for citing online sources, but it is generally considered adequate to indicate the document's URL somewhere in the citation, usually following the date on which the electronic document was published, posted, or last revised (if known). Thus, a typical citation of an online source would include the author's name, the title of the document, the title of the complete work (such as the name of a periodical) in italics, the date, and the full URL.
For example, here is how you would cite the entry for "hacker" in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, if you accessed it on May 8, 2011:
> hacker. Merriam-Webster.com. 2011. https://www.merriam-webster.com (8 May 2011).
To cite a dictionary definition in APA Style, start with the author of the dictionary (usually an organization), followed by the publication year, the word you’re citing, the dictionary name, the publisher (if not already listed as the author), and the URL. Online dictionaries tend to be continuously updated, so you usually won't have a specific publication date. In this case, write “n.d.” (no date) in place of the year and include a retrieval date.
> Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Citation. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citation
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Citing a dictionary in a dissertation or thesis
When writing a dissertation or thesis, you may need to cite a dictionary definition. While you generally will not cite a legal dictionary, there are instances where it may be necessary to do so. For example, if you are a law student and need to cite the meaning of a legal term, you may refer to Black's Law Dictionary.
To cite a dictionary definition in APA Style, start with the author of the dictionary (usually an organization), followed by the publication year, the word you’re citing, the dictionary name, the publisher (if not already listed as the author), and the URL.
> (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 1999)
And here is an example of a reference list citation for a full dictionary:
> Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (10th ed.). (1999). Merriam-Webster Incorporated.
If you are citing a single entry in an online dictionary, include the word you looked up first, like this:
> Onomatopoeia. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onomatopoeia
Note that there is no universally accepted standard for citing online sources, but it is generally considered adequate to indicate the document's URL somewhere in the citation, usually following the date on which the electronic document was published, posted, or last revised (if known).
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cite a dictionary in your law paper. Black's Law Dictionary is the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States and can be cited in memos and briefs as persuasive authority for the meaning of a legal term.
Rule B15.1 of The Bluebook includes an example of how to correctly cite Black's Law Dictionary. There are three necessary elements to a Black's Law Dictionary citation: the word (italicized), the edition and year, and the title in small caps.
Other law dictionaries available in print and electronic formats include Ballentine's Law Dictionary and the Wolters Kluwer Bouvier Law Dictionary.
Yes, you can cite an online dictionary, but note that there is no universally accepted standard for citing online sources. It is generally adequate to indicate the document's web address, or URL, in the citation. Since online sources are highly subject to change or deletion, any online text likely to be cited should be downloaded and stored as a permanent record.
