
Law review articles are considered secondary sources as they analyse and interpret the law. They are scholarly articles about legal issues or topics. There are various styles for citing a law review article, including APA, MLA, and Chicago. The Bluebook is also a commonly used guide for citing law review articles. It is important to note that the citation style for law review articles may vary depending on the specific style guide or requirements of the publication or institution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Format | Author, title, volume number, abbreviation of the periodical name, first page of the article, specific pages cited (if any), and year |
| Author name format | Lastname, Firstname, MI |
| Journal title format | Italicised |
| Journal volume number format | Arabic numerals |
| Journal issue number | Not included |
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What You'll Learn

Citing law review articles in APA, MLA, and Chicago style
Law review articles are considered secondary sources as they involve analysing and interpreting the law. They are essentially scholarly articles about a legal issue or topic. When citing law review articles, it is important to follow the specific guidelines of the chosen citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style. Here is how you can cite law review articles in these three styles:
APA Style
When using APA style, legal citations follow a standard format similar to that of journal articles. The basic structure for citing a law review article in APA style is as follows:
Author(s). (Year of Publication). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Journal Title in Italics, volume number(issue number), page numbers.
For example:
Garda, R. A. (2005). The new idea: Shifting educational paradigms to achieve racial equality in special education. Alabama Law Review, 56, 1071.
Note that if the article is retrieved online and has no DOI, include the URL. However, omit URLs from library databases or subscriptions that may not be accessible to your reader.
MLA Style
The MLA Style Center provides guidelines for citing legal sources. Nonspecialists can use MLA style in one of two ways: strictly following the MLA format template or using a hybrid method that incorporates the standard legal citation in the works-cited-list entry.
When citing a law review article, follow the general MLA format for journal articles:
Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Journal Title, Volume, Number, Publication Date, Page(s).
For example:
Fee, John. "The Freedom of Speech-Conduct." Kentucky Law Journal, vol. 109, no. 1, 2020, pp. 81-126.
Chicago Style
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends using Chicago style for citing law review articles when the intended audience is general and not primarily legal scholars. Chicago style requires providing the page range of the entire article.
The basic format for citing a law review article in Chicago style is similar to that of a journal article:
Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Journal Title, Volume, Number, Publication Date, Page Range.
For example:
Fee, John. "The Freedom of Speech-Conduct." Kentucky Law Journal, vol. 109, no. 1, 2020, pp. 81-126.
Note that The Bluebook style is commonly used for legal citations, but it is recommended to use a single style for consistency throughout a document.
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Citing a US federal regulation
When citing a US federal regulation, you will need to refer to the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.). A citation to a U.S. federal regulation in the C.F.R. includes four elements: the C.F.R. title number, the C.F.R. (The Bluebook's abbreviation for the Code of Federal Regulations), the section of the C.F.R., and the year of the C.F.R. volume.
> FTC Credit Practices Rule, 16 C.F.R. § 444.1 (2024)
In this example, "16" is the title number, "C.F.R." is the abbreviation for the Code of Federal Regulations, "§444.1" is the section of the C.F.R., and "(2024)" is the year of the C.F.R. volume.
It is important to note that the Bluebook is a comprehensive guide to legal citation used by legal professionals and law students. It is essential to consult the Bluebook or a similar guide, such as the APA or MLA style guides, for specific and detailed instructions on how to cite US federal regulations correctly. These guides will provide you with the most up-to-date and accurate information on citation format and style.
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Citing online sources
The citation format for online sources may vary, so it is essential to refer to Rule 18 for specific guidelines. However, the general structure for citing an online law review article includes the following elements:
- Author's name
- Title of the article
- Volume number
- Abbreviation of the journal or periodical name
- Page on which the article begins
- Span of specific pages being cited (if any)
- Date of publication
- URL or link to the article
For example, the citation for an online law review article might look like this:
Author, Title, Volume number, Abbreviation of periodical name, First page of the article, Specific pages cited (if any), Year, URL
It is important to note that if the article has a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) listed, the URL is not necessary. The DOI is a unique code that provides a permanent link to the article.
Additionally, when citing online sources, it is crucial to follow the specific guidelines and conventions of the chosen citation style, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style. These styles may have specific requirements for formatting and punctuation that should be followed consistently.
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Citing journal articles
When citing journal articles, the style depends on the citation format being used. Here is how to cite a journal article in APA, MLA, Chicago, and Bluebook styles.
APA
The basic format for an article from a journal in APA style requires the author's name, the article title, the name of the journal, the date of the article, and the volume, issue number, and inclusive page numbers. If the journal is published quarterly and the month or season (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) is noted, include that with the date element. If the journal article has a DOI, include it in the reference. If the journal article does not have a DOI but has a URL that will work for readers, include the URL of the article at the end of the reference.
For example:
> Baniya, S., & Weech, S. (2019). Data and experience design: Negotiating community-oriented digital research with service-learning. Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement, 6(1), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284316979
MLA
MLA style also requires the author's name, the article title, the name of the journal, the date of the article, and the volume, issue number, and inclusive page numbers. Spell out the name of the journal in which the article appears.
For example:
> Fee, John. "The Freedom of Speech-Conduct." Kentucky Law Journal 109, no. 1 (2020): 81-126. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://heinonline-org.libproxy.highpoint.edu/HOL/P ...
Chicago
Chicago style requires the author's name, the year of publication, the title of the article, the subtitle of the article, the journal title in italics, the volume number, the issue number, and the page numbers. If there is no DOI listed and the article was retrieved online, include the URL.
For example:
> Fee, J. (2020). The freedom of speech-conduct. Kentucky Law Journal, 109(1), 81-126.
Bluebook
The Bluebook citation for articles appearing in consecutively paginated journals is the author, title, volume number, abbreviation of the periodical name, first page of the article, specific pages cited (if any), and year. If a journal does not indicate the volume number but does continuous pagination across issues, use the year as the volume number. Volume numbers should always be given as Arabic numerals even if the original source uses Roman numerals.
For example:
> Pamela Samuelson, Functionality and Expression in Computer Programs: Refining the Tests for Software Copyright Infringement, 31 Berkeley Tech L.J. 1215, 1258–67 (2016).
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Citing annotations in American Law Reports
American Law Reports (ALR) is a highly trusted series of in-depth articles, also known as annotations, on specific legal issues. Each ALR annotation is researched by attorneys and includes summaries of key cases, providing an overview of how various courts approach the topic. ALR annotations are most useful for identifying key cases, statutes, and regulations on a legal topic, organised by jurisdiction, as well as relevant secondary sources.
When citing annotations in American Law Reports, The Bluebook (21st ed., 2020) provides the following guidelines in Rule 16.7.6:
- Include the author's full name as it appears in the publication, and do not include "J.D." after their name. If there is no author, start the citation with the word "Annotation."
- Use the word "Annotation" in the citation, preferably after the author's name.
- Provide the date of the annotation, using the original date even if it has been updated via print or online sources.
D.E. Buckner, Annotation, Comment Note.—Age and Mentality of Child as Affecting Application of Attractive Nuisance, 16 A.L.R.3d 25 (1967).
It is important to note that ALR annotations may be updated or superseded by newer annotations. When using an older annotation, check if it is still being updated or if it has been superseded by a more recent annotation. If a newer annotation exists, it is generally recommended to use the latest version.
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Frequently asked questions
A law review article is a scholarly article about a legal issue or topic. They are considered secondary sources as they are analysing and interpreting the law. Statutes and case documents are considered primary sources.
The citation style you use will depend on the style recommended by your institution. For example, APA, MLA, and Chicago styles will all differ. However, a basic example of how to cite a law review article is as follows:
Author(s). (Year of Publication). Title of article: Subtitle of article. Journal Title in Italics, volume number(issue number), page numbers. https://doi.org/10.xxxxxxxxxx.
The Bluebook citation for articles appearing in consecutively paginated journals is: author, title, volume number, abbreviation of the periodical name, first page of the article, specific pages cited (if any), and year.









































