Kara Sears
The American Psychological Association (APA) outlines a standard citation style for legal materials in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. APA Style is commonly used for citing sources in academic writing. While most legal materials are cited using the standard legal citation style, the Bluebook, APA defers to this style for legal materials and uses those templates and patterns in bibliographies. This includes citing state law codes, which are laws that have been passed and added to the state code.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the law | Required |
| Location in the United States Code (U.S.C.) | Required |
| Public law number | Only if the law is spread across various sections of the code or not featured in the code |
| Section number | Required |
| Title number | Required |
| Year | Required |
| URL | Optional |
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What You'll Learn
Citing a state law code in APA format: the basics
Citing a state law code in APA format requires adhering to specific guidelines. While the APA (American Psychological Association) style is widely used for academic writing, legal citations often follow the Bluebook style, a standard legal citation system used across all disciplines. However, APA does provide guidelines for legal citations, which we will explore here.
When citing a state law code in APA format, it's important to consult the relevant state's specific guidelines, as these can vary. State statutes are published in their respective state-specific publications, and each state may organize its statutes differently. Some states use titles, some use section numbers, and others use a combination of both. Therefore, it's crucial to refer to the specific state's code and adapt your reference accordingly.
The basic format for citing a federal or state statute in APA style is as follows:
> Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL
For example:
> Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (1990).
Here, "42 U.S.C." refers to Title 42 of the United States Code, which pertains to public health and welfare. The section symbol (§) precedes the section number, and "et seq." indicates that this section is the first in a series of sections codifying the act.
When citing a state law code, you would replace the "U.S.C." with the relevant state's code abbreviation. For instance, when citing a law from the California Codes, you would use "Cal." as the state abbreviation:
> Name of Act, Cal. § Section Number (Year). URL
Additionally, APA guidelines recommend including the name of the law whenever possible, rather than solely relying on the legal citation. This enhances the clarity and comprehensibility of your reference list.
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State-specific variations in APA citations
APA (American Psychological Association) Style is a citation style developed by the American Psychological Association, commonly used in the social and behavioural sciences. While it covers a wide range of sources, there are some specific variations to be aware of when citing legal sources, particularly when dealing with state-specific laws.
Federal statutes are published in the United States Code (U.S.C.), divided into sections called titles. To cite federal laws in APA Style, the general format includes the name of the law, "U.S.C.", the title and section of the code, and the year. However, state statutes are published in their own state-specific publications, and this is where variations can occur.
- State-specific codes: Each state has its own code, such as the Virginia Code, and the format for citing these codes may vary slightly. For example, in the Virginia Code, the title and section number are included with a hyphen separating them.
- Chapter or article numbers: Some states use chapter or article numbers instead of sections. In these cases, the Bluebook should be consulted for the correct citation format.
- Public law numbers: In some instances, a law may have a public law number. This is generally not used in the citation unless the law is spread across various sections of the code or is not included in the code at all. In such cases, the public law number is included, along with information on the source accessed.
- State court decisions: While there are standard templates for citing state court decisions, the specific reporter designation may vary depending on the state and the reporter that publishes the decisions.
- State-specific regulations: States may have their own regulations that are not included in the federal Code of Federal Regulations. When citing these, the specific state's guidelines should be followed, and the Bluebook can be a useful reference.
It is important to note that legal conventions may differ outside the US, and the Bluebook is a valuable resource for specific state-by-state citation variations. Additionally, the APA Style website provides detailed guidance on various citation scenarios, including those specific to legal sources.
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When to include a URL in an APA citation
APA Style citations usually include the author, the publication date, the title of the page or article, the website name, and the URL. However, the APA Style citation format recommends using a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) instead of a URL. If a DOI is available, it should be included in the citation, even if you are using a physical copy of the source. The DOI should be expressed using the syntax "https://doi.org/.org/".
If an online work has both a DOI and a URL, only the DOI should be included. If the source is from an academic research database, a URL is not necessary, even if there is no DOI. An exception to this is if the database publishes unique information, in which case the database should be mentioned, and a URL provided.
If a DOI is not available, you may need to include a URL. If the source is from a non-database website, include the URL. If the URL is excessively long or points to a library or commercial database that requires a subscription, it may be easier to list the name of the website or database instead.
When citing a web page or article that does not list a publication or revision date, replace the date with "n.d." ("no date"). If the source is likely to change over time, include the date on which you accessed it.
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How to cite a law that has not been codified
APA Style is a citation style commonly used to cite sources in academic papers across a range of disciplines. When it comes to citing laws in APA format, there are specific guidelines to follow, depending on the type of law and its publication status.
If a law has not been codified, meaning it has not been published in the United States Code (U.S.C.), it should be cited using its public law number and information about where it was published. The public law number is a unique identifier assigned to a law, and it is used in the citation when the law is not included in the U.S.C. or when it is spread across non-consecutive parts of the Code.
For example, if a law was published in the United States Statutes at Large, the citation would include the abbreviation "Stat." along with the public law number and other relevant details. The template for federal or state statutes, according to APA guidelines, is as follows:
> Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL
For instance, a citation for a law that has not been codified may look like this:
> Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-2, 123 Stat. 5 (2009)
It is worth noting that the URL is optional in APA Style reference entries for legal sources. However, including it can be helpful for readers who want to retrieve the source.
Additionally, when citing state laws that have not been codified, it is important to adapt the reference to the standards of the specific state. Some state codes use article or chapter numbers instead of or in addition to section numbers, so it is advisable to consult resources like The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation for state-specific guidelines.
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APA citation for executive orders
When citing a state law code in APA format, it is important to adapt your reference to the standards of the state. Federal statutes are published in the United States Code (U.S.C.), which is divided into sections called titles. Each title covers a different topic, such as Title 42 for public health and welfare. The U.S.C. is the standard reference for federal laws, which are also commonly referred to as statutes or acts.
In general, you should identify a law in an APA reference by its location in the U.S.C. However, if the law is spread across various sections of the code or is not featured in the code, you should include the public law number along with information on the source accessed. The public law number is not usually used in citations except in these special cases.
Now, for executive orders, the process is slightly different. Executive orders are reported in Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations, so "3 C.F.R." is always included in the reference list entry. Here is the template for citing executive orders in APA format:
Reference list:
Exec. Order No. xxxxx, 3 C.F.R. Page (Year). URL
Parenthetical citation:
Exec. Order No. xxxxx, Year)
Narrative citation:
Exec. Order No. xxxxx (Year)
Exec. Order No. 13,676, 3 C.F.R. 294 (2014). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2015-title3-vol1/pdf/CFR-2015-title3-vol1-eo13676.pdf
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Frequently asked questions
The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is a good resource for citing state statutes. State codes are organized differently in every state, so you should adapt your reference to the standards of the state. The basic format for citing a state law code in APA format is:
> Name of law (if available), State Abbreviation Code Abbreviation § section number(s) (Year if available).
If you cannot determine the name for the act, begin the citation with the abbreviation for the code. For example, "18 U.S.C. § 2258".
Reference list citations are typed in one of six approved typefaces: Calibri (11-point font), Arial (11-point font), Lucida Sans Unicode (10-point font), Times New Roman (12-point font), Georgia (11-point font), or Computer Modern (10-point font).
