Law Journal Style: Defined Terms Usage

can you use defined terms bluebook law journal

The Bluebook is a style guide that prescribes how to cite a variety of legal documents, including law journals. It contains rules for citing periodical materials, including law reviews and journals, academic journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. The Bluebook differentiates between consecutively and non-consecutively paginated periodicals, with the former including most law reviews and the latter including many magazines. The citation format for a consecutively paginated journal includes the author, title, volume number, abbreviation of the periodical name, first page of the article, specific pages cited, and the year. The Bluebook also provides rules for citing online sources and other non-print sources, such as films and online databases. It is an essential tool for law students and professionals to ensure proper citation and avoid accidental plagiarism.

Characteristics Values
Rules for citing periodicals Rule 16
Rules for citing periodicals within periodicals Rule 16.7
Rules for citing online periodicals Rule 16.8
Rules for citing periodicals using id. and supra Rule 16.9
Rules for citing online sources that are exact copies of printed sources Rule 18.2
Rules for citing annotations in American Law Reports (A.L.R.) Rule 16.7.6
Rules for citing online sources and other non-print sources Rule 18
Rules for citing the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions Rule 11
Rules for citing administrative and executive materials, including U.S. federal regulations Rule 14
Rules for citing dictionaries Rule 15
Rules for citing legal encyclopedias Rule 15
Rules for citing non-consecutively paginated periodicals Rule 16.5
Rules for citing two authors for non-periodic and periodic materials Rules 15.1(a) and 16.2
Rules for citing more than two authors for non-periodic and periodic materials Rules 15.1(b) and 16.2
Rules for citing dissertations and theses Rule 17.2.2

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Citing law journal articles

Rule 16 of The Bluebook governs the citation of periodical materials, including law reviews and journals. Within this rule, there are further sub-rules that address specific aspects of citing law journal articles. For example, Rule 16.4 covers consecutively paginated periodicals, which include most law reviews and academic journals. These are organised by volume, and the page numbers continue throughout all issues of the volume. Rule 16.5, on the other hand, covers non-consecutively paginated periodicals, which include many magazines and some newspapers. These have page numbers starting at 1 for each new issue.

When citing a law journal article, the following elements are typically required: the author's name, the title of the article, the volume number of the journal, the abbreviation of the journal name, the first page of the article, the specific pages cited (if any), and the year of publication. 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)". It is important to note that issue numbers are generally not included in Bluebook citations, even if they are indicated in the original source.

Additionally, Rule 16.7 covers "Special Citation Forms", which include student-written law review articles, book reviews, symposia, commentaries, multipart articles, and more. Rule 16.8 provides guidance on citing periodicals available online or in commercial databases, while Rule 16.9 contains guidelines for using "id." and "supra" when citing periodicals.

The Bluebook also provides rules for citing other types of legal documents, such as the U.S. Constitution (Rule 11), administrative and executive materials (Rule 14), and federal regulations (Rule 15). It is important to consult the specific rules in The Bluebook to ensure accurate and consistent citations.

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Citing law journal articles with two authors

The Bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents. Rule 16 governs citing periodical materials, including law reviews and journals, academic journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

When citing a law journal article with two authors, list both authors connected by an ampersand in the same order as they are listed in the original source. For example:

> Yuval Karniel & Stephen Bates, Copyright in Second Life, 20 Alb. J.L. Sci. & Tech. 433 (2010).

The above example is for a consecutively paginated journal, where the page numbers continue throughout a volume, rather than starting at one for each issue. The proper 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.

For instance:

> Pamela Samuelson, Functionality and Expression in Computer Programs: Refining the Tests for Software Copyright Infringement, 31 Berkeley Tech L.J. 1215, 1258–67 (2016).

If a journal does not indicate the volume number but uses 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 non-consecutively paginated journals and magazines, the citation format is as follows:

> author, title of work (in italics), periodical name (in small caps), date of issue as it is on the cover, the word "at", first page of the work.

For example:

> Adam Satariano, Law Bolsters Copyrights in Europe, N.Y. Times, Mar. 27, 2019, at B1.

Note that issue numbers are never included in Bluebook citations, even if readily indicated in the original source.

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Citing law journal articles with more than two authors

The Bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents. There are too many rules for an introductory guide to cover, but here is an overview of how to cite law journal articles with more than two authors.

Rule 16 governs citing periodical materials, including law reviews and journals, other academic journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Rule 16.4 covers consecutively paginated periodicals, which include most law reviews. These are organised by volume, and page numbers continue throughout all issues of the volume. For example, Vol. 1, Issue 1 contains pages 1-100; Vol. 1, Issue 2 contains pages 101-200, and so forth.

Rule 16.5 covers non-consecutively paginated periodicals, which include many magazines. These have page numbers starting at 1 for each new issue. The proper 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. 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).

If a journal does not indicate the volume number but does have 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. If an article has three or more authors, it is permissible to either give the first author's name followed by "et al." or list all authors as they appear in the original source, separating each name with a comma, except for the final name, which is separated only by an ampersand without a comma. For example: Melissa L. Tatum, Robert Spoo & Benjamin Pope, Does Gender Influence Attitudes Toward Copyright in the Filk Community?, 18 Am. U. J. Gender Soc. Pol'y & L. 219 (2009).

The proper Bluebook citation for non-consecutively paginated journals and magazines is: author, title of work (in italics), periodical name (in small caps), date of issue as it is on the cover, the word "at", and first page of the work. For example: Adam Satariano, Law Bolsters Copyrights in Europe, N.Y. Times, Mar. 27, 2019, at B1.

Rule 16.7 covers "Special Citation Forms", including student-written law review articles, book reviews, symposia, commentaries, multipart articles, and more. Rule 16.8 discusses how to cite periodicals available online or in commercial databases. Rule 16.9 contains guidelines for using "id." and "supra" when citing periodicals. Rule 18 covers when and how to cite online sources, while Rule 18.2 permits citation of online sources that are exact copies of printed sources.

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Citing annotations in American Law Reports

The Bluebook is a style guide that prescribes how to cite a variety of legal documents. Rule 16.7.6 of The Bluebook (21st ed. 2020) covers how to cite annotations in American Law Reports (ALRs).

American Law Reports (ALRs) are a longstanding, highly trusted series of in-depth articles, called annotations, on specific legal issues. Attorneys research each ALR annotation, including summaries of key cases, to provide 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, organized by jurisdiction, as well as relevant secondary sources.

When citing an ALR annotation, include the following parts: the author's full name (if any), as it appears on the publication (do not include "J.D."); the word "Annotation" (if no author, start with Annotation); the title of the annotation; the series and volume number of the ALR; the section of the annotation; and the date of the annotation (original date, even if updated via print pocket part or online).

For example, the ALR annotation on the use of a plea bargain or the grant of immunity as improper vouching for the credibility of a witness in federal cases is cited as:

> William B. Johnson, Annotation, Use of Plea Bargain or Grant of Immunity as Improper Vouching for Credibility of Witness in Federal Cases, 76 A.L.R. Fed. 409 (1986 & Supp. 2015).

Note that this citation follows Rule 22.6 of the ALWD Citation Manual (7th ed.), which covers the citation of ALRs. The Bluebook may have slightly different formatting requirements.

When using ALR in print, always check the pocket parts for updates. ALR is also available in both Lexis and Westlaw, and the electronic versions incorporate updates into the text. ALR annotations can also be completely superseded by more recent annotations. Electronic versions will provide referrals to the superseding annotations, but in print, you should check the History Table at the end of the ALR.

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Citing online sources

The Bluebook contains rules that prescribe how to cite a variety of legal documents, including online sources. Rule 16 governs citing periodical materials, including law reviews and journals, academic journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

Rule 16.4 covers consecutively paginated periodicals, which include most law reviews. These are organised by volume, and page numbers continue throughout all issues of the volume. For example, Vol. 1, Issue 1 contains pages 1-100; Vol. 1, Issue 2 contains pages 101-200, and so forth. The proper 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. 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).

Rule 16.5 covers non-consecutively paginated periodicals, which include many magazines and some newspapers. These have page numbers starting at 1 for each new issue. The proper Bluebook citation for articles appearing in non-consecutively paginated journals and magazines is: author, title of work (in italics), periodical name (in small caps), date of issue as it is on the cover, the word "at", and first page of the work. For example: Adam Satariano, Law Bolsters Copyrights in Europe, N.Y. Times, Mar. 27, 2019, at B1.

Rule 16.6 governs citations to newspapers, which are generally cited like non-consecutively paginated periodicals, with a few exceptions. Rule 16.6(f) governs citations to online newspapers, which may be cited instead of print versions. For example: Evan Halper, Push Is On for Universal Voting by Mail, L.A. TIMES, Mar. 20, 2020, at A5.

Rule 16.7 covers "Special Citation Forms", which include student-written law review articles, book reviews, symposia, commentaries, multipart articles, and more. Rule 16.7.6 describes how to cite annotations in American Law Reports (A.L.R.). Rule 16.8 discusses how to cite periodicals available online or in commercial databases. Rule 16.9 contains guidelines for using "id." and "supra" when citing periodicals.

Rule 18 covers when and how to cite online sources and other non-print sources (e.g., films). The rules for specific types of documents often include a section on how to cite the online version. For example, Rule 12.5 describes how to cite statutes on Westlaw and Lexis. Citation formats for online sources are too varied to provide meaningful examples, so be sure to consult Rule 18 carefully.

As a general rule of thumb, you must cite the record for every factual assertion you make in a brief. Bluepages Rule B17 covers how to cite to the record, and the abbreviations used in citing to the record are listed in Bluepages Table BT1. Writing "at" before the page number is generally not required, although it is generally used when citing documents in an appellate record (see Rule B17.1.2).

Frequently asked questions

The Bluebook is a style guide that prescribes how to cite a variety of legal documents. It is used to ensure that the reader can efficiently locate the cited source.

Rule 16 of the Bluebook governs legal periodicals, including law reviews and journals. There are different rules for consecutively paginated (Rule 16.4) and non-consecutively paginated (Rule 16.5) periodicals. Consecutively paginated journals have seven elements: author, title, volume number, abbreviation of the periodical name, first page of the article, specific pages cited, and year.

Rules 15.1(a) and 16.2 of the Bluebook cover the format of citations with two authors for non-periodic and periodic materials, respectively. List both authors connected by an ampersand in the same order as they are listed in the original source.

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