Cecily Zamora
When citing a law review article using the Bluebook, short citations are essential for maintaining clarity and brevity in legal writing. A short citation, also known as a short form citation, is used after the first full citation of a source and typically includes the author’s last name, a shortened title, and the page number. For a law review article, the short form citation follows this structure: *Author’s Last Name*, *Shortened Title*, *Page Number*. For example, if the full citation is *John Doe, The Evolution of Property Law, 50 Harv. L. Rev. 123 (2020)*, the short form would be *Doe, Evolution of Property Law, 123*. It’s crucial to ensure consistency and accuracy in both the full and short citations to adhere to Bluebook standards and facilitate easy reference for readers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Citation Location | Footnote or text |
| Short Citation Purpose | To refer to a previously cited law review article concisely |
| Format | Author's last name, abbreviated journal title, volume number, page, pin cite (if needed) |
| Author's Name | Last name only (no first name or initials) |
| Journal Title Abbreviation | Use The Bluebook's Table T.1 for official abbreviations |
| Volume Number | Include the volume number of the journal |
| Page Number | Include the starting page number of the article |
| Pin Cite (if needed) | Add a comma after the page number, followed by the specific page or section |
| Id. or Supra Usage | Use Id. if the page number is the same as the previous cite; use supra if the page number differs but the source is the same |
| Example | Smith, 123 Harv. L. Rev. 456, 478 (short cite with pin cite) |
| No Year Required | Short cites do not include the year of publication |
| Multiple Authors | Use the first author's last name followed by "et al." if more than one |
| No Period After Author's Name | A comma follows the author's name, not a period |
| Italicization | Volume number and journal title are italicized |
| Pin Cite Format | Pin cite is not italicized and follows the page number with a comma |
| Supra Format | Supra is italicized, followed by a comma, note, and page number |
| Id. Format | Id. is italicized, followed by a period or comma and page number |
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What You'll Learn
- Identify Key Elements: Author, title, volume, page, and journal name are essential for short citations
- First Citation Format: Full citation includes author, title, volume, journal name, and page number
- Subsequent Citations: Use shortened form with author’s last name and page number only
- Multiple Authors: Cite up to two authors; for more, use et al. after the first
- No Author Available: Use a few title words in quotation marks followed by page number
Identify Key Elements: Author, title, volume, page, and journal name are essential for short citations
When creating a short citation for a law review article using the Bluebook style, it is crucial to identify and include the key elements that provide sufficient information for readers to locate the source. These essential components are the author, title, volume, page, and journal name. Each element serves a specific purpose in ensuring the citation is both accurate and concise. The author’s name is the starting point, as it identifies the creator of the work. For short citations, typically only the last name of the first author is included, followed by a shorthand indication if there are multiple authors, such as “et al.” if there are more than two.
The title of the article is another critical element, though it is often omitted in short citations to maintain brevity. However, if the title is necessary for clarity or if the citation is the first reference to the source, it should be included in shortened form, usually the first few words followed by an ellipsis. The volume number of the journal is essential, as it indicates the specific edition in which the article was published. This is typically placed immediately after the author’s name, followed by the journal name abbreviation. The page number is equally important, as it directs the reader to the exact location of the article within the journal volume. In short citations, the page number is usually the final element, preceded by a pinpoint citation if referencing a specific part of the article.
The journal name is abbreviated according to the Bluebook’s Table T.13, which provides standardized abbreviations for law reviews and other legal periodicals. This abbreviation ensures consistency and saves space in citations. For example, the *Harvard Law Review* is abbreviated as *Harv. L. Rev.*, and the *Yale Law Journal* as *Yale L.J.*. Including the correct abbreviation is vital for professionalism and adherence to Bluebook standards. Together, these elements form the backbone of a short citation, allowing readers to quickly identify and locate the source while maintaining the formal requirements of legal writing.
In practice, a short citation might look like this: *Smith, 123 Harv. L. Rev. 456*. Here, “Smith” is the author, “123” is the volume number, *Harv. L. Rev.* is the abbreviated journal name, and “456” is the starting page number. This format is efficient and adheres to Bluebook rules, providing all necessary information without unnecessary detail. It is important to note that the first citation of a source in a document should typically be a full citation, with subsequent references using the short form. This ensures that readers have complete information initially while allowing for concise references later.
Mastering the identification and inclusion of these key elements—author, volume, journal name, and page—is essential for effective short citations in legal writing. Each component plays a distinct role in guiding readers to the source material while maintaining the precision and brevity required by the Bluebook. By focusing on these elements, writers can create citations that are both accurate and compliant with legal citation standards, enhancing the clarity and professionalism of their work.
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First Citation Format: Full citation includes author, title, volume, journal name, and page number
When providing the First Citation Format for a law review article according to the Bluebook, the full citation must include the author, title, volume, journal name, and page number. This format is essential for the initial citation in your legal writing, ensuring clarity and completeness. Begin with the author’s full name, followed by the article’s title in sentence case and enclosed in quotation marks. For example: *John Doe, "The Evolution of Constitutional Law,"*. Next, include the volume number of the journal in bold or italics, followed by the abbreviated journal name. For instance: *50 Harv. L. Rev.*. Finally, add the page number where the article begins, such as *50 Harv. L. Rev. 1234*. This full citation provides all necessary details for readers to locate the source.
The author is the first element of the citation and should be listed with the last name followed by a comma and the first name or initials. If there are multiple authors, include all of them, separated by an ampersand (&) before the last author. For example: *Jane Smith & John Doe, "Legal Trends in the 21st Century,"*. The title of the article follows the author’s name and should be in sentence case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Enclose the title in quotation marks to distinguish it from the journal name. This format ensures consistency and adheres to Bluebook standards.
The volume and journal name are critical components of the citation, as they pinpoint the specific publication. The volume number should be in bold or italics and placed immediately after the title, followed by the abbreviated journal name. For example: *42 Stan. L. Rev.*. The Bluebook provides specific abbreviations for law reviews, which can be found in Table T.1. Ensure you use the correct abbreviation to maintain accuracy. The page number is the final element of the full citation and indicates where the article begins in the journal. For instance: *42 Stan. L. Rev. 345*. This complete format allows readers to identify and locate the source with ease.
Incorporating all these elements—author, title, volume, journal name, and page number—creates a comprehensive first citation. For example, a full citation might look like this: *Mary Brown, "The Impact of Technology on Legal Practice," 30 Yale L.J. 789*. This format not only complies with Bluebook rules but also ensures that your citation is professional and informative. Remember, the goal is to provide enough detail for readers to find the source without unnecessary complexity.
After the First Citation Format, subsequent citations of the same article will use a short citation format, which omits certain details. However, mastering the full citation is crucial, as it lays the foundation for accurate and consistent legal referencing. Always double-check the Bluebook’s guidelines for specific rules, especially when dealing with unique cases like multiple authors or special journal issues. By following this structured approach, you ensure that your citations are both Bluebook-compliant and reader-friendly.
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Subsequent Citations: Use shortened form with author’s last name and page number only
When citing a law review article for the first time, you typically provide a full citation, including the author’s name, article title, journal name, volume, page number, and publication year. However, for subsequent citations, the Bluebook requires a shortened form to maintain clarity and brevity. The rule is straightforward: use the author’s last name followed by the page number(s) referencing the specific material within the article. This approach eliminates unnecessary repetition while ensuring the reader can easily locate the source. For example, if your first citation is *Jane Doe, The Evolution of Property Law, 50 Harvard L. Rev. 100 (2020)*, a subsequent citation would simply be *Doe at 105*.
The key to mastering this shortened form is consistency and precision. Always use the author’s last name exactly as it appears in the full citation. If the article has multiple authors, follow the Bluebook’s guidelines for handling them. For instance, if the article is by Smith and Johnson, the short citation would be *Smith & Johnson at 25*. If there are three or more authors, use the first author’s last name followed by "et al." (e.g., *Smith et al. at 30*). This ensures the citation remains concise while still identifying the source unambiguously.
Page numbers are equally important in short citations. When referencing a specific page, include "at" followed by the page number (e.g., *Doe at 110*). If you are citing a range of pages, use "at" followed by the page range (e.g., *Doe at 110–15*). Avoid using "p." or "pp." before the page numbers, as the Bluebook prefers a clean, uncluttered format. If you are referring to a specific footnote within the article, include the footnote number after the page number, separated by "n." (e.g., *Doe at 110 n.4*).
In cases where multiple works by the same author are cited, the Bluebook requires a title abbreviation to distinguish between them. For law review articles, use the first few words of the title, omitting articles like "a," "an," or "the." For example, if Jane Doe has two articles cited in your work, and you need to differentiate between them, the short citation might look like *Doe, Property Law at 105* and *Doe, Contract Law at 200*. This ensures clarity even when multiple works by the same author are referenced.
Finally, remember that the goal of short citations is to streamline your writing while maintaining proper attribution. Always double-check that the author’s name, page numbers, and any necessary distinctions are accurate. Mistakes in short citations can confuse readers and undermine the credibility of your work. By adhering to the Bluebook’s rules for subsequent citations, you ensure your legal writing is both professional and reader-friendly.
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Multiple Authors: Cite up to two authors; for more, use et al. after the first
When short-citing a law review article with multiple authors in Bluebook format, the general rule is to include up to two authors in the citation. For articles with more than two authors, you should use "et al." after the first author's name. This rule ensures that citations remain concise while still providing sufficient information to identify the source. For example, if a law review article has three authors—Smith, Jones, and Brown—the short citation would appear as "Smith & Jones, supra note [pin cite]." The phrase "supra note" refers back to the full citation in the footnote, and the pin cite directs the reader to the specific page or section being referenced.
In cases where an article has exactly two authors, both names should be included in the short citation. For instance, if the authors are Doe and Johnson, the short citation would read "Doe & Johnson, supra note [pin cite]." This approach maintains clarity and gives due credit to both contributors. It is important to note that the ampersand (&) is used between the authors' names, following Bluebook conventions. Consistency in this practice is key to ensuring that your citations are both accurate and professional.
When an article has more than two authors, the short citation should list only the first author followed by "et al." For example, if the authors are Green, White, Black, and Red, the short citation would be "Green et al., supra note [pin cite]." The term "et al." is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "et alia," meaning "and others," and it effectively condenses the citation while still identifying the primary author. This method is particularly useful in legal writing, where brevity is often essential.
It is crucial to ensure that the short citation corresponds accurately to the full citation provided in the footnote. The "supra note" reference should match the footnote number where the full citation appears, and the pin cite should direct the reader to the exact page or section being discussed. For example, if the full citation is in footnote 12 and you are referencing page 25, the short citation would be "Smith et al., supra note 12, at 25." This precision helps readers locate the source quickly and verifies the authority of your reference.
Finally, while the Bluebook rules for short citations are straightforward, attention to detail is essential. Always double-check the names of the authors and the footnote numbers to avoid errors. Additionally, be consistent in your use of "et al." and ensure that it is only applied when there are more than two authors. By following these guidelines, you can create accurate and efficient short citations for law review articles with multiple authors, enhancing the readability and credibility of your legal writing.
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No Author Available: Use a few title words in quotation marks followed by page number
When citing a law review article using the Bluebook style and no author is available, the short citation format requires a slightly different approach. In such cases, the focus shifts to the article's title, which becomes a crucial element in the citation. The Bluebook rule 16.8 governs this specific scenario, providing clear instructions on how to handle citations without an author.
To create a short citation, begin by selecting a few words from the article's title, typically the first few words that are distinctive and representative of the content. Enclose these words in quotation marks to indicate that they are part of the title. For example, if the article is titled "The Evolution of Environmental Law: A Comprehensive Study," the short citation could start with " 'Evolution of Environmental Law' ". This initial part of the citation serves as a unique identifier, allowing readers to locate the source quickly.
Following the quoted title words, include the page number(s) you are referencing. The page number is essential for directing readers to the exact location within the article where the relevant information can be found. For instance, if you are citing a specific argument on page 25, the short citation would be " 'Evolution of Environmental Law' 25". This format ensures that even without an author's name, the citation remains precise and informative.
It is important to note that the Bluebook style emphasizes brevity and clarity in short citations. Therefore, when selecting title words, choose those that are most descriptive and avoid using articles (such as 'a', 'an', or 'the') unless they are essential to the title's meaning. The goal is to provide just enough information for the reader to identify the source without including unnecessary details.
In summary, when no author is available for a law review article, the Bluebook short citation format utilizes a few words from the title, enclosed in quotation marks, followed by the relevant page number. This method ensures that citations remain concise and informative, allowing readers to navigate legal sources efficiently. Mastering this technique is particularly useful when dealing with extensive legal research, where quick and accurate references are essential.
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Frequently asked questions
A short cite for a law review article in Bluebook format omits the full citation details and uses a shortened version, typically including the author's last name, a shortened title if necessary, the volume number, the abbreviation of the law review, the page number, and the pinpoint page if applicable.
In a short cite, use only the author’s last name, followed by a comma. If there are multiple authors, list all last names separated by commas, or use "et al." if there are more than two authors.
Include a shortened title in a short cite if the full title is long or if multiple works by the same author are cited. Use enough words from the title to distinguish it from other works, enclosed in quotation marks.
In a short cite, include the volume number of the law review followed by the abbreviation of the law review title, then the starting page number. If referencing a specific page within the article, add a pinpoint cite after the page number, separated by a comma.
When citing multiple law review articles in the same footnote, separate each short cite with a semicolon. Ensure each short cite is distinct and follows Bluebook formatting rules for clarity.
