Experiencing difficulty with Bluebook citation format? Not sure how to properly cite all those sources? Need some quick and clear prompts about it?
You are at the right place!
Here, you have the ultimate guide to Bluebook referencing. We will help to make your paper formatting as easy as it can be.
Seems unbelievable?
In fact, it’s very simple:
No complicated words. As a highly professional custom writing service, we know that all those citing rules may be hard to grasp due to the use of overly academic language.
However, you know what?
All those rules can be clarified in just a few words. No kidding. And that’s what we do in this guide. If you want to master the Bluebook citation style with no pain — follow this guide.
Examples count. We realize that there’s no use explaining where to put a colon if you have no idea what the whole thing all about.
Here’s what:
In our guide, there are examples of all citations in .doc files. All you have to do is just download a citation sample, change publication information (like author’s name or article title) and receive a perfect reference (and A+ as a result).
So, are you ready to make your first impeccable reference?
Let’s get down to some general rules.
General Principles of Formatting
When you write a paper in the Bluebook format, make sure to format it this way:
- 12 pt. font (Arial or Times New Roman)
- Double-spacing
- 1-inch margins (all sides)
- Indent the first sentence in a paragraph
- Page numbers should be located in the upper-right corner, starting at page two
- The running header (capitalized) should be flush left on every page starting with the second page of the document.
- Bluebook requires a title page, which should include the following items:
- Title of Assignment
- Student Name
- Student ID
- Course ID
- Instructor
- Each type of a document in Bluebook (case brief, court document, memorandum etc.) has its own format of headings
General Principles of Referencing
Believe it or not, referencing is not that much of a terrible thing. You’ll just need to cite your sources in the text and create a new page named “Bibliography.” Here are some tips on Bluebook citation:
- italicize case names in the text but do not use italics in citations
- in law reviews, include citations as footnotes
- the footnote number must appear after the quotation’s final punctuation
Small Caps: To Fear or Not to Fear
In the previous (2015) Bluebook edition, the use of Small Caps was allowed, which was quite puzzling for aspiring students like you. However, the newest edition states that their use is optional, so fear not: you can forego Small Caps and only use them when specifically required by your professor.