Citing secondary sources accurately is crucial in legal writing and research, particularly when using the Bluebook citation format. A secondary source discusses or analyzes primary sources, and understanding how to cite them can enhance the credibility of your work. Below are three practical examples that illustrate how to cite secondary sources in Bluebook format.
In legal research, you may come across a scholarly article that interprets a court case or legislation. Citing such articles is essential to strengthen your argument.
In this case, you found an article by Jane Doe discussing the implications of a landmark Supreme Court decision in a law review journal. The citation would look like this:
Doe, Jane, The Impact of Brown v. Board of Education, 50 HARV. L. REV. 123 (2019).
This citation indicates that Jane Doe is the author, the title of the article is The Impact of Brown v. Board of Education, it was published in the Harvard Law Review, volume 50, and the page number is 123, published in 2019.
Notes: When citing a law review article, include the author’s name, the title in italics, the volume number, the abbreviated title of the journal, the page number, and the year of publication. If accessed online, you can add a URL or DOI at the end of the citation.
You might also need to cite a book that discusses a primary legal case in detail. This is common in legal studies, where books often provide comprehensive analyses of significant cases.
Suppose you are referencing a book by John Smith that explores the nuances of Roe v. Wade. The citation would be as follows:
Smith, John, Roe v. Wade: A Historical Perspective 45-50 (2021).
Here, John Smith is the author of the book, and the title is Roe v. Wade: A Historical Perspective. The numbers 45-50 refer to the specific pages that you are citing, published in 2021.
Notes: When citing a book, always include the author’s name, the title in italics, the page number(s), and the year of publication. If the book has multiple authors or editors, be sure to include all relevant names in the citation.
In the digital age, many articles and discussions occur online. If you are relying on a website that summarizes or evaluates a legal case, you must cite it appropriately.
For instance, if you found an informative article on a legal blog by Emily Johnson discussing the implications of the Affordable Care Act, the citation would appear as:
Johnson, Emily, Understanding the Affordable Care Act, LEGAL ANALYSIS BLOG (Oct. 1, 2022), https://www.legalanalysisblog.com/understanding-aca.
In this citation, Emily Johnson is the author, the title of the article is Understanding the Affordable Care Act, it was published on a blog called Legal Analysis Blog on October 1, 2022, and it includes the URL for direct access.
Notes: When citing a website, include the author’s name, the title in italics, the name of the website, the date of publication, and the URL. If no author is available, you can start with the title of the article instead.
These examples of how to cite a secondary source in Bluebook format are designed to help you enhance your legal writing and research accuracy. Proper citations not only lend authority to your work but also enable readers to locate the original sources efficiently.