Overview
This presentation explains how to cite state and federal legislative resources using the APA 7th edition style manual, incorporating relevant Bluebook citation standards. It covers citation rules for bills, statutes, administrative codes, staff analyses, and model acts.
Introduction to Legal Citation in APA 7th Edition
- APA 7th edition requires integration of Bluebook citation conventions for legal references.
- The Bluebook provides standard formats and abbreviations for legal documents, states, and terminology.
- Key differences exist between APA and The Bluebook, such as use of author vs. title and citation format (reference list vs. footnotes).
- APA requires use of official URLs or DOIs for sources, unlike The Bluebook.
Legislative Process and Citation Types
- Legislative documents include bills (introduced), statutes (codified), and administrative codes (embodied law).
- Each type of legislative document has distinct citation rules in APA style.
Rubric for Citing Legislation
- Use the rubric: WHAT (legislation), WHO (legislative body/session number), WHICH (session type), WHERE (state), WHEN (year), and URL.
- Legislative body/session number ties legislation to the specific session/year; some states, like Florida, do not enumerate sessions.
- Name of act or topic can be included in square brackets for clarity or identification.
Citing Statutes and Laws
- Statute citations require: name of statute, name of work, location within the work, relevant year(s), and URL.
- Both inception and amended dates should be used if citing a revised statute per The Bluebook.
- Laws (as opposed to statutes) can be cited to highlight specific amendments or changes.
Federal Statute and Code Citation
- Federal statute citation combines public law number, statute location, and name of the act.
- Citing the United States Code (U.S.C.) requires the year of the code edition, not legislation enactment or last amendment.
- Square brackets may be used for act names if it aids identification.
Administrative Code Citation
- Citation requires act name, code name (e.g., Fla. Admin. Code), chapter/number, date, and URL.
- Revisions or annotations are included if available.
Citing Staff Analyses
- Use "Staff" plus committee/subcommittee name as the author, with correct Bluebook abbreviations.
- Title includes bill number, bill title, session year, analysis title, version, and date.
- Use the official legislative website URL or note if the copy is on file with committee.
- Additional information can be added in square brackets according to APA and Bluebook guidelines.
Citing Uniform Laws and Model Acts
- Treat model acts as books: include act name, version, date, acronym, publisher (acronym), and URL.
- Indicate the type of work in square brackets and differentiate versions as needed.
Recommendations / Advice
- Always use the official government site URL for legislative documents.
- Employ Bluebook abbreviations for entities, states, and common legal terms.
- Include additional act/topic information in square brackets only for clarity.
Questions / Follow-Ups
- Contact USF Health Libraries for further questions or to set up an appointment.