Rule 15 provides guidance for citing almost all bound printed matter, except periodicals, case reporters, statute volumes, and encyclopedias in legal documents.
Parts of a Bluebook Citation to Books in a Legal Document
A citation to a book may include up to seven parts, which you should incorporate in this order:
- The volume number, if the title consists of more than one volume;
- The name of the author(s);
- The title of the work;
- The name of the editor or translator, if any;
- If a part of a book is cited, include the page, section, or paragraph number;
- The edition and publisher; and
- The year of publication.
Include Book Volume Numbers in Bluebook Citations
If the work spans multiple volumes, you should include the number of the volume at the beginning of the citation.
Example:
3 Stephen C. Lucille, Contracts § 72.13 (2008).
Author Names in Book Citations Under the Bluebook
Next (or first if there is no volume), add the full name of the author. Use the author’s name as it appears on the volume, including middle name or initial. The first name should appear first.
If the book has more than one author, cite the first name as provided above, followed by an ampersand and the second author’s name.
Example:
Stephen D. Luca & Chris Tensky, Torts § 89.47 (2008).
If the book has more than two authors, you have two options: using the abbreviation “et al.” or listing all of the authors. Using “et al.” is the preferred method. (The abbreviation “et al.” is Latin for “and others.”)
Example:
Stephen D. Luca et al., Torts § 89.47 (2008).
You should omit any appended titles or academic degrees from authors’ names.
If the author is an institution or other entity, use the company’s complete name, abbreviating it using tables T.6 and T.10.
Book Titles in Legal Citations
Include the full main title as it appears on the work’s title page. Capitalize the title according to Rule 8 of the Bluebook. Include the subtitle only if it is particularly relevant.
Never abbreviate words in the title or subtitle.
Citing Specific Pages of Text in Books
Indicate the portion of the book you are citing by including the section number, paragraph number, or page number.
Example:
Stephen D. Luca et al., Torts 267 (2008).
When to Include the Editor or Translator in a Legal Citation to a Book
Include the editor or translator’s name as you did for the author’s name, followed by the abbreviation for editor, “ed.,” or translator, “trans.,” as appropriate.
The name of the editor or translator should appear in the parenthetical containing information about the edition, publisher, and date.
The name of the translator or editor is always followed by a comma.
Example:
3 Stephen C. Lucille, Contracts § 72.13 (Taylor McAdden ed., 2008).
Edition and Publisher in Legal Citations to Books
If multiple editions of a work exist, include the most recent edition of the book that supports your point in the parenthetical with the editor/translator, if any, and the publication date.
Example:
3 Stephen C. Lucille, Contracts 123 (5th ed. 2008).
If the work has been published by several publishers, include the publisher name of the edition cited, abbreviating it according to tables T.6 and T.10.
Example:
3 Stephen C. Lucille, Contracts 123 (5th ed. HarperCollins 2008).
Adding the Date of Publication to a Book Citation According to the Bluebook
If only one edition of the cited work exists, include only the year of publication in the parentheses.
Example:
3 Stephen C. Lucille, Contracts 123 (2008).
Bluebook Style for Typefaces in Book Citations
In legal documents, underline or italicize publication names: the rest of the citation is set in regular typeface.
In law review articles, the author and title should appear in small and large capitals.
If you follow these rules, you will be well on your way to mastering citation using the Bluebook. For more information on how to cite cases using the Bluebook, see these articles discussing how to cite a published federal court case and how to cite a published state court case.
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