An Introduction to The Bluebook

This guide provides an introduction to selected citation rules found in The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (21st ed.) and citation examples for students working on academic law journals. These examples are provided for instructional purposes only. Refer to The Bluebook directly and adhere to its rules and examples when finalizing citations. The Bluebook's online Quick Style Guide offers further formatting suggestions for commonly used sources.

The Mabie Law Library reference librarians can help identify relevant Bluebook rules or look for example citations. Contact the reference librarians for assistance. 

The 21st edition of The Bluebook was released in summer 2020. The following resources discuss noteworthy updates in the 21st edition:

An updated 2021 printing was published in late January 2021 and makes additional changes to the 21st edition. 

The Bluebook is divided into three main parts:

• The Bluepages, in the front of the volume, provide rules on citing authority in non-academic legal documents.
• The Whitepages, comprising the rest of the volume, provide rules on citing authority for academic law journals. Rules in the Bluepages often refer to the Whitepages. This LibGuide addresses content and requirements contained in the Whitepages.
• Tables with detailed citation guidance for specific jurisdictions or types of materials, to be used alongside the citation rules.

The Bluebook provides several finding aids to locate rules or citation examples: