The 22nd edition of The Bluebook was released in summer 2025. It includes expanded guidance, revised rules, and new citation formats, including:
For the most up-to-date rules and corrections, check the Bluebook Online.
Questions about what’s changed or how to cite under the new edition? Ask a librarian!
The 22nd edition of The Bluebook includes significant updates to Rule 18 to reflect how legal research and writing increasingly involve sources beyond traditional print formats. This rule governs citations to internet-based materials, electronic media, and other nonprint resources. These include both familiar sources like online databases and video recordings, as well as newer formats such as AI-generated content, social media, and streaming services.
Rule 18.2 requires citation to print sources when available, unless a digital version is authenticated, official, or an exact copy of the printed source, as defined by Rule 18.2.1. Other Bluebook rules address online formats of specific source types:
Rule 18.3 governs citation to content generated by artificial intelligence (AI), including large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and CoPilot, as well as AI-generated images and AI-enhanced search results.
Because AI tools do not generate consistent or reproducible results, readers cannot verify a citation without access to the exact output. Rule 18.3 requires authors to save and store a screenshot of AI output as a PDF. Citations must refer to that saved version and include a parenthetical indicating where the output is stored. This rule ensures that both writers and readers can confirm what the AI produced at the time of use.
This rule applies to three main categories of AI-related sources:
| Source Type | Example(s) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Large language model (LLM) | Aneesa Lawstudent, ChatGPT 4o, "Identify common arguments used in public debates about qualified immunity" (Jun. 2, 2025) (on file with the author). | Cite the person who submitted the prompt (if known), the name and version of the AI model, the full text of the prompt, the date of the prompt, and a parenthetical with the location of the saved output. |
| Search results | Pᴇʀᴘʟᴇxɪᴛʏ, "Which sectors saw the biggest cost increases from Trump's tariffs", (Jun. 2, 2025) (on file with U.C. Davis Bus. L.J.). | Cite the name of the search tool, the exact query (including Boolean operators, if used), the number of results (if available), the date of the search, any filters applied, and the location of the saved results. |
| AI-generated content | Photograph of an Ibex on a Snowy Mountain (on file with the author) (generated by Adobe Firefly Image Model 4). | Follow the rule that applies to the type of content (e.g., image, video), then add a parenthetical stating that the content was generated by AI and name the model used. If the citation would normally include an author, and the prompt author is known, use that name. If no prompt author is known, omit the author. |
The 22nd edition of The Bluebook introduced guidance for citing materials stored in cloud-based folders, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud.
Rule 18.5(b) provides that a citation to a file stored in the cloud includes the author, the file title, and the URL; a parenthetical identifying the folder owner, folder name, and cloud storage provider; and the date the file was last modified. If the file is not publicly accessible, include an additional parenthetical noting where the file is stored.
| Source Type | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A document saved in Box | Jordan Kim, Policy Forum Agenda, https://example.box.com/v/policyforum2025 (Soc. Impact Ctr., Event Planning, Box) (last modified June 2, 2025) (on file with the Social Impact Center). | Required citation elements include the author, title, URL, a parenthetical with the folder details, and a second parenthetical noting where the file can be found if the cloud source is inaccessible. |
The Bluebook organizes citation rules for audio, video, and image materials based on format and how the content was accessed. These distinctions help determine how much information to include and what format to follow.
Rules 18.7 (Videographic Media) and 18.8 (Audio Recordings and Streaming) reflect the increasing use of platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Twitch, and Netflix. To choose the right rule, ask:
For video materials, see:
| Source Type | Example(s) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A specific episode of a TV series |
60 Mɪɴᴜᴛᴇs: Election Special (CBS television broadcast, aired Oct. 7, 2024. BᴏJᴀᴄᴋ Hᴏʀsᴇᴍᴀɴ: Fish Out of Water (Netflix, released Sep. 16, 2016). |
Cite the series title, episode title, platform/medium, and the broadcast/release date.
If the episode was streamed, no physical medium is included. |
| A YouTube video | For web-based videos, cite name of the account that posted the video, the title, platform, upload date, and URL. If citing a specific moment, add a time marker after the title | Iɴᴛᴇʀɴᴇᴛ Aʀᴄʜɪᴠᴇ, How to Use the Wayback Machine (YouTube, Jan. 13, 2021), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts1tu1BiSuY (on file with the author). |
For audio materials, see:
| Source Type | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A podcast episode streamed on Overcast | Sᴛʀɪᴄᴛ Sᴄʀᴜᴛɪɴʏ, SCOTUS Unanimously Upholds TikTok Ban (Overcast, Jan. 17, 2025). | Cite the podcast name, episode title, streaming service, and release date per Rules 18.8.1(c) and 18.8.2. |
| An unpublished voicemail stored privately | Voicemail from Jenifer Godofredo, Assoc. Dir., Ctr. for Climate Hist., to Theo Roberson (recorded Oct. 3, 2023, at 13:00 PT) (on file with author). | Cite unpublished audio according to Rule 18.8.3. Include the format, relevant identifying information (name, title, affiliation), and the recording date. Add a parenthetical with the location the recording is stored. |
Images (e.g., photos, illustrations, paintings, etc.) are addressed in Rule 18.9. The rule also covers emojis, which should be cited using their Unicode number and a short description (e.g., (grinning face), U+1F600).
| Scenario | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Citing a named painting | Kay Walkingstick, Two Women II (painting 1973). | For titled works, list the creator, title, medium, and date. |
| Citing an unnamed photo | Photograph of a Protest at the California State Capitol (on file with the author). | For untitled works, provide a descriptive phrase and explain where it can be found (e.g., in a book, on a website, or on file with the author). |
| Citing a specific emoji | 😡 (enraged face), U+1F621. | Cite emojis using their Unicode number and short description. |