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TCT620 Advanced Domestic Terrorism Guide

Library resources for TCT 620.

APA Formatting and Citation/APA Citation for Legal Materials

Reference page formatting  

  • All sources listed on the reference page must be cited somewhere in the paper.  
  • Order references alphabetically by author’s last name (or article title if there is no author). 
  • Double space reference list.
  • Format sources using a hanging indent: First line is flush left, all other lines are indented. In Microsoft Word: Go to the Home tab > Paragraph group settings (click on the small arrow at the bottom right) > in the “Special” drop down menu, select “Hanging indent” ​

Authors

  • List authors in the order they appear in the original source.
  • Spell out each author’s last name. Use initials for first and middle names.
  • Be aware that an organization (e.g., National Institutes of Health) can be an author.
  • If a source has no author, begin the reference with the title of the source.
  • Sources with 20 or fewer authors: List all authors.
  • Sources with 21 or more authors: List first 19 authors,  add three ellipses ( . . . ), add last author.

Date

  • If a source has no date, use (n.d.) –no date – in place of the date. 

Article, book, and chapter titles

  • Capitalize ONLY the first word in the title and subtitle (the word that follows a colon or dash).
  • Capitalize proper nouns in the title. 

 

What is an in-text citation?

An in-text citation is found in the body of a research paper. It tells your reader where you found any information or ideas that are not your own. It is a shortened citation in parentheses and includes the author’s last name, publication year, and the page number (if quoting). 

When is an in-text citation required?

An in-text citation is required whenever you use someone else’s words or ideas:

  • Quoting – Using someone else’s exact words. Make sure to include a page number. If a quote is more than 40 words, use the directions on the last two pages of the handout linked above.
  • Paraphrasing – Rephrasing someone’s writing or ideas into your own words. Page number not required but include if it will help your reader locate the relevant information.
  • Summarizing – Putting the main idea(s) of someone else’s writing into your own words. Page number not required

*** Remember: Each source listed on the reference page must correspond to at least one in-text citation in the body of the paper; each in-text citation must correspond to a source listed on the reference page.

In Chapter 11, the APA Manual (7th edition) provides examples of citations to legal materials, including cases, statutes, legislative materials, and administrative and executive materials. For more information on writing legal citation, consult The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (20th edition).  

The URL from which you retrieved the case, statute, or regulation information is optional, but may help researchers find the information.

Case (Court Decision). Reference form: Name v. Name, Volume Reporter First Page (year). 

  • Reference page citation example: Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005).
  • In-text citation example: Roper v. Simmons (2005) or (Roper v. Simmons, 2005)

Statute. Reference form: Name of Act, Volume Code abbrev. § Section number (year).

  • Reference page citation example: Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987, 43 U.S.C. §§2101-2106 (1987).
  • in-text citation example: Abandoned Shipwreck Act (1987) or (Abandoned Shipwreck Act, 1987)

Federal Regulation. Reference form: Title/Number, Volume C.F.R. §xxx (year).

  • Reference page citation example: Truth in Lending (Regulation Z) Finance Charge, 12 C.F.R. §226.4 (2010). 
  • In-text citation example:  Truth in Lending (Regulation Z) Finance Charge (2010) or (Truth in Lending [Regulation Z] Finance Charge, 2010)
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