Research Guides : Citation and Research Tools: Learning to Cite

Why must we cite?

It might seem like a silly question, but knowing why we cite our sources is the first step in deciding what to reference and how to format citations. Citations serve several purposes:

It is "to allow the reader to efficiently locate the cited source." THE BLUEBOOK: A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION 1 (Columbia Law Review Ass’n et al. eds., 19th ed. 2010).
It signals that your assertions are a part of settled law.
It gives credit for an idea where it is due.

Extra Resources

Ask a Librarian!
Use this link to email the librarians for quick research and reference questions!
First-year Survival Guide
Not just for 1Ls, this research guide has a ton of helpful information! Check out the "Legal Writing& Citation" tab for link to books in our library, a bunch of helpful CALI lessons, and places to get extra citation help.
Scholarly Writing
Check out the "Advanced Citation" section for some great workbook resources for practice and some information on other citation formats as well.
Elon University Bluebook Videos
If you find our videos helpful, check out Elon University School of Law's great videos on specific Bluebooking topics.
Using the Bluebook
Boston University's Bluebooking research guide has excellent summaries of some complicated rules!

Bluebooking Citation videos

The following Bluebooking Series was prepared by the Research Center to guide students through the basics of creating legal citations. There are seven videos: an Introduction to the Bluebook, Secondary Sources, Case Citation, Legislative Materials, Administrative Materials, Electronic Tools for Legal Writing, and Internet Sources. To view videos individually or to see other video series, such as our Foreign and International Law Bluebooking series, check out the RC's Youtube page.