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Citation rules/Structure and signals

Structure and signals.

Citation sentences, signal order, and how authorities are strung together.

28 rules on 6 pages of the book.

In this chapter

1.1Citation Sentences and Clauses in Law Reviews3
1.2Introductory Signals10
1.3Order of Signals4
1.4Order of Authorities Within Each Signal2
1.5Parenthetical Information8
1.6Related Authority1

1.1Citation Sentences and Clauses in Law Reviews

1.1(a)Move the footnote call number
1.1(b)(i)Capitalize “Id.” only at a sentence head
1.1(b)(ii)Add the comma that closes the clause

1.2Introductory Signals

Remove the comma after the signal
1.2(a)Add an explanatory parenthetical
1.2(a)Add the comma after “e.g.”
1.2(a)Add the comma before “e.g.”
1.2(b)Add an explanatory parenthetical
1.2(b)Add the “with” half of the comparison
1.2(b)Add the “with” half of the contrast
1.2(b)Add the comma before “with”
1.2(b)Use “Compare” for this signal
1.2(c)Remove “but” after a negative signal

1.3Order of Signals

Move the signals into order
Replace the period with a semicolon
Replace the semicolon with a period
Use a period before a negative signal

1.4Order of Authorities Within Each Signal

Move the more authoritative source first
Replace the comma with a semicolon

1.5Parenthetical Information

1.5(a)(i)Lowercase the parenthetical's first word
1.5(a)(ii)Use sentence form in the parenthetical
1.5(b)Add a space between parentheticals
1.5(b)Move the explanation before the history
1.5(b)Move the parentheticals into order
1.5(b)Move weight of authority before the explanation
1.5(b)Use one parenthetical for the sources
1.5(b)Use the source enumerators

1.6Related Authority

1.6(a)(ii)Add the citation of the original work

Check a document against these 28 rules.

Also in this part of the book: Typeface conventions, Subdivisions and pincites, Short forms and id., Quotations, Abbreviations and numbers, Capitalisation, Titles of officials.

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