Bluebook 101 Electronic Sources

1. Bluebook 101Electronic Sources Rule 18 Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

2. Choice of Electronic Source • Bluebook: prefer LexisNexis, Westlaw, and other commercial electronic databases because of their “reliability and authoritativeness.” (R. 18.3) • BUT: in an online journal, it’s a courtesy to your readers to link to a source they can reach. Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

3. LexisNexis Academic • Prefer free Internet sites if available • Drive-by Shooting Kills Six Outside Church, UPI, Jan. 7, 2010, available at LEXISNEXIS ACADEMIC, News. Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

4. Underlying Reason?Help the Reader • FIND the material you cited • EVALUATE your work Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

5. Commercial Databases • Use Lexis or Westlaw citation (or other system’s identifier) • Tell reader what database something is available in Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

6. Use Internet • Source not available in print or in widely available commercial database, OR • It’s available in print, but Internet version is identical and parallel citation will improve access • R. 18.2.3 Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

7. URL • Give exact URL for document • If search is required, give instructions on how to get there. • R. 18.2.3(d) Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

8. Example Memorandum from Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Sec'y of Def., to the Sec'y of the Navy (July 7, 2004) [hereinafter Wolfowitz Memorandum], available athttp://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/d20040707review.pdf Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

9. Document Format • Prefer pdf over html • 18.2.2(f) Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

10. Parallel Citations • Same source • Improve access • R. 18.2.3 Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

11. Example Am. Bar Ass’n, Perceptions of the U.S. Justice System 9-10 (1999), available at http://www.abanet.org/media/perception/perceptions.pdf Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

12. Example WASH. STATE SUPREME COURT, TASK FORCEON EQUAL JUSTICE FUNDING, THE WASHINGTON STATE CIVIL LEGAL NEEDS STUDY (2003), available athttp://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/content/taskforce/CivilLegalNeeds.pdf Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

13. Direct Citations to Internet • When document is not also available in print • Format by analogy with print – article looks like article, report looks like book • Omit “available at” • R. 18.2.2 Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

14. Forthcoming Articles and Working Papers (SSRN) Cass R. Sunstein, Clear Statement Principles and National Security: Hamdan and Beyond, 2006 SUP. CT. REV. (forthcoming 2007), available athttp://ssrn.com/abstract_id=922406 • Note that SSRN may include drafts that are not the final published version. Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu

15. Gallagher Law LibraryUniversity of Washington School of LawBox 353025Seattle WA 98195-3025 http://lib.law.washington.edu We are happy to have our guides used by other libraries, librarians, and legal researchers. Before copying or adapting one of our guides, please contact Cheryl Nyberg (cnyberg [at] uw.edu) to obtain permission. Then give appropriate attribution, such as: "Adapted from a guide by Mary Whisner at the Gallagher Law Library website." Gallagher Law Library, May 2011, http://lib.law.washington.edu