The Whitepages provide guidance on citation for the internet, electronic media, and other nonprint resources. This rule goes into deep coverage on resources such as the internet (R18.2); Westlaw and LEXIS, as well as other commercially used databases (R18.3); CD-ROMs (R18.4); microform (R18.5); video materials (R18.6); audio materials (R18.7); and photographs and illustrations (R18.8).
Conversely, the coverage by Bluepages focuses on the internet with information on direct, parallel, and short form citations, as well as supportive corresponding examples. See B18, pp. 26-27.
The Bluebook provides examples of basic citation forms for academic legal writing for Internet sources for academic legal writing at R18.1(a), pp. 174-75, and for non-Internet sources at R18.1(b), p. 175. Additionally, there are some examples on The Bluebook's Quick Style Guide.
As an opening statement regarding the internet, The Bluebook sets forth its requirement for "the use and citation of traditional printed sources when available, unless there is a digital copy of the source available that is authenticated, official, or an exact copy of the printed source, as described in rule 18.2.1." See R18.2, p. 176. The Bluebook provides further that the following guidance offered in R18.2.1 lays out general principles applicable to all internet citations. Next, R18.2.2 provides direction for citations to internet sources. Also note that e-mails should be treated as unpublished letters pursuant to R17.2.4.
As provided above, certain sources may be cited as if to the original print source. This is a trend, as several states have discontinued printed official legal resources, and now rely on online versions as the official resources for legal documents. Similarly, the federal government has moved toward increasing access to online versions of legal documents. The important takeaway here is that when "an authenticated, official, or exact copy of a source is available online, citation can be made as if to the original print source (without any URL information appended)." See R18.2.1(a), p. 176.
The Bluebook explains the meanings of "authenticated documents," "official version," and "exact copies" in subsequent paragraphs. See R18.2.1(a)(i), (ii) & (iii), p. 176.
Next, The Bluebook sets forth the instances when the URL should be included in the citation. These instances generally include obscure sources or online sources with print characteristics.
Obscure Sources: When the citation information is available in a traditional source, but that source is practically unavailable and a parallel citation to an internet source will substantially improve access to the cited source, then citation should be made both to the traditional and internet sources by appending the URL directly to the end of the citation. See R18.2.1(b)(i), p. 176.
Online Sources with Print Characteristics: When an online source mimics the characteristics of its print source so that it may be fully cited according to another of The Bluebook’s rule, then the citation should be made as if to the print source and the URL will be appended directly to the end of the citation. Such is the case even if the availability of the printed piece is unknown. See R18.2.1(b)(ii).
Generally, an online PDF version of the printed piece will demonstrate the shared characteristic of a print source requirement.
Subsequent subrules cover order of parentheticals and archival sources. See R18.2.1(c) & (d), p. 177.
If an internet source cannot be cited in accordance with R18.2.1(a), R18.2.1(b)(ii), or another rule from The Bluebook, then the internet source at issue falls into R18.2.2. For R18.2.2 citations, all efforts should be made to cite to the most reliable electronic location available. Such citation must provide information with the clearest direction to access cited reference, including the title, pagination, and publication date appearing on the internet site. The URL should be separated by a comma and appended to the end of the citation. A typical citation will include the following information. Examples are generally included in the element’s corresponding rule in The Bluebook.
In academic research, it is highly recommended to utilize dependable tools for the archiving of Internet-based sources. When citing these sources within law review articles, append the archive URL to the full citation in brackets. R18.2.1(d).
Example
2024 AALS Annual Meeting, The Ass’n of Am. L. Schs., www.aals.org/about/publications/newsletters/aals-news-summer-2023/2024-aals-annual-meeting/ (last visited July 17, 2024).
The Bluebook approves citations to certain commercial databases, such as Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law, and others, because of the reliability and authoritativeness of those databases. These sources should be cited, when available, in preference to the other sources covered by R18. Such citation should be consistent with R18.3 even if the databases are accessed through proprietary software or through a commercial website. For guidance as to the specific use of commercial electronic databases, see the following rules:
See the specific Whitepages rules and corresponding examples for the following types of sources.
Internet (R18.9(a))
Commercial Electronic Databases (R18.9(b))
CD-ROM & Microform (R18.9(c))
Films, Broadcasts, Audio Recordings, Photographs & Illustrations (R18.9(d))