How to Cite a Book Chapter in Bluebook (21st Edition)

This guide explains how to format a book chapter citation in Bluebook (21st Edition). Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a book chapter in Bluebook (21st Edition):

Template

Author, Chapter Title, in Book Title Page (Editor ed., Publisher Year).

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

See footnote 3 (superscript in text).

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Cass R. Sunstein, The Empirical Revolution in Law, in The Oxford Handbook of Empirical Legal Research 219 (Peter Cane & Herbert M. Kritzer eds., Oxford Univ. Press 2010).

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Write the chapter author
Write the chapter author's full name (in small capitals for law review format).
2
Write the chapter title
Italicise the chapter title. Use title case.
3
Add 'in' and the book title
Write 'in' followed by the book title in small capitals.
4
Add page numbers
Write the starting page of the chapter, then a comma and the specific page you are citing.
5
Add editor, edition, and year
In parentheses, write the editor's name followed by 'ed.' or 'eds.', the edition if not first, and the year.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting 'in' before the book title.
Not including the editor with 'ed.' or 'eds.'
Forgetting both the starting page and the pincite.
Using 'Ed.' with a capital E (Bluebook uses lowercase 'ed.').
Not applying small capitals to author and book title in law review format.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I include the editor in a Bluebook book chapter citation?

Always include the editor when citing a chapter in an edited volume. The editor information goes in the parenthetical at the end of the citation.

How is the edition written in Bluebook?

Use ordinal abbreviations: 2d (not 2nd), 3d (not 3rd), 4th, 5th, etc. This is a distinctive Bluebook convention.

Do I need both the starting page and a pincite?

Yes. The starting page tells the reader where the chapter begins; the pincite directs them to the specific page supporting your proposition.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your book chapter:

Chapter author(s)
Year of publication
Chapter title
Editor(s)
Book title
Edition (if not the first)
Page range
Publisher
DOI or URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

Write the chapter author

Write the chapter author's full name (in small capitals for law review format).

Write the chapter title

Italicise the chapter title. Use title case.

Add 'in' and the book title

Write 'in' followed by the book title in small capitals.

Add page numbers

Write the starting page of the chapter, then a comma and the specific page you are citing.

Add editor, edition, and year

In parentheses, write the editor's name followed by 'ed.' or 'eds.', the edition if not first, and the year.