How to cite a forthcoming article
Bluebook (22d ed.) citation format · B16 / R17.3 · Books, periodicals & other secondary
Example
Eduardo Peñalver, Land Virtues, 94 Corn. L. Rev. (forthcoming May 2009).
More examples
Each of these is checked against the rules on every change to the tool.
- F. Brandon Baer & James M. Feldman, We’re Low on Vermouth: The Trials and Tribulations of Two Summer Associates, 1 J.L. & Oppression (forthcoming 2001) (manuscript at 3) (on file with authors).
What the citation needs
Required
- Author — The author’s full name as it appears on the publication (R15.1; R16.2).
- Title — The title as it appears on the source. R8(a): capitalize every word except articles, conjunctions and prepositions of four or fewer letters, unless they begin the title or follow a colon.
- Journal — The periodical’s name, abbreviated per T13 and T10.
- Year — The year that goes in the date parenthetical at the end of the citation.
When they apply
- Volume — The volume number, which comes before the reporter, code or periodical name.
- First page — The page the source begins on. The page you are citing goes in the pincite.
- Designation — A label that precedes or replaces the title — “Note” or “Comment” for student work (R16.7.1).
- Month — The month, abbreviated per T12.
- Manuscript page — R17.3: manuscript pagination is cited “(manuscript at 3)”.
- Where it can be found — Where the source can be found.
- URL — The web address, where you cite the source online (R18.2).
In a brief and in a law review
The Bluebook sets citations two ways: the Bluepages for court documents and legal memoranda, the Whitepages for law review footnotes. Here is the first example above as each one prints it, in its typeface.
Court documents (Bluepages)
Eduardo Peñalver, Land Virtues, 94 Corn. L. Rev. (forthcoming May 2009).
Law review footnotes (Whitepages)
Eduardo Peñalver, Land Virtues, 94 Corn. L. Rev. (forthcoming May 2009).
The words are the same in both; only the typeface changes.
Common mistakes
Each of these is a citation the checker refuses, with what it says is wrong and the corrected form.
Wrong
Eduardo Peñalver, Land Virtues, 94 Cornell Law Review (forthcoming May 2009).
Why
Periodical name should be “Corn. L. Rev.” (T13; T6; spacing per R6.1(a)).
Right
Eduardo Peñalver, Land Virtues, 94 Corn. L. Rev. (forthcoming May 2009).
Wrong
F. Brandon Baer & James M. Feldman, We’re Low on Vermouth: The Trials and Tribulations of Two Summer Associates, 1 J.L. & Oppression 3 (forthcoming 2001) (on file with authors).
Why
R17.3(i): a forthcoming publication takes no pincite after the journal or book title; give the manuscript page in a second parenthetical instead.
Right
F. Brandon Baer & James M. Feldman, We’re Low on Vermouth: The Trials and Tribulations of Two Summer Associates, 1 J.L. & Oppression (forthcoming 2001) (manuscript at 3) (on file with authors).
Governing rules
B16 / R17.3
- 16.3 — article author & title.
- 17 — unpublished & forthcoming sources (ordinary roman type).
- 17.3 — forthcoming publications.
Build this citation with the generator, check one you have already written, or paste a whole list of footnotes to check them in order.
Related source types
Books, periodicals & other secondary: