How to cite an electronic payment
Bluebook (22d ed.) citation format · B18 / R18.11.2 · Internet & electronic
Example
$300 from Varsha Midha to Burke Craighead ([], Nov. 1, 2018), Venmo, Ver. 7.3.0 (Aug. 8, 2017).
What the citation needs
Required
None.
When they apply
- Amount — The amount, as it appears on the source.
- Sender — Who sent it.
- Recipient — Who received it.
- Payment note — A note or comment appended to the source (R3.4).
- Date — The date the rule for this source calls for, with the month abbreviated per T12 (“Nov. 24, 1978”).
- Payment software — The payment software, as it appears on the source.
- Release designation — The release designation, as it appears on the source.
- Version — The version, as it appears on the source.
- Software release date — The software release date, as it appears on the source.
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)
$300 from Varsha Midha to Burke Craighead ([], Nov. 1, 2018), Venmo, Ver. 7.3.0 (Aug. 8, 2017).
Law review footnotes (Whitepages)
$300 from Varsha Midha to Burke Craighead ([], Nov. 1, 2018), Venmo, Ver. 7.3.0 (Aug. 8, 2017).
For this source the two are set the same way.
Common mistakes
Each of these is a citation the checker refuses, with what it says is wrong and the corrected form.
Wrong
$300 from Varsha Midha to Burke Craighead ([], November 1, 2018), Venmo, Ver. 7.3.0 (Aug. 8, 2017).
Why
Abbreviate the month: “November” should be “Nov.” (T12).
Right
$300 from Varsha Midha to Burke Craighead ([], Nov. 1, 2018), Venmo, Ver. 7.3.0 (Aug. 8, 2017).
Governing rules
B18 / R18.11.2
- 18 — the internet, electronic media & other nonprint resources.
- 18.11.2(c) — payment software transactions.
Build this citation with the generator, check one you have already written, or paste a whole list of footnotes to check them in order.
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