How do you cite a recurring multi-volume work (e.g., encyclopedia) properly?

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Multiple Choice

How do you cite a recurring multi-volume work (e.g., encyclopedia) properly?

Citing a recurring multi-volume work requires identifying exactly which edition and which part of the work you used, and giving a precise location within it, all in the order Bluebook prescribes. For multi-volume sets like encyclopedias or encyclopedic digests, the standard form is to present the volume number, the work’s short title with its edition (often shown as a 2d or 3d edition), the pinpoint reference (such as a section symbol or page), and then the year of that edition in parentheses. The example 2 Am. Jur. 2d § 1 (1980) illustrates this clearly: you’re pointing to volume 2 of American Jurisprudence, 2d edition, in section 1, from the 1980 edition. This format is necessary because different editions may reorganize material or alter pagination, so including the edition and a precise locator ensures the citation unambiguously points to the exact material consulted. In practice, you format it by placing the volume number before the work’s short title, include the edition indicator after the title, give the pinpoint reference, and end with the year in parentheses.

Citing a recurring multi-volume work requires identifying exactly which edition and which part of the work you used, and giving a precise location within it, all in the order Bluebook prescribes. For multi-volume sets like encyclopedias or encyclopedic digests, the standard form is to present the volume number, the work’s short title with its edition (often shown as a 2d or 3d edition), the pinpoint reference (such as a section symbol or page), and then the year of that edition in parentheses. The example 2 Am. Jur. 2d § 1 (1980) illustrates this clearly: you’re pointing to volume 2 of American Jurisprudence, 2d edition, in section 1, from the 1980 edition. This format is necessary because different editions may reorganize material or alter pagination, so including the edition and a precise locator ensures the citation unambiguously points to the exact material consulted. In practice, you format it by placing the volume number before the work’s short title, include the edition indicator after the title, give the pinpoint reference, and end with the year in parentheses.

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