Information for USD Law Journal Members

Cite-checking is a method of verifying an author's statements are adequately supported by other sources and the citation conforms to the appropriate style guide. For USD's law journals, the cite-checking process will follow these general steps:

1. Locate and pull the source from an online source or in print. The version of the source pulled should be the final, publishers version with enough information to create relevant pincites.
2. Verify the source is accurate and supports the propositions made in the text.
   • Do the claims presented in the article match the claims made in or about the cited source? Is the cited source the most current version or is an older source being cited for historical purposes?
3. Check the form of the citation conforms to Bluebook style standards and make edits if necessary.

The Bluebook is the style guide used in legal writing to standardize citations and other formatting decisions. Legal scholarship, including articles published by USD's law journals, follow the rules found in the Whitepages.

The Bluebook has many detailed rules that can be hard to locate. It is often useful to look through the index or skim through the relevant Rule to find specific information or examples. There are also circumstances where none of the rules apply exactly. In those cases, it is usually appropriate to combine rules in a way that makes a citation that helps the reader identify the source and where to locate it.

The Twenty-Second Edition of the Bluebook was released in May 2025. References in this guide to specific rules in the Bluebook refer to numbering from the Twenty-Second Edition.

Sometimes authors submit citations that make it difficult for a cite-checker to identify the correct source. Try these steps to try to find the correct source:

• For unknown abbreviations, look in Prince's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations, available on the reference shelf or at the reference desk.
• Search for variations or portions of the information in the given citation, such as alternative spellings of the author's last name or using only keywords from the title.
• Use field searching in databases like Westlaw and Lexis to identify a more complete citation.

The LRC will pull or request print materials for cite-checking and keep them on the cite-checking shelf near the reference desk. Print cite-checking books do not need to be checked out but must be used in the LRC and returned to the shelf after use.

Look for sources in the following order for quickest and easiest access:

1. The LRC and Copley Library
   • The LRC's catalog will search print and online resources from both the LRC and Copley Library.
   • Add University of San Diego to your Library Links on Google Scholar for quick access to full text articles from off-campus.
   • LRC staff members can arrange for LRC and Copley print materials to be brought to the cite-checking shelf.
2. San Diego Circuit (print only)
   • Ask an LRC staff member for help requesting Circuit materials for cite-checking.
3. Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
   • Request materials from other libraries by using the LRC's ILLiad portal. Make sure to fill out the cite-checker additional information.