This is the citation pattern for journal articles:
author's name, title of article, year, volume number, issue number (if needed), journal or review name, first page number
Example:
Hoi L Kong, "Deliberative Constitutional Amendments" (2015) 41:1 Queen's LJ 105.
Citation Breakdown:
A. Author's Name
- Use initial(s) or first name (as it appears in the journal), then last name, followed by a comma.
- E.g. Hoi L Kong
B. Article Title
- The title of the article is placed in quotation marks.
- E.g. "Deliberative Constitutional Amendments"
C. Year
- The year is contained in parentheses.
- E.g. (2015)
D. Volume Number
- Always include the volume number.
- E.g. 41
E. Issue Number
-
It is only mandatory to include the issue number when the issues of the volume are not consecutively paginated, meaning that page numbering begins at 1 for each issue. Otherwise, inclusion of the issue number is optional.
-
Issues follow the volume number with a colon.
-
E.g. 41:1 (volume 41, issue 1)
F. Journal or Review
- Use the established abbreviation for the journal.
- E.g. Queen's LJ
- Refer to Appendix D of the McGill Guide Appendix D for a list of periodical abbreviations.
- Section 6.1.6 of the McGill Guide provides guidance for when there isn't an established abbreviation.
- For more information, consult Finding Abbreviations for Law Reports and Journals.
G. Page Number
- This number refers to the first page of the article within the journal.
E.g. 105
H. Pinpoint
- When you need to cite to a particular passage, pinpoint to a page (or section, if they are numbered).
- The pinpoint is introduced by "at".
- E.g. Hoi L Kong, "Deliberative Constitutional Amendments" (2015) 41:1 Queen's LJ 105 at 107.
