How to understand the Bluebook? Forum

[enjoyddyy]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

[chem!]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

I know of no other book, but I can say that the online version of the bluebook is infinitely easier for me to navigate, and that helped me immensely.

[haus]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

Amazon has a couple of books that seem to be aimed at helping people decipher the bluebook.

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Mas ... 594607338/

http://www.amazon.com/Users-Guide-Blueb ... 837738385/

Although I have not used either of these books. Chem!'s notion of the online version of the bluebook does sound promising.

[soj]

you just gotta keep using it and come to terms with the fact that there will always be a rule or six that you haven't applied yet. your paper copy of the bluebook should come with a free trial for the online version. i saved that for journal competition.

[ash0117]

For me, I've only come to really understand the Bluebook this semester (Fall 2L) and only because of journal and the intense amount of spading (cite checking) I've been doing. I believe that understanding really only comes with using it. Get familiar with it. Learn the basic rules. The Interactive Citation Workbook is good practice for simple things. It's available through Lexis. The details really come with use, because sometimes the reality is you'll never need EVERYTHING in the Bluebook, so you sort of learn as you use it.

Also, the online version is nice to have because you can search much easier which makes finding the proper rule faster.

[LSATNightmares]

The only way I learned it was during writing competition. I started at the beginning of the white pages and read every single rule straight through. You then realize how everything builds. I then got practice during writing competition and Law Review.

[kalvano]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

I know of no other book, but I can say that the online version of the bluebook is infinitely easier for me to navigate, and that helped me immensely.

Just FYI, you'll need an actual real copy of the book for SMU's write-on, so I'd get one and learn how to use it.

[kalvano]

The book has an index and then each sub-part is an example based off different types of cites. The only way to learn them is to read through it and use it.

[Joe Quincy]

Memorization, the index, and practice. No other way.

[chem!]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

I know of no other book, but I can say that the online version of the bluebook is infinitely easier for me to navigate, and that helped me immensely.

Just FYI, you'll need an actual real copy of the book for SMU's write-on, so I'd get one and learn how to use it.

Thanks! I have one. I just prefer to use the online version when I can because the typeface is so damned tiny in the hard copy.

[BullShitWithBravado]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

I know of no other book, but I can say that the online version of the bluebook is infinitely easier for me to navigate, and that helped me immensely.

Use the online version. You can find what you're looking for by using the search bar, so you'll be more efficient and less likely to miss things.

[Dogg]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

the more you use it, the better you know where everything is

[YYZ]

This isn't the best advice, but you can look at the suggested cite that Westlaw and Lexis provide for your source. There is no guarantee that these cites will be in the Bluebook 19th edition form, but they may be somewhat helpful.

Like everyone said, practice is the only way to learn.

[manofjustice]

I just don't understand the bluebook. The rules are everywhere and I missed the small things all the time, like what to put in the parentheses. The more I look at my professors' correct answers the more frustrated I get... Is there any other book that explains the bluebook and gives examples clearly? Thank you!

I know of no other book, but I can say that the online version of the bluebook is infinitely easier for me to navigate, and that helped me immensely.

Use the online version. You can find what you're looking for by using the search bar, so you'll be more efficient and less likely to miss things.

[enjoyddyy]

For me, I've only come to really understand the Bluebook this semester (Fall 2L) and only because of journal and the intense amount of spading (cite checking) I've been doing. I believe that understanding really only comes with using it. Get familiar with it. Learn the basic rules. The Interactive Citation Workbook is good practice for simple things. It's available through Lexis. The details really come with use, because sometimes the reality is you'll never need EVERYTHING in the Bluebook, so you sort of learn as you use it.

Also, the online version is nice to have because you can search much easier which makes finding the proper rule faster.

Thanks for all the advice! I subscribe to the online version already, and the search function does make things easier!

[Redamon1]

I used this book and thought it worked well:

http://www.amazon.com/Users-Guide-Blueb ... 837738385/