This guide is designed to help law students start their first cite checking assignment, and is also intended to be a reference that students can return to at anytime for assistance with typical cite checking questions.
Once the sources cited in footnotes are identified and retrieved, the next step is checking and reviewing those sources. Cite checking responsibilities require a very careful review of materials, and typically tasks such as:
Checking the accuracy and thoroughness of the information provided in footnotes. Note that the information that is required is dictated by the type of source and the relevant Bluebook rules that apply. For example, a cited book requires checking the book's author or authors, the book's title, its year of publication, and page numbers against the book's front matter (title page and copyright page) and content, as dictated by Rule 15.
Checking that all claims and propositions are fully supported by the sources that are cited. This process involves reviewing both writing above the line (article text) and below the line (footnotes).
Checking the accuracy and thoroughness of all quoted material, including any alterations to the quoted material, as set forth in Rule 5.
