Citing the Constitution correctly is essential when writing academic papers, legal essays, or research reports. The Constitution is a legal document, so it should be referenced in a formal and consistent way. In Harvard style, the format used depends on whether you are citing a specific country’s constitution, a particular section, or the document as a whole. The goal is to make it clear which version or country’s constitution you are referring to and to include the year of publication or adoption.
- Basic Format for Citing a Constitution
The general format for citing a constitution in Harvard style is:
Country. (Year) Title of the Constitution. Place of publication: Publisher (if available).
If the constitution is available online, you should also include the URL and the date you accessed it.
Example:
South Africa. (1996) Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Available at: https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/constitution/SAConstitution-web-eng.pdf (Accessed: 18 October 2025).
In-text citation:
(South Africa, 1996)
- Citing a Specific Section or Article
When referring to a specific part of the Constitution, you include the section, article, or clause number in your text rather than in the reference list.
Example (in-text citation):
According to Section 9 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, everyone is equal before the law.
Or:
Equality is protected under Section 9 of the Constitution (South Africa, 1996).
The reference list entry remains the same as the full citation of the Constitution.
- Example for Another Country’s Constitution
If you are citing the Constitution of another country, follow the same structure but replace the country name and year.
Example (United States):
United States of America. (1787) Constitution of the United States of America. Available at: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution (Accessed: 18 October 2025).
In-text citation:
(United States of America, 1787)
- Example for a Printed Version
If you are using a printed version of the Constitution, include the publisher and place of publication:
Example:
Republic of Kenya. (2010) The Constitution of Kenya. Nairobi: National Council for Law Reporting.
In-text citation:
(Republic of Kenya, 2010)
- When There Is No Author
Most constitutions do not have an individual author. In such cases, use the country name as the author in both your in-text citation and reference list.
- Online Constitution Citation (Shortened Version)
If you are referring to a frequently accessed version of the Constitution online, a shortened version is acceptable in Harvard referencing:
Reference list:
South Africa. (1996) Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Available at: https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution (Accessed: 18 October 2025).
In-text citation:
(South Africa, 1996)
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