Wrangling Bureaucracy with Wit: How to Cite EU Regulations in Chicago Style (and Not Lose Your Will to Live)
Ah, the European Union. A land of delicious cheese, charming villages, and...regulations. Lots and lots of regulations. But fear not, intrepid researcher! You've bravely ventured into the labyrinth of EU law, and now you need to tell the world about it. But how do you cite these behemoths in the ever-so-proper Chicago style? Don't worry, this guide will have you navigating footnotes like a seasoned Eurocrat (minus the fancy car and hefty expense account).
Step 1: Identify Your Quarry
First things first, you need to know what kind of EU regulation you're dealing with. Is it a regulation (duh!), a directive, a decision, or something else entirely? Don't be fooled by their fancy names, they all get cited basically the same way.
Pro Tip: The official title of the regulation will usually tell you what kind of beast it is. For example, the "General Data Protection Regulation" is a dead giveaway that it's, well, a regulation.
Step 2: Deciphering the Mystery Text
Now, grab your magnifying glass and prepare to decipher the cryptic language of legalese. Look for the following:
- Year: This should be easy to find. Regulations have a life of their own, so pinpoint the year it was born.
- Official Journal (OJ) Citation: This is like the EU's legal newspaper. Find the volume number, year, and page number where your regulation resides. It might look something like "OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1." Don't worry, deciphering this code won't require a degree in hieroglyphics, just a little patience.
Heads Up! Sometimes regulations get amended (fancy word for changed). If that's the case, you'll need to find the amendment details too.
Step 3: Building Your Citation Fortress
Now for the fun part (or maybe not so fun, but hey, at least you're learning!):
- Footnote: In your text, use a superscript number (like this one¹) to mark where you're citing the regulation.
- Footnote Content: Here's where you unleash your inner citation master:
- European Union. (Year). "Title of Regulation." Official Journal volume number (year), page numbers.
For Example:
¹ European Union. 2016. "General Data Protection Regulation." Official Journal L 119 (2016), 1-88.
Bonus Tip: You can also include a URL to the official EU website for the regulation, just in case your reader wants to delve deeper into the bureaucratic abyss (but hopefully they won't!).
Step With Grace (and Maybe a Glass of Wine)
Congratulations! You've successfully cited an EU regulation in Chicago style. Now, pat yourself on the back, celebrate with a victory snack (chocolate is always a good choice), and get back to researching all those fascinating (and sometimes mind-numbing) EU regulations. Remember, with a little know-how and a dash of humor, you can conquer even the most daunting citation challenge.
