Wikisource:WikiProject Acts of Congress
This is a proposed style guide for United States Acts of Congress.
IN PROGRESS.
Header
edit- Use {{Act of Congress}} for acts which use Public Law numbers. Does not apply (yet) for acts which only use session & chapter.
Section headings
edit- Never use level one. (=)
- Use level three (===) for Sections even if there is no level two used.
- Use level two (==) for "See also" or "Legislative history" or whatever else is not part of the text of the statute.
Table of Contents
edit- Not always synonymous with the rules for Section headings, above.
- Make each level lower than the level that contains it.
- Often the initial sections, (Short title, TOC, definitions) are at the same level as the subsequent title.
Short title
edit- Apply bold.
- Redirect articles with short titles to the Acts' titles, subtitles, chapter, etc. to which they "may be cited as…."
Vertical space
edit- Add an extra line break before subsections ((a), (b), etc.), but not in lower levels.
Indents
edit: Text after section break : (a) :: text after subsection :: (1) ::: text after paragraph ::: (A) :::: text after subparagraph :::: (i) ::::: text after (i) ::::: (I) :::::: text after (I) :::::: (aa) ::::::: text after (aa) ::: ``Title IX ::: ``Sec. 123 :::: ``(a) ::::: ``(1) :::::: ``(A) ::::::: ``(i) :::::::: ``(I) ::::::::: ``(aa)
In quotes, everything at the Section level and above should be intended identically with three colons.
Footer
edit- Make the "Approved" line italicized, with an extra line break above it, and without intents.
Legislative history
edit- Include and apply, where possible, {{USBill}}.
Categorization
edit- Should include [[Category:United States federal law]].
- Or a subcategory, such as [[Category:United States federal law designating federal property]].
Text
editQuotes
edit- Do not use regular (straight) 'single quotes,' "double quotes," or ''single quotes doubled.''
- Instead, use slanted `single quotes´ or slanted ``single quotes doubled.´´
Dashes
edit- Don't use double dashes (--).
- Instead, use mdashes (—).