AGLC4 Rule 1.2: Introductory Signals for Citations

An introductory signal may be placed before a citation to show how the source bears on the proposition. A footnote may contain several signals; a group of sources with a new signal starts a new sentence. After a colon in a discursive footnote the signal is written in lower case, and a signal may also precede "at".

AGLC4 page 7

Formatting

  • Signals are roman, never italic.
  • A signal opening a footnote or a sentence is capitalised (See, See also, Cf); a signal placed after a colon is lower case (see generally, see, eg,).
  • "See, eg," is the only signal with internal punctuation: a comma after See and a comma after eg; "eg" has no full stops.
  • "Cf" has no full stop.
  • Two word signals (See also, See especially, See generally, But see) take no punctuation between the words.
  • The absence of a signal means the source is quoted or directly supports the text.
  • A new signal for further sources in the same footnote starts a new sentence (rule 1.1.3).
  • A signal can sit directly before "at" when pinpointing a source already cited in the footnote, in lower case after the colon.
  • Ibid after a signal is lower case: See ibid.

Examples

Quoted from the Guide, page 7
  1. 40
    James v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1986) 64 ALR 347. See also Andrews v Australian and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (2012) 247 CLR 205.
  2. 41
    Cf Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (Cth) s 5.
  3. 42
    Leslie Zines, ‘The Inherent Executive Power of the Commonwealth’ (2005) 16(4) Public Law Review 279, 280–1. Cf George Winterton, ‘The Limits and Use of Executive Power by Government’ (2003) 31(3) Federal Law Review 421.
  4. 43
    See McGinty v Western Australia (1995) 186 CLR 140, 185 (Dawson J). There are differing views on the meaning of representative democracy: see generally at 198–205 (Toohey J).
  5. 44
    Ibid 185 (Dawson J). See also A-G (WA) v Marquet (2003) 217 CLR 545, 561 [32] (Gleeson CJ, Gummow, Hayne and Heydon JJ).
  6. 45
    The value of a dissenting opinion is acknowledged by judicial officers: see, eg, Associate Justice William J Brennan Jr, ‘In Defense of Dissents’ (1986) 37(3) Hastings Law Journal 427, 430.

Forms in the rule

Quoted from the Guide, page 7
  • see generally at 198–205 (Toohey J)
  • see, eg,

The introductory signals and what each tells the reader

Quoted from the Guide, page 7
Introductory SignalMeaning
[No introductory signal]The source is quoted or directly supports the proposition in the text (eg if paraphrased).
SeeThe source provides qualified support for the proposition in the text.
See, eg,The source is one of several authorities supporting the proposition.
See alsoThe source provides additional or general support for the proposition in the text.
See especiallyThe source is the strongest of several authorities supporting the proposition in the text.
See generallyThe source provides background information on the topic discussed in the text.
CfThe source provides a useful contrast to illustrate the proposition in the text. (‘Cf’ means ‘compare’.)
But seeThe source is in partial disagreement with the proposition in the text.

See also

Check your footnotes against these rules

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Formats, examples, passages, tables and the forms marked Not are quoted from the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th ed, Melbourne University Law Review Association, 2018), with the page of the Guide they appear on. Titles, summaries and explanations are our own.