bluebook

English

Etymology

blue +‎ book

Noun

bluebook (plural bluebooks)

1. A blank booklet of lined paper used in the administration of examinations, so named because of its pale blue front and back covers.
   • 2000, Ann Lathrop, Kathleen E. Foss, Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era: A Wake-up Call, Libraries Unlimited, page 144:

     Bluebooks are designed to prevent cheating but sometimes they provide cover for cheaters when the student brings an extra blue book with notes, equations, dates, etc. (Wein 1).

   • 2003, Tonsing, Dennis J., 1000 Days to the Bar, But the Practice of Law Begins Now, Wm. S. Hein Publishing, page 84:

     The words you will eventually write in your exam bluebook will include the words you have learned by heart, but they will constitute only a portion of the analytical presentation you will develop.

   • 2005, Fred Obrecht, Boak Ferris, How To Prepare For The California State University Writing Proficiency Exams, page 3:

     What should I bring to the exam? Are pens or bluebooks required? Is scratch paper supplied?

Verb

bluebook (third-person singular simple present bluebooks, present participle bluebooking, simple past and past participle bluebooked)

1. (law) To format a document, particularly a legal document including citations, according to the rules of the Bluebook, a US style guide.
   • 1988, The Hastings Law Journal, Vol. 39, Part 2, page 914:

     After all, the nonmember author who has never participated in the endless chores of bluebooking and typing is more successful than most law review members in writing a piece of publishable quality.

2. (roleplaying games) To have players describe, in writing and in-between regular role-playing sessions, character activities that don't involve the entire group.