ALWD and bluebook are almost the same with just slight variations.

Blue book is an authentic source of rules that defines how to properly refer a legal reference. It was published as a collaboration of the universities of Harvard, Columbia and Yale. ALWD or Association of Legal Writing Directors was formed as an alternative to Bluebook.

ALWD published its manual in 2000 whereas Bluebook was introduced in 1926. After the introduction of Bluebook, it enjoyed monopoly for decades as no other system existed till the formation of ALWD. When comparing the two, the ALWD method is seen to be more flexible, easy and consistent.

In terms of readability, the ALWD manual is considered to be better readable as it has a better layout than the Bluebook manual. Each of the pages in ALWD has an aesthetics that makes reading enjoyable.

Though there is no difference in spacing, one can come across difference in the abbreviations between ALWD and bluebook. Some of the bluebook abbreviations are seen to include apostrophes whereas ALWD does not include it. The abbreviations in ALWD end with periods. When talking of flexibility, the ALWD manual is more flexible than Bluebook.

When looking at the annotations, the references that include annotations should include ‘annotations’ just after the name of the author in Bluebook. This is eliminated in ALWD.

Unlike the Bluebook, the Association of Legal Writing Directors manual has only one set of conventions. With respect to Bluebook, the ALWD never uses small caps. In contrary to Bluebook, the case names in ALWD are underlined or italicised. Moreover, there is no need for abbreviating words in ALWD case names.

Summary

1. ALWD published its manual in 2000 whereas Bluebook was introduced in 1926.
2. When comparing the two, the ALWD method is seen to be more flexible, easy and consistent.
3. The ALWD manual is considered to be better readable as it has a better layout than the Bluebook manual.
4. Some of the bluebook abbreviations are seen to include apostrophes whereas ALWD does not include it. The abbreviations in ALWD end with periods.
5. The references that include annotations should include ‘annotations’ just after the name of the author in Bluebook. This is eliminated in ALWD.