  We propose a systematic method of dealing with the canonical constrained
structure of reducible systems in the Dirac and symplectic approaches which
involves an enlargement of phase and configuration spaces, respectively. It is
not necessary, as in the Dirac approach, to isolate the independent subset of
constraints or to introduce, as in the symplectic analysis, a series of
lagrange multipliers-for-lagrange multipiers. This analysis illuminates the
close connection between the Dirac and symplectic approaches of treating
reducible theories, which is otherwise lacking. The example of p-form gauge
fields (p=2,3) is analyzed in details.
