how to do citation chicago style

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Author-Date: Sample Citations

Go to Notes and Bibliography: Sample Citations

The following examples illustrate the author-date system. Each example of a reference list entry is accompanied by an example of a corresponding in-text citation. For more details and many more examples, see chapter 15 of The Chicago Manual of Style . For examples of the same citations using the notes and bibliography system, follow the Notes and Bibliography link above.

Reference list entries (in alphabetical order)

Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. 2015. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life . New York: Simon & Schuster.

Smith, Zadie. 2016. Swing Time . New York: Penguin Press.

In-text citations

(Grazer and Fishman 2015, 12)

(Smith 2016, 315–16)

For more examples, see 1 5 . 40 – 45 in The Chicago Manual of Style .

Chapter or other part of an edited book

In the reference list, include the page range for the chapter or part. In the text, cite specific pages.

Reference list entry

Thoreau, Henry David. 2016. “Walking.” In The Making of the American Essay , edited by John D’Agata, 167–95. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press.

In-text citation

(Thoreau 2016, 177–78)

In some cases, you may want to cite the collection as a whole instead.

D’Agata, John, ed. 2016. The Making of the American Essay . Minneapolis: Graywolf Press.

(D’Agata 2016, 177–78)

For more details, see 15.36 and 15.42 in The Chicago Manual of Style .

Translated book

Lahiri, Jhumpa. 2016.  In Other Words . Translated by Ann Goldstein. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

(Lahiri 2016, 146)

For books consulted online, include a URL or the name of the database in the reference list entry. For other types of e-books, name the format. If no fixed page numbers are available, cite a section title or a chapter or other number in the text, if any (or simply omit).

Austen, Jane. 2007. Pride and Prejudice . New York: Penguin Classics. Kindle.

Borel, Brooke. 2016. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ProQuest Ebrary.

Kurland, Philip B., and Ralph Lerner, eds. 1987. The Founders’ Constitution . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/.

Melville, Herman. 1851. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale . New York: Harper & Brothers. http://mel.hofstra.edu/moby-dick-the-whale-proofs.html.

(Austen 2007, chap. 3)

(Borel 2016, 92)

(Kurland and Lerner 1987, chap. 10, doc. 19)

(Melville 1851, 627)

Journal article

In the reference list, include the page range for the whole article. In the text, cite specific page numbers. For articles consulted online, include a URL or the name of the database in the reference list entry. Many journal articles list a DOI (Digital Object Identifier). A DOI forms a permanent URL that begins https://doi.org/. This URL is preferable to the URL that appears in your browser’s address bar.

Keng, Shao-Hsun, Chun-Hung Lin, and Peter F. Orazem. 2017. “Expanding College Access in Taiwan, 1978–2014: Effects on Graduate Quality and Income Inequality.” Journal of Human Capital 11, no. 1 (Spring): 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1086/690235.

LaSalle, Peter. 2017. “Conundrum: A Story about Reading.” New England Review 38 (1): 95–109. Project MUSE.

Satterfield, Susan. 2016. “Livy and the Pax Deum .” Classical Philology 111, no. 2 (April): 165–76.

(Keng, Lin, and Orazem 2017, 9–10)

(LaSalle 2017, 95)

(Satterfield 2016, 170)

Journal articles often list many authors, especially in the sciences. If there are four or more authors, list up to ten in the reference list; in the text, list only the first, followed by et al . (“and others”). For more than ten authors (not shown here), list the first seven in the reference list, followed by et al.

Bay, Rachael A., Noah Rose, Rowan Barrett, Louis Bernatchez, Cameron K. Ghalambor, Jesse R. Lasky, Rachel B. Brem, Stephen R. Palumbi, and Peter Ralph. 2017. “Predicting Responses to Contemporary Environmental Change Using Evolutionary Response Architectures.” American Naturalist 189, no. 5 (May): 463–73. https://doi.org/10.1086/691233.

(Bay et al. 2017, 465)

For more examples, see 1 5 . 46–49 in The Chicago Manual of Style .

News or magazine article

Articles from newspapers or news sites, magazines, blogs, and the like are cited similarly. In the reference list, it can be helpful to repeat the year with sources that are cited also by month and day. Page numbers, if any, can be cited in the text but are omitted from a reference list entry. If you consulted the article online, include a URL or the name of the database.

Manjoo, Farhad. 2017. “Snap Makes a Bet on the Cultural Supremacy of the Camera.” New York Times , March 8, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/technology/snap-makes-a-bet-on-the-cultural-supremacy-of-the-camera.html.

Mead, Rebecca. 2017. “The Prophet of Dystopia.” New Yorker , April 17, 2017.

Pai, Tanya. 2017. “The Squishy, Sugary History of Peeps.” Vox , April 11, 2017. http://www.vox.com/culture/2017/4/11/15209084/peeps-easter.

Pegoraro, Rob. 2007. “Apple’s iPhone Is Sleek, Smart and Simple.” Washington Post , July 5, 2007. LexisNexis Academic.

(Manjoo 2017)

(Mead 2017, 43)

(Pegoraro 2007)

Readers’ comments are cited in the text but omitted from a reference list.

(Eduardo B [Los Angeles], March 9, 2017, comment on Manjoo 2017)

For more examples, see 15 . 49 (newspapers and magazines) and 1 5 . 51 (blogs) in The Chicago Manual of Style .

Book review

Kakutani, Michiko. 2016. “Friendship Takes a Path That Diverges.” Review of Swing Time , by Zadie Smith. New York Times , November 7, 2016.

(Kakutani 2016)

Stamper, Kory. 2017. “From ‘F-Bomb’ to ‘Photobomb,’ How the Dictionary Keeps Up with English.” Interview by Terry Gross. Fresh Air , NPR, April 19, 2017. Audio, 35:25. http://www.npr.org/2017/04/19/524618639/from-f-bomb-to-photobomb-how-the-dictionary-keeps-up-with-english.

(Stamper 2017)

Thesis or dissertation

Rutz, Cynthia Lillian. 2013. “ King Lear and Its Folktale Analogues.” PhD diss., University of Chicago.

(Rutz 2013, 99–100)

Website content

It is often sufficient simply to describe web pages and other website content in the text (“As of May 1, 2017, Yale’s home page listed . . .”). If a more formal citation is needed, it may be styled like the examples below. For a source that does not list a date of publication or revision, use n.d. (for “no date”) in place of the year and include an access date.

Bouman, Katie. 2016. “How to Take a Picture of a Black Hole.” Filmed November 2016 at TEDxBeaconStreet, Brookline, MA. Video, 12:51. https://www.ted.com/talks/katie_bouman_what_does_a_black_hole_look_like.

Google. 2017. “Privacy Policy.” Privacy & Terms. Last modified April 17, 2017. https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.

Yale University. n.d. “About Yale: Yale Facts.” Accessed May 1, 2017. https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

(Bouman 2016)

(Google 2017)

(Yale University, n.d.)

For more examples, see 1 5 . 50–52 in The Chicago Manual of Style . For multimedia, including live performances, see 1 5 . 57 .

Social media content

Citations of content shared through social media can usually be limited to the text (as in the first example below). If a more formal citation is needed, a reference list entry may be appropriate. In place of a title, quote up to the first 160 characters of the post. Comments are cited in reference to the original post.

Conan O’Brien’s tweet was characteristically deadpan: “In honor of Earth Day, I’m recycling my tweets” (@ConanOBrien, April 22, 2015).

Chicago Manual of Style. 2015. “Is the world ready for singular they? We thought so back in 1993.” Facebook, April 17, 2015. https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoManual/posts/10152906193679151.

Souza, Pete (@petesouza). 2016. “President Obama bids farewell to President Xi of China at the conclusion of the Nuclear Security Summit.” Instagram photo, April 1, 2016. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDrmfXTtNCt/.

(Chicago Manual of Style 2015)

(Souza 2016)

(Michele Truty, April 17, 2015, 1:09 p.m., comment on Chicago Manual of Style 2015)

Personal communication

Personal communications, including email and text messages and direct messages sent through social media, are usually cited in the text only; they are rarely included in a reference list.

(Sam Gomez, Facebook message to author, August 1, 2017)

Thursday, February 23: The Clark Library is closed today.

Chicago Style (17th Edition) Citation Guide: Journal Articles

• Introduction
• Journal Articles
• Magazine/Newspaper Articles
• Books & Ebooks
• Government & Legal Documents
• Secondary Sources
• Videos & DVDs
• How to Cite: Biblical & Catholic Sources
• How to Cite: Other
• Short Form & Ibid.
• Additional Help

Table of Contents

Journal article from library database with doi or a url, journal article from online source, journal article in print.

Bibliography:

All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

All citations should use first line indent, where the first line of the footnote should be indented by 0.5 inches; all subsequent lines are not indented.

Footnotes should be the same font size and style as the rest of your paper.

See instructions for how to insert footnotes in Microsoft Word.

If there is no known author, start the citation with the title of the article instead.

Access Date

Chicago style does not recommend including access dates in the citation, unless no date of publication for the source may be located.

When citing articles from online databases (such as ATLA Religion Database or JSTOR), include the DOI (preferred) or the URL to assist your reader in connecting to the article online.

Access dates are not necessary for articles from library databases. Access dates are only necessary if no date of publication for the source may be located.

Kilgallen, John J. “The Elder Son.” Expository Times 115, no. 6 (2004): 186-89. https://login.uportland.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.co m/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=1201293 5&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

1. John J. Kilgallen, “The Elder Son,” Expository Times 115, no. 6 (2004): 187, https://login.uportland.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.co m/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=12012935 &site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Two to Three Authors

Ritchie, Daniel E, and Jared Hedges. “Choosing Rest in Paradise Lost.”  Christianity and Literature  67, no. 2 (2018): 271–93. doi:10.1177/0148333117725606.

Daniel E. Ritchie and Jared Hedges, “Choosing Rest in Paradise Lost,”  Christianity and Literature  67, no. 2 (2018): 271–93, doi:10.1177/0148333117725606.

Four to Ten Authors

For sources with four to ten authors, list all authors in the bibliography; in the footnote, list only the first author’s name followed by the phrase et al. (Latin for “and others”)

McCorkle, Brian H., Carole Bohn, Tricia Hughes, and David Kim. “‘Sacred Moments’: Social Anxiety in a Larger Perspective.”  Mental Health, Religion & Culture  8, no. 3 (September 2005): 227–38. doi:10.1080/13694670500138874.

1. Brian H. McCorkle et al., “Sacred Moments: Social Anxiety in a Larger Perspective,” Mental Health, Religion & Culture 8, no. 3 (2005): 230, doi:10.1080/13694670500138874.

Booij, Thijs. “Psalm 141: A Prayer for Discipline and Protection.” Biblica 86, no. 1 (2005): 97-106. http://www.bsw.org/Biblica/Vol-86-2005/Psalm141-A-Prayer-For-Discipline-AndProtection/130/.

1. Thijs Booij, “Psalm 141: A Prayer for Discipline and Protection,” Biblica 86, no. 1 (2005): 100, http://www.bsw.org/Biblica/Vol-86- 2005/Psalm-141-A-Prayer-For-Discipline-AndProtection/130/.

Fewell, Danna Nolan, and David M. Gunn. “Boaz, Pillar of Society: Measures of Worth in the Book of Ruth.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 45 (1993): 45-59.

1. Danna Nolan Fewell and David M. Gunn, “Boaz, Pillar of Society: Measures of Worth in the Book of Ruth,” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 45 (1993): 46.

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Citation & Writing Guide: Chicago

What is chicago style.

Chicago citation style was created by the University of Chicago.  It is commonly used for  citing sources in History and occasionally in the Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences. Chicago style has two formats:

• The Notes and Bibliography style is preferred by many in humanities disciplines, including history, literature, and the arts. Citations are provided in footnotes or endnotes and are usually accompanied by a bibliography.
• The Author-Date style (sometimes called "Reference List" style) is recommended for the physical, natural, and social sciences .Sources are cited using parenthetical in-text citation and full details are provided in a reference or works cited list.

Chicago Citation Guide

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Chicago Web Resources

• Chicago Manual of Style Provides information on notes and bibliography (NB) in Chicago Style. Created by OWL at Purdue University.
• Chicago Style Citation: Quick Guide Created by the Chicago Manual of Style. Gives examples of how to cite commonly used formats in Chicago Style.
• Chicago Style: History Taken from Research and Documentation Online, 5th ed. by Diana Hacker.
• Turabian Quick Guide Basic online Turabian citations from the University of Chicago

Chicago Style Citation

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Chicago Style / Chicago Style Footnotes

Chicago/Turabian Basics: Footnotes

This is your how-to guide for footnotes following the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition. It will help you understand footnotes vs endnotes, teach you how to create them, and show real examples you can learn from.

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

What is a footnote?

• Footnotes vs. Endnotes

Why We Use Footnotes

• Creating footnotes

Bibliography

A footnote is a note that provides additional information or references for the reader.

A footnote is indicated with a superscript numeral (like this 1 ) within the text that corresponds to the same numeral at the bottom of the page, which is followed by the reference or additional information. The footnote should be included directly following the text it pertains to, usually after any punctuation.

In Chicago style (notes-bibliography style), footnotes are used instead of in-text citations to cite sources and to reduce interruption to the flow of the writing. However, footnotes can also be used to provide an additional explanation that would be difficult or distracting to include in the body of the text, to point the reader to additional reading or background information, to clarify a term or editorial decision, or to provide any other information that cannot be included within the text itself.

People working in the humanities—literature, history, and the arts—are the primary users of the Chicago footnotes and bibliography system.

Footnotes vs Endnotes

The main difference between footnotes and endnotes is that footnotes are included at the bottom of each page, whereas endnotes are included at the end of a chapter, article, or book.

Whether to use footnotes or endnotes depends on personal preference as well as the number of footnotes/endnotes needed. For example, in a text that has a significant number of notes, it may be better to format them as endnotes since the footnotes would take up a lot of room at the bottom of each page, making the text harder to read. This guide on  footnotes, end notes, and parentheticals provides more information about the differences between these different types of notes and how to use them.

Here’s a quick overview of the two note styles:

Chicago footnotes provide a note each time a source is referenced and are often combined with a bibliography at the end. The footnote usually includes the author’s name, publication title, publication information, date of publication, and page number(s) if it is the first time the source is being used. For any additional usage, simply use the author’s last name, publication title, and date of publication.

Footnotes should match with a superscript number at the end of the sentence referencing the source. You should begin with 1 and continue numerically throughout the paper. Do not start the order over on each page.

In the text:

Throughout the first half of the novel, Strether has grown increasingly open and at ease in Europe; this quotation demonstrates openness and ease. 1

In the footnote:

1. Henry James, The Ambassadors (Rockville: Serenity, 2009), 34-40.

When citing a source more than once, use a shortened version of the footnote.

2. James, The Ambassadors , 14.

Creating Footnotes

Chicago footnotes provide a note each time a source is referenced and are often combined with a bibliography at the end.

• If you use a bibliography : You do not need to provide the full citation in the footnotes, but rather a shortened form of the citation. The reader can consult your bibliography to find the full reference.
• If you only include footnotes and not a bibliography : You must include the full citation the first time you reference the work. The next time you use the same work, you can just use the shortened citation form.

Footnotes should:

• Include the pages on which the cited information is found so that readers easily find the source.
• Match with a superscript number (example: 1 ) at the end of the sentence referencing the source.
• Begin with 1 and continue numerically throughout the paper. Do not start the order over on each page.

Sometimes you may not be able to find all of the information generally included in a citation. This is common for online material and older sources. If this happens, just use the information you have to form the citation.

• No author : Use the title in the author’s position.
• No date of publication : “n.d.” (no date) can be used as a placeholder.
• You may use “n.p.” to indicate no publisher, no place of publication , or no page.

Looking for extra help creating footnotes? Check out the Chicago footnotes generator that comes with a subscription to EasyBib Plus .

Citing sources with more than 1 author

If there are two or three authors, include their full names in the order they appear on the source.

In the shortened form, list the last names of all authors of a work with two or three authors.

• 1st Author First name Last name and 2nd Author First name Last name, Title (Place of publication: Publisher, Year), page number(s).
• 1st Author Last name and 2nd Author Last name, Shortened title , page number(s).
• Alexander Aciman and Emmett Rensin , Twitterature: The World’s Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less (New York: Penguin Books, 2009), 47-48.
• Aciman and Rensin, Twitterature , 25.

Citing sources with 4 or more authors

If there are more than three authors, list only the first author followed by “et al.” List all the authors in the bibliography.

In the shortened form, if there are more than three authors, only give the last name of the first author followed by “et al.”

• 1st Author First name Last name et al., Title (Place of publication: Publisher, Year), page number(s).
• 1st Author Last name et al., Shortened title , page number(s).
• Karen White et al. , The Forgotten Room (New York: Berkley, 2016), 33-38.
• White, Forgotten , 52.

Get help with footnotes by using the EasyBib Plus Chicago footnotes generator.

Citing sources with other contributor information

You may want to include other contributor information in your footnotes such as editor, translator, or compiler. If there is more than one of any given contributor, include their full names in the order they appear on the source.

• Harry Mulisch, The Assault , trans. Claire Nicolas White (New York: Pantheon Books, 1985), 14.
• Mulisch, Assault , 29.If the contributor is taking place of the author, use their full name instead of the author’s and provide their contribution.

If the contributor is taking the place of the author, use their full name instead of the author’s and provide their contribution.

• Theo Hermans, ed., A Literary History of the Low Countries (Rochester: Camden House, 2009), 372.
• Hermans, Low Countries , 301.

If you have a corporate author, use that name in place of the author.

Citing sources with no author

It may not be possible to find the author/contributor information; some sources may not even have an author or contributor- for instance, when you cite some websites. Simply omit the unknown information and continue with the footnote as usual.

Example Book (New York: Scholastic, 2010), 65.

Citing a part of a work

When citing a specific part of a work in the Chicago footnotes format, for example, when citing an article in Chicago , provide the relevant page(s) or section identifier. This can include specific pages, sections, or volumes. If page numbers cannot be referenced, simply exclude them.

Article in a book:

• Kristen Poole, “Dr. Faustus and Reformation Theology,” in Early Modern English Drama: A Critical Companion , ed. G.A. Sullivan et al. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006), 100.
• Poole, “Dr. Faustus,” 102.

Chapter in a book:

• Garrett P. Serviss, “A Trip of Terror,” in A Columbus of Space (New York: Appleton, 1911), 17-32.
• Serviss, “Trip,” 20.

Introduction, afterword, foreword, or preface:

• Scott R. Sanders, introduction to Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: Work from 1970 to Present , ed. Lex Williford and Michael Martone (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007), x-xii.
• Sanders, “Introduction,” xi.

Article in a periodical:

• William G. Jacoby, “Public Attitudes Toward Public Spending,” American Journal of Political Science 38, no. 2 (May 1994): 336-61.
• Jacoby, “Public Attitudes,” 345.

Citing group or corporate authors

In your footnotes, cite a corporate author like you would a normal author. American Medical Association, Journal of the American Medical Association : 12-43.

Citing secondary sources

It is generally discouraged in Chicago style to cite material that you cannot examine in its original form. If this is absolutely necessary, you must cite both the original work and the secondary one in Chicago footnotes.

• Letter, J.B. Rhine to Aldous Huxley, August 15, 1957, Parapsychology Laboratory Records (1983-1984), Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, quoted in Stacy Horn, Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory , (New York: HarperCollins, 2009).

Citing the Bible

When you cite the Bible, include the abbreviated title of the book, the chapter(s), and the verse(s) referenced. You use a colon between chapter and verse. Also, include the version you are referencing. The version must be spelled out for a general audience, but it may be abbreviated for specialists.

• Prov. 3:5-10 (AV).
• Prov. 3:5-10 (Authorized King James Version).

Citing online sources

For online sources, Chicago footnotes generally follow the same principles as printed works.The URL, database name, or DOI need to be included so that the reader can easily find the work cited.

“Twitter Privacy Policy,” Privacy Policy, Twitter, last modified January 1, 2020, https://twitter.com/en/privacy.

News article: 

Eliot Brown, “In Silicon Valley, the Big Venture Funds Keep Getting Bigger,” Wall Street Journal , July 25, 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-silicon-valley-the-big-venture-funds-keep-getting-bigger-1501002000.

Cynthia J. Cyrus, The Scribes for Women’s Convents in Late Medieval Germany (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009), ProQuest Ebook Central.

Social media:

EasyBib (@EasyBib), “Writing a research paper?,” Twitter, January 21, 2020, 5:20 p.m., https://twitter.com/EasyBib/status/1219746511636049920.

Online video: 

Doritos, “The Cool Ranch Long Form feat. Lil Nas X and Sam Elliott,” YouTube video, 01:30, posted February 2, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6qchztaw9g.

Electronic personal communication:

• Jane Smith, email message to author, January 1, 2020.
• John Smith, Facebook direct message to author, January 2, 2020.

The Chicago Manual of Style . 17ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2017.

Published June 28, 2012. Updated March 11, 2020.

Written by Janice Hansen . Janice has a doctorate in literature and a master’s degree in library science. She spends a lot of time with rare books and citations.

Chicago Formatting Guide

Chicago Formatting

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Citation Examples

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• About Citation
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About Chicago Style

Notes and bibliography, author-date in-text citations, author-date reference list, formatting your paper.

This guide is a quick introduction to Chicago citation style and common citations. Be sure to consult The Chicago Manual of Style or the online quick guide for detailed standards and procedures. 

There are two different systems for citing sources in Chicago Style:  Notes and Bibliography  and  Author-Date . Be sure to check your assignment to determine which citation style you should use.

• Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide

In the Notes and Bibliography system, add a numbered footnote at the bottom of the page to cite another source in-text. Then, include the complete citation information in a bibliography at the end of your paper. 

General format:

Notes 1. First and Last Name(s) of Authors,  Title of the Source , and other publication details like the publisher, journal information, date, page numbers, etc. 

In the notes, elements of a reference are separate by a comma . A book publisher and/or year are included in parenthesis ( ).

Shortened Notes

2. Ibid., page number(s).

3. Last Name, Shortened Title , page number(s). 

Use "Ibid.," which means "in the same place," when you are citing the same source immediately after another note. Use a shortened note the second time you cite the same source elsewhere.

Bibliography

Last Name, First Name and First Name Last Name. "Title of an Article."  Title of the Source and other publication details like the publisher, journal information, date, page numbers, etc. 

In the bibliography at the end of your paper, elements of a reference are separated by a period . Include a comma , before the year.

I'm citing a...

Journal Article

• Author(s) In the notes, list all authors as normal. In the bibliography, list the first author's last name first.
• "Title of the Article" Use headline capitalization and quotation marks.
• Title of the Journal Use title capitalization and italicize.
• Volume Include the volume number of the journal.
• Issue Number If there are multiple issues in a journal, include a comma , after the volume and no.#.
• (Year): Include the year the article was published in parentheses, followed by a colon :
• Page range xx-xx.
• DOI (Digital Object Identifier) If the journal article has a DOI, include it last.

1. Hester Baer and Ryan Fred Long, "Transnational Cinema and the Mexican State in Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu Mamá También," South Central Review 21, no. 3 (2004): 155.

Baer, Hester, and Ryan Fred Long. "Transnational Cinema and the Mexican State in Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu Mamá También." South Central Review 21, no. 3 (2004): 150-168.

News/Magazine Article

• Title of the Newspaper or Magazine Use title capitalization and italicize.
• Date Include the Month Day, Year the article was published.
• URL Include a link to the article if available online.

1. Amanda Petrusich, "Taylor Swift's Self-Scrutiny in 'Miss Americana,'" The New Yorker , February 4, 2020, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/taylor-swifts-self-scrutiny-in-miss-americana .

Petrusich, Amanda. "Taylor Swift's Self-Scrutiny in 'Miss Americana." The New Yorker , Februrary 4, 2020. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/taylor-swifts-self-scrutiny-in-miss-americana .

• Title of the Book Use headline capitalization and italics.
• Place of publication: List the state (if from the U.S.) or the country associated with the published, then a colon :.
• Publisher List the publisher of the book. This is usually listed on the copyright page.
• Year Include the year in which the book you are citing was published.
• Page number Include any relevant page numbers you are citing in the notes only.

1. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (New York: Random House, 2002), 102.

Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . New York: Random House, 2002.

Book Chapter with Editor(s)

• Author(s) of the Chapter. In the notes, list all authors as normal. In the bibliography, list the first author's last name first.
• "Title of the Chapter or Essay" Use headline capitalization and quotation marks.
• Title of the Book Include "in" then the the book in headline capitalization and italics.
• Name of the Editor(s) Include "ed." or "eds." in the notes and "edited by" in the bibliography before the name of the editor(s).
• Page numbers Include the page range of the chapter you are citing in the notes only.

1. Richard Rodriguez, "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood," in The Best American Essays of the Century , ed. Joyce Carol Oats (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2000), 447-466.

Richard Rodriguez. "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood." In The Best American Essays of the Century , edited by Joyce Carol Oats. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2000.

• Author In the notes, include the author, or if there is no specific author, list the title of the web page you are citing in quotation marks. In the bibliography, list the organization responsible for the website first.
• Name of the Website If the name of the site is different from the author or the title of the page.
• Date If there is a date of last review or last modified, list it here. If there is no date, list the date you accessed the web page.

1. "Conversation," Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accessed March 10, 2020, https://www.lacma.org/learn/conservation .

Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "Conversation." Accessed March 10, 2020. https://www.lacma.org/learn/conservation .

Citing a letter, photograph, text document, graphic material, or ephemera? Consult the  Gerth Archives Chicago Citation Guide for Archival Materials .

Basic Format: (Author Year, Page Number)

I'm citing a source with...

Include the author's last name and year, followed by a comma and the page number you are citing.

(Angelou 2002, 102)

Connect both authors' last names with "and," followed by the year, followed by a comma and the page number you are citing.

(Baer and Long 2004, 167)

List each author's last name separated with a comma, with "and" before the third author, followed by the year, followed by a comma and the page number you are citing.

(Mulvey, Rogers, and van Den Oever 2015, 78)

4 or More Authors

List the first author's last name, then include "et al." for "and others."

(Ashing‐Giwa et al. 2018, 408)

No Author or Date

List the title of the work in quotation marks and use "n.d." for "no date."

("Conversation," n.d.)

Basic Format: Author Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial. Year. Title of Longer Work or "Title of Shorter Work." Publication details like the publisher, editors, journal information, page numbers, etc.. URL or DOI.

• Author(s) List the first author's last name first, followed by their first name and middle name or initial if listed. Then list all other authors as normal, separate them with a comma, and use "and" before the last author.
• Year. Include the year the article was published.
• Volume Include the volume number of the journal. If there is only a volume, include a colon : after the volume.
• Issue Number If there are multiple issues in a journal, include the issue number in parentheses, then include a colon : after the issue.

Baer, Hester, and Ryan Fred Long. 2004. "Transnational Cinema and the Mexican State in Alfonso Cuarón's Y tu Mamá También." South Central Review 21(3): 150-168.

• Title of the Newspaper or Magazine Use title capitalization and italicize, followed by a comma.

Petrusich, Amanda. 2020. "Taylor Swift's Self-Scrutiny in 'Miss Americana." The New Yorker , Februrary 4, 2020. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/taylor-swifts-self-scrutiny-in-miss-americana .

• Author(s) List the first author's last name first, followed by their first name and middle name or initial if listed.

Angelou, Maya. 2002. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . New York: Random House.

• Author(s) of the Chapter List the first author's last name first, followed by their first name and middle name or initial if listed. Then list all other authors as normal, separate them with a comma, and use "and" before the last author.
• Title of the Book Include "In" then the the book in headline capitalization and italics.
• Name of the Editor(s) Include "edited by" or "translated by" in the bibliography before the name of the editor(s) or translator, followed by a comma.
• Page numbers Include the page range of the chapter you are citing.

Richard Rodriguez. 2000. "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood." In The Best American Essays of the Century , edited by Joyce Carol Oats, 447-466. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.

• Author Include the author, or if there is no specific author, list the organization responsible for the website.
• Date If there is a specific date, list it here. If there is no date, use "n.d." for "no date."
• "Title of the Page" Use headline capitalization and quotation marks.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art. n.d. "Conversation." Accessed March 10, 2020. https://www.lacma.org/learn/conservation .

How do I add a footnote in Word?

For the Chicago Style notes and bibliography system, you'll need to add a footnote for each paraphrase and direct quote.

1. Go to References .

2. Select  Insert footnote . 

3. Then, add your notes citation next to the appropriate number.

How do I make a hanging indent in Word?

1. Highlight the citaiton with your cursor. 

2. Right click. 

3. Select Paragraph .

4. Under Indentation, select Special and Hanging .

How can I save time formatting my paper? 

Microsoft Word and Google Docs have a Format Painter tool that will copy and apply basic formatting to any text! 

1. Highlight the formatting you want to apply. 

2. Select  Format Painter . 

3. Highlight the text you want to change. 

Note: If using the Format Painter on the Reference List, you'll need to go back and add italics. 

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This section contains information on The Chicago Manual of Style method of document formatting and citation. These resources follow the seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style , which was issued in 2017.

General Model for Citing Books in the Chicago Notes and Bibliography System

Footnote or endnote (n):, corresponding bibliographical entry (b):, book by one author  , book by multiple authors.

Two or more authors should be listed in the order they appear as authors, and not necessarily alphabetically.

Translated work with one author

Book with author and editor.

In notes, CMOS prefers the abbreviation of “editor(s)” as “ed.” or “eds.,” and translator(s) as “trans.” In bibliographic entries, these abbreviations are not used. Instead, titles are spelled out in full. This information appears in  The Chicago Manual of Style , section 14.103.

Chapter from a single-authored book

CMOS supplies two correct forms for bibliographic entries. Both are noted here.

Or, in some cases, you may want to emphasize the entire collection in the bibliographic entry.

Contributions from an edited collection with various authored chapters

When citing work by a single author that appears in a book with multiple authors, the contributing author’s name is cited first, followed by the title of their contribution, the word 'in' and the title of the book, along with the name(s) of the editors, and other standard information .

Introduction, Preface, or Afterword in a Book

Unlike other citations for books, bibliographic entries of this kind include the page number range for the part cited.  

Anonymous works--Unknown authorship

Sources that have no known author or editor should be cited by title. Follow the basic format for "Footnote or Endnote" and "Corresponding Bibliographical Entry" that are exemplified above, omitting author and/or editor names and beginning respective entries with the title of the source.

Citing indirect sources

Because authors are generally expected to be intimately familiar with the sources they are citing, Chicago discourages the use of a source that was cited within another (secondary) source. In the case that an original source is utterly unavailable, however, Chicago requires the use of "quoted in" for the note:

Self-published or Privately Published Books 

Books published by the author should be cited according to information available on the title page or copyright page. In place of publisher, include language such as “self-published” (abbreviated as “self-pub” in notes, but not a bibliography) or “printed by the author” is usually appropriate. For self-published e-books, add the name of the application or device required to read the book or the name of the file format, or both.

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How to Cite Sources in Chicago Manual of Style Format

Last Updated: January 9, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD . Megaera Lorenz is an Egyptologist and Writer with over 20 years of experience in public education. In 2017, she graduated with her PhD in Egyptology from The University of Chicago, where she served for several years as a content advisor and program facilitator for the Oriental Institute Museum’s Public Education office. She has also developed and taught Egyptology courses at The University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 120,672 times. Learn more...

The Chicago Manual of Style has 2 distinct citation formats: Author-Date, which uses in-text citations, and Notes-Bibliography (NB), which uses footnotes or endnotes. Author-Date citations are more commonly used in the sciences and social sciences, while the NB style is more standard for works in the arts, history, and humanities. [1] X Research source While both styles use similar formatting for bibliographies (NB) or reference lists (Author-Date), there are minor differences. Before choosing a style, talk to your instructor, editor, or publisher about which format you should use for your work.

Using Author-Date In-Text Citations

• For example: (Schmidt 1935).
• If you don't know the name of the author, use the name of the organization that published the text or a shortened version of the title in place of the author's name. For example: (Society for Psychical Research 1935) or (“Mystery of a Talking Wombat” 1935). [3] X Research source
• Don't include the author's name in parentheses if you've already mentioned it in the sentence with the citation. Instead, simply give the date (and page numbers, if applicable). For example: “John Schmidt (1935, 217-218) claimed that a talking wombat inhabited the walls of his Illinois farmhouse for over a decade.”

• For example: (Schmidt, Bjorn, and Prince 1941).

• For example: (Schmidt et al. 1937).

• For example: (J. Schmidt 1935), (V. Schmidt 1972).

• For example: (Schmidt 1935a), (Schmidt 1935b).
• Before assigning letters, alphabetize these sources by title (which is also how they will be listed in your bibliography). Assign the letters in order so that the first source is a, the second is b, and so on.

• For example: (Schmidt 1935; Bjorn 1946).

• For example: (Schmidt 1935, 217-310).
• If you are making a very general statement about the contents of your source, you don't have to include location information.
• Aside from page numbers, you can also specify other types of location information, such as chapter number, document number, or figure number. For example: (Prince 1932, chap. 15) or (Bjorn et al. 1946, doc. 27).

Making Notes in the Notes-Bibliography System

• For example: “Schmidt's daughter, Viola, was the first person to report the phenomena.” 1
• Footnotes and endnotes allow you to provide more complete citations than the parenthetical style used in the Author-Date system. You can also use these notes to provide additional information that you don't want to put in the main text. Both systems include a full reference list at the end, typically called a “Bibliography” in the NB system.
• Most word processing programs have tools to help you format footnotes and endnotes. For example, if you're using MS Word, you can insert notes into the text using the “references” tab.

• For example: 1. Viola Schmidt
• If there 2 to 3 authors, list them in the same order used in the publication, separated by commas. For example: 15. John Schmidt, Maureen Schmidt, and Harlan Prince
• For 4 or more authors, list only the name of the first author, followed by et al. [12] X Research source For example: 27. Njord Bjorn et al.

• For example, if you are citing an article: 1. John Schmidt, “Mystery of a Talking Wombat”
• For a book: 17. Njord Bjorn, My Experiences at Schmidt Farm
• If you're citing a chapter from an edited book, place the book title and the editor's name after the chapter title. For example: 24. Bella Baylish, “An Overview of Wombat Folklore,” in The Enigma of Jules the Wombat , ed. George Finch

• For example: 17. Njord Bjorn, My Experiences at Schmidt Farm (London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946)

• For example: 1. John Schmidt, “Mystery of a Talking Wombat,” Bulletin of the Illinois Society for Psychical Research 217, no. 2 (February 1935)
• The formatting is somewhat different for other types of periodical publications, such as an article in a newspaper or magazine. In these cases, the title of the periodical is followed by the month, day, and year of publication. For example: The Naperville Times , February 15, 1935.

• If you are citing a book or book chapter, put the page numbers or location information after a comma. For example: 17. Njord Bjorn, My Experiences at Schmidt Farm (London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946), chap. 15.
• If you are citing a journal article, put a colon before the page numbers. For example: 1. John Schmidt, “Mystery of a Talking Wombat,” Bulletin of the Illinois Society for Psychical Research 217, no. 2 (February 1935): 275-278.

• For example: 1. John Schmidt, “Mystery of a Talking Wombat,” Bulletin of the Illinois Society for Psychical Research 217, no. 2 (February 1935): 275-278, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxxx.
• Some older or more obscure periodicals may not have DOIs. If you can't find one on the article or at crossref.org, just use the web address that you accessed to read the article.

• For example, if you are citing specific pages in a book, your full citation would look like this: 12. Njord Bjorn, My Experiences at Schmidt Farm (London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946), 21-22.
• For a more general citation (without page numbers): 12. Njord Bjorn, My Experiences at Schmidt Farm (London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946).

• For example: Baylish, “Wombat Folklore,” fig. 3.

Creating Your Reference List in Author-Date Style

• For example: Schmidt, John.
• If there are multiple authors, only invert the first and last names of the first author listed. For example: Schmidt, John, and Njord Bjorn.
• If there are 10 or fewer authors for a particular source, list the names of all the authors in the reference list entry. If there are more than 10 authors, list the first 7, followed by et al. [21] X Research source
• If you have multiple works by the same author, put them in chronological order. List the author's name only for the first entry, and then use 3 em-dashes followed by a period (———.) at the start of each following entry in place of the author's name. [22] X Research source
• For multiple works by the same author in the same year, distinguish each entry by adding a lowercase letter to the date (for example, 1935a, 1935b, and so on). Arrange these entries in alphabetical order by title.

• For example: Schmidt, John. 1935. “The Mystery of a Talking Wombat.”

• For example: Bjorn, Njord. 1946. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm . London: Not a Real Publisher.
• If the book is part of a multi-volume set, put the volume number after the title and before the publication information. Include the volume subtitle if there is one. E.g., Bjorn, Njord. 1946. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm . Vol. 2, The Investigation . London: Not a Real Publisher.
• You can also include information such as the name of a translator (if applicable) or the edition number after the title. For example: Bjorn, Njord. 1946. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm , 2nd ed. Translated by Richard Little. London: Not a Real Publisher. [25] X Research source

• For example: Baylish, Bella. 2018. “An Overview of Wombat Folklore.” In The Enigma of Jules the Wombat , edited by George Finch, 125-162. New York: J. Q. Abernathy and Sons.

• “Page range” refers to the page numbers for the entire article within the periodical. For example, your article may appear on pages 275-278 of the journal you are citing.
• For example: Schmidt, John. 1935. “Mystery of a Talking Wombat.” Bulletin of the Illinois Society for Psychical Research 217, no. 2 (February): 275-278. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxxx.
• If you're citing a periodical such as a newspaper or magazine, put the year date at the end of the citation as well as after the author's name. These citations typically do not include page ranges. For example: Whiffle, Ferdinand. 1935. “The Wombat of Schmidt Farm.” Naperville Times , February 15, 1935.

Writing Your Bibliography in Notes-Bibliography Style

• For example: Prince, Harlan.
• If the work has more than one author, invert the first author's name, but not those of subsequent authors. For example: Prince, Harlan, and Njord Bjorn.
• If your citation has 10 or fewer authors, list all of them in the bibliography entry. For works with more than 10 authors, list the first 7, followed by et al. [29] X Research source
• Arrange multiple works by the same author in alphabetical order by title. List the author's name for the first entry, but write 3 em-dashes followed by a period (———.) instead at the start of each following entry. [30] X Research source

• For example, if you are citing an article in a periodical or a chapter in a book: Schmidt, John. “The Mystery of a Talking Wombat.”
• If you are citing a book: Bjorn, Njord. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm .

• For example: Bjorn, Njord. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm . London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946.
• If the book has a volume number, write it after the title and before the publication information. If there's a volume subtitle, put it after the volume number. E.g., Bjorn, Njord. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm . Vol. 2, The Investigation . London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946.
• Additional information about the book, such as the name of a translator or the edition number, can also go after the title and before the publication information. For example: Bjorn, Njord. My Experiences at Schmidt Farm , 2nd ed. Translated by Richard Little. London: Not a Real Publisher, 1946. [33] X Research source

• For example: Baylish, Bella. “An Overview of Wombat Folklore.” In The Enigma of Jules the Wombat , edited by George Finch, 125-162. New York: J. Q. Abernathy and Sons, 2018.

• For example: Schmidt, John. “Mystery of a Talking Wombat.” Bulletin of the Illinois Society for Psychical Research 217, no. 2 (February 1935): 275-278. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxxx.
• If you're citing a periodical such as a newspaper or magazine, put the year date at the end of the citation without parentheses. For example: Whiffle, Ferdinand. “The Wombat of Schmidt Farm.” Naperville Times , February 15, 1935.

Expert Q&A

• If you need detailed information about citing a wide variety of types of sources in the Chicago style, consult The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (University of Chicago Press, 2017). You can also find The Chicago Manual of Style online at https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org , but you will need a subscription or trial membership to access all the content. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://libguides.williams.edu/citing/chicago-author-date
• ↑ https://libguides.williams.edu/citing/chicago-author-date#s-lg-box-12037252
• ↑ https://libguides.williams.edu/citing/chicago-author-date#s-lg-box-12037254
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html
• ↑ https://libguides.williams.edu/citing/chicago-notes#s-lg-box-10935692
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html
• ↑ http://libanswers.snhu.edu/faq/129372
• ↑ https://liu.cwp.libguides.com/c.php?g=45846&p=291620
• ↑ https://libguides.tru.ca/c.php?g=194004&p=1277091
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html#cg-journal
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html#cg-journal

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