How do I use Chicago style citations the right way?

Writing a paper in history, literature, philosophy, or the arts? Want to make your paper look fancy with footnotes? Or are you just required to use Chicago style citations because your teacher said so?

Whatever the reason may be, you have to cite in Chicago style. So, let's make sure you cite it right!

To cite in Chicago style, you may need to know...

• Author

• Title of source

• Publication month/year

• Publisher

• City of publication

• Date of access

• Page numbers

• URL or name of database

I have the info! How do I cite?

When it comes to Chicago style citations, you have to figure out which system you're using.

• Notes & bibliography system

• Author-date system

Typically, you'll be told which system to use. If you're unsure, ask!

Why does it matter?

If you use the wrong system, even if everything is cited correctly, your paper could be rejected or get a lower grade, as both systems use different formats.

In this system — commonly used in literature, history, and the arts — you have to include a bibliography and notes (i.e footnotes or endnotes) to cite your sources.

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How do you cite your sources?

Here's a video that gives an overview of Chicago style citations in the notes & bibliography system:

In this system, you should know there is a difference between how you cite in the notes and the bibliography.

Citing in the notes

Here, you'll be adding footnotes or endnotes to provide more information or citations related to the text. If you've ever seen a small number after a period, that means someone added a footnote or endnote.

What's the difference between footnotes and endnotes?

• Footnotes appear at the bottom of the same page as the text.

• Endnotes are different from the bibliography, which simply list the sources.

• Footnotes and endnotes should not be used together on the same paper.

• Endnotes put all the notes, in order of appearance, at the end of the document.

Here's an example:

5. Joanne K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (London: Bloomsbury, 2007), 687.

Let's say you want to use the same source twice...then what?

Instead of writing the same source twice, you can use the shorthand way. Which just includes the author's last name, title of the book, and page number.

Instead of writing:

5. Joanne K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (London: Bloomsbury, 2007), 687.

6. Joanne K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (London: Bloomsbury, 2007), 304.

Write:

5. Joanne K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (London: Bloomsbury, 2007), 687.

6. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, 304.

What about citing in the bibliography?

Overall, it's similar to notes, but there are a few key differences.

• Numbers: For footnotes and endnotes, you need to number the reference in the text and the note.

• Punctuation: Periods, commas, parentheses, capitalization — YES THEY MATTER!

• Author's name: For notes, you'll do first, middle, then last. In the bibliography, it's last, first, then middle.

• Indents: In the bibliography, you have to indent if you go to the next line.

• Page numbers: Typically reference them in the notes.

• Organization: Bibliographies are arranged in alphabetical order by the author's last name.

Can you notice any differences between this source cited in the notes and the bibliography?

5. Joanne K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (London: Bloomsbury, 2007), 687.

Rowling, Joanne K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. London: Bloomsbury, 2007.

If you're used to citing in APA or MLA then this system — commonly used in the sciences and social sciences — might be familiar. Instead of footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographies, you'll be adding parentheses and a reference list.

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How do you cite your sources?

Here's an overview of Chicago style citations using the author-date system:

Unsurprisingly, in the author-date system, the author and date are the main focus when it comes to citing.

How would you do an in-text citation?

In parentheses, you'll add the author's last name, the date published, and the page number (if relevant). There are different ways to format this, as shown below. The full citation will go in the reference list.

For example:

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?' Dumbledore asked calmly." (Rowling 2001, 242).

...or...

Rowling (2001) wanted Dumbledore to calmly ask Harry if he put his name "into the Goblet of Fire." (242).

What the difference between a bibliography and a reference list?

In Chicago style citations, the difference is minimal. They both serve the same purpose — listing all the sources.

What makes them different is the formatting.

Here's an example of a citation in the reference list:

Rowling, Joanne. K. 2001. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Here's the same source, but cited in the bibliography:

Rowling, Joanne K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2001.

Although subtle, there is a difference. That’s why it’s crucial to know which Chicago citation style you’re using!

You know how the citation style you use affects how you format your sources. Well, the type of source you use affects the format, too.

Citing sources in the notes & bibliography system: bibliography

Don't forget to [Tab]/(add a space) if your citation goes to the next line.

Book:

Author last name, first name. Book Title: Subtitle. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher,   Year.

Book (more than one author):

Author last name, first name., and Author first name, last name. Book Title: Subtitle. Edition.     Place of publication: Publisher, Year.

Journal article:

Author last name, first name. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Month Year):    Page range. DOI/URL.

Website/Magazine/Blogs:

Author last name, first name. “Page Title.” Website Name. Month Day, Year. URL.

Website (with no author):

Organization Name. “Page Title.” Website Name. Month Day, Year. URL.

Videos:

Author Last name, first name.  "Title of video."  Date filmed or date posted.  Sponsoring    body, length of video. URL.

Citing sources in the author-date system: reference list

You also [Tab]/(add a space) if your citation goes to the next line, too.

Book:

Author last name, first name. Year. Book Title. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher.

Book (more than one author):

Author last name, first name., and Author first name, last name. Year. Place of publication:    Publisher.

Journal article:

Author last name, first name. Year. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, Issue number     (Publication date): Page range. DOI or URL.

Website/Magazine/Blogs:

Author last name, first name. Year. “Page Title.” Website Name. Access/revision date. URL.

Website (with no author):

Organization Name. Year. “Page Title.” Website Name. Access/revision date. URL.

Videos:

Author last name, first name. Date filmed or date posted. "Title of Video." Name of Website.      Duration of Video. URL.

For more examples of how to reference different sources in both Chicago style citations systems, in-text, or in the notes, check out the Chicago Manual of Style Online or Scribbr.

As you search online, you'll probably come across citation generators such as mybib, citation machine, and AI tools like ChatGPT. While these sites make things easier, used them with caution. These tools can easily make mistakes!

Always double-check and make sure the works are cited in the correct Chicago style citations system!

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Get some practice with Chicago style citations: