essay example with chicago style citation

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How to Write and Format a Chicago Style Paper [With Examples]

• 3-minute read
• 18th August 2023

Are you working on a Chicago style project but struggling with the question, “just what is it?!”

Fear not, this post will walk you through Chicago style basics.

What Is Chicago Style?

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) is a comprehensive style guide primarily used by professional writers, publishers, and researchers. It covers various forms of writing, including books, journals, magazines, and other publications. It’s often the go-to style for publishers and editors. CMoS is also known for its emphasis on scholarly writing and is suitable for a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, the arts, and social sciences.

However, there’s an important distinction between Chicago style and Turabian style , which is essentially a simplified version of CMoS used in scholarly writing. Turabian omits some of the complexities and focuses on the needs of academic writers, especially those in the humanities and social sciences.

With either style, it’s essential to consult the relevant edition of the style guide specified by your institution or publication: either The Chicago Manual of Style or A Manual for Writers by Kate L. Turabian (currently in its ninth edition).

How Are Chicago Style Citations Formatted?

CMoS emphasizes two primary documentation systems : the notes and bibliography system (often used in the humanities) and the author–date system (preferred in the sciences and social sciences). When formatting a CMoS/Turabian paper, you’ll need to adhere to the guidelines associated with your chosen documentation system.

Notes and Bibliography System:

●  In this system, you’ll use footnotes or endnotes to cite sources within the text.

●  A corresponding bibliography is included at the end of the paper, listing all sources in alphabetical order.

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●  Citations typically include author names, titles, publication details, and page numbers.

Author–Date System:

●  In the author–date system, you’ll incorporate in-text citations within parentheses.

●  A reference list is included at the end of the document, providing full details for each cited source.

●  Citations include author’s last names, publication year, and page numbers (if applicable).

What Does Turabian Style Formatting Look Like?

A well-structured Turabian Style paper should adhere to the following formatting guidelines :

•   Title page : Include the title of your paper, your name, the course name/number, instructor’s name, and the date on a separate page, starting a third of the page down. Alternatively, write the title on the first page.
•   Margins : Apply one-inch margins on all sides.
• Indentation and spacing : Indent paragraphs and double-space the main text.
• Font : Use a legible 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman).
• Page numbers : Number all pages consecutively in the top right corner, starting with the first page. Alternatively, page numbers may be placed at the bottom center of the page.
• Headings and subheadings : Use headline-style capitalization for headings and subheadings, with different levels distinguished.
• Footnotes or in-text citations: Implement your chosen citation system consistently throughout the paper.
• Bibliography or reference list : Include a comprehensive list of all sources used, following Chicago style citation guidelines for your chosen system.

How Should I Choose Which Chicago Style Documentation to Use?

It’s crucial to find out which specific CMoS system is preferred by your institution, publisher, or field of study. Always consult your assignment guidelines or style manual to determine whether you should use the notes and bibliography system or the author–date system. This choice will significantly impact how you format your citations and references.

Remember that mastering CMoS takes practice. By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to crafting polished, professionally formatted papers that meet the expectations of your academic or professional audience.

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Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide

Chicago-style source citations come in two varieties: (1) notes and bibliography and (2) author-date. If you already know which system to use, follow one of the links above to see sample citations for a variety of common sources. If you are unsure about which system to use, or how the two systems are related, read on.

Notes and Bibliography or Author-Date?

In the notes and bibliography system, sources are cited in numbered footnotes or endnotes. Each note corresponds to a raised (superscript) number in the text. Sources are also usually listed in a separate bibliography. The notes and bibliography system, Chicago’s oldest and most flexible, can accommodate a wide variety of sources, including unusual ones that don’t fit neatly into the author-date system. For this reason, it is preferred by many working in the humanities, including literature, history, and the arts.

In the author-date system, sources are briefly cited in the text, usually in parentheses, by author’s last name and year of publication. Each in-text citation matches up with an entry in a reference list, where full bibliographic information is provided. Because it credits researchers by name directly in the text while at the same time emphasizing the date of each source, the author-date system is preferred by many in the sciences and social sciences.

Aside from the use of numbered notes versus parenthetical references in the text, the two systems share the same style for authors’ names, titles of works, and other cited components. Follow the links at the top of this page to see examples of some of the more common source types cited in both systems.

Most authors choose the system used by others in their field or required by their publisher. Students should check with their instructor before deciding which system to use.

For a more comprehensive overview of Chicago’s two systems of source citation, see chapter 13 of The Chicago Manual of Style . For many more examples organized by type of source, consult chapter 14 .

Chicago style sample papers 

Published March 8, 2021. Updated August 15, 2021.

In general, the following formatting guidelines apply for all Chicago/Turabian-style papers (based on Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, which adapts The Chicago Manual of Style ’s guidelines for articles and papers):

• Paper size: The paper should be written on a standard 8.5” x 11” page.
• Margins : The margins should be set to at least 1” and no more than 1.5” on all sides for all pages including the title page.
• Font: The paper should be written in a readable font that is accessible to all readers, such as 12-point Times New Roman, Calibri, or Courier, or 11-point Arial. Use one font consistently throughout the entire text. The font size should be no smaller than 10-point.
• Line spacing: The title page, body, and headings should be double-spaced. Block quotations (with a blank line before and after the block), bibliographies, reference lists, endnotes, and footnotes should be single-spaced (with a blank line between notes and reference list entries).
• First page: Papers should either begin with a title page or include a title on the first page of text.
• Indentation : The first line of each new paragraph of the main text should be indented 0.5” from the left.
• Quotations: Quotations of five or more lines should be indented as a block. Block quotations should be indented 0.5” from the left margin and do not use beginning or ending quotation marks.
• Page numbers: Every page except the title page should include a page number in an Arabic numeral. If there is no title page, the paper’s first page of body text should begin with an Arabic numeral “1.” If there is a title page, the paper’s first page of main text should begin with an Arabic numeral “2.” Place the page number either at the bottom center in the footer or the top right in the header. (Though theses or dissertations once called for page numbers to be placed in the footer for front matter, main text, and back matter, and for page numbers to be placed in the header for all other text, most schools now require consistent page number placement throughout a paper.)

For help writing your essay, research paper , or other project, check out these writing tips .

Paper order

In general, your paper should be put together in this order:

• Table of Contents (optional)
• List of Tables and Figures (optional)
• Introduction (optional)
• Body (with footnotes or in-text citations)
• Conclusion (optional)
• Appendixes (optional)
• Endnotes (optional)
• Bibliography or Reference List

Formatting for the title page

• From the top of the page, find a line about 1/3 of the way down the page and set the title (and subtitle) of the paper in bold.
• Capitalize each significant word using headline-style capitalization.
• Use the same font as the main text.
• When using subtitles, end the main title with a colon and start the subtitle on the following line.
• Double-space all text on the title page.

For student papers ONLY:

• Include course information several lines after the title and subtitle.
• course name and number
• due date of the assignment

For more information, visit this page on Chicago title pages.

Formatting for the abstract

Chicago rarely requires abstracts, which generally appear in scientific papers and journals.

For more information, visit this page on Chicago abstracts .

Formatting for the body of the paper

• When a title page is not required, write the title at the top of your first page of main text.
• Begin every new paragraph in the body of the paper on its own line with a 0.5” indentation; do this by pressing the Tab key once.
• Double-space the main text (except when using block quotations).
• Use only one space after a period, not two spaces.
• Start page numbering with the first page of body text, not the title page, and use Arabic numerals (1, 2, etc.). When there is a title page, start the first page of body text with page “2.” When there is no separate title page, start the first page of body text with page “1.”

Notes-Bibliography vs. Author-Date format

To cite references in the body of the paper, Chicago style follows either the author-date format (preferred for science and social science) or the notes-bibliography format (preferred for humanities) . Choose one format and use it consistently throughout the paper.

Author-Date

When using the author-date format, use in-text citations. To create an in-text citation, place the author’s last name and the publication year of the cited work in parentheses at the end of the quote or paraphrase. Do not separate the author’s last name and the publication year with a comma.

(Sato 2020)

If you quote a specific part of a text, you’ll also provide a specific page number or another location identifier in the in-text citation.

(Sato 2020, 203)

For author-date citations, include a reference list at the end of the paper with full source information.

For more author-date information, visit these pages on Chicago style in-text citations and Chicago style reference lists.

When using the notes-bibliography format, add a note (endnote or footnote) after each quotation, paraphrase, or summary. To create a note, insert a superscript number after any punctuation marks except the dash. Use the same number in the endnote or footnote providing full source information. The first note provides all source information while any subsequent notes may use a shortened citation with the author’s name, a shortened form of the title (if more than four words), and the page number(s).

For notes-bibliography citations, include a bibliography at the end of the paper with full source information.

For more information, visit these pages on Chicago style footnotes and Chicago style bibliographies .

Bibliography or reference list formatting

Both Chicago formats include a full list of sources at the end of a paper. Author-date format requires a reference list while notes-bibliography encourages (but does not require) a bibliography.

Here are formatting guidelines that apply to both lists:

• Begin the bibliography (Notes-Bib) or reference list (Author-Date) on a new page immediately following the last page of main text.
• Center the word “Bibliography” or “References” on the first line of the page. Add two blank lines after the title.
• Single-space each entry and add a blank line between entries.
• Begin each reference entry with a hanging indentation so that the first line of the reference touches the left margin while all subsequent lines have a 0.5” indent.
• Order reference list entries alphabetically by the author’s last name, followed by the first name(s) (last name, first name).

Apart from the guidelines above, there are some differences between creating a Chicago bibliography and reference list. For more information, visit these pages on styling a Chicago bibliography and Chicago reference list.

Notes-Bib example paper

Download the example paper here .

Author-Date example paper

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

General Format

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Since The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is primarily intended as a style guide for published works rather than class papers, these guidelines will be supplemented with information from, Kate L. Turabian’s Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (8th ed.), which is largely based on CMOS with some slight alterations.

To see a side-by-side comparison of the three most widely used citation styles, including a chart of all CMOS citation guidelines, see the Citation Style Chart.

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in CMOS.

A Note on Citations

Unlike many citation styles, CMOS gives writers two different methods for documenting sources: the Author-Date System and the Notes-Bibliography (NB) System.  As its name suggests, Author-Date uses parenthetical citations in the text to reference the source's author's last name and the year of publication. Each parenthetical citation corresponds to an entry on a References page that concludes the document. In these regards, Author-Date is very similar to, for instance, APA style.

By contrast, NB uses numbered footnotes in the text to direct the reader to a shortened citation at the bottom of the page. This corresponds to a fuller citation on a Bibliography page that concludes the document. Though the general principles of citation are the same here, the citations themselves are formatted differently from the way they appear in Author-Date.

If you are using CMOS for school or work, don't forget to ensure that you're using your organization's preferred citation method. For examples of these two different styles in action, see our CMOS sample papers:

Author-Date Sample Paper

NB Sample Paper

General CMOS Guidelines

• Text should be consistently double-spaced, except for block quotations, notes, bibliography entries, table titles, and figure captions.
• A prose quotation of five or more lines, or more than 100 words, should be blocked.
• CMOS recommends blocking two or more lines of poetry.
• A blocked quotation does not get enclosed in quotation marks.
• A blocked quotation must always begin a new line.
• Blocked quotations should be indented with the word processor’s indention tool.
• Page numbers begin in the header of the first page of text with Arabic number 1.
• For CMOS and Turabian’s recommendations, see “Headings,” below.

Supplemental Turabian Style Guidelines

• Margins should be set at no less than 1”.
• Typeface should be something readable, such as Times New Roman or Courier.
• Font size should be no less than 10 pt. (preferably, 12 pt.).

Major Paper Sections

• The title should be centered a third of the way down the page.
• Your name, class information, and the date should follow several lines later.
• For subtitles, end the title line with a colon and place the subtitle on the line below the title.
• Double-space each line of the title page.

CMOS Title Page

• Different practices apply for theses and dissertations (see Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, ad Dissertations [8 th ed.].
• Titles mentioned in the text, notes, or bibliography are capitalized “headline-style,” meaning first words of titles and subtitles and any important words thereafter should be capitalized.
• Book and periodical titles (titles of larger works) should be italicized.
• Article and chapter titles (titles of shorter works) should be enclosed in double quotation marks.
• The titles of most poems should be enclosed in double quotation marks, but the titles of very long poems should be italicized.
• Titles of plays should be italicized.
• For example, use lowercase terms to describe periods, except in the case of proper nouns (e.g., “the colonial period,” vs. “the Victorian era”).
• A prose quotation of five or more lines should be “blocked.” The block quotation should match the surrounding text, and it takes no quotation marks. To offset the block quote from surrounding text, indent the entire quotation using the word processor’s indentation tool. It is also possible to offset the block quotation by using a different or smaller font than the surrounding text.
• Label the first page of your back matter, your comprehensive list of sources, “Bibliography” (for Notes and Bibliography style) or “References” (for Author-Date style).
• Leave two blank lines between “Bibliography” or “References” and your first entry.
• Leave one blank line between remaining entries.
• List entries in letter-by-letter alphabetical order according to the first word in each entry, be that the author's name or the title of the piece..
• For two to three authors, write out all names.
• For four to ten authors, write out all names in the bibliography but only the first author’s name plus “et al.” in notes and parenthetical citations.
• When a source has no identifiable author, cite it by its title, both on the references page and in shortened form (up to four keywords from that title) in parenthetical citations throughout the text.
• Write out publishers’ names in full.
• Do not use access dates unless publication dates are unavailable.
• If you cannot ascertain the publication date of a printed work, use the abbreviation “n.d.”
• Provide DOIs instead of URLs whenever possible.
• If no DOI is available, provide a URL.
• If you cannot name a specific page number when called for, you have other options: section (sec.), equation (eq.), volume (vol.), or note (n.).

CMOS Bibliography Page

• Note numbers should begin with “1” and follow consecutively throughout a given paper.
• Note numbers are superscripted.
• Note numbers should be placed at the end of the clause or sentence to which they refer and should be placed after all punctuation, except for the dash.
• Note numbers are full-sized, not raised, and followed by a period (superscripting note numbers in the notes themselves is also acceptable).
• In parenthetical citation, separate documentation from brief commentary with a semicolon.
• Do not repeat the hundreds digit in a page range if it does not change from the beginning to the end of the range.

For more information on footnotes, please see CMOS NB Sample Paper .

While  The Chicago Manual of Style does not include a prescribed system for formatting headings and subheads, it makes several recommendations.

• Maintain consistency and parallel structure in headings and subheads.
• Use headline-style for purposes of capitalization.
• Subheadings should begin on a new line.
• Subheadings can be distinguished by font-size.
• Ensure that each level of hierarchy is clear and consistent.
• Levels of subheads can be differentiated by type style, use of boldface or italics, and placement on the page, usually either centered or flush left.
• Use no more than three levels of hierarchy.
• Avoid ending subheadings with periods.

Turabian has an optional system of five heading levels.

Turabian Subheading Plan

Here is an example of the five-level heading system:

CMOS Headings

Tables and Figures

• Position tables and figures as soon as possible after they are first referenced. If necessary, present them after the paragraph in which they are described.
• For figures, include a caption, or short explanation of the figure or illustration, directly after the figure number.
• Cite a source as you would for parenthetical citation, and include full information in an entry on your Bibliography or References page.
• Acknowledge reproduced or adapted sources appropriately (i.e., photo by; data adapted from; map by...).
• If a table includes data not acquired by the author of the text, include an unnumbered footnote. Introduce the note by the word Source(s) followed by a colon, then include the full source information, and end the note with a period.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in CMOS

On the new OWL site, contributors’ names and the last edited date are no longer listed at the top of every page. This means that most citations will now begin with the title of the resource, rather than the contributors' names.

Footnote or Endnote (N):

Corresponding Bibliographical Entry (B):

“Title of Resource.” List the OWL as Publishing Organization/Web Site Name . http://Web address for OWL resource.

“General Format.” The Purdue OWL. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/02/.

Author Date In-text Citation:

("General Format" 2017).

Author Date References Page Citation:

Year of Publication. “Title of Resource.” List the OWL as Publishing Organization/Web Site Name . http://Web address for OWL resource.

2017. “General Format.” The Purdue OWL . https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/02.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

25 Examples

The following two examples are excerpts of an essay by KPU student J.R. Gurzon and are reproduced with permission.

This excerpt illustrates how footnotes are integrated into the writing. It shows an example of a first and subsequent footnote from the same source, as well as an additional first footnote from another source.

Annotated Bibliography

This excerpt illustrates a bibliography with annotations (adding annotations is only necessary if your instructor requires them). It shows the sources arranged in alphabetical order .

Bibliography entry:

Gurzon, J.R. “The First Outbreak of Minamata Disease & its Consequences.” The Emergent Historian 8 (Spring/Summer 2021): 10-18. https://journals.kpu.ca/index.php/eh/index.

Chicago Style Citations Copyright © 2021 by Ulrike Kestler and Sigrid Kargut is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Chicago Citation Guide (17th Edition): Sample Paper, Bibliography, & Annotated Bibliography

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On this Page

General paper formatting guidelines, quick rules for a chicago bibliography.

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Writing an Evaluative Annotation

Tips on Writing & Formatting an Annotated Bibliography

Sample Paper with Bibliography

• Chicago Sample Paper

This sample paper can be used as a template to set up your assignment. It includes a title page, main body paragraph with footnotes, and a bibliography.

Sample Paper with Appendix

• Chicago Sample Paper Template - with Appendix

If you are adding an appendix to your paper there are a few rules to follow that comply with Chicago guidelines:

• The Appendix appears before the Bibliography
• If you have more than one appendix you would name the first appendix Appendix A, the second Appendix B, etc.
• The appendices should appear in the order that the information is mentioned in your essay
• Each appendix begins on a new page

Sample Annotated Bibliography

This sample annotated bibliography shows you the structure you should use to write a Chicago style annotated bibliography and gives examples of evaluative and summary annotations.

It can be used as a template to set up your assignment.

• End-of-Paper Checklist

Finished your assignment? Use this checklist to be sure you haven't missed any information needed for Chicago style.

Useful Links for Annotated Bibliographies

Overview of purpose and form of annotated bibliographies from the Purdue OWL.

Includes a sample annotation from a Chicago Manual of Style annotated bibliography. From the Purdue OWL.

An example of an MLA annotated bibliography. From the Purdue OWL.

Assemble your paper in the following order:

• Body of paper
• Appendix (if needed)
• Bibliography

Use Times New Roman, Size 12 (unless otherwise instructed).

Margins and Indents

Your margins should be 1 inch on all sides.

Indent new paragraphs by one-half inch.

Double-space the main text of your paper.

Single-space the footnotes and bibliography, but add a blank line between entries.

Start numbering your pages on the  second  page of your paper (don't include the title page).

Put your page numbers in the header of the first page of text (skip the title page), beginning with page number 1. Continue numbering your pages to the end of the bibliography.

Place the footnote number at the end of the sentence in which you have quoted or paraphrased information from another source. The footnote number should be in superscript, and be placed  after  any punctuation.

Put your footnotes in the footer section of the page.

Your research paper ends with a list of all the sources cited in the text of the paper. This is called a bibliography.

See an example in the "Sample Paper with Bibliography" box on this page.

Here are nine quick rules for this list:

• Start a new page for your bibliography (e.g. If your paper is 4 pages long, start your bibliography on page 5).
• Centre the title, Bibliography, at the top of the page and do not bold or underline it. Look for the alignment option in Word. 
• Leave two blank lines between the title and the first entry on your list.
• Single-space the list, but leave one blank line between entries.
• Start the first line of each citation at the left margin; each subsequent line should be indented (also known as a "hanging indent").
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the citation. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first name followed by a period.
• Italicize the titles of full works , such as: books, videos (films and television shows), artwork, images, maps, journals, newspapers, magazines.
• Do not italicize titles of parts of works , such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document. Instead, use quotation marks.

What Is An Annotated Bibliography?

An  annotated bibliography  is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.

Types of Annotations

 A  summary annotation  describes the source by answering the following questions: who wrote the document, what the document discusses, when and where was the document written, why was the document produced, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description. 

 An  evaluative annotation  includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project. The focus is on description and evaluation.

• Cite the source using Chicago style.
• Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the intended audience.
• Explain the author’s expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.
• Compare to other sources on the same topic that you have also cited to show similarities and differences.
• Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source.
• Identify the observations or conclusions of the author. 

Remember: Annotations are original descriptions that you create after reading the document. When researching, you may find journal articles that provide a short summary at the beginning of the text. This article abstract is similar to a summary annotation. You may consult the abstract when creating your evaluative annotation, but never simply copy it as that would be considered plagiarism. 

Tips on Writing & Formatting an Annotated Bibliography

• Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150- 200 words).
• Start with the same format as a regular Bibliography list.
• All lines should be double-spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
• If your list of citations is especially long, you can organize it by topic.
• Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
• Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me)
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• Last Updated: Sep 10, 2024 11:13 AM
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Chicago Style (17th ed.): Citation Guide

• Getting Started with Chicago
• Formatting a Paper in Chicago Style
• Citing Sources in Chicago Style
• What are you citing?

Books & Ebooks

Journal articles, magazines & newspapers, web sources, images & art, music & audio, government sources, generative ai & chatbots, personal communication.

• Additional Chicago Style Resources
• Citation Guides Homepage

Ask A Librarian

What type of information do you need to cite?

Use the links below or scroll to find the type of information.

• Book (print)
• Edited Chapter in a Book
• Article in a Reference Book

Book (1 author)

1.  Author FirstName LastName,  Book Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers.

1.  Daniel Ogden,  The Werewolf in the Ancient World (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021), 25.

2.  Ogden,  Werewolf , 45.

Bibliography

Author LastName, FirstName.  Book Title.  Place of Publication: Publisher, Date.

Ogden, Daniel.  The Werewolf in the Ancient World.  Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.

Book (2 authors)

1.  Author FirstName LastName and FirstName LastName,  Book Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers.

1.  Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence,  The Science of Monsters: The Truth About Zombies, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires, and Other Legendary Creatures  (New York: Skyhorse, 2019), 25.

2.  Hafdahl and Florence, Science of Monsters , 45.

Author LastName, FirstName and FirstName LastName.  Book Title.  Place of Publication: Publisher, Date.

Hafdahl, Meg and Kelly Florence.  The Science of Monsters: The Truth About Zombies, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires, and Other Legendary Creatures.  New York: Skyhorse, 2019.

Book with a Corporate Author

1.  Company Name,  Book Title,  edition (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers.

1.   American Heart Association, The New American Heart Association Cookbook,  8th ed. (New York: Clarkson Potter, 2010), 25.

2.  American Heart Association,  New American Heart , 45.

Company Name.  Book Title. Edition.   Place of Publication: Publisher, Date.

American Heart Association.  The New American Heart Association Cookbook,  8th ed. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2010.

Edited Chapter in a Book (anthology or collection)

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Chapter Title," in  Book Title , edited by Editor FirstName LastName (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers used.

1.  Joanna Russ, "The Image of Women in Science Fiction," in  Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings ,  edited by Rob Latham (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017), 202.

2.  Russ, "Image of Women," 210.

Author LastName, FirstName. "Chapter Title." In  Book Title, edited by Editor FirstName LastName, chapter page numbers. Place of Publication: Publisher, Date.

Russ, Joanna. "The Image of Women in Science Fiction." In  Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings , edited by Rob Latham, 200-10. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.

Reference Book (Encyclopedia or Dictionary) with no author

1.  "Entry Title," in  Book Title , edited by Editor FirstName LastName (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers used.

1.  "Detecting Werewolves," in The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings , 2nd ed., edited by Brad Steiger (Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press, 2011), 85. 

2.  "Detecting Werewolves," 86-7.

"Entry Title." In  Book Title, edited by Editor FirstName LastName, chapter page numbers. Place of Publication: Publisher, Date.

"Detecting Werewolves." In  The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings , 2nd ed., edited by Brad Steiger, 84-87. Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press, 2011.

Ebook (from Library Database)

1.  Author FirstName LastName,  Book Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers. Format.

1.  Nick Groom,  The Vampire: A New History  (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2018), 25. EBSCO eBook Collection.

2.  Groom,  Vampire , 45.

Author LastName, FirstName.  Book Title.  Place of Publication: Publisher, Date. Format.

Groom, Nick.  The Vampire: A New History . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2018. EBSCO eBook Collection.

Ebook (Online)

1.  Author FirstName LastName,  Book Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date), page numbers. URL.

1.  Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra,  The History of Don Quixote , trans. John Ornsby (Salt Lake City, UT: Project Gutenberg, 2004), 25. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/996.

2.  Cervantes Saavedra,  Don Quixote , 45.

Author LastName, FirstName.  Book Title.  Place of Publication: Publisher, Date. URL.

Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de.  The History of Don Quixote. Translated by John Ornsby. Salt Lake City, UT: Project Gutenberg, 2004. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/996.

• Journal Article with DOI
• Journal Article without DOI

Journal Article with a DOI 

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title,"  Journal Title  volume, no. Issue (Year): page number used, https://doi.org/DOI.

1.  Ivan Klopov et al., "Digital Transformation of Education Based on Artificial Intelligence,"  TEM Journal  12, no. 4 (2023): 2627. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM124-74.

2.  Klopov et al., "Digital Transformation," 2629-30.

Author LastName, FirstName.  "Article Title."  Journal Title  volume, no. Issue (Year): page numbers of article. https://doi.org/DOI.

Klopov, Ivan, Olexandr Shapurov, Valentyna Voronkova, Vitalina Nikitenko, Roman Oleksenko, Irina Khavina, and Yulia Chebakova. "Digital Transformation of Education Based on Artificial Intelligence."  TEM Journal  12, no. 4 (2023): 2625-634. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM124-74

Journal Article without DOI (print)

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title,"  Journal Title  volume, no. Issue (Year): page number used.

1.  Michael Jawer, "Emotion: The Connective Tisse of Atmospheres and Haunts,"  Journal of Scientific Exploration  37, no. 1 (2023): 89-90. 

2.  Jawer, "Emotion," 103.

Author LastName, FirstName.  "Article Title."  Journal Title  volume, no. Issue (Year): page numbers of article.

Jawer, Michael. "Emotion: The Connective Tissue of Atmospheres and Haunts."  Journal of Scientific Exploration  37, no. 1 (2023): 88-105. 

Journal Article without DOI (from library database or website)

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title,"  Journal Title  volume, no. Issue (Year): page number used, URL.

1.  Alex S. Li, "Touring Outer Space: The Past, Present, and Future of Space Tourism,"  Cleveland Law Library  71, no. 3 (2023), 800, http://lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s1088435&db=a9h&AN=164595219&site=ehost-live

2.  Li, "Touring Outer Space," 800-03.

Author LastName, FirstName.  "Article Title."  Journal Title  volume, no. Issue (Year): page numbers of article. URL.

Li, Alex S. "Touring Outer Space: The Past, Present, and Future." Cleveland State Law Library  71, no. 3 (2023): 743-810. http://lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s1088435&db=a9h&AN=164595219&site=ehost-live

• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article

Magazine Article in Print 

For Magazines and newspapers, page numbers if available only need to be included in the footnote.

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title," Magazine Title , Month Day, Year, page number used, page number.

1.  Rohit Bhargava, "Can You Read Culture?,"  Inc. , Winter 2023/2024, 24-5.

2.  Bhargava, "Can You Read Culture," 24.

Author LastName, FirstName. "Article Title." Magazine Title , Month Day, Year. 

Bhargava, Rohit. "Can You Read Culture?"  Inc. , Winter 2023/2024.

Magazine Article from Library Database (no DOI)

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title," Magazine Title , Month Day, Year, page number used, URL.

1.  TJ Fink, "AI Content Detector: How to Spot AI Creations,"  Laptop , December 31, 2023, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A777901979/PPPM?u=nhmccd_main&sid=bookmark-PPPM&xid=8da3cc56.

2.  Fink, "AI Content Detector."

Author LastName, FirstName. "Article Title." Magazine Title , Month Day, Year. URL.

Fink, TJ. "AI Content Detector: How to Spot AI Creations."  Laptop , December 31, 2023. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A777901979/PPPM?u=nhmccd_main&sid=bookmark-PPPM&xid=8da3cc56.

Magazine Article from Website

1.  Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, "Rest Takes Hard Work,"  Time , January 25, 2024, https://time.com/6566763/rest-takes-hard-work-essay/.

2.  Pang, "Rest Takes Hard Work."

Pang, Alex Soojung-Kim. "Rest Takes Hard Work."  Time , January 25, 2024. https://time.com/6566763/rest-takes-hard-work-essay/.

Newspaper Article - Print

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title," Newspaper Title , Month Day, Year, Location/Page.

1.  Dana G. Smith, "Here to Help: How to Overcome 'Task Paralysis,'" The New York Times , January 8, 2023, A3

2.  Smith, "Here to Help," A3.

Author LastName, FirstName. "Article Title." Newspaper Title , Month Day, Year, Location/Page.

Smith, Dana G. "Here to Help: How to Overcome 'Task Paralysis.'"  The New York Times , January 8, 2023, A4.

Newspaper Article from Library Database or Website

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Article Title," Newspaper Title , Month Day, Year, URL.

1.  Daniel Akst, "Should Robots with Artificial Intelligence Have Moral or Legal Rights?,"  Wall Street Journal , April 10, 2023, https:// login.lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/usmajordailies/newspapers/should-robots-with-artificial-intelligence-have/docview/2798764407/sem-2?accountid=7054.

2.  Akst, "Robots with Artificial Intelligence."

Author LastName, FirstName. "Article Title." Newspaper Title , Month Day, Year. URL.

Akst, Daniel. "Should Robots with Artificial Intelligence Have Moral or Legal Rights?"  Wall Street Journal , April 10, 2023. https://login.lscsproxy.lonestar.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/usmajordailies/newspapers/should-robots-with-artificial-intelligence-have/docview/2798764407/sem-2?accountid=7054.

Newspaper Article - Online

1.  Nusaiba Mizan, "Girl Scout Cookies Price Hike: What's the Price Per Box and Where Is the Money Going?,"  Houston Chronicle , January 26, 2024, https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/retail/article/girl-scouts-cookies-price-increase-18628206.php.

2.  Mizan, "Girl Scout Cookies."

Mizan, Nusaiba. "Girl Scout Cookies Price Hike: What's the Price Per Box and Where is the Money Going?"  Houston Chronicle , January 26, 2024.  https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/retail/article/girl-scouts-cookies-price-increase-18628206.php.  

• Social Media

Webpage without an author

If a source does not include a date of publication or revision, include an access date.

1.  "Webpage," Website, Date, URL.

1.  "Shrinking Moon Causing Moonquakes and Faults Near Lunar South Pole," NASA, January 25, 2024, https://www.nasa.gov/earth/moon/shrinking-moon-causing-moonquakes-and-faults-near-lunar-south-pole/.

2.  "Shrinking Moon."

"Webpage." Website. Date. URL.

"Shrinking Moon Causing Moonquakes and Faults Near Lunar South Pole." NASA. January 25, 2024.  https://www.nasa.gov/earth/moon/shrinking-moon-causing-moonquakes-and-faults-near-lunar-south-pole/.

Social Media Post 

According to the Chicago Manual of Style , social media usually just needs to be cited in the text and a footnote if needed. It does not need to be included in the bibliography.

Lone Star College announced on Twitter: "We received approval to offer bachelor's degrees, including Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity; and Bachelor of Applied Science in Energy, Manufacturing & Trades Management" (@lonestarcollege, December 11, 2019).

Footnote - Twitter/X

1  Author FirstName LastName (@username), "Text of post," Platform, Date, URL.

1   Lone Star College (@lonestarcollege), "We received approval to offer bachelor's degrees, including Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity; and Bachelor of Applied Science in Energy, Manufacturing & Trades Management," X post, December 11, 2019, https://twitter.com/lonestarcollege/status/1204842366357651456.

2   Lone Star College, "Approval to Offer Bachelor's."

Footnote - Instagram

1  Lone Star College (@lonestarcollege), "The Houston Business Journal named Mario K. Castillo, J.D., LSC chancellor among the Top 100 Texans who have made an impact in 2023," Instagram photo, January 12, 2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/C2BElOfMWpc/.

Like social media, blogs are typically only cited in footnotes. If used frequently, it can be included in your bibliography.

1.  Author First Name, Last Name, "Title of Blog Post," Blog Name (blog), Publisher, Date, URL.

1.  Russell Harper, "What Do Chatbots Know?," CMOS Shop Talk  (blog), Chicago Manual of Style, November 21, 2023, https://cmosshoptalk.com/2023/11/21/what-do-chatbots-know/.

2.  Harper, "What Do Chatbots."

Author Last Name, First Name. Blog Name (blog). Publisher. Date. URL.

Russell Harper. CMOS Shop Talk (blog). Chicago Manual of Style. November 21, 2023. https://cmosshoptalk.com/2023/11/21/what-do-chatbots-know/.

Online Video

Streaming videos are cited more like elements of a website unless they were originally in a different format. (See examples for Movies for more details on how to cite these.)

YouTube Example

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Video Title," Website, uploaded Date, video, URL, time stamp.

1.  Pocket Gamer, "What is 8-bit?," YouTube, uploaded August 28, 2015, video, https://youtu.be/QaIoW1aL9GE?si=ASBb8YXbVVITuvjf, 00:01:00.

2.  Pocket Gamer, "What is 8-bit," 00:03:30-00:03:45.

Author LastName, FirstName. "Video Title." Website. Uploaded Date. Video. URL.

Pocket Gamer. "What is 8-bit?" YouTube. Uploaded August 28, 2015. Video. https://youtu.be/QaIoW1aL9GE?si=ASBb8YXbVVITuvjf.

TEDTalk Example

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Video Title," filmed Date at Place, City, video, URL, time stamp.

1.  Graham Shaw, "Why People Believe They Can't Draw," filmed February 2015 at TEDxHull, Hull, video, https://www.ted.com/talks/graham_shaw_why_people_believe_they_can_t_draw, 00:15:20.

2.  Shaw, "Why People Believe," 00:10:45.

Author LastName, FirstName. "Video Title." Filmed Date at Place, City. Video. URL.

Shaw, Graham. "Why People Believe They Can't Draw." Filmed February 2015 at TEDxHull, Hull. Video. https://www.ted.com/talks/graham_shaw_why_people_believe_they_can_t_draw.

Movie/Film 

Source type refers to the original format (ex-35mm), and format is the version you viewed (ex-DVD, YouTube, etc).

Cite the video first using the original release information, and then add in details about the digital version.

1.   Title of Motion Picture , directed by Director First Name Last Name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Format.

1.   Black Panther , directed by Ryan Coogler (2018; Burbank, CA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 2018), DVD.

2.   Black Panther .

Title of Motion Picture.  Directed by Director First Name Last Name. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format.

Black Panther . Directed by Ryan Coogler. 2018; Burbank, CA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 2018. DVD.

Movie/Film viewed Online

1.   Title of Motion Picture , directed by Director First Name Last Name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Source Type, Format, URL.

1.   Othello,  directed by Oliver Parker (Columbia Pictures, 1995), 35 mm film, Swank Digital Campus video, https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/lsconline395001/play/5b248cf117888f54?referrer=direct.

2.   Othello .

Title of Motion Picture.  Directed by Director First Name Last Name. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format. URL.

Othello . Directed by Oliver Parker. Columbia Pictures, 1995, 35 mm film. Swank Digital Campus video. https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/lsconline395001/play/5b248cf117888f54?referrer=direct.

Episode of a TV Series

1.  Series Title, "Episode/Segment Title," Website Name video, Duration of Video, Broadcast Date, URL.

1.  The Amazing Race, "To the Physical and Mental Limit," Swank Digital Campus video, 44:17, November 21, 2001, https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/lsconline395001/watch/C1C2FD73531F1345?referrer=direct.

2.  The Amazing Race, "To the Physical and Mental Limit."

Series Title. "Episode/Segment Title." Website Name video, Duration of Video. Broadcast Date. URL.

The Amazing Race. "To the Physical and Mental Limit." Swank Digital Campus video, 44:17. November 21, 2001. https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/lsconline395001/watch/C1C2FD73531F1345?referrer=direct.

1.  Series Title,  Website Name video, Broadcast Dates, URL.

1.  This Is Us,  Hulu  video, 2016-2022, https://www.hulu.com/series/this-is-us-9dc170da-85db-475d-9df4-6572f15ffb00.

2.  This Is Us.

Series Title.  Website Name video. Dates aired. URL.

This is Us.  Hulu video. 2016-2022. https://www.hulu.com/series/this-is-us-9dc170da-85db-475d-9df4-6572f15ffb00.

• Image (online)

Clip Art or Stock Image

Online image with a title.

1.  Author First Name Last Name,  Image Title , Year, Medium, Dimensions, Location, URL.

1.  Kate Beaton,  Tesla, Marconi, Edison, n.d., color comic, Hark! A Vagrant, http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=256.

2.  Beaton,  Tesla, Marconi, Edison.

Author Last Name, First Name. Image Title.  Year. Medium, Dimensions. Location. URL.

Beaton, Kate.  Tesla, Marconi, Edison . N.d. Color comic. Hark! A Vagrant. http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=256.

Artwork Viewed Online

If viewed in person, leave off the URL.

1.  Georgia O'Keefe,  Red Hill and White Shell, 1938, oil on canvas, 30 x 36.5 in, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, https://emuseum.mfah.org/objects/17860/red-hill-and-white-shell?ctx=c469d6c7436b6ddfaeba46e287e6d599ebbed0c0&idx=0

2.  O'Keefe,  Red Hill and White Shell .

O'Keefe, Georgia.  Red Hill and White Shell . 1938. Oil on canvas, 30 x 36.5 in. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. https://emuseum.mfah.org/objects/17860/red-hill-and-white-shell?ctx=c469d6c7436b6ddfaeba46e287e6d599ebbed0c0&idx=0.

1.  Liftarn, Cartoon Raccoon Holding a Blank Sign , 2024, clipart, Openclipart, https://openclipart.org/detail/346730/cartoon-raccoon-holding-blank-sign.

2.  Liftarn,  Cartoon Raccoon .

Liftarn.  Cartoon Raccoon Holding a Blank Sign . 2024. Clipart. Openclipart. https://openclipart.org/detail/346730/cartoon-raccoon-holding-blank-sign.

Single Song or Track

If your source doesn't indicate a date of recording or publication, use other sources to find this information (Google it!).

Recordings on LP or disc will typically have an acquisition number, which be included after the name of the recording company.

1.  Creator or Group, "Title of Song," other contributors, recording date, Recording Company or publisher acquisition number, track number on  Album Title , year of release, format, time stamp.

1.  Dua Lipa, performer, "Dance the Night," by Dua Li[a and Caroline Ailin, recorded 2022, Atlantic 075678616006, track 2 on  Barbie the Album , 2023, compact disc, 1:10.

2.  Lipa, "Dance the Night," 0:35.

Creator or Group.  Album Title.  Recording Company acquisition number, Recording date, format.

Ronson, Mark, Kevin Weaver, and Brandon David, producers.  Barbie the Album.  Atlantic 075678616006, 2023, compact disc.

Music Album

1.  Creator or Group,  Album Title,  Recording Company acquisition number, Recording date, format.

1.  David Bowie, performer,  The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,  EMI 7243 5 39826 2 1, compact disc.

2.  Bowie, Ziggy Stardust .

Bowie, David, performer.  The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars . EMI 7243 5 39826 2 1, compact disc.

Audiobook without a DOI

1  Creator FirstName LastName,  Title of Work , other contributors, (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Format, timestamp.

1  Ernest Cline,  Ready Player One , read by Wil Wheaton, (New York: Random House Audio, 2011), Audible audio ed., 1:05:10.

2  Cline,  Ready Player One , 14:20:15.

Creator LastName, First Name.  Title of Work.  Other contributors. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format, duration.

Cline, Ernest.  Ready Player One.  Read by Wil Wheaton. New York: Random House Audio, 2011. Audible audio ed., 15 hr., 40 min.

Podcast Episode

1  Creator FirstName LastName, "Title of Episode,"  Title of Work , other contributors, (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Format, timestamp, URL.

1  Sarah Gonzalez and Kenny Malone, hosts, "Why '90s Ads Are Unforgettable,"  Planet Money,  (Washington, D.C.: NPR, 2023), podcast, 00:14:00-00:15:00, https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1197956022/got-milk-soap-operas-advertising.

2  Gonzalez and Malone, "Why '90s Ads," 00:05:00-00:07:00.

Creator LastName, FirstName. "Title of Episode."  Title of Work.  Other contributors. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format.

Gonzalez, Sarah and Kenny Malone, hosts. "Why '90s Ads Are Unforgettable."  Planet Money.  Washington, D.C.: NPR, 2023. Podcast. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1197956022/got-milk-soap-operas-advertising.

1  Creator FirstName LastName, Title of Work , other contributors, (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Format.

1  Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Freidle, hosts.  Pod Meets World,  (San Antonio, TX: iHeart Radio, 2022), podcast, https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-pod-meets-world-98589488/.

2  Fishel, Strong, and Freidle,  Pod Meets World .

Creator LastName, FirstName. Title of Work.  Other contributors. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Format.

Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Freidle, hosts.  Pod Meets World . San Antonio, TX: iHeart Radio, 2022. Podcast. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-pod-meets-world-98589488/.

• Laws and Court Cases
• Government Agency Publications

Legal References

The Chicago Manual of Style  defers to the standard legal citation system from the  Bluebook  for citing legal sources.

Legal publications only need to be cited in the notes and not in bibliography.

Court Cases and Court Decisions

1 Name v. Name, Volume no. Reporter Abbreviation Page no. (Name of Court (abbrev.) Year), URL

2 Brown,  347 U.S. at 485.

Legislation (Enacted Bills / Statutes)

Laws are collected in the  United States Statutes at Large  (Stat.) and then are incorporated into the  United States Code  (U.S.C.). 

1 Name of the Legislation, volume no. Series name Series no. (Year), URL

1  Limitations on Exclusive Rights: Fair Use, 17 U.S.C. §107 (1992), hhttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2022-title17/USCODE-2022-title17-chap1-sec107 .

Bills and Resolutions (Proposed Laws, Not Enacted)

1 Name of the Bill, Bill no., No. of Cong., section no. (Year).

1  WILD Act, H. R. 5009, 118th Cong. (2024).

Government Webpage

1.  Author FirstName LastName, "Webpage," Website, Date, URL.

1.  United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Librarians and Media Specialists,"  Occupational Outlook Handbook , September 6, 2023, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/librarians.htm.

2.  United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Librarians and Media Specialists."

LastName, FirstName. "Webpage." Website. Date. URL.

United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Librarians and Media Specialists." Occupational Outlook Handbook . September 6, 2023. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/librarians.htm.

1.  Government Department, Agency, or Committee,  Title of Government Publication , Date, Page number, URL.

1.  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,  2023 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report,  December 2023, 617, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CMR-HE20_6500-00184279/pdf/CMR-HE20_6500-00184279.pdf.

2.  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,  2023 National Healthcare , 187-8.

Government Department, Agency, or Committee.  Title of Government Publication . Date. URL.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.  2023 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report . December 2023. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CMR-HE20_6500-00184279/pdf/CMR-HE20_6500-00184279.pdf. 

Generative AI & Chatbots

Chicago Manual of Style  has provided some new and developing guidance on how to cite AI generated content in your paper.

Best Practices for AI Content

• cite generative AI whenever you use what they generate in your own work
• most of the time, it's ok to just acknowledge the AI tool in your text
• can use a formal citation in a Note if needed, but do not include in the Bibliography
• if the prompt is not included in the text, include it in the Note.

1 AI Tool, response to "response text," Publisher, Date, URL to tool.

• Documenting ChatGPT Content Chicago Manual of Style FAQ on how to document AI generated content

Personal communications, including email, text messages, and direct messages sent via social media, are typically cited in the text or in a note only. They are very rarely included in the bibliography.

Personal Interview  - Footnote

1 Author FirstName LastName, description of communication, Date.

1 Jane Smith, personal interview, January 15, 2024.

Email  - Footnote

1 Megan Hopwood, email to author, February 15, 2023.

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• Tags: Academic Writing , Chicago Citation , Chicago Style , Citations and References , Research Paper

Unlike other commonly used citation formats like APA or MLA, there are two varieties of Chicago style citations. In this article, we’ll explore both forms of citation for a Chicago style paper and provide several examples you can emulate. 

Since its original publication in 1906, the Chicago Manual of Style has evolved a lot. It is currently in its 17th edition (as of 2017). 

Chicago style citations: two varieties 

Researchers and writers can create a Chicago style citation in two ways: the notes and bibliography system or the author-date system. Aside from differences in the style of in-text citations, the notes-bibliography system and the author-date system share a similar structure and formatting style .

What Chicago citation format you should use depends on your discipline and the guidelines given to you by instructors or publishers. Read on to know more about each style and when you can use them in your academic writing. 

A. Notes and bibliography  

In the notes and bibliography style, in-text citations are marked by footnotes or endnotes, with source numbers indicated by superscripts (raised text) within the text. This is usually followed by a bibliography at the end of the paper. 

This Chicago style citation format is commonly used in humanities—in disciplines such as history, art, and literature. This is primarily because the notes-bibliography style is flexible to accommodate a variety of unconventional academic sources like videos, online sources, transcripts, etc.

It also accommodates sources that may not fit into the author-date system, such as webpages with no author or literary sources with no single date of publication. 

Footnotes and endnotes  

The sources referred to on each page are listed in the footnotes at the end of the page or in endnotes at the end of the document. This is list is in order of reference. Within the text, the citations are denoted numerically by a superscript.

Follow these general guidelines while creating Chicago style footnotes and endnotes:  

• Add footnotes at the bottom of the page you have referred the source. 
• Add endnotes on a separate page after the body of the paper. 
• Place superscript numbers at the end of a sentence or clause, after the concluding punctuation mark. 
• Ensure each superscript number corresponds to its respective entry in the notes. 
• Begin each note with the name of the author(s) as listed in the source (not inverted), followed by the source name. 
• Add publication details relevant to the source—including page numbers, year of publication, and publisher. 
• Separate each element in an entry with periods or parentheses. 
• Add shortened notes for every subsequent reference to a source. 
• List authors’ complete names for sources with up to three authors. If a source has four or more authors, add “et al.” after the third author. 
• Number notes consecutively starting with the arabic numeral “1” for the entire text or each chapter. 

Note: When to use Chicago style endnotes?

The official CMOS handbook does not have specific guidelines for when to use Chicago style footnotes and endnotes. This is usually at the discretion of your instructor and the guidelines set by your university or publication.

Whichever in-text citation style you follow, ensure that you stick to your chosen type of notes consistently. See below for a Chicago footnote example:

Bibliography 

Chicago style papers following the notes-bibliography system usually require a bibliography at the end of the paper. This is a detailed list of all the sources you have cited throughout the main text. 

You may be exempted from including a bibliography at the end of a document if you have provided detailed entries in the footnotes or the endnotes. If you’re unsure about whether you need to add one to your Chicago style paper, consult your instructor or publisher. 

Follow these guidelines to create a Chicago style bibliography:  

• Place the bibliography on a new page directly after the main text, before indices and appendixes. 
• Title the section with “Bibliography” and center-align the text. 
• Apply a hanging indent for each entry. 
• Arrange all sources alphabetically, by the last name of the (first) author of each source. 
• For sources with no author, arrange by source title. (Alternately, you may write “Anonymous” or “Anon.” if you want to credit it to an anonymous source.)
• For sources with two or more authors, invert only the first author’s name. 
• List the names of all authors for sources with up to ten authors. 
• For sources with over ten authors, list seven names and follow with “et al.”. 

Chicago style citation examples: Notes and bibliography  

See below for examples of Chicago style citations for books, book chapters, journal articles, and websites. We’ve included the format for Chicago style footnotes and endnotes, short notes, and the bibliography entry. 

1. How to cite a book in Chicago style

2. How to cite a book chapter 

3. How to cite a journal article

4. How to cite a website in Chicago style 

B. Author-date  

The author-date system is the second method of Chicago style citations. This citation format is typically used in physical, natural, and social sciences documents.

The Chicago author-date format consists of two components: in-text citations in the body text and a matching entry in the reference list, which is at the end of the academic work. The reference list provides complete bibliographic information about all the sources you’ve used throughout the text. Let’s take a look at each component more closely. 

In-text citations 

If you are using the author-date format, you will be required to add in-text citations within the body text. The convention is to add in-text citations at the end of sentences referencing sources.

Follow these guidelines to add Chicago style citations in your academic work:  

• Place the Chicago parenthetical citation at the end of a sentence, before the concluding punctuation mark. 
• Include the author and year of publication in parentheses, with no punctuation in between. 
• If you have named the author(s) of a source within the body text, add the year of the source’s publication in parentheses. 
• Add relevant page numbers in the in-text citation, if you are referring to specific sections of the text. 

See below for a Chicago style citation example with and without an author in parentheses. Here’s what a standard Chicago style in-text citation looks like: 

The essay highlights the importance of readers contributing to a text’s discourse in the larger society (Barthes 1967). 

If you’ve already referenced the author within the body text, you can write the Chicago parenthetical citation like this: 

Barthes (1967) emphasizes the role of the reader in generating discourse about a text, rather than accepting the singular supremacy of the author’s intent. 

To add a page number or page range, format the in-text citation as shown below: 

(Barthes 1967 42) (Barthes 1967 42-44) 

Reference list

Each Chicago style in-text citation has a matching entry to the reference list at the end of the text. The list and the format of each entry largely follow the same format as the bibliography in the notes-bibliography section, with a few minor alterations. We will look at these below.

Follow these guidelines while creating a Chicago style reference list for your essay or paper:

• Start the reference list on a new page, with the center-aligned title “References” or “Reference List”. 
• Arrange the list of sources alphabetically by the author’s last name. 
• Follow this with the year of publication and end with a period. 
• Continue structuring the entry in the same format as a bibliographic entry. 
• Invert only the name of the first listed author. 
• Capitalize English-language titles according to headline-style conventions. 
• Abbreviate noun forms such as “editor”, “translator”, “volume”, and “edition”. 
• Spell out verb forms such as “edited by” and “translated by”. 

Chicago style citation examples in author-date  

See below for a list of Chicago style citation examples. We’ve included sample in-text citations and reference list entries for books, book chapters, websites, and journals, which are commonly used sources in the Chicago citation style.

1. How to cite a book in Chicago 

2. How to cite a book chapter in Chicago style

3. How to cite a journal in Chicago style 

4. How to cite a website in Chicago style

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i cite multiple authors in a chicago style in-text citation , how can i cite a website with no author in a chicago style in-text citation, what does nb mean .

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A Chicago Citation Generator is a software tool that automatically generates citations and bibliographies in the Chicago citation style.

Citations can be created by entering an identifying piece of information about a source, such as a website URL, book ISBN, or journal article DOI to the generator. The generator will then create a fully formatted citation in the Chicago style containing all the required information for the source.

Chicago style citations are used to give credit to the authors of supporting work that has been used to write an academic paper or article.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an Chicago Citation Generator?

The Chicago style is primarily used by college and university students studying business, history, social sciences, the fine arts, amongst others.

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Citing sources is often an afterthought in paper writing because formatting citations correctly is time-consuming and confusing, and staying on top of source management manually can be hard. A citation generator makes this easier by:

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• Managing the recording and organization of every citation for you

In short, there is no reason not to use a citation generator in academic writing.

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's Chicago Citation Generator?

To get started, scroll up back up to the tool at the top of the page and follow these steps:

• Select the type of source you want to cite
• If it's a website, enter the URL in the search bar. If it's a book, enter the ISBN or title. If it's a journal article, enter the DOI or title. For all other sources, enter the details of the source into the form
• Select the search result that most closely represents the source you referred to in your paper
• Shazam! The generator will automatically format the citation in the Chicago style. Copy it into your paper, or save it to your bibliography to download later
• Repeat for every other citation you need to create for your paper

MyBib supports the following for Chicago style:

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

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CWP: What Data Can Tell Us — Fall 2024: Chicago Manual of Style: Citing Images

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Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style citation style provides guidelines for "Author-Date" or in text citation as well as for using footnotes or endnotes along with the bibliography. Images can be cited using captions or in a bibliography. Check with your instructor for the correct format.

For information on specific guidelines for images visit the online site , and use the table of contents to find: 

Chapter 14: Notes and Bibliography Section: 14.235: Citing paintings, photographs, and sculpture Chapter Contents / Special Types of References / Artwork and Illustrations

The Manual states, "Information about paintings, photographs, sculptures, or other works of art can usually be presented in the text rather than in a note or bibliography. If a note or bibliography entry is needed, list the artist, a title (in italics), and a date of creation or completion, followed by information about the medium and the location of the work. For works consulted online, add a URL." 

https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed17/part3/ch14/psec235.html

Examples of Citing Images

Footnote/endnote (general) 18 Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night , 1889, oil on canvas, 29 in. x 36 ¼ in., Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Caption (general)*note: captions can be done as figure, fig., illustration, or ill. Fig. 1: Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas, 29 in. x 36 ¼ in., Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Bibliographic entry, online (websites or databases) Duveneck, Frank.Whistling Boy, 1872. Oil on canvas, 28 in. x 21 ½ in. Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati. <http://cincinnatiartmuseum.stores.yahoo.net/frduwhboy.html>, accessed 12 Aug. 2007.

Footnote/endnote, online (websites or databases) 4 Henri Matisse, The Woman with the Hat , 1905, oil on canvas, 81.3 cm x 60.3 cm, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco.

Caption, online (websites or databases) Ill. 1: Frank Duveneck, Whistling Boy , 1872, oil on canvas, 28 in. x 21 ½ in. Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati,<http://cincinnatiartmuseum.stores.yahoo.net/frduwhboy.html>

Credit lines Images with copyright restrictions: Reproduced with permission from Jan Newstrom Thompson, Duveneck: Last Paintings Found (Santa Clara, CA: Triton Museum of Art, 1987), 55, © 1987 by Triton Museum of Art.

Images without copyright restrictions: Man and boy fishing in Ohio River, September 14, 1929. Courtesy of Rosemary Bart

Photograph courtesy of Cincinnati Art Museum

Unknown Artist, Title, or Date

When all or part of an image source is unknown or unknowable, use these points to guide your MLA image caption:

Unknown Artist, Author or Creator List that source by title in your works cited list. The title should be followed by the name of the source in the citation, and the remainder of the citation composed as appropriate for the source type. Alphabetize reference list entries beginning with a title using the primary word of the title (excluding a, an, or the).

An image without a title if an image is not titled, create a brief, descriptive title for it. do not italicize this title or place it in quotes, and capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns., undated sources use "n.d." (for "no date") in the appropriate place in your citation. when this is used after a period in a citation, capitalize the "n" ("n.d.")., for more information ....

Boxes on this page were copied from the " Cite Images " page on the Penn Libraries guide for Finding images , developed by Patty Guardiola, Director of the Fisher Fine Arts Library. Please visit the full page for more information on working with images. 

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• Chicago Style Footnotes | Citation Format & Examples

Chicago Style Footnotes | Citation Format & Examples

Published on September 18, 2019 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on September 5, 2024.

The notes and bibliography style is one of two citation options provided by the Chicago Manual of Style . Each time a source is quoted or paraphrased , a superscript number is placed in the text, which corresponds to a footnote or endnote containing details of the source .

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page, while endnotes appear on a separate page at the end of the text.

Pay attention to the punctuation (e.g., commas , quotation marks ) in your footnotes. Scribbr’s grammar checker can help you avoid mistakes.

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Table of contents

Full notes and short notes, placement of footnotes, content of chicago footnotes, footnote examples for different source types, footnotes vs endnotes, frequently asked questions about chicago style footnotes.

There are two types of footnote in Chicago style: full notes and short notes.

Full notes contain the full publication details of the source. The first citation of each source should be a full note.

Full note example

1. Virginia Woolf, “Modern Fiction,” in Selected Essays , ed. David Bradshaw (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 11.

Short notes contain only the author’s last name, the title (shortened if longer than four words), and the page number (if relevant). They are used for all subsequent citations of the same source. It’s also acceptable to use “ ibid. ” instead to refer to the immediately preceding source.

Short note example

2. Woolf, “Modern Fiction,” 11.

The guidelines for use of short and full notes can vary across different fields and institutions. Sometimes you might be required to use a full note for every citation, or to use a short note every time as long as all sources appear in the Chicago style bibliography . Check with your instructor if you’re unsure.

It’s important to include a citation for all referenced material. Scribbr’s plagiarism checker can help ensure your writing is free of accidental plagiarism.

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Footnotes should be used whenever a source is quoted or paraphrased in the text. They appear at the bottom of the relevant page, corresponding to reference numbers in the text. You can easily insert footnotes in Microsoft Word .

The reference number appears in superscript at the end of the clause or sentence it refers to. It is placed after any punctuation except a dash :

Johnson argues that “the data is unconvincing.” 1

Johnson argues that “the data is unconvincing” 1 —but Smith contends that …

Notes should be numbered consecutively, starting from 1, across the whole text. Your first citation is marked with a 1, your second with a 2, and so on. The numbering does not restart with a new page or section (although in a book-length text it may restart with each new chapter).

The footnote contains the number of the citation followed by a period and then the citation itself. The citation always includes the author’s name and the title of the text, and it always ends with a period. Full notes also include all the relevant publication information in parentheses (which varies by source type ).

If you quote a source or refer to a specific passage, include a page number or range. However, if the source doesn’t have page numbers, or if you’re referring to the text as a whole, you can omit the page number.

In short notes, titles of more than four words are shortened. Shorten them in a way that retains the keyword(s) so that the text is still easily recognizable for the reader:

1. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus , ed. M.K. Joseph (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), 91. 2. Shelley, Frankenstein , 91.

Combining multiple citations

Do not place multiple footnotes at the same point in your text (e.g. 1, 2, 3 ). If you need to cite multiple sources in one sentence, you can combine the citations into one footnote, separated by semicolons :

1. Hulme, “Romanticism and Classicism”; Eliot, The Waste Land ; Woolf, “Modern Fiction,” 11.

Sources with multiple authors

Footnotes for sources with two or three authors should include all the authors’ names. When there are four or more authors, add “ et al. ” (Latin for “and others”) after the first author’s name.

Missing information

You sometimes won’t have all the information required for your citation. You might be missing page numbers, the author’s name, or the publication date.

If one of your sources (e.g., a website ) has no page numbers, but you still think it’s important to cite a specific part of the text, other locators like headings , chapters or paragraphs can be used. Abbreviate words like “paragraph” to “par.” and “chapter” to “chap.”, and put headings in quotation marks :

1. Johnson, “Literature Review,” chap. 2.1 . 2. Smith, “Thematic Analysis,” under “Methodology.”

If the source lacks a stated publication date, the abbreviation “n.d.” (no date) should replace the year in a full note:

1. Smith, Data Analysis (New York: Norton, n.d. ), 293.

If a text doesn’t list its author’s name, the organization that published it can be treated as the author in your citation:

1. Scribbr , “Chicago Style Citation.”

If you use a website name as an author, you may end up repeating the same information twice in one citation. Omit the website name from its usual place if you’ve already listed it in place of the author.

Short notes usually look similar regardless of source type—author, title, page number. However, the information included in full notes varies according to the source you’re citing. Below are examples for several common source types, showing how the footnote should look in Chicago format .

Chicago book citation

Italicize the book title. If the book states an edition (other than the first), include this and abbreviate it (e.g., 2nd ed., rev. ed.). Add the URL if you consulted the book online instead of in a physical copy.

Chicago book chapter citation

Sometimes you’ll cite from one chapter in a book containing texts by multiple authors—for example, a compilation of essays. In this case, you’ll want to cite the relevant chapter rather than the whole book.

The chapter title should be enclosed in quotation marks , while the book title should be italicized. The short note only contains the chapter title.

The author is the one who wrote the specific chapter you’re citing. The editor of the whole book is listed toward the end of the footnote (with the abbreviation “ed.”), and left out of the short note.

Chicago journal article citation

The article title should be enclosed in quotation marks, while the journal name should be italicized. Volume and issue numbers identify which edition of the journal the source appears in.

A DOI is a digital object identifier. This is generally more reliable than the URL when linking to online journal content.

Chicago website citation

The page title should be enclosed in quotation marks. Italicization is not used for website names.

If the publication date is unknown, you can instead list the date when you accessed the page at the end of the citation (e.g., accessed on September 10, 2019).

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All of the above information also applies to endnotes. Endnotes are less commonly used than footnotes, but they’re a perfectly valid option.

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page they refer to.

• Footnotes allow the reader to immediately check your citations as they read …
• … but if you have a lot of footnotes, they can be distracting and take up space on the page.

Endnotes appear in their own section at the end of the text, before the bibliography.

• Endnotes take up less space in the body of your text and reduce distraction …
• … but they are less accessible, as the reader has to flip to the end to check each note.

Endnote citations look exactly the same as those in footnotes. Unless you’ve been told which one to use, choose whichever you prefer. Just use one or the other consistently.

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page.  Endnotes appear in a list at the end of the text, just before the reference list or bibliography. Don’t mix footnotes and endnotes in the same document: choose one or the other and use them consistently.

In Chicago notes and bibliography style , you can use either footnotes or endnotes, and citations follow the same format in either case.

In APA and MLA style , footnotes or endnotes are not used for citations, but they can be used to provide additional information.

In Chicago notes and bibliography style , the usual standard is to use a full note for the first citation of each source, and short notes for any subsequent citations of the same source.

However, your institution’s guidelines may differ from the standard rule. In some fields, you’re required to use a full note every time, whereas in some other fields you can use short notes every time, as long as all sources are listed in your bibliography . If you’re not sure, check with your instructor.

In Chicago author-date style , your text must include a reference list . It appears at the end of your paper and gives full details of every source you cited.

In notes and bibliography style, you use Chicago style footnotes to cite sources; a bibliography is optional but recommended. If you don’t include one, be sure to use a full note for the first citation of each source.

Page numbers should be included in your Chicago in-text citations when:

• You’re quoting from the text.
• You’re paraphrasing a particular passage.
• You’re referring to information from a specific section.

When you’re referring to the overall argument or general content of a source, it’s unnecessary to include page numbers.

In a Chicago style footnote , list up to three authors. If there are more than three, name only the first author, followed by “ et al. “

In the bibliography , list up to 10 authors. If there are more than 10, list the first seven followed by “et al.”

The same rules apply in Chicago author-date style .

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

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Caulfield, J. (2024, September 05). Chicago Style Footnotes | Citation Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/chicago-style/footnotes/

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