Chicago Citation Guide

Chicago Citation Guide (17th Edition)

The Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition) provides two citation systems: the Notes and Bibliography (NB) system, commonly used in the humanities, and the Author-Date system, which is often preferred in the sciences and social sciences. This guide covers both systems in detail, explaining how to cite a variety of common source types such as books, journal articles, websites, and multimedia sources.

In-Text Citations

In Chicago style, in-text citations differ depending on which system you are using. The Notes and Bibliography (NB) system uses footnotes or endnotes to provide citation details, while the Author-Date system uses parenthetical citations within the text. Below are examples and explanations of both formats:

  • Notes and Bibliography (NB): Uses superscript numbers in the text to refer to footnotes or endnotes, which provide full citation details.
  • Author-Date: Uses parenthetical citations within the text that include the author's last name, publication year, and page number (when applicable).

Examples

Notes and Bibliography:

  • Example in text with footnote: Language shapes culture.1
  • Corresponding footnote: 1. Edward Sapir, Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1921), 15.

Author-Date:

  • Parenthetical citation: (Sapir 1921, 15)

Books

Books are one of the most commonly cited sources in Chicago style. Depending on the type of book, citation formats differ for single-author books, edited volumes, and chapters in edited volumes.

Single-Author Book

Notes and Bibliography:

Footnote: 1. Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (New York: Scribner, 2000), 45.
Bibliography: King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner, 2000.

Author-Date:

In-text: (King 2000, 45)
Reference list: King, Stephen. 2000. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Notes and Bibliography:

Footnote: 1. Sarah Green, “Gothic Architecture,” in European Art Movements, ed. Ian Brown (London: Thames Press, 2015), 88.
Bibliography: Green, Sarah. “Gothic Architecture.” In European Art Movements, edited by Ian Brown, 75–100. London: Thames Press, 2015.

Author-Date:

In-text: (Green 2015, 88)
Reference list: Green, Sarah. 2015. “Gothic Architecture.” In European Art Movements, edited by Ian Brown, 75–100. London: Thames Press.

Journal Articles

For journal articles, the citation format differs depending on whether the article is printed, available online, or has a DOI. Below are citation examples for print and online journal articles.

Print Journal Article

Footnote: 1. Maria Lane, “Geographies of Mars,” Geographical Review 103, no. 3 (2013): 369.
Bibliography: Lane, Maria. “Geographies of Mars.” Geographical Review 103, no. 3 (2013): 365–385.
In-text (Author-Date): (Lane 2013, 369)
Reference list: Lane, Maria. 2013. “Geographies of Mars.” Geographical Review 103 (3): 365–385.

Online Journal Article with DOI

Footnote: 1. Emily Tan, “Digital Futures in Education,” EdTech Quarterly 14, no. 1 (2022): 27, https://doi.org/10.1234/etq.2022.14.1.22.
Bibliography: Tan, Emily. “Digital Futures in Education.” EdTech Quarterly 14, no. 1 (2022): 20–35. https://doi.org/10.1234/etq.2022.14.1.22.
In-text (Author-Date): (Tan 2022, 27)
Reference list: Tan, Emily. 2022. “Digital Futures in Education.” EdTech Quarterly 14 (1): 20–35. https://doi.org/10.1234/etq.2022.14.1.22.

Websites

When citing websites, it is important to include the author (if available), title of the page, website name, and the URL. In some cases, a retrieval date is also necessary, especially for pages that may change over time.

Web Page with Author

Footnote: 1. Alan Smith, “History of AI Research,” Tech Archives, January 12, 2024, www.techarchives.org/ai-history.
Bibliography: Smith, Alan. “History of AI Research.” Tech Archives, January 12, 2024. www.techarchives.org/ai-history.
In-text (Author-Date): (Smith 2024)
Reference list: Smith, Alan. 2024. “History of AI Research.” Tech Archives. January 12, 2024. www.techarchives.org/ai-history.

Web Page without Author

Footnote: 1. “History of AI Research,” Tech Archives, January 12, 2024, www.techarchives.org/ai-history.
Bibliography: “History of AI Research.” Tech Archives, January 12, 2024. www.techarchives.org/ai-history.
In-text (Author-Date): (“History of AI Research” 2024)
Reference list: “History of AI Research.” 2024. Tech Archives, January 12. www.techarchives.org/ai-history.

Multimedia Sources

Citing multimedia sources, such as videos or podcasts, follows a different format. The citation should include the title, the platform, the date of publication, and a URL when applicable.

YouTube Video

Footnote: 1. CrashCourse, “Intro to Sociology,” YouTube, January 15, 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123.
Bibliography: CrashCourse. “Intro to Sociology.” YouTube, January 15, 2021. www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123.
In-text (Author-Date): (CrashCourse 2021)
Reference list: CrashCourse. 2021. “Intro to Sociology.” YouTube. January 15, 2021. www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123.

Formatting Guidelines

  • Font: Use Times New Roman, 12 pt.
  • Line Spacing: Double-space the main text and single-space notes.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
  • Title Page: Required for most papers in Chicago style.
  • Footnotes/Endnotes: Use superscript numbers in the text linked to footnotes at the bottom of the page.
  • Bibliography/Reference List: List entries alphabetically by author's last name.

Additional Resources