Let's be honest – formatting citations is nobody's idea of fun. I remember struggling with Chicago style citation back in college when I was writing my history thesis. That moment when you've finished researching but realize you have to format dozens of sources? Pure dread. But here's the thing: once you grasp the core logic, it's actually manageable. And since you're searching for how to Chicago style citation, you're probably stuck in that frustrating spot right now.
What makes Chicago citation tricky is its two parallel systems. It's like learning two languages at once. You've got the humanities folks using notes and bibliography, while social sciences lean toward author-date. Why they couldn't standardize this? Beats me. But don't worry - I'll walk you through both so you can handle any source thrown at you.
What Exactly is Chicago Style Citation Anyway?
Chicago style comes from the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), now in its 17th edition. Used heavily in publishing, history, and arts, it covers everything from comma rules to citation formats. When people ask how to Chicago style citation, they're usually talking about source documentation. Honestly, it's more flexible than APA but fussier than MLA in some ways.
Key Components of Chicago Citations
- Notes-Bibliography (NB): Uses footnotes/endnotes with superscript numbers plus a full bibliography. Ideal for humanities.
- Author-Date: Uses parenthetical in-text citations (Smith 2020, 45) plus reference list. Common in sciences.
- Bibliography/Reference List: Alphabetized master list of sources at document end
- Capitalization rules: Title case for book titles, sentence case for articles
I once lost points for using author-date in a literature paper. My professor called it "social science contamination." Lesson learned: always check which system your field prefers.
The Two Chicago Citation Systems Broken Down
This is where most folks get tripped up. Let me save you hours of confusion.
| Feature | Notes-Bibliography (NB) | Author-Date |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred Fields | History, Literature, Arts | Social Sciences, Sciences |
| In-text Citations | Footnotes/endnotes with superscript numbers1 | Parenthetical (Author Year, Page) |
| First Citation Format | Full source details in note | (Smith 2020, 45) |
| Subsequent Citations | Shortened form (Author, Short Title) | (Smith 2020, 82) |
| Bibliography Requirements | Alphabetical list of all sources | "References" list alphabetized by author |
| Page Number Placement | In footnote, before publication info | In parenthetical citation |
Pro tip: When deciding how to Chicago style citation for your project, look at recent papers in your field. History journals? Definitely NB. Psychology research? Author-date. Don't guess like I did!
Real Examples: Notes-Bibliography Format
Seeing is understanding. Here's how to cite common sources using humanities style:
| Source Type | Footnote Example | Bibliography Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Single Author Book | 1. Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow (New York: New Press, 2010), 158. | Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow. New York: New Press, 2010. |
| Journal Article | 2. Lisa Gitelman, "Print Culture (Other than Codex): Job Printing and Its Importance," Book History 17 (2014): 251. | Gitelman, Lisa. "Print Culture (Other than Codex): Job Printing and Its Importance." Book History 17 (2014): 235-59. |
| Website Content | 3. "Climate Change Indicators," Environmental Protection Agency, last modified July 2022, https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators. | Environmental Protection Agency. "Climate Change Indicators." Last modified July 2022. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators. |
Real Examples: Author-Date Format
Now let's look at the same sources in social sciences style:
| Source Type | In-text Citation | Reference List Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Single Author Book | (Alexander 2010, 158) | Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow. New York: New Press. |
| Journal Article | (Gitelman 2014, 251) | Gitelman, Lisa. 2014. "Print Culture (Other than Codex): Job Printing and Its Importance." Book History 17: 235-59. |
| Website Content | (EPA 2022) | Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2022. "Climate Change Indicators." Last modified July 2022. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators. |
Notice how publisher locations are included? That trips people up. Also, journal articles list full page ranges in bibliographies but specific pages in citations. Small details matter.
Tackling Tricky Chicago Citation Scenarios
What about sources that make you scratch your head? I've struggled with these too:
Missing Information
No author? Start with title in notes-bibliography. No date? Use "n.d." I once cited an undated pamphlet - my advisor made me track down its origin year anyway.
No Author Example (NB):
Footnote: 4. "Urban Farming Initiatives," City Harvest, accessed September 15, 2023, https://cityharvest.org/urbanfarming.
Bibliography: "Urban Farming Initiatives." City Harvest. Accessed September 15, 2023. https://cityharvest.org/urbanfarming.
Social Media Citations
Twitter threads caused me headaches until CMOS 17 clarified it. Include:
- Author's real name (handle in parentheses)
- Text of tweet up to 160 chars
- Timestamp
- URL
Tweet Example (Author-Date):
In-text: (National Archives 2022)
Reference: National Archives @USNatArchives. "Original 19th Amendment document will be on display through 2023 at the National Archives Museum." Twitter, August 18, 2022, 1:15 p.m. https://twitter.com/USNatArchives/status/1560364497136250880.
Multiple Works by Same Author
In NB system, use shortened titles after first citation:
First citation: 5. Rebecca Solnit, Men Explain Things to Me (Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2014), 24.
Subsequent: 7. Solnit, Men Explain, 56.
Warning: Citation generators like Zotero often mess up Chicago style citation for archival materials. I learned this the hard way when citing letters from a university archive. Always double-check against CMOS Chapter 14.
Formatting Your Bibliography or Reference List
This is where consistency matters most. Three key rules:
- Alphabetization: Letter-by-letter ignoring articles (The, A, An)
- Hanging indents: First line flush left, subsequent lines indented
- Single space: Within entries, double space between entries
Dealing with multiple works by same author? In bibliography, replace name with three em dashes after first entry:
Chomsky, Noam. Manufacturing Consent. New York: Pantheon, 1988.
———. Who Rules the World? New York: Metropolitan, 2016.
For author-date references, add lowercase letters to publication year when works share same year:
Smith, John. 2020a. Urban Development. Chicago: University Press.
Smith, John. 2020b. "Housing Crisis Solutions." Journal of Sociology 45 (2): 112-30.
Chicago Citation Pitfalls That Trip Everyone Up
After grading hundreds of papers, I've seen the same mistakes repeatedly:
| Mistake | Why It's Wrong | Correct Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Forgetting "accessed date" for online sources | Web content changes - CMOS requires retrieval date | Always include "Accessed [date]" for websites |
| Mixing NB and author-date systems | Inconsistent documentation confuses readers | Pick one system and use it exclusively |
| Incorrect publisher location format | Chicago requires city + state abbreviation for lesser-known cities | New York: Publisher (major city) Evanston, IL: Publisher (lesser-known) |
| Wrong quotation mark style | Chicago uses double quotes first, singles for nested quotes | "He called it 'unprecedented,'" she recalled. |
I still catch myself putting commas after journal titles instead of periods. Old habits die hard.
FAQs: Your Chicago Citation Questions Answered
How do I cite a source with multiple authors in Chicago style?
NB first note: List up to three authors (First Last1, Last2, and Last3). For four+ authors: First Last1 et al.
Author-date: In-text: (Last1, Last2, and Last3 Year) for 1-3 authors; (Last1 et al. Year) for 4+
Reference list: Always list all authors in bibliography/reference list.
Do I need to include DOI or URL for journal articles?
CMOS 17 states: Include DOI if available (preferred over URL). If no DOI, include stable URL.
Format: https://doi.org/10.1086/678980
Pro tip: Some databases generate messy URLs - always use the article's permalink.
How to format page numbers in Chicago citations?
Notes: Use full numbers (42-45, 100-104)
In-text: Use same format (Smith 2020, 42-45)
Exception: For 101-08, 110-20, 415-532 - use shortened second number
Why? Because we've been doing it since typesetting days. Annoying but traditional.
Can I use "ibid." in Chicago style?
CMOS 17 discourages "ibid." for consecutive citations. Instead:
Shortened citation: Last, Short Title, page
Example: After full note for Smith's book:
First citation: Smith, Global Economics, 45
Next: Smith, Global Economics, 52
Much clearer than ibid. anyway.
How to cite an ebook without page numbers?
Use chapter or section heading instead:
NB: 8. Jane Doe, Digital Revolution (Chicago: Press, 2021), chap. 4, Kindle.
Author-date: (Doe 2021, chap. 4)
For fixed-layout formats like PDFs, use location numbers if stable.
Essential Chicago Citation Resources
Bookmark these lifesavers for learning how to Chicago style citation properly:
- The Chicago Manual of Style Online: Official subscription version with search (costs $$ but worth it)
- Purdue OWL Chicago Guide: Free comprehensive examples (purdue.edu/owl)
- Zotero: Citation manager with Chicago style templates (free)
- Turabian Quick Guide: Student-focused Chicago variant (press.uchicago.edu)
Personal workflow tip: I draft in Google Docs with Zotero citations, then export to Word for final formatting. Saves hours.
When Citation Generators Fail
Tools like Citation Machine often make Chicago errors:
| Generator Mistake | Correct Chicago Format |
|---|---|
| Using commas instead of periods after elements | Last, First. Title. City: Publisher, Year. |
| Omitting publisher locations | New Haven, CT: Yale University Press |
| Mistranslating website titles | "Title of Page," Website Name (not URL as title) |
Always verify generator output against CMOS examples. Trust me - I've seen absurd generator mistakes that would've failed peer review.
Why Bother Mastering Chicago Citation?
Beyond avoiding plagiarism accusations? Proper Chicago style citation:
- Builds credibility with academic readers
- Helpes readers locate your sources
- Demonstrates attention to detail
- Creates professional presentation
That history paper I mentioned earlier? Despite the early citation struggles, I aced it because the professor appreciated my flawless bibliography. Sometimes the rules feel arbitrary, but following them signals respect for the academic community.
Mastering how to Chicago style citation feels like learning a secret code. Annoying at first? Absolutely. But once it clicks, you'll breeze through documentation while others stress. Start with the basics I've outlined here, refer to CMOS when stuck, and remember - even professors still look up citation rules.
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