Chicago notes and bibliography style cites sources in numbered footnotes or endnotes, with a full bibliography at the end of the paper. It is the usual choice in history, art history, theology and many humanities subjects.
This guide follows the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th and 18th editions, and notes where they differ. Turabian, the student version of Chicago, uses the same patterns.
Chicago Notes Style in Thirty Seconds
- Put a superscript number in the text, usually after the punctuation at the end of the clause.
- Give a full note the first time you cite a source.
- Use a shortened note (surname, short title, page) for later citations.
- List every source in an alphabetical bibliography, with the author's name inverted.
- Number notes consecutively through the whole paper.
17th or 18th Edition?
The 18th edition, published in 2024, made the place of publication optional for books. The 17th edition includes it, for example "(Leeds: Northgate Press, 2020)". Both editions discourage "ibid." in favor of shortened notes, though many tutors still accept it.
Check which edition your course uses. The examples below follow the 18th edition and leave out the place of publication; add it if your guide asks for it.
Writing Footnotes
Note numbers in the text follow most punctuation, such as commas and full stops, and they are not placed in brackets. In the note itself, the number is followed by a full stop, and the author's name appears in normal order.
In the text. Spaced revision has been shown to improve long-term recall.1
Full note. 1. Amara Okafor, Learning That Lasts (Northgate Press, 2020), 12.
Shortened note. 2. Okafor, Learning That Lasts, 15.
Shortened titles are usually up to four words. If a source has a short title already, use it in full.
Notes and Bibliography Entries
| Source | Full note |
|---|---|
| Book | 1. Amara Okafor, Learning That Lasts (Northgate Press, 2020), 12. |
| Journal article | 2. Hana Lee and Ravi Patel, "Self-Scheduling and Burnout in Hospital Nurses," Journal of Nursing Management 30, no. 4 (2022): 515, https://doi.org/10.0000/example. |
| Chapter in edited book | 3. Kofi Mensah, "Feedback and Motivation," in Teaching in Universities, ed. Laura Ford and Tariq Ahmed (Northgate Press, 2021), 50. |
| Web page | 4. "Sleep and Young Adults," National Sleep Council, March 31, 2023, https://www.example.org/sleep. |
Bibliography Entries
Lee, Hana, and Ravi Patel. "Self-Scheduling and Burnout in Hospital Nurses." Journal of Nursing Management 30, no. 4 (2022): 512–20. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.
Mensah, Kofi. "Feedback and Motivation." In Teaching in Universities, edited by Laura Ford and Tariq Ahmed, 45–62. Northgate Press, 2021.
National Sleep Council. "Sleep and Young Adults." March 31, 2023. https://www.example.org/sleep.
Okafor, Amara. Learning That Lasts. Northgate Press, 2020.
All names, publishers and links are illustrative.
How Notes Differ from Bibliography Entries
| Feature | Note | Bibliography |
|---|---|---|
| Author name | First name first | Surname first (first author only) |
| Punctuation between parts | Mostly commas | Mostly full stops |
| Publication details | In brackets | Not in brackets |
| Page numbers | The specific page cited | Full page range for articles and chapters |
| Indent | First line indented | Hanging indent |
Ibid. and Shortened Notes
"Ibid." means "in the same place" and refers to the source in the note immediately before. Chicago now prefers a shortened note instead, because it is clearer when notes are moved during editing.
3. Okafor, Learning That Lasts, 12.
4. Okafor, Learning That Lasts, 18.
Older style, if your tutor accepts it. 4. Ibid., 18.
Page Layout
- Title the list "Bibliography", centered, on a new page at the end.
- Arrange entries alphabetically by the first author's surname.
- Use a hanging indent for bibliography entries.
- Footnotes are usually single-spaced within a note, with a blank line between notes; follow your department's guide.
Common Errors
| Error | Fix |
|---|---|
| Inverting names in notes | First name first in notes; surname first only in the bibliography |
| Note numbers in brackets | Use superscript numbers in the text |
| Restarting numbering in each section | Number consecutively through the paper |
| Full notes repeated every time | Use shortened notes after the first citation |
| Mixing 17th and 18th edition rules | Choose your course's edition and apply it throughout |
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Frequently Asked Questions
A citation style that uses numbered footnotes or endnotes in the text and a bibliography at the end. It is common in history and the humanities.
Usually yes. Most tutors expect a bibliography, even though the first note gives full details.
Chicago now prefers shortened notes, but many tutors still accept ibid. Follow your course guidance.
The 18th edition makes it optional; the 17th includes it. Use the edition your course requires.
After the punctuation at the end of the clause or sentence, except for a dash, which the number goes before.
Either is acceptable in Chicago. Footnotes are more common in student essays unless your tutor asks for endnotes.
Turabian is a student guide based on Chicago. Its citation formats match Chicago's, with extra advice on student papers.
Use an access date instead, placed before the URL, such as "accessed April 10, 2024". If the page has a publication or revision date, use that and leave the access date out.
Chicago prefers that you consult the original. If you cannot, cite both, for example the original author's work followed by "quoted in" and the source you actually read.
Include a page number whenever you cite a specific passage, quotation or idea from a paginated source. Web pages and unpaginated sources do not need one.