When to Use Chicago Style
Chicago style is primarily used in history, fine arts, and some humanities disciplines. It offers two documentation systems: Notes-Bibliography (NB) for humanities and Author-Date for sciences. This guide focuses on Notes-Bibliography style.
๐ Common Fields Using Chicago:
- History
- Fine Arts & Art History
- Music & Musicology
- Publishing & Journalism
- Some Humanities Disciplines
Quick Reference - Common Source Types
๐ Book
Footnote/Endnote:
Bibliography:
Example:
Wilson, James. The American Revolution: A New History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2023.
๐ Journal Article
Footnote/Endnote:
Bibliography:
Example:
Martinez, Rosa. "Colonial Trade Networks in the Atlantic World." Journal of Early American History 45, no. 3 (2024): 234-267.
๐ Website
Footnote/Endnote:
Bibliography:
Example:
"The Declaration of Independence." National Archives. March 15, 2024. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs.
Notes-Bibliography System
Footnotes vs. Endnotes
Footnotes: Appear at the bottom of each page
Endnotes: Appear at the end of the paper before the bibliography
Both use superscript numbers in the text (e.g., example.1)
First Note (Full Citation)
1. James Wilson, The American Revolution (New York: Oxford, 2023), 45.
Shortened Note (Subsequent Citations)
2. Wilson, American Revolution, 67.
Ibid. (Same Source, Consecutive Notes)
3. Wilson, American Revolution, 45.
4. Ibid., 46.
Multiple Authors
Two or three authors: James Wilson and Sarah Martinez
Four or more: James Wilson et al.
Bibliography Formatting Guidelines
- โTitle: Center "Bibliography" at the top of a new page
- โOrder: Alphabetical by author's last name
- โHanging Indent: First line flush left, subsequent lines indented
- โSpacing: Single-space entries, double-space between entries
- โCapitalization: Use Title Case for all titles
- โItalics: Italicize titles of books, journals, and major works
Common Mistakes to Avoid
โ Using Sentence Case for Titles
Wrong: The american revolution: A new history
Right: The American Revolution: A New History
โ Forgetting Commas in Publication Info
Wrong: (New York: Oxford 2023)
Right: (New York: Oxford, 2023)
โ Using Same Format for Notes and Bibliography
Wrong: Using First Name Last Name in bibliography
Right: Last Name, First Name in bibliography
โ Overusing Ibid.
Wrong: Using ibid. when citing different sources
Right: Use ibid. only for consecutive citations of the same source
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