Download a copy of the Chicago Citations video tutorial transcript:
To see examples of what Chicago style citations should look like for different source types, check out the following websites. These websites provide guidance on how to format footnotes and bibliography entries for a variety of source types.
The OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue University has an annotated sample paper in Chicago style, which is helpful for seeing an example of what the formatting of your paper should look like:
The Chicago NB (Notes & Bibliography) system is often used in History scholarship and provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through footnote or endnote citation in their writing and through bibliography pages. It also offers writers an outlet for commenting on those cited sources.
Bibliographies:
In the NB system, the bibliography provides an alphabetical list of all sources used in a given work. This page, most often titled Bibliography, is usually placed at the end of the work. It should include all sources cited within the work.
Although bibliographic entries for various sources may be formatted differently, all included sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) are arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. If no author or editor is listed on a source, the title of that source may be used instead for alphabetization in the bibliography.
Common Elements
Entries in the bibliography generally include the author (or editor, compiler, translator), title, and publication information.
Author’s Names
The first author’s name is inverted in the bibliography, placing the last name first and separating the last name and first name with a comma; for example, John Smith becomes Smith, John. (If an author is not listed first, this applies to compilers, translators, etc.) If there is more than one author, write the first author's name as Last Name, First Name. Write the other author's names as First Name Last Name.
Titles
Titles of books and journals are italicized. Titles of articles, chapters, poems, etc. are placed in quotation marks.
Publication Information
The year of publication is listed after the publisher or journal name.
Punctuation
In a bibliography, all major elements are separated by periods.
Formatting the Bibliography:
Footnotes:
You should include a note (endnote or footnote) each time you use a source, whether through a direct quote or through a paraphrase or summary. Footnotes will be added at the bottom of the page on which the source is referenced. A superscript number corresponding to the note should be placed in the text following the end of the sentence or clause in which the source is referenced.
The first note for each source should include all relevant information about the source: full name(s) of the author(s), source title, and facts of publication. If you cite the same source again, the note need only include the surname(s) of the author(s), a shortened form of the title (if more than four words), and page number(s).
Formatting Footnotes: