Referencing is a crucial aspect of academic writing. It ensures that the original authors of the sources you use in your work are properly credited and helps readers verify the information. With numerous referencing styles available, it’s important to understand the specifics of each to apply them correctly in your papers. This guide covers the most common referencing styles students should know, including APA, MLA, Chicago, and more.
Understanding Referencing
Referencing involves acknowledging the sources of information and ideas that you incorporate into your academic work. Proper referencing is essential to avoid plagiarism, provide evidence for your arguments, and give credit to the original authors.
Importance of Referencing in Academic Writing
Referencing plays a vital role in academic writing for several reasons:
Credibility: Citing sources enhances the credibility of your work.
Verification: Readers can verify the information and further explore the topic.
Acknowledgement: It acknowledges the contributions of other researchers and avoids plagiarism.
Overview of Common Referencing Styles
Different academic disciplines prefer different referencing styles. Here is an overview of the most common ones:
APA Style
History and Development of APA Style
The American Psychological Association (APA) style was developed to help authors achieve clarity in their scholarly writing and to standardize the format of papers and citations.
General APA Guidelines
APA style requires double-spaced text, a title page, and a reference list. The paper should have 1-inch margins and be typed in a readable font, such as 12-point Times New Roman.
APA In-Text Citations
In-text citations in APA style follow the author-date format. For example: (Smith, 2020).
APA Reference List Format
The reference list should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author. Each entry should include the author’s name, publication year, title, and source. For example:
Smith, J. (2020). Title of the Book. Publisher.
MLA Style
History and Development of MLA Style
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is widely used in the humanities, especially in writing on language and literature.
General MLA Guidelines
MLA style uses a Works Cited page and in-text citations with the author’s last name and page number. The paper should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins.
MLA In-Text Citations
In-text citations in MLA style include the author’s last name and the page number (Smith 23).
MLA Works Cited Format
Entries in the Works Cited list should be alphabetized by the author’s last name and include the author’s name, title, publisher, and publication year. For example:
Smith, John. Title of the Book. Publisher, 2020.
Chicago Style
History and Development of Chicago Style
The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) offers two systems: Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date. It is commonly used in history and other humanities disciplines.
General Chicago Guidelines
Chicago style allows for either the Notes and Bibliography system or the Author-Date system. Papers should have 1-inch margins and be double-spaced.
Chicago Notes and Bibliography System
This system uses footnotes or endnotes for in-text citations and a bibliography at the end of the paper.
Chicago Author-Date System
The Author-Date system uses in-text citations with the author’s last name, publication year, and a reference list.
Harvard Style
History and Development of Harvard Style
Harvard referencing is commonly used in the UK and Australia, especially in the social and natural sciences.
General Harvard Guidelines
Harvard style requires in-text citations with the author’s last name, year of publication, and a reference list.
Harvard In-Text Citations
In-text citations include the author’s last name and year of publication (Smith, 2020).
Harvard Reference List Format
The reference list should be alphabetized by the author’s last name and include the author’s name, publication year, title, and source.
Vancouver Style
History and Development of Vancouver Style
Vancouver style is used in medical and scientific papers, particularly in publications by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
General Vancouver Guidelines
Vancouver style uses numbered citations in the text and a corresponding numbered reference list.
Vancouver In-Text Citations
In-text citations are indicated by numbers in parentheses or superscript: (1).
Vancouver Reference List Format
References are listed in the order they appear in the text, not alphabetically.
IEEE Style
History and Development of IEEE Style
The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style is used mainly in technical fields, particularly in engineering and computer science.
General IEEE Guidelines
The IEEE style uses numbered references in the text, with a corresponding list at the end of the document.
IEEE In-Text Citations
In-text citations are indicated by numbers in square brackets: [1].
IEEE Reference List Format
References are listed in numerical order.
Turabian Style
History and Development of Turabian Style
Turabian style, based on The Chicago Manual of Style, is designed for college students writing papers, theses, and dissertations.
General Turabian Guidelines
Turabian style allows for either the Notes and Bibliography or Author-Date citation methods.
Turabian Notes and Bibliography System
This system uses footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography.
Turabian Author-Date System
The Author-Date system uses in-text citations with the author’s last name, publication year, and a reference list.
CSE Style
History and Development of CSE Style
The Council of Science Editors (CSE) style is used in scientific papers, especially in biology.
General CSE Guidelines
CSE style uses three systems: Name-Year, Citation-Sequence, and Citation-Name.
CSE In-Text Citations
In the Name-Year system, in-text citations include the author’s last name and year of publication (Smith 2020).
CSE Reference List Format
The reference list format varies depending on the system used.
ASA Style
History and Development of ASA Style
The American Sociological Association (ASA) style is used mainly in sociology.
General ASA Guidelines
ASA style uses in-text citations with the author’s last name, year of publication, and a reference list.
ASA In-Text Citations
In-text citations include the author’s last name and year of publication (Smith 2020).
ASA Reference List Format
References should be alphabetized by the author’s last name and include the author’s name, publication year, title, and source.
Bluebook Style
History and Development of Bluebook Style
The Bluebook style is used primarily in legal documents and law reviews.
General Bluebook Guidelines
Bluebook style uses footnotes for citations and a reference list for longer works.
Bluebook In-Text Citations
Citations are provided in footnotes, often with detailed information.
Bluebook Reference List Format
The reference list includes detailed citations for all referenced works.
Oxford Style
History and Development of Oxford Style
Oxford style, also known as the documentary-note style, is used in the humanities, particularly in history.
General Oxford Guidelines
Oxford style uses footnotes or endnotes for citations and a bibliography.
Oxford In-Text Citations
Citations are indicated by superscript numbers in the text, with corresponding footnotes or endnotes.
Oxford Reference List Format
The bibliography is alphabetized by the author’s last name and includes full publication details.
Differences Between Referencing Styles
Different referencing styles vary in their use of in-text citations, reference list formats, and specific guidelines. Understanding these differences is essential for correctly applying the appropriate style.
Choosing the Right Referencing Style for Your Paper
Selecting the right referencing style depends on your field of study, the requirements of your instructor, and the conventions of the academic discipline.
Common Mistakes in Referencing and How to Avoid Them
Common mistakes in referencing include incorrect citation formats, missing citations, and inconsistent use of styles. To avoid these errors, carefully follow the guidelines of the chosen style and double-check your references.
Tools and Resources for Managing References
Several tools and resources can help manage references, including:
How do I choose the right referencing style for my paper?
Choosing the right referencing style depends on your field of study and the requirements of your instructor. Common styles include APA, MLA, and Chicago.
What is the difference between in-text citations and a reference list?
In-text citations are brief references within the text, while the reference list provides detailed information about all the sources cited in the paper.
Can I use multiple referencing styles in one paper?
It’s generally not recommended to mix referencing styles in one paper. Consistency is key to maintaining clarity and credibility.
What should I do if I can’t find the publication date for a source?
If the publication date is unavailable, use “n.d.” (no date) in place of the year.
How do I cite a source with multiple authors?
The format for citing multiple authors varies by style. In APA, list all authors the first time, and for subsequent citations, use “et al.” after the first author’s name if there are more than two authors.
Can I use online citation generators for referencing?
Yes, online citation generators can be helpful, but always double-check their accuracy and ensure they follow the specific guidelines of your chosen style.
Conclusion
Understanding and correctly applying referencing styles is essential for academic writing. By familiarizing yourself with the guidelines of various styles, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and others, you can ensure your work is credible, properly cited, and free from plagiarism. Use this guide to navigate the complexities of referencing and excel in your academic endeavors.
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The Chicago Citation Style Guide (17th ed.)-Author-Date is a referencing format developed in accordance with The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, published by the University of Chicago Press in 2017. This manual is intended for writers and practitioners as the guidelines for citing sources in the right format and technique. The author-date system is followed by scientists and social science scholars and writers, where each quoted material includes the author’s last name and the year the material being quoted was published exactly the same as the full bibliographies on the reference list at the last part of the document.
General Principles of Formatting
The margins should be 1″ (2.54 cm) on all sides, which is similar to MLA, APA, and Havard format.
Use Arial 12 pt. font (unless the instructions require a different font), double-spaced.
Name reference list either “References” or “Works Cited.”
Alphabetize the sources on the reference list by the author’s last names (or, if no author or editor is given, by the title or, failing that, a descriptive phrase).
For successive entries by the same author(s), translator(s), editor(s), or compiler(s), a 3-em
dash replaces the name(s) after the first appearance. The entries are arranged chronologically by year of publication in ascending order, not alphabetized by title
Title Page
The title is placed in the center of the page and written in UPPERCASE. Use a colon to separate the main title from the subtitle. The subtitle should be written below the title line. The student’s name, tutor’s name, other class information, date, and year are located in the lower part of the page, written in sentence case. There should be no page numbers on the title page or page with the table of contents/outline.
Level 5: Placed at the beginning of the paragraph. It can be italicized or bold, sentence case. A period is used to separate the subheading and the rest of the text in the paragraph.
Reference List
The reference list is inserted at the end of your paper; any source that you use needs to be included in the reference page and cited in the text.
Indent all lines after the first line in the entry (hanging indent); the lines should be indented one[1] half an inch (1.27 cm) from the left margin of your paper.
Remember to invert authors’ names: Last Name, First Name. For example, Clifton, Lucille.
The reference list is always alphabetized by the first word in the reference entry (from A to Z).
When alphabetizing titles or group names as authors, go by the first significant word (disregard a, an, the)
All words except for articles and prepositions should be capitalized in the titles of your sources in the text and on a reference page.
Italicization is applied to books and periodical journals’ titles.
Double quotation marks are used for the titles of articles and book chapters.
References
The references list is centred and the heading for the page reads: References. If you have used but one (1) source, the heading is Reference. Maximum capitalization is used in the heading, i.e. capitalize the first word, the last word and all principal words including those that follow hyphens in compound terms. Every source you refer to on the reference page must be cited in the body of the text. Every source you cite in the body of the text must have a reference entry on the reference page.
Citing Books
General format
Author’s Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. Title of the Book. Publisher’s Location: Publisher’s Name.
One author
Clifton, Lucille. 1993. The Book of Light. Washington: Copper Canyon Press.
Two to ten authors
Lechner, Mildred, and Ralph Lechner. 1998. The World of Salt Shakers: Antique & Art Glass Value Guide. Paducah: Collector Books.
Budker, Dmitry, Derek F. Kimball, and David P. DeMille. 2004. Atomic Physics: An Exploration through Problems and Solutions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
More than ten authors
The names of the first ten authors are listed, and then “et al.” is added.
Mehrer, Mark, John Flatman, Natt Flemming, Jill Baxter, Caleb Orser, Keit Wescot, Din Dale, Derek F. Kimball, Ralph Lechner, David Morgan et al. 2015. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 6th ed. New York: Garland Science.
Corporate Author
World Health Organization. 2006. Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Control: A Guide to Essential Practice. Geneva: World Health Organization.
No author
Articles at the beginning of book titles are omitted to maintain alphabetical order. Mythology: Myths, Legends and Fantasies. 2003. Sydney: Hodder Headline Australia.
Multiple works by the same author
The works are arranged in chronological order. A 3-em dash and period replace the author’s name in every subsequent reference entry.
Fromm, Erich. 1942. The Fear of Freedom. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
—. 1987. The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
—. 1992. The Art of Being. New York: Continuum.
Multiple works published in the same year by the same author
The works are arranged in alphabetical order by title. The letters “a,” “b,” “c,” etc. follow the year of publication in each entry. These assist readers in distinguishing the sources cited parenthetically.
Brodsky, Joseph. 2011a. Less than One: Selected Essays. London: Penguin Press.
—. 2011b. On Grief And Reason: Essays. London: Penguin Press.
Edition other than the first
Alberts, Bruce. 2015. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 6th ed. New York: Garland Science.
Reprint edition
Austen, Jane. (1813) 2003. Pride and Prejudice. London: T. Egerton. Reprint, New York: Penguin Classics. Citations refer to the Penguin edition.
An edited book with no author
Monanty, Chandra Talpade, Ann Russo, and Lourdes Torres, eds. 1991. Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Multivolume works
Nichols, Bill, ed. 1985. Movies and Methods. Vol. 2 of An Anthology. Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Tillich, Paul. 1951–63. Systematic Theology. 3 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
A translated book
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. 1992. The Idiot. Translated and edited by Alan Myers. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Encyclopedia/dictionary
Swators, William H., Peter Kivisto, Barbara J. Denison, and James McClennon, eds. 1998. Encyclopedia of Religion and Society. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press.
Chapter in an edited book
Balsamo, Anne. 1995. “Forms of Technological Embodiment.” In Cyberspace/Cyberbodies/Cyberpunk: Cultures of Technological Embodiment, edited by Mike Featherstone and Roger Burrows, 215–237. London: Sage Publications.
E-book
Austen, Jane. 2007. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Penguin Classics. Kindle.
Borel, Brooke. 2016. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ProQuest ebrary.
Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. 2001. The Hobbit or There and Back Again. New York: Harper Collins. https://www.readanybook.com/ebook/the-hobbit-17.
Citing Articles in Periodicals
General format
Author’s Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. “Title of the Article.” Full Title of the Journal volume number (issue number): page numbers.
Note: URL or DOI is added at the end of the entry for online sources.
Journal article in print
Seaton, Philip, and Takayoshi Yamamura. 2015. “Japanese Popular Culture and Contents Tourism
– Introduction.” Japan Forum 27 (1): 1–11.
Meyerovitch, Eva. 1959. “The Gnostic Manuscripts of Upper Egypt.” Diogenes, no. 25, 84–117.
Note:
If there is no volume but only an issue, write “no.” before the issue.
Online journal article
Spielmann, Katherine, Matthew Peeples, Donna Glowacki, and Andrew Dugmore. 2016. “Early Warning Signals of Social Transformation: A Case Study from the US Southwest.” Plos ONE 11 (10): 1–18. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163685.
Newspaper and magazine articles in print
Burchard, Hank. 1998. “Van Gogh: The Full Palette.” The Washington Post, October 2, 1998, 24–25.
New York Times. 2002. “In Texas, Ad Heats Up Race for Governor.” July 30, 2002.
Note:
If there is no author, the magazine/newspaper title stands for the author.
State edition of the magazine in parentheses after the magazine title.
Citing Conferences
Conference proceedings/presentations
Dally, David, and Paul Gross. 2003. “Modernization Concepts: Utilizing Bayer Countercurrent Packed
Bed Technology.” Paper presented at the 64th Annual International Water Conference,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 19-23.
Citing Dissertations and Theses
Thesis or dissertation
Hernandez, Ivonne. 2014. “Acculturation, Self-Efficacy and Breastfeeding Behavior in a Sample
of Hispanic Women.” PhD diss., University of South Carolina.
Rutz, Cynthia Lillian. 2013. “King Lear and Its Folktale Analogues.” PhD diss., University of
Chicago.
Note:
If the thesis/dissertation contains a title of the book, write only the book name in Italics.
Citing Learning Environment
Lecture/presentation
Mahoney, Karen Murrey. “Overview of the Over-the-Counter Drug Monograph Process.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, June 10, 2016.
Citing Online Sources
Entire website: corporate author
WHO. 2017. World Health Organization (website). Accessed March 22, 2018.
http://www.who.int/en/.
Website (no date)
CivicPlus Content Management System. n.d. City of Ithaca, New York (website). Accessed April 6,
2018. http://www.cityofithaca.org/.
Page from a website
Frank, Anne. 2017. “Education.” AnneFrankHouse. Accessed April 3, 2018. http://www.annefrankhouse.org/en/Education/.
Page with an unknown author
Oath Inc. 2018. “Privacy Center.” Privacy & Terms. Last modified April 2018. Accessed December 7, 2018. https://policies.oath.com/us/en/oath/privacy/index.html.
Note:
Use website name as author
Image
Jean, James. 2014. “MIZU”. Accessed January 24, 2018.
Germano, William. 2017. “Futurist Shock.” Lingua Franca (blog), Chronicle of Higher Education. February 15, 2017. http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2017/02/15/futurist[1]shock/.
Saunders, Rip. 2017. “Fintech Groups Express Support for OCC Charter,” RipSaunders (blog). January 20, 2017. http://ripsaunders.livejournal.com/375181.html.
Social media
Díaz, Junot. 2016. “Always surprises my students when I tell them that the ‘real’ medieval was more diverse than the fake ones most of us consume.” Facebook, February 24, 2016. https://www.facebook.com/junotdiaz.writer/posts/972495572815454.
O’Brien, Conan (@ConanOBrien). 2015. “In honor of Earth Day, I’m recycling my tweets.” Twitter, April 22, 2015, 11:10 a.m. https://twitter.com/ConanOBrien/status/590940792967016448.
Souza, Pete (@petesouza). 2016. “President Obama bids farewell to President Xi of China at the conclusion of the Nuclear Security Summit.” Instagram photo, April 1, 2016. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDrmfXTtNCt/.
Akira. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. 1987. London: Manga Entertainment, 2003. DVD.
Citing Governmental Sources
Government publication/standard
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2011. Let’s Eat for the Health of It. No. 232-CP. https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/27_DGCB-LEFTHOI.pdf.
In-Text Citations
Books
one author
Note that no punctuation is used between the name and the date, but a comma separates the page number.
Example: According to the observations, “traditional industrial psychology no longer met the
varied needs of organizations” (Gallos 2006, xv).
When the information from the source is paraphrased, the page number is not required. Example: The most commonly used definition of organization development is unsuitable for contemporary corporate reality (Gallos 2006).
Two or three authors
All authors are listed after the citation in the same order as in the references list. The word “and” is
used to separate the authors.
Example: “Morality, it could be argued, represents the way that people would like the world to work —
whereas economics represents how it does work” (Levitt and Dubner 2005, 11).
More than three authors
List only the first of the authors from the list, followed by et al.
Example: There is a visible shift towards experience-based incentives in the HRM field
Example: Applicability of school education is currently a priority among educators (Savery 2014).
Multiple sources
If more than one source is cited in the same sentence, list them alphabetically and separate them with a semicolon.
Example: Most definitions characterize OD as managed vertically (Chang 2009; Smith 2013; Wright 2010).
Different authors with the same surnames
Use initials before last names to distinguish between the authors.
Example: Globalization is credited for fueling the off-shore practices (H. Wang 2012). However, according to Y. Wang (2012), its impact on the diversification of markets is often overlooked in this context.
Same year/same author
If an author has more than one publication in one year, write the author’s last name followed by the date and a corresponding letter from the references list.
Example: Perceived conflict is a stage at which the events are identified as a source of disturbance (Finkelman 2012a).
A source with no date
If the date of publication cannot be ascertained, write the author’s last name followed by Example: Despite the best efforts of the researchers, neither of these claims was
corroborated (Maxwell n.d.).
A source quoted in another work
Example: The original work by Einstein contained numerous arithmetical errors (as cited in
Aslan 2013).
Scholarly journal article
Journal citations share citation style with books but require mentioning the page.
Example: There is a direct relationship between employee engagement and productivity (Johnson et al.
2014, 533).
Newspaper article
Example: The procession participants were “treated in the most unacceptable way” (Barber 2011,
D2).
Entire website
Use the name of the website followed by the date of publication or the date of accessing the source.
Example: The rules of the site explicitly forbid using it only for business purposes (WHO 2016).
Page from a website
Include the name of the author instead of the name of the resource.
Example: Value added may or may not result in changes in the product’s price (Stephens 2016).
Corporate Author
If the information comes from an organization or other corporate entity, list its name in the place of
the author.
Example: Privacy and integrity are the focus of the new regulations (British Government 2014).
Page with an unknown author
Use the name of the website in an in-text citation.
Example: (Oath Inc. 2018).
Page with unknown author and date
Use the name of the website followed by n.d.
Example: Despite the best efforts of experts, the content of the manuscript remains unknown (WHO
n.d.).
Video/Film
List the title of the video and a publication/access date.
The absurdity of the situation reaches its peak in the apprehension scene (Boyz n the Hood 1991).
Lecture/presentation
Write the lecture author and date.
Example: Economies of scale have a strong influence on off-shoring practices (Donnerly 2014).
Government publication/standard
List the name of the organization followed by the year of publication.
Example: Ethylmercury in standard doses has no known effect on health (USFDA 2014).
Social media
Example:
(Díaz, 2016)
(O’Brien 2015)
(Souza 2016)
Dissertation/thesis
List the author’s name and publication date.
Example: The traditional shrimp industry was the first to feel the impact of globalization (Janet 2005).
Conference Proceedings
Authors’ names are followed by the year of the publication.
Example: The critical approach was considered evident only in a fraction of cases (Gentry and Simmons 2001)
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The Chicago Citation Style Guide (17th ed.) – Notes-Bibliography is a referencing guide developed in accordance with The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, published by the University of Chicago Press in 2017. This kind of referencing is used in the humanities, particularly in areas such as history, literature, and the arts. This includes a system of footnotes or endnotes supported by a bibliography, therefore allowing for detailed referencing/ commentary in the text whilst providing all complete bibliographic information in a separate section. This style is clear and consistent for the purpose of reference; it enables good and proper communication in scholarly matters.
Set 1″ (2.54 cm) margins on all sides. (applies in APA, MLA, and Havard Style Guide)
Use Arial 12 pt. font (unless your instructions say otherwise).
All words except articles and prepositions should be capitalized in book/article/periodical titles.
At the end of a paper written in compliance with the Chicago NB style, a full list of the sources cited in the paper appears in a separate section titled “Bibliography.”
Bibliographical entries are single-spaced and separated by an additional line space.
Title Page
The title is placed in the center of the page and written in UPPERCASE. Use a colon to separate the main title from the subtitle. The subtitle should be written below the title line.
The student’s name, tutor’s name, other class information, date, and year are located in the lower part of the page, written in sentence case. There should be no page numbers on the title page or page with the table of contents/outline.
Level 5: Placed at the beginning of the paragraph. It can be italicized or bold, sentence case. A period is used to separate the subheading and the rest of the text in the paragraph.
Footnotes
1. A footnote should be created every time you use a source.
2. Footnotes appear at the bottom (footer) part of a page.
3. A footnote should be indented (left margin).
4. All succeeding lines of this footnote should be formatted flush left.
5. Footnotes are single-spaced and separated by an additional line space.
6. The first footnote for one source should present all the information related to this source
(including the author’s full name, title of the source, and other relevant facts).
7. If the source is cited more than once, subsequent footnotes should only include the last name of the author, a short title (if the original title consists of more than four words), and the number(s) of the cited page(s).
8. Note that the page number is required in all short-form citations, even if it is the same as the previous entry.
Example:
1. Firstname, Lastname, Title of Book (Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication), page number.
2. Last name, Shortened Title of Book, page number.
9. The use of ibid. Is now discouraged in favor of shortened citations as per the 17th edition of
CMOS (section 14.34). In footnotes citing the same source as the one preceding, use a
shortened form of the citation, as in note 1 below. The title of the work may also be omitted if the
previous note includes the title, as in note 2 below.
Example:
1. Harvey, “Modernity and Modernism,” 12.
2. Harvey, 13.
10. Aside from ibid., Chicago style offers cross-referencing for multiple notes with repeated content
(especially for longer, discursive notes). Remember: a note number should never appear out of
order.
Example:
1. Michel Foucault, “The Means of Correct Training” in The Foucault Reader, ed. Paul Rabinow (New York: Pantheon, 1984), 188.
Bibliography remark
If citing sacred texts, such as the Jewish or Christian scriptures, remember that they are usually mentioned in parenthetical citations or notes rather than in bibliographies. Such citations include book (in roman and usually abbreviated), chapter, and verse. A colon is used between chapter and verse. The traditional abbreviations use periods, but the shorter forms do not.
Examples:
Traditional abbreviations:
4. 1 Thess. 4:11, 5:2–5, 5:14.
5. Heb. 13:8, 13:12.
6. Gen. 25:19–36:43.
Shorter abbreviations:
7. 2 Sm 11:1–17, 11:26–27; 1 Chr 10:13–14.
8. Jo 5:9–12; Mt 26:2–5.
Bibliography
A reference page in a Chicago Notes-Bibliography style guide is known as a bibliography Page. Within each entry, bibliography entries are entered in single spacing; however, an extra space should be left between bibliographic entries. As a general rule, any item that you reference in the text of your paper must be on the bibliography page. Any item in your footnotes must have a corresponding reference entry on your bibliography page. Note differences in punctuation and word order in Bibliography entries and footnotes.
Citing Books
General book format
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.
Footnote citation:
1. Firstname Lastname, Title of Book (Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication), page
number.
Single author
Fetherston, Trevor. Becoming an Effective Teacher. Victoria: Thomson Learning, 2007.
If the city of publication may be unknown to readers or may be confused with another city of the
same name, the abbreviation of the state, province, or (sometimes) country is usually added.
Washington is traditionally followed by DC, but other major cities, such as Los Angeles and
Baltimore needs no state abbreviation. (For countries not easily abbreviated, spell out the name.)
When the publisher’s name includes the state name, the abbreviation is not needed.
In notes and bibliography, the initial is omitted from a publisher’s name, as are abbreviations such as Inc., Ltd., or S.A. following a name. Co., & Co., Publishing Co., and the like are also omitted. Books are usually retained (Basic Books, Riverhead Books). The word Press can sometimes be omitted (for example, Pergamon Press and Ecco Press can be abbreviated to Pergamon and Ecco, but Free Press and New Press—whose names might be confusing without Press—must be given in full). The press should not be omitted from the name of a university press because the university itself may issue publications independent of its press. The word University may be abbreviated to Univ. if done consistently.
Examples:
Houghton Mifflin, not Houghton Mifflin Co.
Little, Brown, not Little, Brown & Co.
Macmillan, not Macmillan Publishing Co.
Two or three authors
Bohm, Andrew, and Dean Chaudri. Securing Australia’s Future: An Analysis of the International Education Markets in India. Sydney: IDP Education Australia, 2000.
Footnote citation:
1. Andrew Bohm and Dean Chaudri, Securing Australia’s Future: An Analysis of the International
Education Markets in India (Sydney: IDP Education Australia, 2000), 33–55.
Four or more authors
Bell, Michael, David Bush, Peter Nicholson, Dan O’Brien, and Thomas Tran. Universities Online: A Survey of Online Education and Services in Australia. Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002.
Footnote citation:
1. Michael Bell et al., Universities Online: A Survey of Online Education and Services in Australia (Canberra: Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002), 33–55.
No author
If there are no authors or editors in the source, then cite the source by title. In footnotes and corresponding bibliographical entries, citations should begin with the title, omitting the element with the first name and last name. The citation looks like this:
Mythology: Myths, Legends and Fantasies. Sydney: Hodder Headline Australia, 2003.
Using multiple works by the same author poses no challenge as all are to be cited in footnotes at the bottom of the page.
Fromm, Erich. The Fear of Freedom. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1942.
—. The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1987.
Footnote citation:
1. Erich Fromm, The Fear of Freedom (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1942), 33.
2. Erich Fromm, The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books,
1987), 42.
Different editions
Kremer, John, and Aidan Moran. Pure Sport: Practical Sports Psychology. 2nd ed. Hove, East Sussex: Routledge, 2013.
Footnote citation:
1. John Kremer and Aidan Moran, Pure Sport: Practical Sport Psychology, 2nd ed. (Hove, East Sussex: Routledge, 2013), 104.
Note:
It may be required to further specify the place of publication. In this example, it is Hove, East Sussex. In most cases, it would be sufficient to simply list the city.
Editor or translator instead of author
Smith, Jane, ed. The Stanford Handbook of Business and the American Press. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Footnote citation:
1. Jane Smith, ed., The Stanford Handbook of Business and the American Press (New York:
Oxford University Press, 2012), 202.
Note:
In a case with a translator, use trans. Instead of ed.
Authors plus editors or translators
Churchill, Winston. The Literary Works of Winston Churchill. Edited by Samuel Jackson. London: The Limited Editions Club, Inc., 1963.
Footnote citation:
1. Winston Churchill, The Literary Works of Winston Churchill, ed. Samuel Jackson (London: The Limited Editions Club, Inc., 1963), 12.
Note:
Use phrases like edited by (ed.), compiled by (comp.), or translated by (trans.) when it is
necessary.
Corporate Author
UNESCO. Worldwide Child Development Program 2000-2006. Zurich: UNESCO, 2000.
Footnote citation:
1. UNESCO, Worldwide Child Development Program 2000-2006 (Zurich: UNESCO, 2000), 2.
Encyclopedia or dictionary
The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed. s.v. “Tradition.”
If there is a need to cite the encyclopedia multiple times on the same page, use s.vv. Instead of s.v., and cite all the words after (sub verbo, “under the word”; pl. s.vv.).
The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed. s.vv. “Astronomy,” “Chemistry,” “Tradition,” “Philosophy.”
Footnote citation:
1. The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed., s.v. “Tradition.”
2. The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed., s.vv. “Astronomy,” “Chemistry,” “Tradition,”
“Philosophy.”
Note:
Since all words in a dictionary or encyclopedia are typically placed in alphabetical order, no page
numbers are necessary. However, the words must also be arranged in alphabetical order.
Chapter in an edited book
Higgs, Malcolm. “Change and Its Leadership: The Role of Positive Emotions.” In The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Work, edited by P. Alex Linley, Susan Harrington, and Nicola Garcea, 67–94. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.
Footnote citation:
1. Malcolm Higgs, “Change and Its Leadership: The Role of Positive Emotions,” in The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Work, ed. P. Alex Linley, Susan Harrington, and Nicola Garcea (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), 67–72.
Chapter in a single-author book
Phibbs, Brendan. “Herrlisheim: Diary of a Battle.” In The Other Side of Time: A Combat Surgeon in World War II, 117–63. Boston: Little, Brown, 1987.
Samples, John. “The Origins of Modern Campaign Finance Law.” Chap. 7 in The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.
Footnote citations:
1. Brendan Phibbs, “Herrlisheim: Diary of a Battle,” in The Other Side of Time: A Combat Surgeon in World War II (Boston: Little, Brown, 1987), 117–63.
2. John Samples, “The Origins of Modern Campaign Finance Law,” chap. 7 in The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006).
E-book
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Penguin Classics, 2007. Kindle.
Borel, Brooke. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebrary.
Chan, Mimi. All the King’s Women. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2000. PDF e-book.
Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick or The Whale. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851. http://mel.hofstra.edu/moby-dick-the-whale-proofs.html.
Footnote citations:
1. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (New York: Penguin Classics, 2007), chap. 3, Kindle.
2. Mimi Chan, All the King’s Women (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2000), PDF e[1]book, chap. 4.
3. Brooke Borel, The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
2016), 92, ProQuest Ebrary.
4. Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851), 627,
Including the format of the document is important, so it must be specified. The most common formats are PDF, Kindle, Microsoft Reader, Dejavu, etc. Pages in electronic versions of a book may differ from the original printed version. You can use chapters or sections of the book as locators.
Book consulted online
Antokoletz, Elliot. Musical Symbolism in the Operas of Debussy and Bartók. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195365825.001.0001.
Footnote citation:
1. Elliot Antokoletz, Musical Symbolism in the Operas of Debussy and Bartók (New York: Oxford
University Press, 2008), doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195365825.001.0001.
Note:
Alternatively, the URL may be included instead of a doi.
Preface, foreword, afterword, or introduction
Reamer, Frederic G. Foreword to Social Justice and Social Work, edited by Michael J. Austin, xiii–xv. Los Angeles: Sage, 2014.
Footnote citation:
1. Frederic G. Reamer, foreword to Social Justice and Social Work, ed. Michael J. Austin (Los Angeles: Sage, 2014), xiv.
Note:
Should the book have multiple publishers, it is not necessary to cite all of them. Include only the first one in both footnotes and bibliography.
Co-publishers
Doe, John, and Daniel K. F. Beaverfang. The Dead Sky Chronicles, Study Edition. 2 vols. New York: Brill; San-Francisco: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005.
Footnote citation:
1. John Doe and Daniel K. F. Beaverfang, The Dead Sky Chronicles, Study Edition (New York:
Brill; San-Francisco: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005), 2:35.
Citing Articles in Periodicals
Journal article
Davies, David. “From the Further Education Margins to the Higher Education Centre? Innovation in Continuing Education.” Education Training 39, no. 1 (1997): 4–13.
Footnote citation:
1. David Davies, “From the Further Education Margins to the Higher Education Centre?
Innovation in Continuing Education,” Education Training 39, no. 1 (1997): 10.
Note:
When a journal uses issue numbers only, without volume numbers, a comma follows the journal-title.
Example:
Beattie, J. M. “The Pattern of Crime in England, 1660–1800.” Past and Present, no. 62 (1974): 47–95.
When a month/season stands for volume and/or issue number, it becomes an indispensable element and should be, therefore, enclosed in reference; a comma follows the journal title and the date.
Example:
Saberhagen, Kelvin. “Lake Superior Beluga?” Sturgeon Review, Winter 1928, 21–45.
When page numbers immediately follow a volume number, separated only by a colon, no space follows the colon. However, when parenthetical information intervenes, a space follows the colon.
Examples:
Social Networks 14:213–29
Critical Inquiry 19 (Autumn): 164–85
When the page number follows an issue number, a comma—not a colon—should be used.
Example:
Diogenes, no. 25, 84–117.
Journal articles with more than four authors
Journal articles often list many authors, especially in the sciences. If there are four or more authors, list up to ten in the bibliography; in a note, list only the first, followed by et al. (“and others”). For more than ten authors (not shown here), list the first seven in the bibliography, followed by et al.
Bay, Rachael A., Noah Rose, Rowan Barrett, Louis Bernatchez, Cameron K. Ghalambor, Jesse R. Lasky, Rachel B. Brem, Stephen R. Palumbi, and Peter Ralph. “Predicting Responses to Contemporary Environmental Change Using Evolutionary Response Architectures,” American Naturalist 189, no. 5 (May 2017): 463–73. https://doi.org/10.1086/691233 .
Footnote citation:
1. Rachel A. Bay et al., “Predicting Responses to Contemporary Environmental Change Using Evolutionary Response Architectures.” American Naturalist 189, no. 5 (May 2017): 465, https://doi.org/10.1086/691233.
Note:
You may indicate the month/season of publication in addition to the year, if available.
Journal article (no author)
“Effects Teacher Certification and Teacher Commitment on Teacher Performance.” International Journal of Scientific Research and Management 4, no. 11 (2017): 33–45.
Footnote citation:
1. “Effects Teacher Certification and Teacher Commitment on Teacher Performance,” International Journal of Scientific Research and Management 4, no. 11 (2017): 36, 38, 39.
Newspaper article
Page numbers, if any, can be cited in a note but are omitted from a bibliography entry.
Higgins, Marguerite. “Obesity Policy Will Benefit Trial Lawyers; Enables Fast-Food Lawsuits.” The Washington Times, December 22, 2010.
Footnote citation:
1. Marguerite Higgins, “Obesity Policy Will Benefit Trial Lawyers; Enables Fast-Food Lawsuits,” The Washington Times, December 22, 2010, 3.
Newspaper article (no author)
“Obesity Epidemic Expected to Cut Life Expectancy, Experts Say.” Chicago Tribune, June 5, 2012.
Footnote citation:
1. “Obesity Epidemic Expected to Cut Life Expectancy, Experts Say,” Chicago Tribune, June 5, 2012, 6.
Journal article consulted online
Cliff, Amy Fish. “’ What Are We Doing Here’: Eastern Cherokee Civil Authorities and Sovereign Territorial Rights.” American Indian Quarterly 36, no. 2 (2013): 234–269. doi: /1d11d977-389e.
Footnote citation:
1. Amy Fish Cliff, “’ What Are We Doing Here’: Eastern Cherokee Civil Authorities and Sovereign Territorial Rights,” American Indian Quarterly 36, no. 2 (2013): 234–269, doi: /1d11d977-389e.
Note:
If there is no DOI, it is acceptable to use the URL in order to link the article to your work. If you possess both URL and DOI, always use the latter.
Full text from a database (no author)
“Higher Education in the Hi-Tech Age: Higher Education Leadership Forum.” The Chronicle of Higher Education 52, no. 16 (2005): 105–107. doi: /1001oi567.
Footnote citation:
1. “Higher Education in the Hi-Tech Age: Higher Education Leadership Forum,” The Chronicle of Higher Education 52, no. 16 (2005): 105–107, doi: /1001oi567.
Full text from the newspaper, newswire (no author)
“Trump is Going to Ruin America.” BBC, January 17, 2017. http://www.bbc.com/news/video_and_audio/headlines/389742289.
Footnote citation:
1. “Trump is Going to Ruin America,” BBC, January17, 2017, http://www.bbc.com/news/video_and_audio/headlines/389742289.
Online newspaper article
If you consulted the article online, include a URL (or DOI, if available) or the name of the database.
2. Rob Pegoraro, “Apple’s iPhone Is Sleek, Smart and Simple,” Washington Post, July 5, 2007, LexisNexis Academic.
Citing Dissertations and Theses
Thesis or dissertation
Rutz, Cynthia Lillian. “King Lear and Its Folktale Analogues.” PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2013.
Footnote citation:
1. Cynthia Lillian Rutz, “King Lear and Its Folktale Analogues” (PhD diss., University of Chicago,
2013), 99–100.
Citing Learning Environment
Course materials
Jackson, Sean. “The Basics of Cloud Computing.” Lecture, the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, October 10, 2015.
Footnote citation:
1. Sean Jackson, “The Basics of Cloud Computing” (lecture, the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, October 10, 2015).
Citing Online Sources
Website
“Educational Products.” Educational Resources. Last modified November 3, 2011. http://www.edresources.com/products.
Footnote citation:
1. “Educational Products,” Educational Resources, last modified November 3, 2011, http://www.edresources.com/.
Note:
For web sources, include the date of access or the date of last modification.
Web page (no date)
Carpenter, John. “Alternative Cancer Treatments for Stage I, II and III Cancer Patients.” Cancer Tutor. Accessed January 25, 2017. https://www.cancertutor.com/ruleofthumb/.
Footnote citation:
1. John Carpenter, “Alternative Cancer Treatments for Stage I, II and III Cancer Patients,” Cancer Tutor, accessed January 25, 2017, https://www.cancertutor.com/ruleofthumb/.
1. Tesla Autopilot Function, digital image, Wired, accessed January 25, 2017, https://assets.wired.com/photos/w_860/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Telsa_Autopilot_TA.jpg.
Blog
Middleton, Jane. “The Southeast States Trivia Treasure Hunt.” Deceptively Educational (blog), March 13, 2015. http://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2015/03/southeast-states-trivia-treasure-hunt.html.
Footnote citation:
1. Jane Middleton, “Southeast States Trivia Treasure Hunt,” Deceptively Educational (blog), March 13, 2015, http://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2015/03/southeast-states-trivia-treasure-hunt.html.
Films and video recordings
Titanic. Directed by James Cameron. Performed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Los Angeles: Paramount Pictures, 1997. DVD.
Footnote citation:
1. Titanic, dir. James Cameron, perf. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (Los Angeles:Paramount Pictures, 1997), DVD.
Canada. British Columbia. Ministry of Education. Learning Assessment Branch. The 1982 B.C Science Assessment. Edited by Hugh Taylor. [Victoria, B.C.]: Queen’s Printer, 1982.
Plant, P. Geoffrey. Access and Excellence: The Campus 2020 Plan for British Columbia’s Post-Secondary Education System. [Victoria, B.C.]: Ministry of Advanced Education, 2007.
Footnote citation:
1. Canada, British Columbia, Ministry of Education. Learning Assessment Branch, The 1982 B.C Science Assessment, edited by Hugh Taylor. [Victoria, B.C.]: Queen’s Printer, 1982.
2. Geoffrey P. Plant, Access and Excellence: The Campus 2020 Plan for British Columbia’s Post-Secondary Education System, [Victoria, B.C.]: Ministry of Advanced Education, 2007.
Secondary Sources
Personal communication
Footnote citation:
1. Jared Jones, e-mail message, July 4, 2015.
Note:
Personal communications, including email and text messages and direct messages sent through social media, are usually cited in the text or in a note only; they are rarely included in a bibliography.
Books
No bibliographical citation is necessary.
Footnote citation:
1. Jim Bean, A Book about Nothing, (New York: Elsevier, 2001), 37, quoted in Alexander Schultz, Modern Nihilism (London: Routledge, 2007), 5.
Note:
The 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style discourages the use of secondary sources in academic research. It is to be avoided at all times. Should the original source not be available in any possible way, it is recommended to use the “quoted in” format for the footnote
How do I format notes and bibliography in Chicago citation style?
Notes should be placed at the bottom of the page, and endnotes should be placed before the bibliography at the end of the paper. Note that numbers should be regular in size and followed by a period.
How do I format citations in the bibliography and footnotes?
Bibliographic citations must be formatted with double spacing and include a hanging indent, where the first line aligns with the margin, and subsequent lines are indented. For footnotes, however, the first line should have an indent, but all following lines should remain flush with the left margin without any indentation.
What sources are not included in the bibliography?
Personal communication, such as emails, text messages, and personal letters, are typically excluded from the bibliography and are not listed as formal references.
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