History: Chicago Style Citations: Chicago Style Citations

Most of the books on writing are located in the 800's. Citation guides can be found in the 808 call number range. A few examples are listed below.For more books on Chicago Style, search the Libraries catalog.

Word processing programs can help you insert footnotes or endnotes, and manage your references. See online help:

The Chicago Manual of Style website provides examples of how to cite ebooks on its website under 'Book published electronically'.

In your citation, include the author, title, editor (if there is one), publication information, and the version of the book you consulted. If you used the book online, include the URL. Include an access date only if required by your publisher or discipline. If no fixed pagination is available, include a section title, chapter or other number.

The Manual website offers examples of how to cite ebooks in both the notes and bibliography style and the author-date style. A couple of our own examples are shown below. Consult the Manual's website to see additional examples:

Notes and Bibliography:

 1. Tim O'Brien, The Things They Carried (Boston: Mariner Books, 1990), Kindle edition.

O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Boston: Mariner Books, 1990. Kindle edition.

Author-Date:

O'Brien, Tim. 1990. The Things They Carried. Boston: Mariner Books. Kindle edition.

Quick Tips:

• Chicago: Humanities style citations use footnotes or endnotes, not parenthetical references. 
• Write in the 3rd person, not 1st or 2nd. Don't use "I" or "you" or related words in your writing.
• Indent the first line of each note by five spaces.
• Start each note with its corresponding number, a period, and one space.
• For the first footnote or endnote for a source, give the full citation information.
• For subsequent notes, use use the author's name, title, and the page number.
• If you use the same source two or more times in a row, use the abbreviation Ibid., followed by the page number.

To cite books, check the front pages of the book or the record in the library catalog to find the publication information you need to format the citation. Sample Chicago style format for the first footnote or endnote for a print book:

1. Author's Name, Title of Book (Place of Publication: Publisher, Publication Date), Page Numbers.

To cite articles found in our library databases, check the article citation or article information page to find publication information.

Chicago style format 

Sample Chicago style format for the first footnote or endnote for an article from one of our databases:

1. Author's Name, "Title of Article," Title of Journal Volume Number, Issue Number (Date of Publication), Page Numbers, Name of Database, Database Vendor (or persistent/stable URL, accession number or doi).  

The 16th edition does not require the date accessed for articles from library databases. You could generally cite an online database journal article similar to a print journal article, but also add the database information, and an accession number or doi. 

Library databases may allow you export a citation or to save a citation in a particular format. You can then copy and paste the citation text into your footnote or endnote.

For example:

• EBSCO databases, including Academic Search, select the include when saving/sending checkbox and select Chicago/Turabian:Humanities style from drop-down Citation Format list.

Be sure to check with your instructor and follow requirements for your assignment.  Check the formatting and make any necessary corrections. 

Citing book reviews in Chicago / Turabian:

Sample Chicago style format for the first footnote or endnote for a book review from a journal in one of our library databases using Chicago 15th edition:

1. Reviewer's Name, "Title of Review," Review of Title of Book, by Name of Author, Title of Journal Volume Number, Issue Number (Date of Publication): Page Numbers. Name of Database, Database vendor. (or persistent URL, accession number or doi). 

Questions: Check with your instructor, the Writing Center, or Ask a Librarian.