Close

Produce Better Content, Faster, While Spending Less 🚀

Download Our FREE eBook
Book a Demo
Chicago Manual of Style Footnotes and Bibliography Guide
  • 17-minute read
  • 14th July 2023

Chicago Manual of Style Footnotes and Bibliography Guide

Note: This is an advanced guide to Chicago (CMoS) Footnote and Bibliography Referencing, useful for professional editors, academics, and students looking to bump up their grades with flawless referencing! If you’re new to Chicago and feel a little lost, check out our introduction to Chicago referencing. For extra help from Chicago experts, try our student proofreading services for free, or learn more about our editing services for businesses.

 

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) uses both a footnote and bibliography system and an author-date system to cite sources.

This guide is to the footnotes and bibliography approach. You can access the CMoS author-date citation guide here.

 

 

Variations

This guide includes all information related to CMoS 17th ed. The customer should use this (the most up-to-date) edition, but please watch out for any customer comments saying that they’re using an older one. 

You should also pay attention to the requested dialect (usually US, Australian, or UK English) and note:

  • Dialect will not change the spelling of words or use of punctuation in titles or direct quotations, which will depend upon the original work. If you suspect that there may have been an error, simply raise that as a query and suggest that the customer checks with the original. 
  • Anything that is specifically an element of the referencing system (e.g. positioning of commas and periods) should be consistent within the referencing. If it appears to be different from CMoS referencing style, then you should leave a comment to note this and suggest that the customer checks with the style preferences of their institution.
  • Words that might be used to describe the format of a source within the reference list (e.g., “catalog”) will follow the rules of the preferred dialect in the same way as the main narrative. 

CMoS Footnotes and Bibliography Guide: Notes/Footnotes: The Basics

CMoS footnotes correspond to a superscript number in the text. Subsequent footnotes referencing the same source should use a shortened footnote. 

The in-text superscript number doesn’t have a period (so like this1), while the footnote number is written as normal text and with a period.

Source type Footnote Shortened footnote Bibliographic entry
One author 1. Author's First Name Last Name, Title of Book: Subtitle if Any (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number. 2. Last Name, Title of Book, Page Range. Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.

Commenting on footnotes

Highlight the word next to the superscript number (as otherwise Word does strange things with the footnote numbering) and preface your comment with “Footnote:”. E.g. “Footnote: The publication date is missing, please review.”

No date (n.d.)

If a source has no date, use “n.d.” in the footnote and corresponding bibliographic entry. 

Page numbers

Page numbers should be included in footnotes (full and shortened) for direct quotes and paraphrasing. Do not use “p.” in front of the page numbers. If a page range is needed, use an en dash. 

In the bibliography, page ranges should only be given in instances such as a chapter in a book or an article in a journal. 

Organization as author 

Corporate (group/organizational) authors are given at the start of bibliographic entries even if the publisher is the same as the author. 

If a group’s/organization’s name is given as an acronym in the footnotes, the acronym should be used in the bibliography as well (to make it easier to find), with the full name given in parentheses afterward. 

Full/Shortened footnote Bibliographic entry
1. NISO, Bibliographic References, ANSI/NISO Z39.29-2005 (Bethesda, MD: NISO, approved June 9, 2005; reaffirmed May 13, 2010), 1–2.

2. (Shortened Footnote): NISO, Bibliographic References, 1–2.

NISO (National Information Standards Organization).

Bibliographic References. ANSI/NISO Z39.29-2005. Bethesda, MD: NISO, approved June 9, 2005; reaffirmed May 13, 2010. [Text goes here]

Pseudonyms 

If the author’s real name is not known, write [pseud.] following the pseudonym. If the author’s real name is known, write their real name in square brackets instead. 

In the case of common pseudonyms, you would usually omit the author’s real name, but it can be included if the customer wishes.

Type Full/Shortened footnote Bibliographic entry
Real name unknown 1. Alaska Muckraker [pseud.], “Palin Is Back at Work,” Mudflats: Tiptoeing through the Muck of Alaskan Politics (blog), December 5, 2008. https://mudflats.wordpress.com/.

2. Alaska Muckraker [pseud.], “Palin.”		 Alaska Muckraker [pseud.]. “Palin Is Back at Work.” Mudflats: Tiptoeing through the Muck of Alaskan Politics (blog). December 5, 2008. https://mudflats.wordpress.com/.
Widely known pseudonym 1. George Eliot, Middlemarch, Norton Critical Editions (New York: Norton, 1977), 1–2.

2. Eliot, Middlemarch, 1–2. 		Eliot, George. Middlemarch. Norton Critical Editions. New York: Norton, 1977.
Widely-know pseudonym with real name (if desired) 1. Jay-Z [Shawn Carter], Decoded (New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2010), 1–2.

2. Jay-Z [Shawn Carter], Decoded, 1–2. 		Jay-Z [Shawn Carter]. Decoded. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2010.

Multiple authors

CMoS has specific author guidelines for footnotes, shortened footnotes, and bibliographic entries. Please pay attention to the first and last name order for the first author in all cases. 

  • Footnotes: All author names go in first and last name order. 
  • Shortened footnotes: Only use the authors’ last names. 
  • Bibliographic entries: The first author’s name goes in last name, first name order. All following authors and contributors (e.g., editors, illustrators, translators) go in first and last name order. If there are more than 10 authors, only list the first author, followed by et al. (the same rule applies in footnotes and shortened footnotes). 

See the table below for formatting and examples of sources with multiple authors.

Full/shortened footnote Bibliography
Two Authors 1. First Author's First Name Last Name and Second Author's First Name Last Name, Title of Book: Subtitle if Any (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.
2. Last Name and Last Name, Title of Book, Page Range. 		First Author's Last Name, First Name, and Second Author's First Name Last Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
e.g. 1. Maggie Wykes and Barrie Gunter, The Media and Body Image: If Looks Could Kill (Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2005), 128.
2. Wykes and Gunter, Media and Body Image, 132. 		Wykes, Maggie, and Barrie Gunter. The Media and Body Image: If Looks Could Kill. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2005.
Three Authors 1. First Author's First Name Last Name and Second Author's First Name Last Name, Title of Book: Subtitle if Any (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.
2. Last Name, Last Name, and Last Name, Title of Book, Page Number. 		First Author's Last Name, First Name, Second Author's First Name Last Name, and Third Author's First Name Last Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
e.g. 1. Gerald R. Ledlow, Karl Manrodt, and David Schott, Health Care Supply Chain Management: Elements, Operations, and Strategies (Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2017), 68.
2. Ledlow, Manrodt, and Schott, Health Care Supply Chain, 83.		 Ledlow, Gerald R., Karl Manrodt, and David Schott. Health Care Supply Chain Management: Elements, Operations, and Strategies. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2017.
Four or More Authors 1. First Author's First Name Last Name et al., Title of Book: Subtitle if Any, Edition if given and is not first edition (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.
2. First Author’s Last Name et al., Title of Book, Page Range. 		First Author's Last Name, First Name, Second Author's First Name Last Name, Third Author's First Name Last Name, and Fourth Author's First Name Last Name. Title of Book: Subtitle if Any. Edition if given and is not first edition. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.

NB: If there are four or more authors, list up to ten in the bibliography; in a footnote, list only the first, followed by et al. (“and others”).
e.g. 1. David M. Kroenke et al., Experiencing MIS, 5th Cdn ed. (North York, ON: Pearson Canada, 2019), 45.
2. Kroenke et al., Experiencing MIS, 60.		 Kroenke, David M., Randall J. Boyle, Andrew Gemino, and Peter Tingling. Experiencing MIS. 5th Cdn ed. North York, ON: Pearson Canada, 2019.

Multiple works, Same Author

If multiple entries are written by the same author, list them chronologically in the bibliography and use three em dashes (–––) to replace the author’s name after the first entry for that author. 

If multiple entries are written by the same author and are from the same year, use YYYYa, YYYYb, etc. to differentiate the works in the bibliography and the footnotes. Entries with the same author and year should be listed alphabetically according to the first main word in the title (i.e., ignore articles). 

NB: If two (or more) sources are by the same two (or more) authors, only use a, b, etc. if their names are in the same order for both sources. If the sources swap name orders, do not use a, b, etc.; treat them as normal.

Bibliographic entry

Fogel, Robert William. 2004a. The Escape from Hunger and Premature Death, 1700–2100: Europe, America, and the Third World. New York: Cambridge University Press.


———. 2004b. “Technophysio Evolution and the Measurement of Economic Growth.” Journal of Evolutionary Economics 14, no. 2 (June): 217–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00191-004-0188-x.

Citing Multiple Works

You can cite more than one source in the same footnote, separated by semi-colons. The sources should be put in alphabetical order (using the author’s name).

What if There Isn’t an Author?

If there is no corporate or individual author provided for your source, start the bibliographic entry or footnote with the title of the source. 

Works that have “Anonymous” listed as the author should be cited accordingly and listed in the reference list alphabetically. However, do not put “anonymous” for a source with no attributed author. 

Secondary Citations

Secondary sources are not encouraged but may be necessary if the original source is not available. In these cases, the source is cited as “quoted in…” and both the original and secondary sources should be listed in the footnotes and bibliography.

Footnote 1. Original Author First and Last Name, Title of Work, Date, quoted in Secondary Source Author First and Last Name, ed., Title of Work (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Range.
e.g. 1. E.E. Cummings, "A Poet's Advice to Students," Ottawa Hills Spectator, October 26, 1955, quoted in George J. Firmage, ed., E.E. Cummings: A Miscellany Revised, (New York: October House Inc, 1965), 335.
Bibliography Original Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Work. Date, quoted in Secondary Source Author Last Name, First Name, ed. Title of Work. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
e.g. Cummings, E.E. "A Poet's Advice to Students." Ottawa Hills Spectator, October 26, 1955, quoted in Firmage, George J., ed. E.E. Cummings: A Miscellany Revised. 335. New York: October House Inc, 1965.

The Bibliography

CMoS author-date puts the bibliography on a separate page at the end of a document. All footnotes should point to a full entry in the bibliography. Exceptions to this include personal communications (e.g., emails and social media posts), well-known encyclopedias and dictionaries, and web pages. 

Bibliography Formatting

The bibliography is placed at the end of a document (before the index) on a separate page. It should be titled “Bibliography” at the beginning of the page. 

The bibliography should be single spaced and use hanging indents.

The Bibliography in Detail

Bibliographic entries should be listed alphabetically by the first author’s last name, organization name, titles, descriptions in square brackets, or abbreviations (i.e., whatever the bibliographic entry begins with). 

For sources with no date (n.d.), such as web pages, use an “Accessed” or “Modified” date in the entry (see the specific bibliographic entry for specific formatting guidelines). 

Basic Structure of a Reference Entry 

  1. Author 
  2. Title of Work 
  3. Other information (contributors, publisher, accessed dates, etc.) 
  4. Date

Author Names 

The first author listed in a source is written in Last Name, First Name order. All other authors and contributors’ names are written in First and Last Name order. 

“And” is used between two/the last two authors, not an ampersand.

Titles 

Titles are written in title case unless they are in a language other than English. 

Titles of large works are italicized. 

Short works, such as articles or chapters of a book, and unpublished works, such as working papers, use quotation marks. 

When to use abbreviations 

Noun forms such as editor, translator, volume, and edition are abbreviated in a bibliographic entry, but verb forms (e.g., edited by, translated by) are spelled out. 

Common Abbreviations in CMoS
Editor(s) ed(s).
Translator trans.
Volume(s) vol(s).
Number no.
No date n.d.
Director dir.
Edition ed.
page(s) N/A

Dates 

If available, the year a source was written or published, as appropriate, should appear in all reference entries. 

If an accessed date or modification date is needed for a source (e.g., for an online source), it should go before the URL and should take the following form: Month Day, Year (e.g., Accessed April 24, 2023). 

Punctuation 

Elements in bibliographic entries are separated by periods. See the examples for more specific formatting guidelines. 

Printed Media

Source type Full/shortened footnote Reference entry
Book 1. Author First and Last Name, Title of Book (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Range.

2. Author Last Name, Title of Book, Page Range.

Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.

e.g. 1. Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012), 87–88.

2. Strayed, Wild, 87–88.

Strayed, Cheryl. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.

Chapter of an edited book 1. Author First and Last Name, “Title of Chapter,” in Title of Book, ed. Editor First and Last Name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Range.

2. Author Last Name, “Short Title,” Page Range.

Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Chapter.” In Title of Book, edited by Editor First and Last Name, Page Range. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.

e.g. 1. Gleen Gould, “Streisand as Schwarzkopf,” in The Glenn Gould Reader, ed. Tim Page (New York: Vintage Books,1984), 310.

2. Gould, “Streisand,” 310.

Gould, Glenn. “Streisand as Schwarzkopf.” In The Glenn Gould Reader, edited by Tim Page, 308–11. New York: Vintage Books, 1984.

Journal article 1. Author First and Last Name, “Title of Article,” Journal Name issue, no. (Month/Season Year): Page Range.

2. Author Last Name, “Shortened Title,” Page Range.

Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Journal Name issue, no., (Month/Season Year): Page Range.

e.g. 1. Benjamin Bagley, “Loving Someone in Particular,” Ethics 125, no. 2 (2015): 484–85.

2. Bagley, “Loving,” 484–85.

Bagley, Benjamin. “Loving Someone in Particular.” Ethics 125, no. 2 (January 2015): 477–507.

Audiovisual Media

Audiovisual media may have other contributors, such as performers, directions, composers, featured artists, etc. List other contributors’ roles using the abbreviation guidelines given earlier (i.e., nouns are abbreviated and verbs are written out).

Source type Full/shortened footnote Bibliographic entry
Movie/film 1. Film Title, directed by Director’s Name (year of original release; distributor details, year of edition cited), format/URL.

2. Short Title. 		Director Surname, First Name, dir. Film Title. Year of original release; Distributor details, year of edition cited. Format/URL.
e.g. 1. Hairspray, directed by Adam Shankman (2007; New York City, NY: New Line Cinema), https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B01DDOQA44/.
2. Hairspray.

Shankman, Adam, dir. Hairspray. 2007; New York City, NY: New Line Cinema. https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B01DDOQA44/.

TV episode 1. Series Title, Season #, Episode #, “Episode title,” directed by First name Last name, written by First name Last name, featuring First name Last name, aired Month Day, Year of original air date, in broadcast syndication, Distributor of medium, copyright year of medium, format, time stamp.

2. “Short Title,” time stamp.

Last name, First name of main contributor, job title. Series title. Season #, Episode #, “Episode Title.” Other contributors. Aired Month Day, Year of original air date, in broadcast syndication. Distributor of medium, copyright year of medium, format.

e.g. 1. The Crown, season 3, episode 3, “Aberfan,” directed by Benjamin Caron, written by Peter Morgan, featuring Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, and Helena Bonham Carter, aired November 17, 2019, in broadcast syndication, Sony Pictures, 2020, DVD, 00:25:53.

2. “Aberfan,” 00:25:53.

Morgan, Peter, writer. The Crown. Season 3, episode 3, “Aberfan.” Directed by Benjamin Caron, featuring Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, and Helena Bonham Carter. Aired November 17, 2019, in broadcast syndication. Sony Pictures, 2020, DVD.

Audio CD/LP 1. Performer First and Last Name, role, Composition/Track/Album Title, with Other Contributor Name (role), recording date, on Disc Title, Label Publisher #, Year, format.

2. Performer Last Name, Short Title, Composer/performer information.

Performer Last Name, First Name, role. Title of Work. With Other Contributor Name (role), recording date, on Disc Title, Record Label #, Year, format.

e.g. 1. Billie Holiday, vocalist, “I’m a Fool to Want You,” by Joel Herron, Frank Sinatra, and Jack Wolf, recorded February 20, 1958, with Ray Ellis, track 1 on Lady in Satin, Columbia CL 1157, 33⅓ rpm.


2. Holiday “I’m a Fool.”

Holiday, Billie, vocalist. “I’m a Fool to Want You.” By Joel Herron, Frank Sinatra, and Jack Wolf. Recorded February 20, 1958, with Ray Ellis. Track 1 on Lady in Satin. Columbia CL 1157, 33⅓ rpm.

Online Sources

Online sources may require an accessed or modification date. If there is no date, use n.d. in place of the year. 

Keep in mind that website pages do not have to be listed in the bibliography and can just be mentioned in the text. This is up to the discretion of the customer. Keep a consistent approach and follow the customer’s lead in this situation.

Source type Full/shortened footnote Bibliographic entry
Online journal article 1. Author First and Last Name, “Title of Article,” Journal Name issue, no. (Month/Season Year): Page Range, URL/DOI/Database Name.

2. Author Last Name, “Shortened Title,” Page Range. 		Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Journal Name issue, no., (Month/Season Year): Page Range. URL/DOI/Database Name.

NB: DOI is preferred over URL, if available.
e.g. 1. Jui-Ch’i. Liu, “Beholding the Feminine Sublime: Lee Miller’s War Photography.” Signs 40, no. 2 (Winter 2015): 308–19, https://doi.org/10.1086/678242.

2. Liu “Beholding,” 308–19.

Liu, Jui-Ch’i.. “Beholding the Feminine Sublime: Lee Miller’s War Photography.” Signs 40, no. 2 (Winter 2015): 308–19. https://doi.org/10.1086/678242.

Website 1. First and Last Name, “Webpage Title,” Website Name, Date/Accessed Date, URL.

2. Publisher Last Name/Organization, “Shortened Web Page Title.”

NB: Date should say “Accessed” if using an access date. 		Organization/Last Name, First Name. “Webpage Title.” Website Name. Date/Accessed Date. URL.
e.g. 1. Alliance for Linguistic Diversity, “Balkan Romani,” Endangered Languages, accessed April 6, 2016. http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/5342.

2. Alliance for Linguistic Diversity, “Balkan Romani.”

Alliance for Linguistic Diversity. “Balkan Romani.” Endangered Languages. Accessed April 6, 2016. http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/5342.

eBook (online) 1. Author First and Last Name, Title of Book (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Range, URL/Database Name.


2. Author Last Name, Title of Book, Page Range.

NB: If there are no page numbers, use section, chapter, or any other number in any. If none, omit. 		Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. URL/Database Name.
e.g. 1. Brooke Borel, The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016), 1–2, ProQuest Ebrary.

2. Borel, Chicago Guide, 1–2.

Borel, Brooke. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebrary.

What to Do When the Customer’s Approach Differs

Keep in mind that a customer may have specific guidelines from their institution that deviate from the guidance listed here. Here are some things to consider if you have a document that requires CMoS 17th ed. but differs from the advice given in this guide. 

  • If a customer has done something different but is consistent, leave a comment noting that their work differs from standard CMoS 17th guidelines and enforce their consistent usage. 
  • If a customer has deviated from standard CMoS 17th guidelines but is not consistent, use this guide to make their citations/entries consistent and leave a comment outlining why you made these changes. Suggest that they check with their institutional guidelines if they are not sure about which CMoS edition to use. 
  • If a customer has requested a different/older edition of CMoS, please consult relevant and credible online resources if you are not sure whether you need to make certain changes. 
  • Contact Editor Support if you are still unsure.

  • Jump to Section

Got a high volume of content to edit?

Discover More

Got a high volume of content to edit?

Let our experts take it off your plate.

Discover More

Learn more about Editorial Resources

Looking For
The Perfect Partner?

Let’s talk about the support you need.

Schedule a call
Icon

Book a call with a Proofed expert today

Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Icon