Research Article

Chicago Citation Guide: Complete Reference with Examples (17th Edition)

Master Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition citations. Covers notes-bibliography and author-date systems with examples for every source type. Copy-paste formatting guide.

Chicago style has two systems: notes-bibliography (footnotes/endnotes + bibliography, used in humanities) and author-date (parenthetical citations + reference list, used in sciences). The notes-bibliography system is more common in history, philosophy, and literature. This guide covers both systems with examples for every source type.

TL;DR: Chicago has two systems. Notes-bibliography (NB) = footnotes + bibliography, used in humanities. Author-date (AD) = parenthetical citations + reference list, used in sciences. This guide covers both.

Chicago style is the Swiss Army knife of citation systems. It handles everything from medieval manuscripts to Twitter posts, which is why it's the standard in history, philosophy, and the arts.

The catch: Chicago has TWO completely different citation systems. You need to know which one your field uses.

| System | Fields | How It Works | |--------|--------|-------------| | Notes-Bibliography (NB) | History, philosophy, literature, arts, religion | Footnotes/endnotes + bibliography | | Author-Date (AD) | Sciences, social sciences | Parenthetical citations (Author Year) + reference list |

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chicago citation style?
Chicago style is a citation system from the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), currently in its 17th edition. It has two variants: notes-bibliography (NB) using footnotes/endnotes for humanities, and author-date (AD) using parenthetical citations for sciences. Turabian style is a simplified version of Chicago for student papers.
What is the difference between Chicago notes-bibliography and author-date?
Notes-bibliography uses footnotes (bottom of page) or endnotes (end of paper) plus a bibliography. Author-date uses parenthetical citations (Author Year, Page) plus a reference list. Humanities (history, literature, philosophy, arts) use NB. Sciences and social sciences use AD.
How do I cite a book in Chicago style?
Notes-bibliography footnote: First Name Last Name, Title of Book (Place: Publisher, Year), Page. Bibliography: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place: Publisher, Year. Author-date: (Last Name Year, Page) with reference list entry.
What is the difference between Chicago and Turabian?
Turabian is a simplified version of Chicago designed for student papers. It follows the same citation rules but has simpler formatting requirements for title pages, margins, and headings. If your professor says 'Chicago style,' Turabian is acceptable unless they specify otherwise.
Do I need footnotes or endnotes in Chicago?
In the notes-bibliography system, yes — use either footnotes (bottom of page) or endnotes (end of paper). Your instructor or journal will specify which. In the author-date system, no — use parenthetical citations like APA instead.
Can I use an AI tool to generate Chicago citations?
Yes. PapersFlow's citation generator supports both Chicago notes-bibliography and author-date systems. Paste a DOI, URL, or paper title and get formatted citations in either system. The Chicago citation generator handles the different footnote vs. bibliography formatting automatically.

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