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Citing Sources

A guide to citing sources, citation styles, and citation management tools.

Chicago style

The Chicago style is used across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. What sets it apart from APA and MLA is that it consists of two systems:

  1. Notes-Bibliography (most often used in the humanities)
    • Sources are cited in numbered footnotes or endnotes with matching superscript numbers in the text. A separate bibliography is usually included. This system is flexible and ideal for citing a wide range of sources.
  2. Author-Date (most often used in the social and natural sciences)
    • Sources are briefly cited using parenthetical in-text citations consisting of author's name and publication year. Each in-text citation has a corresponding full citation in the reference list at the end.

For more information on the Chicago manual, please see the resources below:

Notes-bibliography system

In the notes and bibliography system, sources are cited by using numbered notes (either footnotes or endnotes) in text followed by a full bibliographic entry at the end. The first time you cite a source, you will use a full note. Subsequent citations only require a shortened note.

Note: In previous editions of the Chicago style, ibid was used instead of a shortened note. This practice is discouraged.

Journal article

Note

First name, Last name, "Article Title," Journal Title volume #, issue no. # (year): specific page(s), DOI/URL if applicable.

Shortened note

Last name, "Shortened Title," page.

Bibliography

Last name, First Name. "Article Title." Journal Title volume #, issue no. # (year): inclusive page(s). DOI/URL if applicable.
 

Examples

Note

1. Ping Zhang et al.,"Cultural Diversity, Social Integration, and Migrant entrepreneurship—Evidence from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey," Small Business Economics 62, no. 3 (2024): 1141, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-023-00791-1.

Shortened note

2. Zhang et al.,"Cultural Diversity, Social Integration, and Migrant entrepreneurship," 1141.

Bibliography

Zhang, Ping, Xin Wei, and Guirong Mao. "Cultural Diversity, Social Integration, and Migrant Entrepreneurship—Evidence from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey." Small Business Economics 62, no. 3 (2024): 1135-1155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-023-00791-1.

Thesis or Dissertation

Note

First name Last name, "Thesis Title" (Type of thesis, Institution, Year), specific page(s), ProQuest (ID).*

Shortened note

Last name, "Shortened Title," page.

Bibliography

Last name, First name. "Thesis Title." Type of thesis, Institution, Year. ProQuest (ID).*

 

* For dissertations consulted via ProQuest, include the identification number in parenthesis.
 

Examples

Note

1. Elizabeth Ann Albright, "Policy Change and Policy Learning in a New Democracy: Response to Extreme Floods in Hungary" (PhD diss., Duke University, 2009), 55-57, ProQuest (3352209).

Shortened note

2. Albright, "Policy Change and Policy Learning in a New Democracy," 57.

Bibliography

Albright, Elizabeth Ann. "Policy Change and Policy Learning in a New Democracy: Response to Extreme Floods in Hungary." PhD diss., Duke University, 2009. ProQuest (3352209).

Edited book chapter

Note

First name Last Name, "Book Chapter Title," in Book Title, ed. First Name Last Name (Publisher, Year), specific page(s).

Shortened note

Last Name, "Shortened Book Chapter Title," page.

Bibliography

Last name, First name. "Book Chapter Title." In Book Title, edited by First Name Last Name. Publisher, Year.

Example

Note

1. Annamari Vitikainen, "LGBTQ," in Gender Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academia, ed. Melina Duarte, Katrin Losleben and Kjersti Fjørtoft (Routledge, 2023), 81.

Shortened note

2. Vitikainen, "LGBTQ," 81.

Bibliography

Vitikainen, Annamari. "LGBTQ." In Gender Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academia, edited by Melina Duarte, Katrin Losleben and Kjersti Fjørtoft. Routledge, 2023.

Author-date system

Journal article

Last name, First name, and First name Last name. Year. "Article Title," Journal Title volume (issue): page(s). DOI/URL if applicable

Example

Zhang, Ping, Wei, Xin, and Guirong Mao. 2024. "Cultural Diversity, Social Integration, and Migrant entrepreneurship—Evidence from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey," Small Business Economics 62 (3): 1135-1155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-023-00791-1

Thesis or Dissertation

Last name, First name. Year. "Thesis Title." Type of thesis, Institution. ProQuest (ID).*

 

* For dissertations consulted via ProQuest, include the identification number in parenthesis.

Example

Albright, Elizabeth Ann. 2009. "Policy Change and Policy Learning in a New Democracy: Response to Extreme Floods in Hungary." PhD diss., Duke University. ProQuest (3352209).

Edited book chapter

Last name, First name. Year. "Book Chapter Title." In Book Title, edited by First Name Last Name. Publisher.

Example

Vitikainen, Annamari. 2023. "LGBTQ." In Gender Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academia, edited by Melina Duarte, Katrin Losleben and Kjersti Fjørtoft. Routledge.