Chicago QuickGuide
16th Edition
What is Chicago style?
The Chicago Manual of Style presents two basic documentation systems, the humanities style (notes and bibliography) and
the author-date system. Each style is favored by different academic groups.
The humanities style is preferred in literature, history, and the arts. This style presents bibliographic information in notes
and, often, a bibliography.
The more concise author-date system is used by those in the physical, natural, and social sciences. In this system, sources
are cited in the text, usually in parentheses, by author’s last name and date of publication. Also included is a list of
references, where full bibliographic information is provided.
Using Chicago style
Below are some common examples of materials cited in both styles. Each example is given first in humanities style (a note
[N], followed by a bibliographic entry [B]) and then in author-date style (an in-text citation [T], followed by a
reference-list entry [R]). For numerous specific examples, see The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition or the Purdue
OWL (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/).
Book
Single Author
N: 1. Wendy Doniger, Splitting the Difference (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999), 65.
B: Doniger, Wendy. Splitting the Difference. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.
T: (Doniger 1999, 65)
R: Doniger, Wendy. 1999. Splitting the Difference. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Two or More Authors
N: 6. Guy Cowlishaw and Robin Dunbar, Primate Conservation Biology (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 104–7.
B: Cowlishaw, Guy, and Robin Dunbar. Primate Conservation Biology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.
T: (Cowlishaw and Dunbar 2000, 104–7)
R: Cowlishaw, Guy, and Robin Dunbar. 2000. Primate Conservation Biology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Four or More Authors
N: 13. Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael and Stuart Michaels, The Social Organization of Sexuality:
Sexual Practices in the United States (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994), 262.
B: Laumann, Edward O., John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, and Stuart Michaels. The Social Organization of Sexuality:
Sexual Practices in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
T: (Laumann, et al.1994, 262)
R: Laumann, Edward O., John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, and Stuart Michaels. 1994. The Social Organization of
Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Editor, translator, or compiler instead of author
N: 4. Michael Pollan, ed., The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (New York: Penguin, 2006), 99
B: Pollan, Michael, ed. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York: Penguin, 2006.
T: (Pollan 2006, 99-100)
R: Pollan, Michael, ed. 2006 . The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York: Penguin.
Chapter or other part of a book
N: 5. Andrew Wiese, “‘The House I Live In’: Race, Class, and African American Suburban Dreams in the Postwar United
States,” in The New Suburban History, ed. Kevin M. Kruse and Thomas J. Sugrue (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
2006), 101–2.
B: Wiese, Andrew. “‘The House I Live In’: Race, Class, and African American Suburban Dreams in the Postwar United
States.” In The New Suburban History, edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Thomas J. Sugrue, 99–119. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 2006.
T: (Wiese 2006, 101–2)
R: Wiese, Andrew. 2006. “‘The House I Live In’: Race, Class, and African American Suburban Dreams in the Postwar
United States.” In The New Suburban History, edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Thomas J. Sugrue, 99–119. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
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Journal article
Article in a print journal
N: 8. Susan Peck MacDonald, “The Erasure of Language,” College Composition and
Communication 58, no. 4 (2007): 619.
B: MacDonald, Susan Peck. “The Erasure of Language,” College Composition and Communication
58, no. 4 (2007): 585-625.
T: (MacDonald 2007, 619)
R: MacDonald, Susan Peck. 2007. “The Erasure of Language.” College Composition and
Communication 58 (4): 585-625.
Article in an online journal
Note: Because online materials can potentially change URLs, Chicago prefers a Digital
Object Identifier (DOI), when it is available, as opposed to the URL. DOIs are an attempt to
provide stable, long-lasting links for online articles. They are unique to their documents and
consist of a long alphanumeric code. Many, but not all, publishers will provide an article's
DOI on the first page of the document. If the DOI is not available, provide the URL in place
of the DOI.
N: 1. William J. Novak, “The Myth of the ‘Weak’ American State,” American Historical Review
113 no. 4 (2008): 752-72. doi: 10.1086/ahr.113.3.752.
B: Novak, William J. "The Myth of the ‘Weak’ American State.” American Historical Review 113
(2008): 752-72. doi: 10.1086/ahr.113.3.752.
T: (Novak 2008, 141)
R: Novak, William J. 2008. “The Myth of the ‘Weak’ American State.” American Historical
Review 113: 752-72. doi: 10.1086/ahr.113.3.752.
Magazine article
N: 29. Steve Martin, “Sports-Interview Shocker,” New Yorker, May 6, 2002, 84.
B: Martin, Steve. “Sports-Interview Shocker.” New Yorker, May 6, 2002.
T: (Martin 2002, 84)
R: Martin, Steve. 2002. “Sports-Interview Shocker.” New Yorker, May 6, 84.
Newspaper article
Note: If a parenthetical reference to a newspaper article includes all the necessary
bibliographic to lead a reader to the source, there is no need to cite it in a bibliography or
reference list as well. Here is an example of how you could make a parenthetical reference that
would not require a bibliographic or reference entry:
In an article detailing the rebirth of Wall Street in the 30s and 40s, Ronald Parker indicates that
mutual funds and their managers became the new vogue (Forbes, January 2011).
If you wish to document the source in the more traditional way, follow the citations below.
N: 10. John, Smith. “Microscopy in the Digital Age,” Rampart (Harborton, IN), February 13,
2009.
B: Smith, John. “Microscopy in the Digital Age.” Rampart (Harborton, IN), February 13, 2009.
T: (Smith 2009)
R: Smith, John. 2009. Microscopy in the Digital Age. Rampart, February 13.
Basic Website citation
Note: Below is a basic means of citing web content—you can find more detailed explanations in
the Chicago Manual or on the Purdue OWL (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/)
N: 11. Firstname, Lastname, “Title of Web Page,” Organization or Publisher, date
modified/published, url.
B: Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Webpage.” Organization or Publisher. Date modified/
published. url.
T: (Author Lastname year)
R: Lastname, Firstname. Year of Publication. “Title of Webpage.” Organization or Publisher.
url.