Mastering Footnotes with Chicago Manual of Style

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Adding a Footnote to a Research Paper
3. Formatting Source Citation in Footnotes
4. Citing Books in Chicago Style
5. Shortened Citation for Books
6. Citing Articles in Chicago Style
7. Shortened Citation for Articles
8. Using "ibid" in Citations
9. Differences between Monograph and Article Citations
10. Conclusion

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore how to add footnotes to a research paper and properly format source citations according to the Chicago Manual Style. This guide will focus on citing books and articles, which are the most common source types. It's important to note that your professor may have specific requirements for Chicago style, so double-check the format before submitting your paper. Let's dive in and learn how to create accurate citations.

Adding a Footnote to a Research Paper

To add a footnote in Microsoft Word, place your cursor outside the punctuation and go to the top. Under the "References" tab, click "Insert Footnote." A number will automatically generate at the bottom of the page. If you're using Google Docs, it's a similar process under the "Insert" tab. Find and click on "Footnote."

Formatting Source Citation in Footnotes

When citing a book in Chicago style, the full citation includes the author's full name (first name, last name), the book's title (italicized), the city and publishing house, the year of publication, and the specific page referenced. Ensure that the font size is 10 and in Times New Roman. The title of the book should be italicized.

Citing Books in Chicago Style

For books written by a single author, the citation begins with the author's full name, followed by the book's title in parentheses. After the title, include the city of publication, the publishing house's name, the year of publication, and the page number being cited. Don't forget to italicize the book's title.

Shortened Citation for Books

If you need to cite the same book again later in your paper, you can use a shortened citation. Instead of writing out the full citation, include only the author's last name, a comma, the book's title (which can be shortened if it's long), and the page number referenced. Ensure the citation is in Times New Roman and that the book title is italicized.

Citing Articles in Chicago Style

When citing an article in Chicago style, begin with the author's first name. Unlike books, article titles are enclosed in quotation marks. Include the name of the journal in which the article appeared, the volume and issue numbers, the date (if provided), and the page number being cited. Make sure the citation is in Times New Roman and the journal name is italicized.

Shortened Citation for Articles

Similar to shortened book citations, you can use a shortened citation for articles. Include the author's last name, a comma, a shortened article title (if applicable), and the page number being referenced. Ensure the citation is in Times New Roman, and don't forget to italicize the journal name.

Using "ibid" in Citations

If you're referencing the same source immediately after providing a long citation, you can further shorten it by using "ibid" (an abbreviation for "in the same place"). Include the new page number if it's different from the previous citation. This is optional in Chicago style but can help reduce repetition.

Differences between Monograph and Article Citations

While the rules for shortened citations and the use of "ibid" apply to both books and articles, there are some key differences between citing monographs and articles. Monographs require the book title to be italicized, while articles use quotation marks for the title. Understanding these distinctions will ensure accurate citations.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have learned how to add footnotes to a research paper and format source citations according to the Chicago Manual Style. We explored the citation formats for books and articles and discussed the use of shortened citations and "ibid." Remember to follow your professor's guidelines and double-check the specific requirements for Chicago style in your paper.