Elaborate instructions om how to cite a research paper in Chicago style
Chicago style started as a list of rules that were written at the University of Chicago by a proofreader. When referencing a research paper format Chicago style, there are some guidelines you should follow. We will discuss how you can design a research paper outline page to suit the 16th edition notes and bibliography style.
- Notes
These are the texts numbers marked consecutively that refer a reader to the bibliographic citations in endnotes or footnotes.
- Footnotes are designed to indicate citations. A note is indicated by the superscript number placed within a text. This number is repeated at the start of the note on the bottom of a page. It needs to be in full size, and a full stop must follow.
- If you are citing a source and it’s the first time, you should always cite it in full.
- The word ibid replaces subsequent footnotes that are of the same source, and then the page number follows. These sources are to be shortened.
- In case there're three or more authors on a source, a writer is required to cite fully for the first time, and afterward, the sources are subsequently shortened to the First Author et al.
- How to format citations in footnotes
The elements order, spacing, and punctuation in the citation are essential. You are required to follow examples carefully. Here are some things to note:
- The name of an author can’t be inverted, but it has to be fully written
- A book’s publishing details are enclosed in brackets
- Book chapter titles and journal titles are to be enclosed using double quotation marks
- Each footnote’s first line is indented 2-spaces from a page margin
- Bibliography
A bibliography is placed at the document’s end. It offers full details of the sources that have been consulted and cited by a writer. The list of sources used by the author is alphabetically listed. - Formatting references in the bibliography
Although the citation format in the bibliography is similar to those used in a footnote citation, there are some few differences that you need to note:
- Citations need to be listed alphabetically and should include indefinite articles such as a, an and the. However, you can ignore them if you order your references.
- References in the bibliography list must be indented on the 2nd line (if the reference contains more than two lines).
- The first author’s name is to be inverted so that the family name or surnames appears first.
- The sections or elements of the citation are to be separated using full stops and not commas.
- Don’t use enclosed brackets to highlight the publishing details of a book.