Chicago Citation Style 17th Edition

The Chicago Manual of Style is often used to document sources for papers in the humanities (eg. history, fine arts, and political science). This guide is based on The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.), published in 2017.

Note: The Chicago Manual uses two styles of citation. This guide is intended as a guideline for the "Notes and Bibliography" style only.

View the full Chicago Manual of Style online (17th and 16th editions):
Chicago Manual of Style

Why bother with citation? Check out our Academic Integrity Guide for a quick introduction!

In all types of research and scholarly writing, it is important to cite your sources in order to:

• Help readers identify and locate the source you used.

Readers may want to locate the source you have cited, to verify the information or to learn more about the topic. A proper citation includes all of the information for readers to locate the source.

• Provide evidence that your position is well-researched.

Scholarly writing is grounded in research. Citations strengthen your argument by demonstrating that your position is thoroughly researched.

• Give credit to the author of ideas which are not your own, and thereby avoid plagiarism.

Giving proper credit to those whose ideas, words, and thoughts you use is not only respectful to those authors, but also helps you avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, usually consisting of "the submission by a student of the writings, ideas or data of another individual as the student’s own in any essay or assignment. Avoid the consequences of plagiarism by giving proper references to your sources” (from the RDP Academic Terminology Glossary).

Citation tools can help quickly generate and manage your citations. Remember to double-check citations for accuracy. Some tools to try: