Chicago Book Citations | Format & Examples

Chicago style has two systems for citing books and other outside sources—notes and bibliography or author-date. The notes and bibliography system is far more common (especially for history topics), and it requires two forms of citation:

• A numbered footnote each time you quote or paraphrase the book
• An entry on the Bibliography page at the end of your document

The footnote and bibliography guidelines depend on the number of authors, the type of book, and other factors.

To create clear and accurate Chicago style citations, use the examples and guidelines below, or try QuillBot’s free Citation Generator.

Chicago basic book citation format

Every book that you use as an outside source needs a Chicago style bibliography entry and a footnote for each sentence that summarizes, paraphrases, or quotes the book.

Bibliography entries need hanging indents (all lines after the first line are indented ½ inch), and footnotes need first-line indents (only the first line is indented ½ inch).

Chicago bibliography entries for books include the following elements, most of which are separated by periods:

• Author’s name in inverted order (Last, First Middle)
• Title in Italics
• Publisher
• Year of publication

Chicago footnotes each begin with a number that corresponds to the same superscript number after the quote or paraphrase in the main text (e.g., ⁵). The first footnote for each source has full citation details but in a slightly different format than the bibliography.

For subsequent footnotes, use a short note with the author’s last name, a shortened title, and page number. Omit page numbers from footnotes when you’re referring to the book as a whole.

There’s an additional option if two consecutive footnotes cite the same source. In the second consecutive footnote, you can omit the title (e.g., “11. Silver, 160.”). The Chicago Manual of Style (18th edition) no longer recommends “ibid” in this situation.

Chicago books with multiple authors

When a book has multiple authors, the author element in the bibliography and footnotes changes slightly.

• 2 authors: In the bibliography, write the first author’s name in reverse order (Last, First Middle). Add a comma, “and,” and the second author’s name in regular order (First Middle Last). In the first footnote, include both authors’ full names in regular order. In subsequent footnotes, include both last names.
• 3 authors: In the bibliography, write the first author’s name in reverse order (Last, First Middle). Add a comma, “and,” and the second and third authors’ names in regular order (First Middle Last). In the first footnote, include the three authors’ full names. In subsequent footnotes, include all three last names.
• 4+ authors: In the bibliography, include all authors’ names (with the first in inverted order). In the footnotes, use the first author’s last name with “et al.”

Chicago book with multiple editions

When a book has multiple editions, include the edition number in the bibliography and the first footnote. Abbreviate “edition” as “ed.” Omit the edition number from subsequent short notes.

Chicago translated books

If a book has a translator, include that person’s name in the bibliography and the first footnote. In the bibliography, spell out “Translated by,” and use the translator’s full name. In the full note, use the abbreviation “trans.” before the name. Omit the translator from short notes.

Chicago works or chapters in edited books

Some books are edited collections of shorter works by individual authors (e.g., literature anthologies or books with different authors for each chapter). In this situation, begin the bibliography and footnotes with the author of the chapter or shorter work. Also include the editor(s) in the bibliography and first full footnote.

Chicago ebooks and online books

When using an online or digital version of a book, include the URL, reading app (e.g., Kindle), or academic database (e.g., JSTOR) in the bibliography and the first full footnote. If the book is a PDF or other version with numbered pages, include page numbers in the footnotes. If not, include a chapter number or omit locator information.

Citing books in Chicago author-date style

The Chicago Manual of Style also includes guidelines for an author-date citation system. This citation format is somewhat rare, but it’s similar to APA citation guidelines in that it focuses on the year of publication and is most common in assignments about scientific research.

In the author-date system, the bibliography is entitled “References.” The reference entries have similar details as bibliography entries but in a different order. The year is right after the author’s name like APA references.

This system has in-text citations rather than footnotes. These include the author, year, and page for quotations and paraphrases. In-text citations can be narrative (with the author and year in a signal phrase and the page in separate parentheses at the end of the sentence) or parenthetical (with the author, year, and page in parentheses at the end of the sentence).

Use present-tense verbs in signal phrases for Chicago narrative citations.

Where to find the details for Chicago book citations

Whether you’re using the notes and bibliography system or author-date, you can find most book citation details on the title page and copyright page. These are usually the first two pages before a book’s introduction or first chapter.

• The title page almost always includes the author name, editor’s name (if applicable), book title, and publisher.
• The copyright page includes the year of publication.

If you’re citing an edited book or anthology with multiple authors, you can find the author’s name for the shorter work in the table of contents or the first page of the author’s chapter or work.

Frequently asked questions about Chicago book citations

How do you format titles in Chicago style?

To format titles in Chicago Style, capitalize all words except articles (e.g., “the”), coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “but”), and prepositions with fewer than five letters (e.g., “with”).

Also capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle, even if these words are articles, coordinating conjunctions, or prepositions.

Use italics for titles of books, journals, films, and magazines. Use double quotation marks for titles of articles, poems, and short stories.

Chicago style capitalization rules apply to titles in the main text and in Chicago book citations, Chicago journal article citations, and Chicago website citations.

A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda

Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde

“Popular Musics of India: An Ethnomusicological Review” in the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies

QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you format titles correctly in your main text and Chicago citations.

Can I use ibid. in Chicago style?

Chicago style still permits the use of “ibid.,” but the use of short notes is preferred. In either case, the choice to use “ibid.” or short notes should be consistent.

In any case, every source you reference in your academic writing should be cited correctly. QuillBot’s Citation Generator can help you cite sources correctly, and our online Plagiarism Checker can help ensure your writing is free of accidental plagiarism.

How do I cite a source with multiple authors in Chicago?

In Chicago style, works with four or more authors are listed using “et al.” after the first author’s name in both in-text citations and footnotes.

In-text citation: Bhinda et al. (2024) note that …

Footnote: 1. Bhinda et al., “Sulphur, Zinc, and Boron Nutrition,” 43–44.

In the bibliography entry, up to 10 authors’ names should be listed.

QuillBot’s Online Notepad can help you keep track of the sources you consult.

How do you use Chicago style citations?

Chicago style has two citation formats: notes and bibliography and author-date.

Notes and bibliography is the more common format. In it, footnotes are used in the body of the text, and a bibliography is included at the end. A full note is used the first time a source is cited and a shortened note (with only author, title, and page number) thereafter.

Chicago style citation examples

Full footnote	1. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses (Penguin UK, 2021), 22–25.
Shortened footnote	2. Kimmerer, Gathering Moss, 22–25.
Bibliographic entry	Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. Penguin UK, 2021.

In author-date format, parenthetical citations are used instead of footnotes. The in-text citation includes the author’s last name and date (e.g., Kimmerer 2021). A full bibliography is included at the end.

QuillBot’s Online Notepad can help you keep track of all relevant source information.

What’s the difference between APA and Chicago author-date citations?

The difference between APA and Chicago author-date citations is as follows:

• APA in-text citations need an author, year, and page for quotations but not paraphrases. Chicago author-date citations (e.g., Chicago book citations) need the author, year, and page for both quotes and paraphrases.
• APA requires “p.” before a page number, but Chicago style does not.
• APA signal phrases use past-tense verbs, and Chicago requires present-tense verbs.
• APA reference page entries use sentence case for book and article titles. Chicago reference entries use title case for all titles.

APA and Chicago author-date citations examples

APA	Bradshaw and Ellis (2016) explained, “First impressions are crucial—if either the dog or cat is spooked during their first actual physical encounter, later meetings are less likely to go well” (p. 150).
Chicago	Bradshaw and Ellis (2016) explain, “First impressions are crucial—if either the dog or cat is spooked during their first actual physical encounter, later meetings are less likely to go well” (150).

QuillBot’s free Citation Generator can help you create flawless citations in APA, Chicago author-date, or whichever citation style you’re using.