Free Chicago Citation Generator

Generate accurate Chicago Style (17th Edition) citations with Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date format. Perfect for humanities, social sciences, and history papers!

Create Your Chicago Citation
Select source type and fill in the required information (Notes-Bibliography system)

Book Information

For specific citations

Footnote/Endnote

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Bibliography Entry

Bibliography/Reference list entry will appear here

Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Use footnotes or endnotes for citations in your text, with a full bibliography at the end. Commonly used in humanities.

Quick Chicago Style Guide

Two Citation Systems

Notes-Bibliography: Uses numbered footnotes/endnotes in text with a bibliography. Common in humanities (history, literature, arts).

Author-Date: Uses parenthetical citations (Author Year) in text with a reference list. Common in social sciences (sociology, psychology).

Choose the system required by your discipline or instructor.

Footnote vs Bibliography

Footnote: FirstName LastName format, commas between elements, parentheses for publication info.

Bibliography: LastName, FirstName format, periods between elements, no parentheses, hanging indent.

First footnote is full citation; subsequent citations use shortened form.

Capitalization Rules

Titles: Use title case for books and articles - capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives).

Journals: Capitalize journal names in title case and italicize them.

Lowercase prepositions, articles, and conjunctions unless first word.

Citation Examples

See how Chicago citations work for different source types

Notes-Bibliography System

Book Citation

Footnote:

1. Walter Johnson, The Broken Heart of America (New York: Basic Books, 2020), 45-67.

Bibliography:

Johnson, Walter. The Broken Heart of America. New York: Basic Books, 2020.

Journal Article

Footnote:

2. Susan Jones, "Climate Policy Changes," Environmental Studies Quarterly 45, no. 3 (2023): 234-256.

Bibliography:

Jones, Susan. "Climate Policy Changes." Environmental Studies Quarterly 45, no. 3 (2023): 234-256.

Website Citation

Footnote:

3. Michael Brown, "Understanding AI Ethics," Tech Insights, March 15, 2024, accessed November 30, 2025, https://techinsights.com/ai-ethics.

Bibliography:

Brown, Michael. "Understanding AI Ethics." Tech Insights. March 15, 2024. Accessed November 30, 2025. https://techinsights.com/ai-ethics.

Author-Date System

Book Citation

In-Text:

(Johnson 2020, 45-67)

Reference List:

Johnson, Walter. 2020. The Broken Heart of America. New York: Basic Books.

Journal Article

In-Text:

(Jones 2023, 234-256)

Reference List:

Jones, Susan. 2023. "Climate Policy Changes." Environmental Studies Quarterly 45 (3): 234-256.

Website Citation

In-Text:

(Brown 2024)

Reference List:

Brown, Michael. 2024. "Understanding AI Ethics." Tech Insights. Accessed November 30, 2025. https://techinsights.com/ai-ethics.

Key Chicago Citation Rules
  • 1.Footnote Numbering: Use superscript numbers in sequential order throughout your paper. Place after punctuation (except dashes).
  • 2.Shortened Notes: After first full citation, use shortened form: Author Last Name, Shortened Title, Page.
  • 3.Italics Usage: Italicize books, journals, newspapers, magazines, films. Use quotation marks for articles and chapters.
  • 4.Access Dates: Required for websites and online sources. Use format: "accessed Month Day, Year".
  • 5.Page Numbers: Use specific pages for direct quotes. Use "p." or "pp." only in author-date system.
  • 6.Multiple Authors: List up to 3 authors; use "et al." after first author for 4+ authors in notes.
Common Chicago Mistakes to Avoid
  • Mixing Systems: Don't mix notes-bibliography and author-date systems. Choose one and use consistently.
  • Wrong Name Order: Footnotes use First Last; Bibliography uses Last, First. Don't confuse them.
  • Missing Punctuation: Use commas in footnotes, periods in bibliography. Don't end footnotes with periods inside parentheses.
  • Incorrect Italics: Don't italicize article titles. Don't use quotes for book titles.
  • Missing Info: Always include access dates for websites. Don't omit publisher location for books.
  • Hanging Indent: Bibliography entries must have hanging indents (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Chicago citation generator free?

Yes! Our Chicago Style citation generator following the 17th edition manual is 100% free with no registration required. Generate unlimited citations for both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems for all your academic papers.

Which Chicago citation system should I use?

Use Notes-Bibliography for humanities subjects like history, literature, philosophy, and arts. Use Author-Date for social sciences like psychology, sociology, political science, and anthropology. Always check your instructor's or publisher's requirements.

How do I format footnotes in Chicago style?

Use superscript numbers in sequential order throughout your text. Place the number after punctuation (except dashes). The first citation should be full; subsequent citations of the same source use a shortened form (Author Last Name, Shortened Title, Page). Number footnotes consecutively starting from 1.

What's the difference between Chicago and Turabian styles?

Turabian is a simplified version of Chicago Style designed specifically for students. It's based on Chicago but with more straightforward guidelines. The main formatting rules are essentially the same - both use notes-bibliography or author-date systems. Turabian is more commonly used for undergraduate papers, while Chicago is the full professional standard.

Do I need both footnotes and a bibliography?

In Notes-Bibliography system, yes - you typically include both footnotes/endnotes AND a bibliography, though some instructors may allow only one. In Author-Date system, you only need in-text citations and a reference list (no footnotes required).

How do I cite sources with multiple authors in Chicago?

For 1-3 authors, list all names. For 4+ authors in footnotes/in-text citations, use the first author's name followed by "et al." (e.g., Smith et al.). In the bibliography/reference list, list up to 10 authors; use "et al." only for 11+ authors.

Can I use this generator for my thesis or dissertation?

Yes! This tool follows Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition guidelines suitable for theses and dissertations. However, always check your university's specific formatting requirements as some institutions have additional style guidelines. For comprehensive thesis support including proper Chicago formatting throughout, consider our professional academic writing services.

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