Style Guides
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition by Call Number: Z253 .U69 2017ISBN: 9780226287058Publication Date: 2017-09-05Dinand Reference, Music Reference, Science Reference
About
About Chicago Style
Chicago style is a citation style used in a variety of academic fields. There are two versions of Chicago style citations: Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date. In Notes-Bibliography, citations are provided with numbered footnotes at the bottom of each page. In Author-Date, in-text citations are provided with the author's name and publication date in parentheses. Both styles also include a full bibliography at the end of a paper.
This guide focuses on the Notes-Bibliography style, which is more commonly used in the Fine Arts. For information about the Author-Date style, visit our Citation Help Guide.
Different types of sources will require different information in the citation. In general, a citation should include the author's name, the title of the work, the publisher, publication date, and other location information such a volume numbers or page numbers. Remember, one reason we use citations is to make it easy for someone else to find the source you used. By including as much information as you can in the citation, you can help someone else locate that source and see where you got your information.
The style guides linked on this page include examples of how to format citations for specific types of sources.
General Format
Notes-Bibliography uses footnotes to list citations as they appear in the text, followed by a full bibliography at the end of the paper. When a source is used in text, there is a superscript number that corresponds with the footnote. Typically, the first time a source is used will have a longer footnote that includes the full citation. Later uses of that same source can use shortened notes to conserve space.
Footnotes are listed in the order in which the sources appear in your writing. The first source you cite will be numbered 1, the second number 2, and so on. Notes start over at number 1 in each chapter.
The bibliography is listed in alphabetical order by the first part of the citation, which is typically the author's last name.
Short Form Footnotes
The first time you use a source in your paper, the footnote should include the full citation. For later citations, to reduce the amount of bulk in your footnotes, you can use a short form footnote that provides enough information to let the reader find the citation in your bibliography, but does not include the full footnote you used for the first citation.
In general, a short form note will include the author's last name, the title of the work (which may be shortened if it is a long title), and the page number you are referencing.
Example:
Full Footnote:
1. Aimee Nezhukumatathil, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments (Canada: Milkweed Editions, 2020), 20-22.
Short Form Footnote:
2. Nezhukumatathil, World of Wonders, 108-111.
Citation Examples
When citing a book (print or electronic), there are certain pieces of information to include to make it possible for someone reading your citation to find the book you're citing. In general, you want to include the author, title, editor/translator (if any), edition (if not the first), volume (if applicable), series title (if applicable), facts of publication, page numbers (if applicable), and URL or DOI for books consulted online. Not every book will have all of these things. Include what information is available.
General Format - Books
Footnote:
1. AuthorFirstName AuthorLastName, Title of Book in Italics and Capitalized (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page number(s) for quotes.
Bibliography:
AuthorLastName, FirstName. Title of Book in Italics and Capitalized. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
The examples below include a print book with a single author, a print book with editors instead of an author, an electronic book, and a chapter in an edited book.
Footnote
1. Charlotte Vannier, From Thread to Needle: Contemporary Embroidery Art (Berkeley, CA: Gingko Press, 2019), 30-32.
2. Monica Penick and Christopher Long, eds., The Rise of Everyday Design: The Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain and America (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2019).
3. Andreas Marks, Japan Journeys: Famous Woodblock Prints of Cultural Sights in Japan (North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2015), ProQuest Ebook.
4. Jennifer L. Roberts, "Backwords: Screenprinting and the Politics of Reversal," in Corita Kent and the Language of Pop, ed. Susan Dackerman (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015), 61-73.
Bibliography
Marks, Andreas. Japan Journeys: Famous Woodblock Prints of Cultural Sights in Japan. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2015. ProQuest Ebook.
Roberts, Jennifer L. "Backwords: Screenprinting and the Politics of Reversal." In Corita Kent and the Language of Pop, edited by Susan Dackerman, 61-73. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015.
Penick, Monica, and Christopher Long, eds. The Rise of Everyday Design: The Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain and America. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2019.
Vannier, Charlotte. From Thread to Needle: Contemporary Embroidery Art. Berkeley, CA: Gingko Press, 2019.
This section includes example citations for articles in periodicals - these are publications that are published on a regular schedule, with no set endpoint. This includes academic journals, magazines, and newspapers. Your citation should include the author(s), the article title, the title of the periodical, the volume/issue number, the publication date, the page numbers, and a URL or DOI for online sources.
General Format - Scholarly Journal Articles
Footnote:
1. AuthorFirstName AuthorLastName, "Title of Article with Capitalization," Journal Title in Italics volume#, no. issue# (Month Year): page range, DOI (if available).
*Two or three authors: List the authors' names in the order they are listed on the source. In the footnote, each author's name is written FirstName LastName: Meredith Grey, Miranda Bailey, and Cristina Yang.
*Three or more authors: List the first author's name followed by et al. (which means "and others"): Meredith Grey et al.
Bibliography:
AuthorLastName, FirstName. "Title of Article with Capitalization." Journal Title in Italics volume#, no. issue# (Month Year): page range. DOI (if available).
*Two or three authors: List the authors' names in the order they are listed on the source. In the bibliography, the first author's name is written LastName, FirstName and the following authors are written FirstName LastName: Grey, Meredith, Miranda Bailey, and Cristina Yang.
*Three or more authors: List all authors in the bibliography entry in the order their names appear on the source. In the bibliography, the first author's name is written LastName, FirstName and the following authors are written FirstName LastName: Grey, Meredith, Miranda Bailey, Cristina Yang, and Alex Karev.
General Format - Newspaper Articles
Footnote:
1. AuthorFirstName AuthorLastName, "Title of Article with Capitalization," Newspaper Title in Italics, Publication Month Day, Year, link (if available).
Bibliography:
AuthorLastName, FirstName. "Title of Article with Capitalization." Newspaper Title in Italics. Publication Month Day, Year. Link (if available).
The examples below include a scholarly journal article (Nathael Cano et al.) and a newspaper article (Zachary Small).
Footnote
1. Nathael Cano et al., "Acrylic Colors for Peace: Non-invasive Study of an Outdoor Mural Painting," Color Research & Application 48, no. 4 (July/August 2023): 381-392, https://doi.org/10.1002/col.22861.
2. Zachary Small, "The Met Announces Harlem Renaissance Exhibition for 2024," New York Times, August 22, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/22/arts/design/harlem-renaissance-met-exhibition.html.
Bibliography
Cano, Nathael, Oscar G. de Lucio, Miguel Pérez, Alejandro Mitrani, Alan Nagaya, José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil and Ricardo Medina. "Acrylic Colors for Peace: Non-invasive Study of an Outdoor Mural Painting." Color Research & Application 48, no. 4 (July/August 2023): 381-392. https://doi.org/10.1002/col.22861.
Small, Zachary. "The Met Announces Harlem Renaissance Exhibition for 2024." New York Times. August 22, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/22/arts/design/harlem-renaissance-met-exhibition.html.
Websites and blogs should be cited when used. If you are viewing a specific page on a website, cite that page and provide a direct link. You should also include the date the site was last updated. If that date is not available, include the date you accessed the site. For blogs, you should include the word (blog) in parenthesis after the name of the blog, unless the name of the blog has the word blog in it.
General Format - Websites
Footnote:
No author listed:
1. "Title of Webpage," Section of Site, Larger Website, updated/accessed Month Day Year, link.
Author listed:
2. AuthorFirstName Last Name, "Title of Webpage," Section of Site, Website Publisher, updated/accessed Month Day, Year, link.
Bibliography:
No author listed:
Website Publisher. "Title of Webpage." Section of Site. Updated/accessed Month Day, Year. link.
Author listed:
AuthorLastName, FirstName. "Title of Webpage." Section of Site. Website Publisher. Updated/accessed Month Day, Year. link.
Footnote
1. "Nan Goldin," Artists, The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation, accessed October 1, 2024, https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/nan-goldin
2. Tom Grill, "What I don't like about photographing with a cell phone," About Photography (blog), August 23, 2021, https://aboutphotography-tomgrill.blogspot.com/2021/08/why-i-dont-like-photography-with-cell.html
Bibliography
Grill, Tom. "What I don't like about photographing with a cell phone." About Photography (blog). August 23, 2021. https://aboutphotography-tomgrill.blogspot.com/2021/08/why-i-dont-like-photography-with-cell.html
The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. "Nan Goldin." Artists. Accessed October 1, 2024. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/nan-goldin
Citation Examples: Images and Nontraditional Sources
For works of art, the citation should include the artist, the title of the artwork, the date of creation/completion, and information about the type of artwork and where it is location. If a work of art was found online, include the URL in the citation. If you are citing an image you saw in a museum, no URL is needed. For art that is posted on social media, see the tab on citing social media content.
General Format - Paintings, Photographs, and Sculptures
Footnote:
1. ArtistFirstName LastName, Title of Artwork in Italics, Year, type of artwork, dimensions if available, Gallery or Museum Where Work is Located, Location of Museum, link if available.
Bibliography:
ArtistLastName, First Name. Title of Artwork in Italics. Year. Type of artwork, dimensions if available. Gallery or Museum Where Work is Located, Location of Museum, link if available.
The examples below include a photograph and a painting, one available online and one seen in a museum with no online link.
Footnote
1. Robert Houston, Tent with Song Lyrics - Resurrection City, Wash., D.C. - 1968, 1968, photograph, 2510 pixels × 3899 pixels, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC, http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd50a2ec075-4aaa-44f3-a94c-985a1674257f.
2. Maurice Brazil Prendergast, Venice, 1901, watercolor over graphite on moderately thick cream wove paper, Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA.
Bibliography
Houston, Robert. Tent with Song Lyrics - Resurrection City, Wash., D.C. - 1968. 1968. Photograph, 2510 pixels × 3899 pixels. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC. http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd50a2ec075-4aaa-44f3-a94c-985a1674257f.
Prendergast, Maurice Brazil. Venice. 1901. Watercolor over graphite on moderately thick cream wove paper. Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA.
If you are citing an image you found in another print source, like a book or magazine, your citation should include information about both the image and the source where it was found. Start the citation with the name of the creator, the image title, year, and medium. Then list the information for the book or print source starting with the title, the author's name, the page number, the location of the publisher, the publisher's name, and the publication year.
General Format - Images Found in Another Text
Footnote:
1. Artist FirstName LastName, Title of Image, year of image, type of image, in Text Where Image Was Published, AuthorFirstName Last Name (Book Publisher Location: Publisher, year of book publication), page range.
*This example shows a book with an author. If the book has an editor/editors, put "ed." before their names, after the name of the book.
Bibliography:
Artist LastName, FirstName. Title of Image. Year of image. Type of image. In Text Where Image Was Published, AuthorFirstName Last Name, page range. Publisher Location: Publisher, Year of book publication.
The example below is a citation for the photo Winter Coast, Gambell, Alaska by artist Kiliii Yüyan was published in the book Speaking with Light: Contemporary Indigenous Photography. The photo can be found on pages 146-147.
Footnote
1. Kiliii Yüyan, Winter Coast, Gambell, Alaska, 2018, inkjet print, in Speaking with Light: Contemporary Indigenous Photography, ed. John Rohrbach and Will Wilson (Santa Fe: Radius Books, 2022), 146-147.
Bibliography
Yüyan, Kiliii. Winter Coast, Gambell, Alaska. 2018. Inkjet print. In Speaking with Light: Contemporary Indigenous Photography, edited by John Rohrbach and Will Wilson, 146-147. Santa Fe: Radius Books, 2022.
Many contemporary artists post their work on their personal social media, outside of traditional museums, print publications, or art journals. You should cite social media posts when you use them in your work. The citation should include the author of the post and their handle or username, the text of the post in place of a title (up to 160 characters), the type of post (including the social media platform and the format), the date, and a URL.
General Format - Social Media
Footnote:
1. AuthorFirstName LastName (@social media username), "Text of the post in place of the title with original post capitalization (up to 160 characters)," Social media platform and type of post, Month Day, Year, link.
Bibliography:
LastName, FirstName (@social media username). "Text of the post in place of the title with original post capitalization (up to 160 characters)." Social media platform and type of post. Month Day, Year. Link.
*For the author, use the name on their profile. If there is no name, use the username instead of the author's name.
The example below is for an Instagram post.
Footnote
1. Abdul Dremali (@advil), "some quick edits from my week on rapa nui photographing the giant mai statues of easter island. so much mystery and lore surrounds this island and coming to," Instagram photo, September 2, 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAnbu0r9dM/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA
Bibliography
Dremali, Abdul (@advil). "some quick edits from my week on rapa nui photographing the giant mai statues of easter island. so much mystery and lore surrounds this island and coming to." Instagram photo. September 2, 2022. https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAnbu0r9dM/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA
*Notice that you keep the capitalization style of the original post. In this example, the poster used all lowercase writing in their caption, so the citation keeps that style. If you do not know the poster's real name, use the handle or username in place of the author's name. For the date, include the month, day, and year of the post.
You might use more than one photograph or work by the same artist. To cite multiple works by the same author/creator in your bibliography, use the author's name for each citation, then arrange them alphabetically by the title of the work. If the work starts with an article like the, a, or an, do not use that article for alphabetizing and instead use the second word in the title.
Bibliography Example - Multiple Works by the Same Artist
Jackson, Zig. Entering Zig's Indian Reservation. Golden Gate headland, [San Francisco, Ca.]. 1997. Photographic print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington DC. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2005694401/
Jackson, Zig. Gertrude Foolish Bear (Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara), Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. 2004. Inkjet print. Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR. http://www.portlandartmuseum.us/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=74591;type=101
Jackson, Zig. Indian Man on the Bus, Mission District, San Francisco, California. 1994. Inkjet print. In Speaking with Light: Contemporary Indigenous Photography, by John Rohrbach and Will Wilson, 88-89. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Radius Books, 2022.
Jackson, Zig. War Mothers, Howard and Leroy Crow Flies Hight, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, North Dakota. 1995. Inkjet print. Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, TX. https://www.cartermuseum.org/collection/war-mothers-howard-and-leroy-crow-flies-hight-fort-berthold-indian-reservation-north
Online multimedia includes videos shared online, podcasts, and other non-print media found online. If you want to cite a YouTube video, a snippet of a podcast, or an audio recording, use the recommendations in this section. Because these sources are hosted online, you should include a URL in your citation.
General Format - YouTube Video
Footnote:
1. FirstName LastName, "Video Title," YouTube video, run time, Month Day, Year, URL.
Bibliography:
LastName, FirstName. "Video Title." YouTube Video, run time. Month Day, Year. URL
*For the author, use the name listed on the YouTube channel.
Footnote - YouTube Video
1. Apple, "iPhone 14 | Action mode | Apple," YouTube Video, 0:38, January 9, 2023, https://youtu.be/tRPqGf8nc4g?feature=shared.
Bibliography - YouTube Video
Apple. "iPhone 14 | Action mode | Apple." YouTube Video, 0:38. January 9, 2023. https://youtu.be/tRPqGf8nc4g?feature=shared.
General Format - Podcast
Footnote:
1. Author(Host)FirstName LastName, "Episode Title," Date, in Podcast Title, produced by Producer Name, podcast, file format, length, URL.
Bibliography:
LastName, FirstName. "Episode Title." Podcast Title. Produced by Producer Name. Podcast, file format, length. URL
Footnote - Podcast
1. Ben Luke, "British Museum in crisis, Sāo Paulo biennial, Soutine in Düsseldorf," August 31, 2023, in The Week in Art, produced by The Art Newspaper, podcast, MP3 audio, 53:00, https://open.acast.com/public/streams/5e29a2ef7644ff6b3f984cff/episodes/64f0b3fc6ded990010abcd89.mp3.
Bibliography - Podcast
Luke, Ben. "British Museum in crisis, Sāo Paulo biennial, Soutine in Düsseldorf." The Week in Art. Produced by The Art Newspaper. Podcast, MP3 audio, 53:00. https://open.acast.com/public/streams/5e29a2ef7644ff6b3f984cff/episodes/64f0b3fc6ded990010abcd89.mp3.
If you conduct an interview (either in person, over the phone, or by email) with someone and use that information in your paper, you should cite that using the formats for interviews and personal communications. Generally, interviews are cited in the text or using footnotes, but you may also include them in your bibliography. The citation should include the name of the person interviewed and the interviewer, identifying information about the person being interviewed, the place or date of the interview, and where a transcript can be found (if available - you may not have a transcript and can leave this out if it doesn't exist).
Footnote - Unpublished Interview
1. Meredith Grey (Chief of General Surgery, Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital), in conversation with the author, January 2023.
Note: For interviews that have been published, you should cite those as you would cite an article in a periodical.
Personal Communications
Personal communications include face-to-face and electronic communications like phone calls, text messages, emails, or private messages. These are communications you personally had with another person. These are typically cited in text or in footnotes and are not included in a bibliography. Refer to the type of communication and the date and indicate that it was communication with the author (you!). Do not include your subject's personal email address or social media username.
Citing a Personal Email In Text
In an email to the author on February 3, 2023, Dr. Meredith Grey explained...
Footnote: Personal Email
1. Meredith Grey, email message to author, February 3, 2023.
What if Information is Missing?
Inevitably, you will find yourself using sources where not all of the information required in a citation is available. Here are some suggestions to make sure your citations are as accurate as possible.
Try to find the image in another source. Did you find the image through an online search, or linked in an article? See if you can find the original source of the image, which may have more citation information. A Reverse Image Search is one way to accomplish this. If you have the name of the artist, look to see if they have a personal website or if the image was displayed in an exhibition somewhere. These sources might have more information about the image.
Unknown Author: If the author or creator of a source is unknown, the citation starts with the title of the source. Format the title the same as you would in a typical citation, but list it first in the Bibliography entry and use the first word of the title other than the initial article (a, the, an) to alphabetize. For Author-Date references, use a shortened version of the title in your parenthetical reference and the full title in your reference list.
*If the creator or author is listed as Anonymous (i.e., Anonymous is on the title page or the description of the work), use Anonymous as the author's name. Do not use Anonymous when the author is unknown.
Unknown Date: Use the abbreviation n.d. (stands for "no date") in place of the year in your citation.
Unknown Place of Publication: Use the abbreviation n.p. in place of the publication location.
Unknown Title: Provide a brief description of the image in brackets in place of a title.
Cite what you can. Remember, the purpose of a citation is to give credit to the original creator and to make it possible for someone else to find the source you used. Include as much information as you have available. For web sources, always include a URL or DOI that links directly to the source. For books and journals, check for publisher information and include that. Do the best you can to find citation information, and use the guidelines above to fill in the blanks when you're not able to find information.