How to Cite a Book in Chicago Format

This guide explains how to cite a book Chicago style, covering both Chicago's Notes and Bibliography (NB) and Author-Date systems. Whether you are writing history, literature, or the sciences, Chicago is widely used in the humanities and some social sciences. Follow the examples and actionable tips below to create accurate citations every time.

What Chicago style is and who uses it

Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition) offers two citation systems: Notes and Bibliography (preferred in humanities) and Author-Date (preferred in sciences and social sciences). The NB system uses footnotes or endnotes plus a bibliography; Author-Date uses parenthetical in-text citations plus a reference list.

Researchers, editors, students, and publishers use Chicago. If you need quick, correct citations, try Rephrasely's free citation generator at https://rephrasely.com/citation.

General Rules

Choose the right system: Notes and Bibliography vs. Author-Date. Confirm with your instructor or publisher.
Titles: Italicize book titles; use headline-style capitalization for English titles.
Authors: List author names as presented in the source. In bibliographies, reverse the first author's name (Last, First).
Punctuation and order: Follow the prescribed punctuation (commas and periods matter).
URLs and DOIs: Include DOIs when available for online works; include stable URLs only when necessary.

How to Cite by Source Type

Below are step-by-step citation formats for common source types. Examples are shown for both the Notes and Bibliography system and the Author-Date system where applicable.

1. Single-author book

Notes and Bibliography — Full note (first citation):

1. John Doe, The Example Book: A Study (New York: Example Press, 2018), 45.

Notes — Shortened note (subsequent citations):

2. Doe, The Example Book, 123.

Bibliography entry:

Doe, John. The Example Book: A Study. New York: Example Press, 2018.

Author-Date in-text citation:

(Doe 2018, 45)

Reference list entry:

Doe, John. 2018. The Example Book: A Study. New York: Example Press.

2. Edited book or chapter in an edited volume

Chapter in Notes — Full note:

1. Jane Smith, “Chapter Title,” in Edited Volume Title, ed. Robert Allen (Chicago: Example Press, 2020), 78.

Bibliography for edited volume:

Allen, Robert, ed. Edited Volume Title. Chicago: Example Press, 2020.

Bibliography for chapter author:

Smith, Jane. “Chapter Title.” In Edited Volume Title, edited by Robert Allen, 65–90. Chicago: Example Press, 2020.

3. E-book (with DOI or stable URL)

Notes — Full note:

1. Maria Lopez, Digital History (London: E-Press, 2016), https://doi.org/10.1234/example.

Bibliography:

Lopez, Maria. Digital History. London: E-Press, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1234/example.

If no DOI is available, include a stable URL or the platform (e.g., Kindle).

4. Journal article (Author-Date and Notes)

Notes — Full note:

1. Alan Brown, “Article Title,” Journal Name 10, no. 2 (2019): 150, https://doi.org/10.5678/example.

Bibliography:

Brown, Alan. “Article Title.” Journal Name 10, no. 2 (2019): 140–62. https://doi.org/10.5678/example.

Author-Date in-text:

(Brown 2019, 150)

Reference list:

Brown, Alan. 2019. “Article Title.” Journal Name 10 (2): 140–62. https://doi.org/10.5678/example.

5. Website or web page

Notes — Full note:

1. National Center, “Title of Web Page,” Organization, last modified March 3, 2021, https://www.example.org/page.

Bibliography:

National Center. “Title of Web Page.” Organization. Last modified March 3, 2021. https://www.example.org/page.

Author-Date in-text:

(National Center 2021)

Reference list entry:

National Center. 2021. “Title of Web Page.” Organization. Last modified March 3, 2021. https://www.example.org/page.

6. Government report, dissertation, and multimedia (brief notes)

Government report (Bibliography): United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Report Title. Washington, DC: GPO, 2017.
Dissertation (Notes): 1. Mark Lee, “Dissertation Title” (PhD diss., University of Example, 2015), 22.
Podcast or video (Notes): 1. Host Name, “Episode Title,” Podcast Title, episode 12, January 15, 2020, MP3, 00:45:30, https://example.com/episode.

In-Text Citations

Notes and Bibliography:

Use superscript numbers in the text that correspond to footnotes or endnotes. The first time you cite a work, provide a full citation in the note. After the first full note, use a shortened form with author last name, short title, and page number.

Examples in running text:

...as discussed by Doe.^1

Corresponding footnote (full):

1. John Doe, The Example Book: A Study (New York: Example Press, 2018), 45.

Author-Date:

Use parentheses with author, year, and page number where applicable. Place citations before the period or after the quoted material.

Example:

Many scholars argue for this approach (Doe 2018, 45).

Reference List / Bibliography

Formatting rules for bibliography (Notes and Bibliography):

Title the list "Bibliography" and place it at the end of the document.
Alphabetize entries by authors' last names.
Use a hanging indent for each entry (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented).
Reverse the first author's name: Last, First. Subsequent authors in normal order: First Last.

Formatting rules for Author-Date reference list:

Title the list "References."
Alphabetize and use hanging indents.
Include DOIs when available and URLs for sources without DOIs.

Example bibliography (mixed entries):


Brown, Alan. “Article Title.” Journal Name 10, no. 2 (2019): 140–62. https://doi.org/10.5678/example.

Doe, John. The Example Book: A Study. New York: Example Press, 2018.

Smith, Jane. “Chapter Title.” In Edited Volume Title, edited by Robert Allen, 65–90. Chicago: Example Press, 2020.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mixing systems: Don't combine Notes and Bibliography formatting with Author-Date in the same paper unless instructed. Decide on one system and apply it consistently.
Incorrect author order or punctuation: In bibliographies, reverse only the first author's name. Pay close attention to commas, periods, and parentheses placement.
Missing DOIs or unstable URLs: Include DOIs for electronic works when available. If you must add a URL, use the stable or publisher-provided link, not a session-based or search result URL.
Wrong title formatting: Book and journal titles should be italicized; article and chapter titles should be in quotes. Use headline-style capitalization for English.

Practical Tips and Tools

Actionable steps you can apply now:

Decide which Chicago system your assignment requires before you begin citing.
Keep a consistent records file (author, title, publisher, date, page numbers, DOI/URL) as you research.
Use Rephrasely's free citation generator to create correctly formatted entries quickly: Rephrasely Citation Generator.
Proofread bibliography entries for punctuation and capitalization errors. Run your draft through Rephrasely's plagiarism checker if you're paraphrasing sources and use the AI writer to draft summaries. Use the AI detector to ensure compliance with your institution's policies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to include page numbers in Chicago citations?

In the Notes and Bibliography system, include page numbers in notes for specific citations (e.g., when quoting). In the Author-Date system, include page numbers in parenthetical citations for direct quotes or specific passages (e.g., (Doe 2018, 45)).

How do I cite multiple authors in Chicago?

For three or fewer authors, list all names in the bibliography. For four or more authors, list the first author followed by "et al." in notes; in bibliographies, list up to ten authors before abbreviating with "et al." (consult CMOS 17 for specifics).

Can I use an automatic citation generator for Chicago style?

Yes. Automatic tools like Rephrasely's free citation generator can save time and reduce errors, but always verify punctuation, capitalization, and the presence of DOIs or stable URLs against the Chicago Manual of Style.

How to Cite a Book in Chicago Format