Free Chicago Citation Generator
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Why Use Our Chicago Citation Generator?
Real Academic Databases
Search 250M+ works from OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, and CrossRef. Every Chicago citation is real and verifiable.
Chicago 17th Edition Compliant
Automatically formatted according to The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition. Supports Author-Date format.
Turabian Compatible
Works for Turabian style papers too. Same formatting rules, simplified for student use.
Complete Bibliography Entries
Get properly formatted bibliography entries with correct punctuation, italics, and author formatting.
Chicago Citation Examples
Author-Date (Bibliography)
Notes-Bibliography (Footnote)
Book
Examples formatted in Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition
How to Cite in Chicago Style
Chicago offers two parallel systems. Pick one and use it consistently throughout your paper.
Notes-Bibliography: Journal Article
Footnote:
Bibliography:
Author-Date: Journal Article
In-text:
Reference list:
Notes-Bibliography: Website
Footnote:
Notes-Bibliography: Book Chapter
Chicago Quick Reference by Source Type
| Source | NB Footnote Format | Author-Date In-Text |
|---|---|---|
| Journal | ¹ Author, "Title," Journal Vol, no. # (Year): page. | (Author Year, page) |
| Book | ² Author, Title (City: Publisher, Year), page. | (Author Year, page) |
| Book Chapter | ³ Author, "Chapter," in Book, ed. Editor (City: Publisher, Year), page. | (Author Year, page) |
| Website | ⁴ Author, "Title," Site, accessed Date, URL. | (Author Year) |
| Newspaper | ⁵ Author, "Headline," Newspaper, Month Day, Year. | (Author Year) |
Common Chicago Citation Mistakes
Wrong (mixing systems):
Correct:
Author-Date and Notes-Bibliography are mutually exclusive. Never mix them in the same document.
Wrong (Author-Date journal):
Correct:
Chicago Author-Date uses a space before the issue number in parentheses and a colon before page numbers — not APA-style commas.
Wrong (NB book):
Correct:
NB footnotes use first name first (not inverted), place of publication in parentheses, and include page number for specific references.
Chicago In-Text Citations
Author-Date Style
Parenthetical citation:
Notes Style
Superscript number:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chicago style citation?
Chicago style, based on The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition), is widely used in history, humanities, and social sciences. It offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography (footnotes) and Author-Date (parenthetical).
What is the difference between Chicago and Turabian?
Turabian is a simplified version of Chicago style designed for students. The formatting rules are nearly identical, so our Chicago generator works for both.
Should I use Author-Date or Notes-Bibliography?
Author-Date is common in sciences and social sciences. Notes-Bibliography is preferred in humanities and history. Check your instructor's requirements or your field's conventions.
How do Chicago footnotes work?
In Notes-Bibliography style, you use superscript numbers in the text that correspond to footnotes at the bottom of the page containing full citation details.
Is this Chicago citation generator free?
Yes! CiteMe offers free Chicago citations on the free tier. We support both Author-Date and Notes-Bibliography formats.
How do I cite a journal article in Chicago style?
Author-Date: Smith, John D., and Mary Johnson. 2024. "Article Title." Journal Name 29 (4): 123–145. Notes-Bibliography footnote: ¹ John D. Smith and Mary Johnson, "Article Title," Journal Name 29, no. 4 (2024): 123–145.
How do I cite a website in Chicago style?
Author-Date: Smith, John. 2024. "Page Title." Website Name. Accessed January 15. https://example.com/page. Notes-Bibliography: ¹ John Smith, "Page Title," Website Name, accessed January 15, 2024, https://example.com/page.
What is the difference between Chicago footnotes and endnotes?
Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page; endnotes are collected at the end of the paper. Both use superscript numbers in the text. Check your assignment requirements — most instructors accept either.
How do I format a Chicago bibliography?
Start on a new page titled "Bibliography" (centered, no bold). List entries alphabetically by author's last name. Use hanging indentation (second and subsequent lines indented 0.5 in). Double-space all entries.
Does Chicago use "ibid."?
Chicago 17th edition discourages "ibid." in favor of shortened citations. A second reference to Smith's book becomes: ² Smith, Art of Writing, 45. Use "ibid." only if your institution specifically requires it.
How do I cite a book chapter in Chicago style?
Notes-Bibliography: ¹ Jane Doe, "Chapter Title," in Book Title, ed. Editor Name (City: Publisher, 2024), 45–67. Bibliography: Doe, Jane. "Chapter Title." In Book Title, edited by Editor Name, 45–67. City: Publisher, 2024.
How Chicago Compares to Other Styles
| Style | System | Field | In-Text Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | Notes-Bibliography | History / Publishing | ¹Smith, Title, 45. |
| Turabian | Notes-Bibliography | Student Papers | ¹Smith, Title, 45. |
| APA | Author-Date | Social Sciences | (Smith, 2024) |
| MLA | Author-Page | Humanities | (Smith 45) |
| Harvard | Author-Date | UK Universities | (Smith 2024) |
Cite by Source Type in Chicago
Start with the Chicago source pages that usually answer the highest-intent searches, then use the full set of examples and formatting guides.
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