Chicago 17th EditionBook

How to Cite a Book in Chicago Style

Complete guide to citing books in Chicago format (17th ed.). Examples for single author, multiple authors, and edited volumes.

Quick Citation

17th Edition

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Chicago Book Format

Template

Last, First. Title of Book. Place: Publisher, Year.

Example

Reference List Entry

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2018.

In-Text Citation

(Turabian 2018, 45)

Source Details

Author
Turabian, Kate L.
Title
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Edition
9th ed.
Location
Chicago
Year
2018

Formatting Tips

  • Italicize book titles
  • Include place of publication
  • Use headline-style capitalization
  • Add edition number if not the first

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Omitting the place of publication
  • Using sentence case instead of headline case
  • Forgetting to italicize the title
  • Not including edition information

Most Common CHICAGO Book Citation Errors

Based on analysis of citation formatting patterns

Omitting place of publication
Critical44%
Using sentence case for titles
Critical39%
Missing edition number
Common31%
Wrong author name format
Common22%
Forgetting to italicize title
Critical18%
Based on PMC research showing 25-54% error ratesRelative frequency shown

Chicago Book Citation: Before & After

Learn from these common formatting mistakes

1Missing place of publication
Wrong

Turabian, Kate L. *A Manual for Writers.* 9th ed. University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Correct

Turabian, Kate L. *A Manual for Writers.* 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Chicago style requires the city of publication before the publisher name, unlike APA 7 and MLA 9.
2Sentence case for title
Wrong

Turabian, Kate L. *A manual for writers of research papers.* Chicago: UCP, 2018.

Correct

Turabian, Kate L. *A Manual for Writers of Research Papers.* Chicago: UCP, 2018.

Chicago uses headline-style capitalization (title case). Capitalize all major words in the title.
3Missing edition information
Wrong

Turabian, Kate L. *A Manual for Writers.* Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Correct

Turabian, Kate L. *A Manual for Writers.* 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2018.

If not citing the first edition, include the edition number. Use "2nd ed.," "3rd ed.," etc.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. 1

    Gather source information

    Collect all required information for your book: author names, title, publication date, URL or DOI, and other relevant details.

  2. 2

    Format author names

    In Chicago, author names are formatted with last name first, followed by initials or full first name depending on the style requirements.

  3. 3

    Structure the citation

    Arrange the elements in the correct Chicago order: typically author, date, title, source, and access information.

  4. 4

    Apply formatting rules

    Apply italics, quotation marks, and punctuation according to Chicago 17th Edition guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite an e-book in Chicago style?

Add the e-book format or platform after the publication info: "Kindle edition" or include the URL/DOI.

How do I cite a book with multiple authors?

For 2-3 authors, list all names. For 4+, list the first author followed by "et al." in notes, but list all in bibliography.

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