Chicago Style Referencing Guide for Academic Writers
The manner and accuracy of citation depend largely on the platform and audience. For internet publications, such as blogs, authors may cite sources as they see fit or not at all. However, maintaining rigorous citations is crucial for the credibility of the work. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the Chicago style of referencing, which is widely used in academic publishing.
The Extent and Accuracy of Referencing
The extent and accuracy of referencing can vary depending on the intent of the publication. For online content, you have more flexibility in how you cite sources. However, in academic circles, rigorous referencing is paramount. This guide details the conventions of Chicago style footnotes for ensuring accuracy and clarity.
The Main Referencing Conventions
If you aim to publish in an academic journal, you can obtain useful advice on formatting, style, print sizes, and typefaces. In addition to these general guidelines, there are specific conventions for referencing. Here, we outline the basic steps and rules for creating clear and consistent citations.
First Time Quotation
When you reference a source for the first time, it is essential to include all necessary details:
Full name of the author Title of the book or article Publisher and location Year of publication Edition if required Page referenceFor example, if you refer to Alice H. Amsden's book on South Korea's rapid development, citing the specific page discussing SMEs:
1 Alice H. Amsden. Asia’s Next Giant: South Korea and Late Industrialization. Oxford University Press, New York and Oxford, 1989, p. 161.
In the text, you might refer to the entry on that page beginning with “THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED FIRM.”
Subsequent References
For subsequent references to the same book, you have several options:
Use the author's name as a full reference again. Delete the name and use an abbreviation for the subsequent references. If the same reference is used again, use "ibid." (Latin for "in the same place").For example, if you wish to refer to the 1989 book to Table 7.2 about Percent Growth Rates in Output and Total Factor Productivity, the footnote reference might read:
2 ibid., p. 104.
Popular authors with multiple reprints may require identification of the edition and version. For instance:
Alice Hoffenberg Amsden. Asia’s Next Giant: South Korea and Late Industrialization. First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 1992, New York and Oxford, Copyright 1989, p. 161.
More Extensive Guide
A more detailed guide to Chicago referencing can be found on library guides:
Library guides: Citing and referencing: Chicago
This guide is particularly useful for US referencing, much of which is applicable in the UK as well. It emphasizes the importance of:
Superscript numbers in text Full size citations at the beginning of footnotes Usage of ibid. for subsequent reference Use of loc. cit. if the location has been cited before Inclusion of edition and version for popular authors Different source types requiring specific informationProperly formatted citations in footnotes are essential for maintaining clarity and accuracy:
Authors' names are not inverted Publishing details for books are in brackets Journal titles and book chapter titles are in double quotation marks The first line of each footnote is indented two spaces from the page marginWikipedia's Referencing System
Wikipedia also has its own referencing system, though it is slightly different from academic citation styles. For detailed guidance on Wikipedia's referencing practices, refer to:
Wikipedia:Citing sources - Wikipedia Wikipedia:Notability academics - WikipediaConclusion
This guide serves as a rough yet essential framework for referencing in the Chicago style. Always seek specific guidance from the journals where you wish to publish, as their recommendations often contain rules that could impact your publication.