Bibliography entry in Chicago
Learn how to format full references in Chicago Note 18 style. Follow correct order, punctuation, and layout to cite sources accurately in your academic work.
In Chicago Note 18, each source cited in a footnote needs a corresponding entry in the bibliography. This entry should contain enough identifying information about the source to allow it to be located by someone else.
In Chicago Note style, the bibliography entry and the full footnote contain the same information, with minor formatting differences.
The rules of Chicago Note 18 determine:
- which elements are included (e.g. author, title, publisher)
- the order in which the elements appear
- punctuation (e.g. full stops, commas, colons, etc.)
- use of capital letters
- font format (e.g. italics).
Ensure you are following the template precisely, including the punctuation, spaces, capital letters and font format, as these form part of the style.
A basic Chicago reference is made up of the following elements:
Author + Title + Publisher information + Year + URL or DOI
Elements of a Chicago bibliography entry
Who created the source?
- This identifies the creator or principal contributor of the source.
- It could be a person or a group (organisation or government).
- Some sources may have more than one author.
Creating the bibliography entry
- Give the author’s last name plus the first name(s) or initials as shown on the source.
- Name all authors if there are more than one. Invert first author’s name only.
| Author format | Instructions | Example |
| One author | Give the author's last name and first name. | Winton, Tim. Dirt Music. … |
| Two authors | List all authors in bibliography citation. | Hall, Jane. L., and Brian. T. Ashton. A Spoonful of Valour … |
| Three to six authors | List all authors in bibliography citation. | Smith, Gina, Terry L. Ferris, and Erin Henderson. Rainfall … |
| Seven or more authors | List the first three authors followed by 'et al.' | Whiteing, Nicola, Lucy Shinners, Nicole Graham, et al. Case Studies for Health... |
What is the source called?
- This is the full title in the words and spelling of the source.
- If your source is part of a larger work (e.g. article from a journal or a chapter from a book), you need to include both titles.
Creating the bibliography entry
- Give the title in the wording and spelling shown on the source.
- Give both titles if source is part of a larger work.
- Enclose parts of works in quotation marks and set larger work in italics.
- Give initial capitals to the first, last and principal words of the title and the subtitle.
- Separate title and any subtitle by a colon.
- If no title is shown, give a brief descriptive title, using no italics or quotation marks.
| Title format | Instructions | Example |
| Book title | Write the title in italics. | Harris, Miles. The Mighty Yarra: Rivers of Victoria. … |
| Journal article |
Write the title in quotation marks (" "). |
Irwell, Maria. “Reimagining Dadaism.” Journal of Abstract Art … |
Who made the source available in the form I used?
- Books: Include the name of the publisher of the version you used. The place of publication is not required. Details can be found on the title or verso page of the book used.
- Newspapers or online sources: The publisher information can be included but it's not required.
Creating the bibliography entry
- No place of publication is required.
- If the publisher is unknown, give the place (if known) and date.
| Date format | Instructions | Example |
| Basic format | Give the publisher (if known) and date. | Gourley, Dianne. Action Man. Bellinger, 2002. |
When was the source published?
- This identifies the year or specific date the source was made available in the version you accessed. Use the copyright year/date if this is shown.
- For online sources, this is the year or specific date the content was created (for a page or document) or the date of posting (for a post).
Creating the bibliography entry
| Date format | Instructions | Example |
| Year | Add year after publisher details for books, or in parentheses after issue number for journals. | 2025 |
| Full date (if required) | Add month and day for sources with specific publication dates (newspapers, magazines). | September 4, 2025 |
| No date | Use ‘n.d.’ (stands for ‘no date’) if no year/date can be found on the source. | n.d. |
If I accessed this source online, what is its Digital Object Identifier (DOI)? If there is no DOI, what is the address of the source one?
- The DOI acts as a permanent link to an item. Not all material will have a DOI, but you need to include it if one has been assigned.
- If a DOI has been assigned, you should find it with the copyright information, or with other details on database or catalogue lists.
- If there is no DOI, include a URL.
- Provide the URL that leads most directly and reliably to the source. Give the homepage URL if the item can be searched for easily from there or if a login is required or if the URL is unstable. Otherwise, give the full URL.
Creating the bibliography entry
| URL or DOI format | Instructions | Example |
| DOI |
|
Polley, Scott, Josh Ambrosy, Lucas Bester, et al. “What additional skills and knowledge Do Australian university graduates gain when learning to lead bushwalking by engaging with the National Outdoor Education Threshold Concepts?” Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-025-00207-6. |
| URL | If no DOI, give the URL. Break the URL/DOI (if needed) either after a colon or double slash or before a single slash or other punctuation marks. | Microsoft Corporation. “Microsoft Privacy Statement.” Updated February 2023. https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement. |
No access date is required unless:
- There is no publication, posting, updated, or modified date; or
- The resource is continually updated, for example, online encyclopaedias, and dictionaries such as Grove Music Online, Meriam-Webster Dictionary, Encyclopaedia Britannica, etc.
For more information, see Access dates (13.15), Citing web pages and websites (14.104), and Reference works accessed online (14.131).
Notes for authors: Some publishers may require an access date so check with the individual publisher before submitting a work for publication.