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Chicago in-text citation
Chicago has two systems. In author-date, the in-text citation is (Author Year, page) with no comma before the year: (Kahneman 2011, 45). In notes-bibliography — common in history — you use a superscript number and a footnote instead.
Chicago in-text citation rules
- Author-date: no comma between author and year; a comma before the page — (Kahneman 2011, 45).
- Two or three authors: name them all — (Watson and Crick 1953, 737). Four or more: first author plus et al.
- No date: (Mayo Clinic, n.d.) — note the comma before n.d.
- Footnotes: the first note is full; later notes use the short form (Kahneman, Thinking, 45.).
- Page ranges use the CMOS inclusive-number style: 45–47, 101–8.
Source: The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition (2024), chapters 13 and 14.
Chicago in-text citation examples
| Situation | In-text citation |
|---|---|
| One author, page | Author-date (Kahneman 2011, 45) Short note Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow, 45. |
| Two authors | Author-date (Watson and Crick 1953, 737) Short note Watson and Crick, “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids,” 737. |
| Three authors | Author-date (Nguyen, Okafor, and Silva 2024) Short note Nguyen, Okafor, and Silva, “Sleep and Memory in Adolescents.” |
| Four or more | Author-date (Nguyen et al. 2024) Short note Nguyen et al., “Sleep and Memory in Adolescents.” |
| Organisation as author | Author-date (World Health Organization 2023) Short note World Health Organization, Climate Change and Health. |
| No author, italic title (book, report) | Author-date (Climate Change and Health 2023) Short note Climate Change and Health. |
| No author, quoted title (article) | Author-date (“Rising Seas Threaten Coastal Aquifers” 2022) Short note “Rising Seas Threaten Coastal Aquifers.” |
| No date | Author-date (Mayo Clinic, n.d.) Short note Mayo Clinic, Insomnia. |
| Page range | Author-date (Kahneman 2011, 45–47) Short note Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow, 45–47. |
| Web page paragraph | Author-date (Mayo Clinic 2024, para. 4) Short note Mayo Clinic, Insomnia, para. 4. |
| Video timestamp | Author-date (Kurzgesagt 2014, 2:15) Short note Kurzgesagt, The Immune System Explained, 2:15. |
| Quoted in another source | Author-date (Piaget 1952, quoted in Smith 2020, 18) |
Need the full reference-list entry too? Use the Chicago citation generator; it gives the reference and the matching in-text citation together.
Chicago in-text citation questions
Does Chicago style use in-text citations?
Yes, in the author-date system: (Author Year, page). The notes-bibliography system uses footnotes instead of parenthetical citations.
What is a Chicago short note?
After a source’s first full footnote, later notes give only the surname, a short title (up to four words) and the page: Kahneman, Thinking, 45.
Which Chicago system should I use?
Use the one your instructor names. History and the humanities usually want notes-bibliography; the sciences and social sciences use author-date.
How do I cite a page range in Chicago?
Use an en dash and inclusive numbers: 45–47, 101–8, 321–28.