Each parenthetical citation includes the author’s last name and date of publication, and is keyed to a corresponding citation in a complete list of references, where full bibliographic information is provided. Sources are briefly cited in the text and enclosed within parentheses. The Chicago style citation also has an author-date variant, which is commonly used by those in the physical, natural, and social sciences.

Read more about creating Chicago style footnotes here. Full details of the source information can be located in the bibliography, which is presented at the end of the essay in alphabetical order by author. A superscript number at the end of the sentence signals to the reader that a source has been used, and summary details of the source can be found using the numbered footnote at the bottom of the page. The notes and bibliography system is primarily used in the humanities – including literature, history, and the arts – because it is a flexible style that accommodates unusual source types and opens up space for commentary on the sources cited. If you are unsure which system you should be using, make sure you consult your tutor before you begin. The style offers academic writers the choice between these two formats choosing which system you are going to apply to your work will depend on your discipline and the type of sources you are citing.

Author-Date System consists of parenthetical author-date citations and a corresponding reference list including full publication information.Notes-Bibliography System (NB) is made up of footnotes or endnotes (or both), and a bibliography.There are two basic documentation systems in this style:

Chicago citations are used by students, writers and researchers worldwide to acknowledge the use of other people’s words and ideas in their written work, thereby lending credibility to their statements and conclusions without committing plagiarism.

Chicago manual of style endnotes