You've Been Struck by the Two-Chapter Chicago Citation Curse! How to Break Free (and Avoid Academic Jail Time)
Ah, research papers. The bane of every student's existence (except maybe those who secretly enjoy the thrill of the hunt for that perfect source). But fear not, weary scholar, for today we tackle a specific foe: citing two chapters from the same darn book in Chicago style.
Why is this such a monstrous task, you ask? Well, it's not like slaying a dragon, but it can feel equally daunting if you don't know the secret handshake. The Chicago Manual of Style, that intimidatingly thick book lurking on your professor's shelf, can be cryptic at times. But fret no more, for I, your friendly neighborhood citation guru, am here to break it down.
Round One: The Full Monty Citation
Let's face it, the first time you cite a chapter, you gotta go all out. Here's the full Monty citation for your bibliography:
- Author(s) Last Name, First Name. "Chapter Title in Quotation Marks." In Book Title in Italics, edited by Editor(s) Name(s), page range of the chapter. (Year of Publication): Publisher Name, City.
For example, if you're citing Chapter 3, "The Intricacies of Hedgehog Diplomacy," from a book titled Animal Ambassadors: How Creatures Great and Small Foster Peace edited by Dr. Jane Doe, it would look like this:
- Doe, Jane. "The Intricacies of Hedgehog Diplomacy." In Animal Ambassadors: How Creatures Great and Small Foster Peace, edited by Jane Doe, 45-67. (2023): Fuzzy Friends Press, Utopia.
Easy, right? Now, don't get too cocky.
Round Two: The Art of the Abbreviated Citation
This is where things get interesting. When you cite the second chapter (or any subsequent chapter) from the same book, you can take a shortcut. Here's the magic formula:
- Author(s) Last Name. "Chapter Title in Quotation Marks," in short title of book, page number(s).
Hold on, what's this "short title" business? The short title is just a condensed version of the book title, usually the first few words. But there's a catch: it should be clear enough to avoid confusion with other sources.
For instance, in our hedgehog diplomacy example, the short title could be Animal Ambassadors. So, your second citation might look like this:
- Doe, "Hedgehog Diplomacy," in Animal Ambassadors, 89-102.
See? Less typing, more time for pondering the existential woes of hedgehogs.
Bonus Tip: If your professor is a stickler for detail, you can add a bracketed phrase after the short title to indicate it's an edited book: "ed. Doe."
Remember, with great citations comes great responsibility. Now, go forth and conquer those research papers! Just remember, if all else fails, a healthy dose of humor and a well-placed anecdote about a particularly grumpy hedgehog can go a long way (though maybe not in your actual paper).
