Chicago Style: The Wild West of Citations
So, you want to do a Chicago Style citation? Buckle up, partner, because we're about to ride into the sunset of academic formatting. It's like herding cats – you'll have moments of sheer panic, followed by the sweet relief of finally getting it right.
Notes and Bibliography: A Love Story (or a Complicated Relationship)
Chicago Style is known for its charmingly old-school approach to citations. You've got two main options: Notes and Bibliography or Author-Date. Let's focus on Notes and Bibliography for now, because it's like the classic love story – complicated but full of character.
With Notes and Bibliography, you place little numbered footnotes at the bottom of your page, like tiny academic breadcrumbs. These footnotes contain the juicy details of your source. Then, at the end of your paper, you create a Bibliography, which is essentially your source's hall of fame.
Pro tip: Don't be afraid to use abbreviations in your footnotes to save space. It's like texting your friends – everyone knows what "ibid." means.
Hanging Indents: The Formatting Rebel
One of the most iconic features of Chicago Style is the hanging indent. It's like that one friend who always shows up to parties five minutes late but somehow still manages to be the life of the party. Basically, the first line of your citation is flush left, and the rest of the lines are indented. It's a small detail, but it makes a big difference in making your paper look polished and professional.
When in Doubt, Consult the Manual
The Chicago Manual of Style is your academic bible. It's a hefty tome filled with rules and regulations that will make your head spin. But fear not! Most of the time, you'll only need to consult specific sections. And remember, even the experts disagree on some things, so don't stress too much about perfection.
How to... Chicago Style
How to choose between Notes and Bibliography or Author-Date?
- Choose Notes and Bibliography if you're in the humanities and want to prioritize detailed citations and footnotes.
- Choose Author-Date if you're in the social sciences and want a cleaner, more concise look.
How to format a hanging indent?
- Set your text alignment to left.
- Increase the left indent by 0.5 inches.
- Decrease the first line indent by 0.5 inches.
How to cite a website in Chicago Style?
- Include author (if available), title of page, website title, URL, and access date.
How to deal with multiple authors?
- List all authors in the first citation.
- Use "et al." (and others) for subsequent citations with three or more authors.
How to handle long quotations?
- Indent the entire quotation one inch from the left margin.
- Single-space the quotation.
- Do not use quotation marks unless they appear in the original text.