Ibid: The Latin Word That’s Trying to Sneak Its Way Back Into Your Life
So, you’re knee-deep in a research paper, and you’re staring at this weird little word called ibid. It’s like a tiny, Latin-speaking ghost haunting your footnotes. Let’s exorcise this thing, shall we?
What the Heck is Ibid?
Ibid. is short for ibidem, which is Latin for "in the same place." In the grand scheme of things, it’s like the lazy student’s shortcut to citing sources. Imagine you’re citing the same book twice in a row. Instead of writing out the full citation again, you could just drop an ibid. in there. Easy-peasy, right?
Ibid: A Relic of the Past?
Well, not exactly a dinosaur, but ibid is definitely feeling its age. The 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, the style guide that rules the academic world, has officially discouraged its use. Gasp! It's like finding out your favorite childhood toy has been discontinued.
But fear not, research paper warriors! There’s a silver lining. While ibid is on its way out, you can still use it if you’re following the older 16th edition of the Chicago Manual. Just be prepared to explain yourself to your professor if they’re a stickler for the new rules.
How to Use Ibid (If You Must)
Okay, let’s say you’re a rebel and you insist on using ibid. Here’s how you do it:
- Same source, same page: Just write ibid..
- Same source, different page: Write ibid., p. [new page number].
For example:
- Smith, John, The Book of Awesomeness, (New York: Awesome Press, 2023), p. 42.
- Ibid.
- Ibid., p. 57.
The Modern Way: Shortened Citations
If you want to stay on the good side of your professors and avoid any Latin-related confusion, opt for shortened citations. Instead of ibid., you’ll use a shortened version of the full citation. It’s a bit more work upfront, but it’ll save you headaches in the long run.
FAQs
How to know when to use ibid?Ibid is used when citing the same source immediately after a full citation, and only if you're using the 16th edition of the Chicago Manual.
How to use ibid for multiple pages? Use ibid., p. [new page number] to indicate a different page in the same source.
How to use ibid for different sources? You can't use ibid for different sources. It specifically refers to the immediately preceding citation.
How to avoid using ibid? Use shortened citations instead of ibid. This is the preferred method in the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual.
How to decide between ibid and shortened citations? If you're using the 16th edition of the Chicago Manual, you can use ibid. If you're using the 17th edition or later, use shortened citations.