Citation Styles
About Chicago Style
Who Should Use Chicago Style?
Chicago Style is used in both the humanities and social sciences. There are two documentation systems within the Chicago Style: the notes-bibliography system and the author-date system. Choosing which of these systems is most appropriate often depends on the subject matter and the type(s) of sources being cited.
- The notes-bibliography system is preferred by many in the fields of literature, history, and the arts.
- The author-date system is more precise and generally used by the physical, natural, and social sciences.
Other disciplines that use either system of Chicago Style include, but are not limited to:
- Business
- Library Science
- Publishing fields (such as Journalism)
How to Navigate This Section
The main page provides an overview of Chicago Style 18th edition and who should use it, followed by available print and online sources. The additional subpages discuss notes-bibliography system and author-date system in more detail, including formatting tips and examples of how different source types are formatted. Lastly, there is a subpage briefly discussing Turabian Style, which is largely similar to Chicago Style and is geared for students and researchers.
The Chicago Manual of Style
ASU Library has the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style Online – the 18th edition. ASU Library also has print copies available in libraries across the campuses. The online and print editions contain guidance in formatting your research paper, including overviews of the two systems and examples of how to cite various types of sources.
Located on the official website for Chicago Style, the Chicago Manual of Style Online offers citation rules, citation examples, and other information on Chicago Style and its two systems. ASU faculty, staff, and students have access to the full content of The Chicago Manual of Style Online. This can be accessed through Library One Search by searching "Chicago Manual of Style" and then clicking on "Full text available" (either from the result list or from the item record).
Other Online Resources
These online sources are helpful in resolving citation style questions. However, they are not all official Chicago Style guides, but rather interpretations of the citation style and may be prone to inaccuracies.
Note: Always consult the official style manual first for the most accurate information.
- Chicago Style Citation Quick Guide - Give examples about citing different source types, without having to consult the whole manual.
- Purdue OWL Chicago Style Guide - Online resource from Purdue University that provides information on online reference materials and services for creating citations, formatting papers to particular styles, and more.
- ZoteroBib - A free service to help you create a bibliography in any style.