How To Reference A Book In Text In Chicago Style?

As someone who frequently writes about literature and has to cite sources in my analyses, I’ve become quite familiar with the Chicago style. The in-text citation format depends on whether you’re using the notes-bibliography system or the author-date system. For the notes-bibliography style, you’ll use footnotes or endnotes. The first citation of a book should include the author’s full name, the title in italics, the publication details in parentheses, and the page number. For example: John Doe, 'The Art of Storytelling' (New York: Penguin, 2020), 45. Subsequent citations can be shortened to just the author’s last name, a shortened title, and the page number, like: Doe, 'Art of Storytelling,' 45.

If you’re using the author-date system, which is common in social sciences, the in-text citation includes the author’s last name, year of publication, and page number in parentheses, like (Doe 2020, 45). The full details then appear in the reference list. I always double-check the Chicago Manual of Style online for tricky cases, like citing translated works or multiple authors. It’s a lifesaver for consistency.

I’ve had to use Chicago style for my academic papers, and the in-text citation rules are pretty straightforward once you get the hang of them. For books, the notes-bibliography system is my go-to. You’d cite it in a footnote like this: Jane Smith, 'The Magic of Words' (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2019), 112. If you mention the same book later, you can just use the author’s last name and a shortened title, like Smith, 'Magic of Words,' 112. The author-date style is simpler—just put (Smith 2019, 112) right after the quote or paraphrase. The key is to match your in-text citations to the full entry in your bibliography. I always keep a cheat sheet handy for things like citing multiple authors or editions because Chicago can get finicky.

When I first started writing reviews for my blog, I had no idea how to properly cite books in Chicago style. After some research, I learned that the notes-bibliography method is the most common for humanities. For example, if I’m referencing 'The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides, I’d footnote it as: Alex Michaelides, 'The Silent Patient' (New York: Celadon Books, 2019), 75. Later citations can be shortened to Michaelides, 'Silent Patient,' 75. The author-date style is less common in my field, but it’s just (Michaelides 2019, 75). I recommend bookmarking the Chicago Manual of Style website—it’s been a huge help for tricky citations like anthologies or e-books.

Citing books in Chicago style isn’t as hard as it seems. For the notes-bibliography system, you’d write: Emily St. John Mandel, 'Station Eleven' (New York: Knopf, 2014), 28. If you cite it again later, just use Mandel, 'Station Eleven,' 28. The author-date system is even simpler: (Mandel 2014, 28). Just make sure your bibliography matches the style you choose. I keep a template for each to save time.