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What citation style to use for history

Top citation styles used in history

There are plenty of citation styles you can use for research papers but do you actually know which ones are used specifically in the history field? In order to ease your way into your paper, we compiled a list of the main citation styles used for history. Each style includes an explanation of its system, just like reference examples.

MLA is the number one citation style used in history

The Modern Language Association style is known for being the most frequently used in the humanities, which includes history. It uses an author-page citation system, which consists of in-text citations formed by the author's last name and the page number of the source. These point to a reference list at the end of the paper.

Check out these MLA style resources

🌐 Official MLA style guidelines

🗂 MLA style guide

📝 MLA citation generator

MLA style examples

An in-text citation in MLA style:

However, research introduced a new perspective on history (Walke 224) .

A bibliography entry in MLA style:

Walke, Anika. “‘To Speak for Those Who Cannot’: Masha Rol’nikaite on the Holocaust and Sexual Violence in German-Occupied Soviet Territories.” Jewish History , vol. 33, no. 1–2, 2020, pp. 215–244.

Chicago is the number one citation style used in history

Chicago style is another form of citation used for history papers and journals. Its system offers two types of format: a notes and bibliography system, and an author-date system. The notes and bibliography system is mostly used for the humanities, whereas the author-date system is used in science and business. The latter is composed by in-text citations formed by the author's last name and date of publication that point to a reference list at the end of the paper.

Check out these Chicago style resources

🌐 Official Chicago style guidelines

🗂 Chicago style guide

📝 Chicago citation generator

Chicago style examples

An in-text citation in Chicago author-date style:

Clearly, an opposing view dominated the topic (Tuncay 2018) .

A bibliography entry in Chicago author-date style:

Lima Navarro, Pedro de, and Cristina de Amorim Machado. 2020. “An Origin of Citations: Darwin’s Collaborators and Their Contributions to the Origin of Species.” Journal of the History of Biology 53 (1): 45–79.

MHRA is the number three citation style used in history

The Modern Humanities Research Association style is a frequently used citation format for history papers. Its system has two format options, author-date or footnotes . The author-date system consists of in-text citations with the author's last name and date of publication, whereas footnotes give an in-text superscript number and a source reference at the end of the page. Both of these formats require a reference list at the end of the paper.

Check out these MHRA style resources

🌐 Official MHRA style guidelines

🗂 MHRA style guide

📝 MHRA citation generator

MHRA style examples

An in-text citation in MHRA author-date style:

The image of women in leading positions has evolved throughout time (Loomis 2010) .

A bibliography entry in MHRA style:

Loomis, Catherine. 2010. The Death of Elizabeth I: Remembering and Reconstructing the Virgin Queen (Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan) https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230112131

HIS is the number one citation style used in history

The Historical Journal citation style is one of the most popular journals about history. Its system differs from other citation styles, as it requires a full bibliographical reference at the first in-text citation, and then an author-short-title in subsequent citations. It also allows the use of footnotes ; for a detailed description of its system take a look at the official HIS guidelines linked below.

Check out these HIS style resources

🌐 Official HIS style guidelines

HIS style examples

The first in-text bibliographical citation in HIS style:

As seen in journey of president Roosevelt, J. Lee Thompson, Theodore Roosevelt Abroad: Nature, Empire, and the Journey of an American President (2010) pp. 130-170 .

Second and subsequent in-text references in HIS style:

For instance, president Roosevelt, Thompson, Theodore Roosevelt , pp. 132 , showed to be an exemplary contemporary figure.

#5 History and Theory

History and Theory is the number one citation style used in history

History and Theory is an international journal devoted to the theory and philosophy of history. Its citation system consists of footnotes and in-text superscript numbers . For more details about its citation system refer to the journal's official guidelines linked below.

Check out these History and Theory style resources

🌐 Official History and Theory style guidelines

History and Theory style examples

An in-text citation in History and Theory style:

In colonial times, human skulls were a sign of conquer ¹ .

A footnote in History and Theory style:

¹ Ricardo Roque, Headhunting and Colonialism: Anthropology and the Circulation of Human Skulls in the Portuguese Empire , 1870–1930 (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010).

Frequently Asked Questions about citation styles used for history

The top 2 citation styles used for history papers are MLA and Chicago styles.

The easiest way to create a reference list for history papers is by using the BibGuru citation generator . This generator creates the fastest and most accurate citations possible, which will save you time and worries. The best part is, it is completely free!

History papers may use citation styles with author-date systems, such as MHRA or Chicago. Alternatively, you can also use numeric citation styles which insert superscript numbers to indicate a source, like MHRA or History and Theory.

Some of the most prominent history journals are: The American Historical Review , The Journal of Economic History , and History and Theory , among others.

You can add footnotes to history papers as long as you use one of the following citations styles that allow the use of footnotes: History and Theory, The Historical Journal (HIS), and MHRA.

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Research Guides

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Citations for Historians

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  • Carleton History Department Mechanics of Citation The Carleton History department guidelines are based on The Chicago Manual of Style, now in its 17th edition.

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Chicago Quick Guide: Notes & Bibliography!

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  • How to Cite Your Sources by Research/IT Desk Last Updated Feb 20, 2024 7214 views this year

Video examples of Chicago Manual of Style

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Chicago citation examples

  • Notes & Bibliography
  • Author-Date

(N) = footnote or endnote style ; (B) = Bibliography style

Your bibliography should be alphabetized by author last name. For works that do not have an author, alphabetize by item title (omitting articles like "a" or "the"). Your bibliography should also be formatted using Hanging Indents .

Newspaper Article/Newspapers

(N) "Shipping News,"  New York Herald , December 4, 1868, Readex America's Historical Newspapers.

(B) The New York Herald, 1868-1878.

(B) The Ohio State Journal (Columbus, Ohio) April 1-20, 1900.

  • See:  14.191: Basic citation format for newspaper articles
  • Newspapers are more commonly cited in notes or parenthetical references than in bibliographies.
  • An example from the Carleton History Department on how to cite a newspaper in a bibliography (if needed)

(N) 1. “Balkan Romani,” Endangered Languages, Alliance for Linguistic Diversity, accessed September 2, 2022, https://web.archive.org/web/20220822122125/https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/5342.

  • See  14.207: Citing web pages and websites for other options : Include a publication date or date of revision or modification if possible; else, access date
  • See  14.10: Short forms for URLs for help with long, weird URLs
  • You may also choose to cite to the Internet Archive instead of the live website

Images and Art

(N) 1. Michelangelo Buonarroti, The Slave , 1513-15, marble, 2.09 m., Paris, The Louvre.

(B) Buonarroti, Michelangelo. The Slave , 1513-15. Marble, 2.09 m. Paris, The Louvre.

  • See:  14.235: Citing paintings, photographs, and sculpture
  • See: Best practices for Creative Commons attribution

If citing images found in published works or online collections, cite them similarly to book chapters, articles, or web pages within website, with the artist in the author position and the image title in the chapter title, article title, or webpage title position.

Data Sets & DH Projects

(N) 1. Creator,  Title  (Place: Publisher, Year), link.

(B) Creator. Title.  Place: Publisher, Year. link.

(N) 1. The World Bank. Washington Development Indicators . (Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2012). http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators.

(B) The World Bank. World Development Indicators . Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2012. http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators.

  • See:  Example of how to cite different parts of a digital humanities project

Primary Sources in a Republished Source

When possible, always find and cite the original. If this is absolutely impossible, you may need to cite a primary source that is republished in a secondary source.

Follow whatever citation rules apply to your specific item type; for instance, because this example is a newspaper article, there's only a short bibliography entry. If this were a different item type, the bibliography entry might look different. 

(N) 1. [Complete citation for the older/original item; see Archival Citations  or above for help], quoted in [Complete citation for newer/secondary source; see above for help], page #, URL/doi.

(B) [Complete citation for the older/original item; see Archival Citations or above for help]. Quoted in [Complete citation for newer/secondary source; see above for help]. URL/doi. 

(N) 1. Itthi, "Love Problems of the Third Sex -- Solved by Go Pakhnam" [in Thai], Plaek , July 7, 1976, quoted in Peter A. Jackson, First Queer Voices from Thailand: Uncle Go’s Advice Columns for Gays, Lesbians and Kathoeys (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2016), 196-197,  https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1bj4sqf .

(B) Plaek . July 7, 1976. Quoted in Peter A. Jackson. First Queer Voices from Thailand: Uncle Go’s Advice Columns for Gays, Lesbians and Kathoeys. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2016. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1bj4sqf .

  • See:  14.260: Citations taken from secondary sources
  • See: Citing Primary Sources Published in Edited Collections  (Trent University)

author date logo

If citing images or art that stand alone:

Buonarroti, Michelangelo. 1513-15. The Slav e. Marble, 2.09 m. Paris, The Louvre.

Creator. Year. Title . Place: Publisher. link

The World Bank. 2012. World Development Indicators . Washington, D.C.: The World Bank. http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators.

Lastname, Firstname. Year.  Title . Performed by Firstname Lastname. Place: Studio. Format.

Wong, John. 1999. Cool People at the Libe. Directed by Cat Toff. Northfield: Gould Libe. DVD.

Archival material & FAQ

Elements to include ( rule ), footnotes: format ( rule ,  examples ), bibliography: format ( rule & examples ), frequently asked difficult questions.

  • General Rules for Citing Archival Material (14.221: Manuscript Collections)
  • See for more info: Citing Records in the National Archives of the United States Need more examples or helpful information? The Chicago Manual of Style also recommends looking at this "pamphlet" produced by the National Archives on citing archival material.
  • Citing republished/bound primary sources (14.260: Citations taken from secondary sources) When possible, always find and cite the original. If this is absolutely impossible, you may need to cite a primary source that is republished in a secondary source.
  • Include a URL, but don't do full "website" format (14.7: Uniform resource locators (URLs)) If it's a letter that was digitized and put online, cite it as a letter with a URL at the end; don't cite it like a website just because it's online. Don't include a URL for a finding aid; just for a digitized version of the item itself.
  • How to spell an author's name (14.73: Form of author’s name)
  • On anonymous works (14.79: No listed author (anonymous works))
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Citing and referencing in History

Demonstrating that you have read the major writers and acknowledging their ideas is a fundamental skill of academic work.

There are two common methods of referencing in history. These are:

In-text referencing: where the Author and Year of publication are identified in the essay and a list of References which have been cited are placed at the end of the essay. Examples of this style are Monash Harvard; APA; MHRA; Chicago and MLA.

Footnote referencing: where a number is allocated to each reference which is usually listed in full at the bottom of the page or section.  A bibliography is usually added at the end of the work which includes all the works read rather than just those cited. Examples of this style are MHRA; Chicago and MLA.

Traditionally the footnote style has been preferred in the humanities as it is less disruptive to the flow of writing.

In History it is recommended that students use the Essay writing guide for citing and referencing where examples of the 2 methods are described.  For more detailed information and plenty of referencing examples refer to the relevant tab of the  Citing and Referencing library guide .

EndNote: How to keep tabs on your references

Keeping track of what you have read for the different subjects, from a variety of sources can be time-consuming.

There are bibliographic software packages available which help with these tasks.

The University supports the EndNote software package which can be downloaded and used freely by students and staff at Monash.

The programme is a sophisticated system aimed at postgraduate and research needs, however undergraduate students are welcome to use it if they wish. The Library offers classes throughout the year on EndNote which can be booked online . I f you have a group of at least 5 students i t is also possible to request a class directly from the History librarian.

Online tutorials are available to help you get started.

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Chicago Manual of Style

Documenting the sources you use in your senior essay is a key part of the research and writing process. Complete and accurate citations to the books, journal articles, primary sources, and other items you use will allow readers to verify your sources and explore them further if they'd like to learn more about the issues you've raised.

In the field of history, the standard citation style is the Chicago Style, and you will want to consult it to find the proper format for citing sources in your footnotes as well as at the end of your paper in your bibliography. Here are the main links for referring to the Chicago Manual of Style:

  • Chicago Manual of Style Online (17th ed.)
  • Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide

Also there is Kate L. Turabian's encapsulation of the Chicago Style :   A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers .

In addition, the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) offers a helpful overview of the Chicago Manual of Style.

Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)

The key chapter to consult in the CMOS is Chapter 14, Notes and Bibliography, where you will find guidance on citing sources both in your footnotes and in your bibliography. Many examples of citations are provided throughout the chapter, but keep in mind that sometimes you may be citing a source that doesn't exactly fit within the chapter's models. In these cases, the main thing is to maintain a clear and consistent style, and to reach out to a librarian or your faculty advisor if you have any questions.

The guidance you'll find in Ch. 14 will offer direction on such general matters as:

  • Notes and bibliography--an overview (14.19)
  • Shortened Citations (starting at 14.29)
  • Electronic resource identifiers (14.6)
  • Short forms for URLs  (14.10)
  • Library and other bibliographic databases (14.11)
  • Access dates (14.12)
  • Basic citation format for newspaper articles (14.191)
  • * Click here to go to our guidelines for citing archival materials based on the Chicago Manual of Style

Citation Management Tools

You may already have a software program or a system for keeping track of your sources, but, if not, you will want to think about what way of organizing your research will work best for you this coming year. The Yale University Library has licenses to certain citation management tools, and there are also free tools on the web for managing your citations. Probably the two most useful tools to consider are:

  • This is a resource licensed by the Yale Library; you will need to use your Yale e-mail address to create an account.
  • This is an excellent tool that's used by many historians. The same organization that created it also makes available a research photo management tool - Tropy .

For more information and an overview of several of the resources that are available, see our citation management guide .

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History: referencing and style guide.

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Referencing in your assignments

Whether working on a thesis, dissertation or essay, correct referencing is vital to ensure that you credit all your sources. The Faculty of History offers guidelines on how to approach this and the reference management software listed below can assist.  Whichever style you adopt, remember to be consistent. 

Specific advice for History Students

Students should refer to the History Faculty Style Guide (available on Moodle)

An introduction to referencing and is given to first year students in the library's introductory lecture. Further guidance is available from library staff.

Reference Management Software

You may find reference management software useful for creating bibliographies.  There are several free options available, guidelines can be found below from the University Library website:

The website Cite Them Right may also be helpful.

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The Mechanics of Citation

The following guidelines are loosely based on The Chicago Manual of Style , now in its 17th edition. Any student thinking of going to graduate school in history or any other learned discipline should acquire and use the most recent version of this basic reference work.

A. Citing sources in footnotes B. Quotations C. Bibliographical entries D. Interviews E. How to Cite Internet Sources F. Writing for the Web

A. Citing Sources in Footnotes

Footnote or endnote.

Word processing programs nowadays let you choose footnotes (which appear at the bottom of each page of text) or endnotes (which appear at the end of the paper, after the text). In this guide we will speak of footnotes, but endnotes are equally acceptable.

When to footnote?

A reference showing the source of your information must accompany each important statement of fact, each quotation, each citation of statistics, and every conclusion borrowed from another writer — unless the fact or quotation is so well known as to be universally recognized or accepted. Thus you need not footnote a statement that the American Civil War began in 1861 or that the headwaters of the Mississippi River lie in Minnesota; and while you may wish to quote the exact wording of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, you need not footnote the source as long as you mention that phrase “Fourteenth Amendment” in your text.

When the matter in any paragraph comes from several sources , one footnote may contain all these references. To reduce clutter, it is usually a good idea to collect all the references for the statements in a paragraph into a single footnote at the end of a paragraph.

Why do we use footnotes?

Basically, historians footnote their sources for two reasons. First, footnotes are a way to acknowledge the help we have received from others who have worked on this subject before we began on it. No historian ever works in isolation; scholarly inquiry is an endeavor carried on within a community of historians. This community extends through time — we often learn from the works of writers long dead.

Second, we footnote our sources as a courtesy to our readers. A reader may become interested in an idea you are presenting or in some information you discuss. The reader may wish to learn more about this matter, and your footnotes get him or her started on the investigation.

The proper way to cite books and articles

Single-space your footnotes and number them consecutively; start over with number 1 in a new chapter. Footnotes may appear at the bottom of the page or at the end of your essay on a separate page or pages. A good word processing program such as Microsoft Word can easily format your manuscript either way.

Note the form of the following footnote reference:

1 Clifford E. Clark, Jr., The American Family Home, 1800-1960 (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1986), 261.

The first footnote citation of a work should supply the full name of the author with given name appearing before surname, the exact title as found on the title page (unless it is excessively long), the edition (if later than the first), the city of publication (the name of the publisher is optional), the date of publication, and the pertinent page reference. The title should be underlined or italicized. The citation is a single expression that ends with a period.

Subsequent citations of the same work should be shortened so as to give merely the author’s surname and the key word (or words) of the title:

2 Clark, American Family Home , 206-08.

The use of ibid . (“in the same place”), op. cit . (“in the work cited”), and other Latin terms is falling out of favor and we no longer recommend their use.

Articles in Journals

Note the form of the following reference:

3 Diethelm Prowe, “Economic Democracy in Post-World War II Germany: Corporatist Crisis Response, 1945-1948,” Journal of Modern History 57 (1985): 451-82.

This citation follows the same general pattern as the earlier citation for a book: author’s full name, title of the article (and note that article titles are placed in quotation marks), title of the journal (underlined or italicized, as with a book title), the volume number, year (month or season is optional), and pages. Again, the entire citation is a single expression that ends with a period.

A subsequent citation:

4 Prowe, “Economic Democracy,” 454.

Here the form is a hybrid of the last two:

5 Jamie Monson, “Canoe-Building under Colonialism: Forestry Policy in the Inner Kilombero Valley of Tanzania, 1920-1940,” in Ecological Change and History in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Tanzania , ed. James Giblin and Gregory Maddox (Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1994), 35-56.

6 Monson, “Canoe-Building,” 38-40.

Two or more references in a single footnote

In a footnote mentioning two or more authorities, the various items should be connected by semicolons:

7 Clifford E. Clark, Jr., “Ranch House Suburbia: Dreams and Realities,” in Recasting America: Culture and Politics in the Age of the Cold War , ed. Lary May (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1989), 84-100; Susannah Ottaway and Samantha Williams, “Reconstructing the Life-Cycle Experience of Poverty in the Time of the Old Poor Law,” in Archives: The Journal of The British Records Association 23 (1998), 19-29.

Page Citations

Wherever possible, give exact page citations. Occasionally, however, you may wish to indicate generally that your material comes from a particular page and the pages following. Here the abbreviation ff. (not underlined or italicized) should be employed:

8 Clark, American Family Home , 32 ff.

If you wish to indicate that the material is derived from scattered parts of a work, the Latin expression passim (“here and there”) is convenient though not widely used any longer:

9 Clark, American Family Home , chapters 4-6, passim .

Note: The conventions discussed above are generally employed in history books and journals. The department strongly recommends that you follow these conventions for research papers including comps papers. Historians occasionally follow the conventions of other disciplines in citing sources; if an instructor in a particular history course asks you to use a different set of rules, you should follow his or her instructions.

B. Quotations

When to quote.

There are two main situations when a quotation is appropriate: when you intend to discuss the actual wording of a passage (for example, a section of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address), or when the original writer states an idea much more memorably than you ever could. But there is no need to quote extensively from books and articles by historians. Instead, paraphrase — put the idea in your own words, footnoting the source.

When you quote, remember that all quotations should be plainly so indicated and should be made with scrupulous accuracy. There are two ways to tell your reader that you are quoting another writer. The first is to put the statement inside quotation marks; the second is to format the quoted material as a block quotation:

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be here dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these honored dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

A block quotation is appropriate only when the quoted material exceeds about sixty words (say five lines). With a block quotation, you don’t use quotation marks; instead, you signal that you are quoting by indenting the passage on both right and left sides and by single-spacing it. (In books and journals you will generally find that block quotations are printed in a smaller typeface too.) Of course you should footnote the quotation.

You may omit words and phrases within a quoted passage provided you don’t distort the sense of the passage. Indicate omissions by three periods or omission marks , separated by spaces, thus . . . ; when the final words of a sentence are omitted, four omission marks are used instead of three. Editorial comment within a quotation should be enclosed in brackets, not parentheses. For example: “For each said district there shall be appointed by the President [of the United States] a provost-marshal, . . . who shall be under the direction and subject of the orders of a provost-marshal-general, . . . whose office shall be at the seat of government. . . .”

Citing Quotations

In the case of quotations, you should always cite the actual work you consulted. If a passage is copied not from the original source but as quoted by some other person, the footnote should follow this form:

10 Letter from Francis Lieber, Columbia, S.C., to Dorothea L. Dix, 5 November 1846, quoted by Francis Tiffany, Life of Dorothea Lynde Dix (Boston, MA: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1890), 149.

C. Bibliographic Entries

A formal bibliography of all the essential materials you have used comes at the very end of the paper. List works in alphabetical order by author’s last name. If you have quite a number of works (ten or more, perhaps), list them in separate sections for “Primary Sources” and “Secondary Works.” If the number of titles is quite large, you might wish to subdivide the citations further under these main headings: “Manuscripts,” “Pamphlets,” “Public Documents,” “Newspapers and Periodicals,” “Interviews,” etc. Under each subheading, arrange the items alphabetically by author’s last name. Note the form of citation in the following:

Clark, Clifford E., Jr. The American Family Home, 1800-1960 . Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1986.

Clark, Clifford E., Jr. “Ranch House Suburbia: Dreams and Realities.” In Recasting America : Culture and Politics in the Age of the Cold War , ed. Lary May, 84-100. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1989.

Monson, Jamie. “Canoe-Building under Colonialism: Forestry Policy in the Inner Kilombero Valley of Tanzania, 1920-1940.” In Ecological Change and History in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Tanzania , ed. James Giblin and Gregory Maddox, 35-56. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1994.

Ottaway, Susannah and Samantha Williams. “Reconstructing the Life-Cycle Experience of Poverty in the Time of the Old Poor Law,” in Archives: The Journal of The British Records Association , Vol. XXIII, No. 98, (April 1998): 19-29.

Prowe, Diethelm. “Economic Democracy in Post-World War II Germany: Corporatist Crisis Response, 1945-1948.” Journal of Modern History 57 (September 1985): 451-82.

Unlike the practice in footnotes, last names should appear first. (If the work is anonymous, the first important word of the title determines its place in the alphabetical list.) A bibliographical reference is not a single expression like a footnote; instead, periods or full stops separate author’s name from title and title from publishing information.

The New York Herald , 1868-1878.

The Ohio State Journal (Columbus, Ohio) April 1-20, 1900.

Public Documents

“Certain Illegal Tonnage Duties.” House Report , 48 Cong., 2 Sess., no. 457 (March 10, 1880), 1-16.

Malloy, William M. (comp.). Treaties, Conventions, International Acts, Protocols and Agreements Between the United States of America and Other Powers, 1776-1909 . 2 vols.: Washington: U.S. Gov’t Printing Office, 1910-1938.

[In the above citation, “comp.” stands for “compiler.”]

Manuscripts

References to unprinted material obviously can follow no rigid form, but in every case should include the name of the author (when ascertainable), the number of volumes if more than one, the inclusive dates, and the place of deposit. Do not underline the titles of manuscripts and manuscript collections. Example:

Boston Committee of Correspondence. Minutes of the Committee of Correspondence, November, 1772-December, 1774. 13 vols. mostly in the handwriting of William Cooper. George Bancroft Collection, New York Public Library.

D. Interviews

Furman, Seymour. Telephone interview with author, January 12, 1992.

Jackson, Henry M. Interview, February 5, 1968. Oral History Collection, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.

Zoll, Paul M. Interview with author, February 5, 1990, Boston, Mass.

E. How to Cite Internet Sources

Humanities style.

To cite online works, give the author’s name, last name first (if known); the full title of the work, in quotation marks; the title of the complete work (if applicable), in italics; any version or file numbers; and the date of the document or last revision (if available). Next, list the protocol (e.g., “http”) and the full URL, followed by the date of access in parentheses.

Amy Hollywood, “Spiritual but Not Religious: The Vital Interplay between Submission and Freedom,” Harvard Divinity Bulletin , Winter/Spring 2010, https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/articles/winterspring2010/spiritual-not-religious. (Accessed April 10, 2019)

F. Writing for the Web

Carleton’s Web Services Group offers tips on writing for online readers .

  • History Style Sheet
  • Tips for Writing Good Book Reviews

Quick Links

  • History Subject guide
  • Turabian Quick Guide
  • CMS quick guide
  • History Department Homepage

Footnotes & Endnotes

Historical writing integrates personal analysis informed by research gathered from a wide range of sources. History papers use footnote citations as well as bibliographies to cite the sources used for interpreting and analyzing the past.

Students writing history papers must use footnotes to indicate the source of any direct quotation or the paraphrasing of another person's ideas or research. It is also important to use footnotes to indicate the source of any information that is not considered common knowledge.  Footnotes (or endnotes) for history papers MUST follow formats outlined in  The Chicago Manual of Style  or Kate Turabian's  A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations .

Footnotes have four main purposes :

a) to cite the authority for statements in text--specific facts or opinions as well as exact quotations

b) to make cross-references

c) to make incidental comments on, to amplify, or to qualify a textual discussion--in short, to provide a place for material the writer deems worthwhile to include but that might interrupt the flow of thought if introduced into the text

d) to make acknowledgement.

The Difference Between Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes and Endnotes serve the same purpose and follow the same format. Only the location is different. Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page, on the same page as the referenced superscript number. Endnotes appear at the end of the narrative text. Endnotes are organized in numerical order from lowest to highest. Papers should use footnotes or endnotes, but never both. Pay close attention to order and format for footnotes and endnote citations:

examples of both can be found on the  Turabian Quick Guide  and the Chicago Manual of Style Quick Quide .

Research papers should always include a bibliography following  Chicago Manual of Style  or  Turabian  format. Bibliographies should include all primary and secondary sources consulted for a research paper; not just those included in footnotes.

Primary & Secondary Sources

Primary sources are generally defined as documents or other materials created the time period being studied or as close as possible to that era. Memoirs might also be considered a primary source if compiled by a participant in the orignal event events being studied.

A secondary source includes works written by someone intrepreting an historical event or phenomenon. Secondary sources analyze research done in primary and secondary sources. Examples include scholarly books and articles as well as reference books such as subject encyclopedias.

Information about identifying research sources in history is available through the UMBC Library's " History Subject Guide " Access to the guide is open to all, accessing the resources is restricted to University students, faculty, and staff. Log in is by UMBC usename and password (same as for your email).

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Harvard Writing Center

Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide

Patrick Rael, “Reading, Writing, and Research for History: A Guide for Students” (Bowdoin College, 2004)

Hamilton College, "Writing a Good History Paper" A nice overview; the discussion of pitfalls in editing/revision is excellent.

Prof. William Cronon on Historical Writing Prof. William Cronon's excellent guide to historical writing; part of an even larger guide to doing historical research.

How to Organize a Research Paper

Writing Center Handout on History Writing

List of Resources on History Writing

Formulating a Research Question

Making the Most of Research Time

Formulating an Argument

General Writing Guidelines

Sources and Evidence

Citations and Notes

Writing a 4-7 page History Paper (David Herzberg, 1992, Wesleyan University)

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History Resource Guide: APA-7 Citation Style

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Welcome to the APA-7 Citation Resource

Paper Setup     References List     In-Text Citations

APA Style Resources

The following resources contain examples and/or information to assist in preparing a research paper in APA Citation Style.

OWL Citation Help

  • Excelsior OWL Valuable information and resources to help you create your citations.

Video Tutorials

  • APA 7 Video Tutorials Check out these step-by-step videos to help you set up your paper, create your reference list, and in-text citations.
  • APA Tutorials and Webinars Check out these videos and webinars from the APA website to help you create your APA 7 citations.

Paper Set-up

  • APA Title Page Resource Guide This source will give you all the information you need to create the Title Page for your APA style paper.
  • Paper Set-up Checklist Use this checklist to make sure you have everything you need to set up your APA paper.
  • Paper Set-up Checklist Printout A printout version of the APA paper checklist.
  • Citing Websites in APA 7 Use this handout to help you create citations for websites.
  • APA Style Formatting and Citing from D2L Use this document to see a title page example, create the proper headings in your paper, and cite sources from your class D2L page.
  • APA "And the Band Played On" Scene Log

The APA Citation Style

This resource guide will focus on the 7th edition of the APA publication style developed by the American Psychological Association, which is used by the Social Sciences and other curricular areas.

Take a look at the links on the left for examples of APA 7 in-text citations, reference pages, and some useful sites and tutorials. 

Resources from APA

  • APA Inclusive Language Guide View and download the updated APA guidelines for inclusive language
  • APA Citation Guide Use this resource to break down the parts of a reference page citation for three commonly cited formats: journal article, book, and chapter in an edited book.
  • Sample Paper This example paper will give you a visual of what your finished paper will look like, from title page to references. It also includes notes to identify key parts of your paper.
  • Student Paper Sample Download this word document to see what a finished APA style paper looks like.

Setting up an APA Paper

Before you begin writing your research paper, it is important to have it correctly formatted following APA guidelines. This includes setting up a title page, correcting line spacing, text font, and margins in a paper.

To set up your paper for APA formatting you will complete the following: 

  • Make sure the margins in your paper are set to 1 inch
  • Use one of the approved APA fonts: 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, or 11-point Georgia. 
  • Set the spacing in your paper to Double. 
  • Create a title page. 

To create a title page for your paper, or to see a visual of any of the above formatting guidelines, check out the library's APA 7 video tutorials.  

The   Document Formatting guides   prepared by HCC Learning Support Center staff are a great tool to help you step-by-step through the process of setting up your document.  We recommend you use these guidelines to set up your paper before you begin writing. 

Document Formatting

  • Formatting in Google Docs
  • Formatting in MS Word Browser
  • Formatting in MS Word on MAC
  • Formatting in MS Word on PC

Citations are tricky, and there are lots of questions you may have when creating your citations. This guide covers the basics of APA, but for more detailed questions about specific citations, make sure to check out the resources along the left. The Excelsior OWL citation guide is especially helpful for creating citations for different sources. 

history essay citation style

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The APA References list

Once you have completed your research and have gathered the information you would like to use to write your paper, your next step should be to create the list of the resources you will use in your paper. This list is called a Reference List  and includes any source (publication, video, lecture, etc.) that you are using information from in your paper. It is very important that you cite sources in your paper because you want to show where you are getting your information from and avoid Plagiarism! 

General formatting tips when creating your references page: 

  • The references page will begin on a separate page at the end of your research paper. 
  • Each citation will be in alphabetical order based on the authors' last names. If there are not authors, you will alphabetize by the source's title. 
  • Double-space all entries. 
  • Include a hanging-indent with each citation. To learn how to create a hanging indent, watch the second part of the library's APA Citation Video Tutorials. 
  • Include the word References at the top of the page, centered on the page and in bold text. 

For help with creating citations, or how to set up your references page, watch the library's APA Citations Video Tutorials! 

Examples of Common Citations

Use the examples shown below to help you format correct citations for the most popular sources. 

Scholarly article from a database:

Elements : Author's last name, Author's first and middle initials. (Date). Title of article.  Title of Journal, Volume number (issue number, if any), Page numbers. 

Mershon, D.H. (1998, November). Star trek on the brain: Alien minds, human minds.  American Scientist, 86 (6), 585. 

Elements : Author's last name, Author's first and middle initials. (Date published). Title of webpage.  Website Name . URL. 

Price, D. (2018, March 23). Laziness does not exist.  Medium . https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01 

Book by multiple authors (less than 20): 

Elements : Author's last name, Author's first and middle initials. (Year of Publication).  Title of boo k. Publisher. 

Rivano, N. S., Hoson, A., & Stallings, B. (2001).  Regional integration and economic development . Palgrave.

Social Media Post (Instagram): 

Elements : Author's last name, Author's first and middle initials. [@username]. (Year, Month, Day published). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [description of type of post]. Site name. URL. 

Sulic, L. [@lukasulicworld]. (2019, December 31). We wish you a happy new year! [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vTyaZHNU9/?igshid=141g9y12b4gfn 

For more examples of how to cite specific formats, or more specific help with citations, visit the Excelsior Online Writing Lab for detailed descriptions! 

In-Text Citations

In-text citations are the second way you will cite your sources in a research paper. Unlike the citations found in the References page, in-text citations are shorter and appear in the body of the text. Any time you use information from a source (whether you paraphrase it or use a direct quotation), you must include an in-text citation. So you will have multiple in-text citations for one source. 

APA in-text citations will appear in parentheses within the paper you are writing, and will appear at the end of the sentence where the source is being cited. You will include only the author's last name, followed by the date of publication. If a source has two authors, list both names separated by an ampersand (&). If there are more than two authors, list only the first author's last name followed by the phrase 'et al'. 

In-text citation examples: 

Source with three or more authors:.

The concept of social class is rapidly becoming obsolete (Calvert et al., 1987). 

Source with one author, using a signal phrase (a signal phrase uses part of the citation in the body of the text):

Calvert (1982) argued that it is impossible to measure social class. 

Source with two authors:

Two techniques that have been associated with reduced stress and increased relaxation in psychotherapy contexts are guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation (McGuigan & Lehrer, 2007). 

For more examples of creating in-text citations, check out the library's video tutorials or the Excelsior OWL citation page for help! Or explore the resources on this guide for more information! 

history essay citation style

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Citation Guide

The History Department's Concise Guide to Essay Writing includes several pages on footnotes and bibliography layout. This should be accessible via your course's Learn site. UC History uses the Chicago style, which their guide is based on. For  a range of related referencing examples this Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) is also well worth exploring.

Books about history research & writing

Going to the sources : a guide to historical research and writing The historian's toolbox : a student's guide to the theory and craft of history The information-literate historian : a guide to research for history students A short guide to writing about history Writing history essays : a student's guide Writing history : theory & practice

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APA Sample Paper from the Purdue OWL

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20 When to use Citations and Quotations

Basic rules for both:.

A good historical essay keeps the support for its argument transparent and its readers engaged. These two priorities—allowing readers to follow the evidence and judge it for themselves, while reminding them why they should care, as the story involves real people and their thoughts—can help students decide when they must use a citation and/or when they should use a quote from their sources, whether primary or secondary.

When to include a footnote (or endnote):

In terms of citations (footnotes or endnotes, depending on your professor’s instructions or your preference in the absence of instructions, as they are the same), the general rule is that you need to help your readers check your evidence to see if your evidence supports your thesis, should they choose to so. However, there are some specific occasions when you must use a footnote/endnote:

  • Direct quotes from a primary or secondary source
  • P araphrased information from either a primary or secondary source. Even if you are changing the words, you are still responsible for showing where you got your information. Mature scholars name the source (or, more likely, sources) that laid the groundwork for their own analysis. Doing so doesn’t make you seem unknowledgeable, but rather helps your readers understand how you are building knowledge.
  • Facts that are not well known . You do not have to cite a source for noting when the US joined World War I, or for the route that Lewis and Clark took—as those are knowable facts from any number of sources. But if you cite specific conversations held between cabinet officials prior to the War, or detail the Native groups met at each bend in the river—material another scholar found by research primary sources—you must cite that scholar. Show your readers where you found new, or not widely known information.
  • Another scholar’s controversial opinion . If you refer to a claim about the past that isn’t widely accepted—that is, not concerning when the Civil War began, but rather which politicians were to blame for its outbreak—you need to cite where you got that opinion. (Of course, you do not need to provide citations for your own analysis, controversial or otherwise.)
  • Statistics – these are like lesser-known facts, given that statistics can vary depending upon who compiled them. For this reason, you need to cite where you found your numerical facts and figures.

Two other footnote/endnote rules:

  • “Talking” or annotated notes: If it’s helpful for readers to understand additional information that’s not so critical that it belongs in the text, you may provide an explanatory foot/end note with information beyond the source citation. Beware though—some editors and instructors don’t approve, as they believe that any information not critical to the argument is not critical to the essay.
  • Condensing foot/end notes: Many journals and instructors allow you to provide a citation at the end of a paragraph with the multiple sources that helped you create that paragraph, rather than providing a citation at every sentence, or portion of sentence that rested on a secondary source.

When to quote directly:

In many ways, the same situations that call for a citation to the general source also make for a good situation in which to include a direct quotation (as opposed to paraphrasing your information). At the same time, you don’t want to overquote—we’re interested in your thoughts, not those of five other experts. You should also use your own words unless there’s a compelling need to quote, such as bringing in a unique voice or capturing a controversial fact or opinion. A good essay offers variety in a number of ways—word choice, sentence structure, and which sources provide quotations. Here are some places where a direct quotation from the source are warranted:

  • An authoritative source—the main book on a topic—says something important or controversial.
  • When any source uses language that is compelling, and thus should not just be paraphrased.
  • In order to get the “flavor” or language of the wording from a primary source.
  • Most quotes in your paper should come from primary sources, not secondary ones.

How to quote:

  • Avoid “block quotes” unless the reader must see a large portion of the primary source to understand your analysis, and all of that explanation must be in the source’s voice. That is, when quoting, include just enough of the quotation to make sense, without adding parts of the quote that don’t pertain to your analysis or go into more detail than needed. But on the whole, phrases or a single sentence cover your bases.
  • When you do need to use a block quote, indent it and use single spacing.
  • Never let any quote—including a rare block quote—stand on its own. You must explain what the source means. The requirement that all sources must be analyzed in the text means that you should not begin or end a paragraph with a quotation, except perhaps in a very rare stylistic moment when doing so will not leave the reader confused.
  • If you do not want to use all your source’s words, you may use ellipses, which are three spaced dots like this (make sure you put a space between each period, never put them directly beside each other): . . .
  • If you would like to use a source’s words, but need to change something to make it fit into your sentence (such as a verb tense or a pronoun) use square brackets for a word you changed. You may NOT change an entire word.
  • However, if you need to change several words in a quotation, it’s usually best to quote only a phrase, rather than burdening a quote with ellipses and brackets.
  • Make sure that your quote supports the point you’re trying to make and doesn’t read like a random quote from the individual under examination.

Some examples from Mary Rowland’s Captivity Narrative [1682]

Mary Rowlandson was a Puritan woman who was captured by Native Americans during King Phillip’s War and held captive for eleven weeks. When she returned to her home, she wrote a narrative about her experiences. What follows are some examples of how you might use parts of one quotation from Rowlandson’s book. From that primary source:

“It is not my tongue, or pen, can express the sorrows of my heart, and bitterness of my spirit that I had at this departure: but God was with me in a wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail. One of the Indians carried my poor wounded babe upon a horse; it went moaning all along, ‘I shall die, I shall die.’ I went on foot after it, with sorrow that cannot be expressed.”

  • Double quotation marks [“] signal the beginning and end of a quotation. If there are quotations within what you are quoting—in this case, the words of the child [“I shall die, I shall die”]—mark them with single quotation marks [‘]. The use of double quotations are standard in American English (but not British English). Single quotes within double quotes indicate interior quotes the passage.
  • See the indent in the example above, which counts as “long.”

If I wanted to use the quote to discuss Rowlandson’s state of mind :

Early in her captivity, Mary Rowlandson experienced enormous fear and loss. As she put it, her “pen [could not] express the sorrows of my heart, and bitterness of my spirit” upon leaving her community.

  • In the state of mind quote above, the part of the quote that covers her faith isn’t necessary to make this point and is omitted.
  • In the above example, the altered verb tense ( could not , rather than can ) flows better with the sentence but does not change Rowlandson’s meaning.
  • Changing verb tenses and substituting or clarifying a pronoun that is not clear in the original mark the limits of altering a quote, for the most part.
  • Any source quoted must fit the point .
  • This passage is about her feelings, not what the Indians were doing.
  • It’s also incorrect because there are no “stitching” words or a colon to link the primary source quote to the analytical statement of the author.
  • Correct : The Indians who captured Rowlandson were particularly cruel. As Rowlandson noted, while her child moaned, she “went on foot after it, with sorrow that cannot be expressed.”
  • For example, in a sentence about how Rowlandson used language that suggested a physical experience of faith: Rowlandson referred to physical, rather than emotional, manifestations of her faith frequently. For example, she spoke of “God . . . carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit.”
  • Note that brackets were not necessary because all words are in original.
  • Note that the language of “poor wounded babe” is an expressive phrase that captures Rowlandson’s voice.
  • Substituting [the child] for “it” makes the sentence clearer.

How History is Made: A Student’s Guide to Reading, Writing, and Thinking in the Discipline Copyright © 2022 by Stephanie Cole; Kimberly Breuer; Scott W. Palmer; and Brandon Blakeslee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Citation Styles Guide | Examples for All Major Styles

Published on June 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on November 7, 2022.

A citation style is a set of guidelines on how to cite sources in your academic writing . You always need a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize a source to avoid plagiarism . How you present these citations depends on the style you follow. Scribbr’s citation generator can help!

Different styles are set by different universities, academic associations, and publishers, often published in an official handbook with in-depth instructions and examples.

There are many different citation styles, but they typically use one of three basic approaches: parenthetical citations , numerical citations, or note citations.

Parenthetical citations

  • Chicago (Turabian) author-date

CSE name-year

Numerical citations

CSE citation-name or citation-sequence

Note citations

  • Chicago (Turabian) notes and bibliography

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Table of contents

Types of citation: parenthetical, note, numerical, which citation style should i use, parenthetical citation styles, numerical citation styles, note citation styles, frequently asked questions about citation styles.

The clearest identifying characteristic of any citation style is how the citations in the text are presented. There are three main approaches:

  • Parenthetical citations: You include identifying details of the source in parentheses in the text—usually the author’s last name and the publication date, plus a page number if relevant ( author-date ). Sometimes the publication date is omitted ( author-page ).
  • Numerical citations: You include a number in brackets or in superscript, which corresponds to an entry in your numbered reference list.
  • Note citations: You include a full citation in a footnote or endnote, which is indicated in the text with a superscript number or symbol.

Citation styles also differ in terms of how you format the reference list or bibliography entries themselves (e.g., capitalization, order of information, use of italics). And many style guides also provide guidance on more general issues like text formatting, punctuation, and numbers.

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history essay citation style

In most cases, your university, department, or instructor will tell you which citation style you need to follow in your writing. If you’re not sure, it’s best to consult your institution’s guidelines or ask someone. If you’re submitting to a journal, they will usually require a specific style.

Sometimes, the choice of citation style may be left up to you. In those cases, you can base your decision on which citation styles are commonly used in your field. Try reading other articles from your discipline to see how they cite their sources, or consult the table below.

The American Anthropological Association (AAA) recommends citing your sources using Chicago author-date style . AAA style doesn’t have its own separate rules. This style is used in the field of anthropology.

APA Style is defined by the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . It was designed for use in psychology, but today it’s widely used across various disciplines, especially in the social sciences.

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The citation style of the American Political Science Association (APSA) is used mainly in the field of political science.

The citation style of the American Sociological Association (ASA) is used primarily in the discipline of sociology.

Chicago author-date

Chicago author-date style is one of the two citation styles presented in the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition). It’s used mainly in the sciences and social sciences.

The citation style of the Council of Science Editors (CSE) is used in various scientific disciplines. It includes multiple options for citing your sources, including the name-year system.

Harvard style is often used in the field of economics. It is also very widely used across disciplines in UK universities. There are various versions of Harvard style defined by different universities—it’s not a style with one definitive style guide.

Check out Scribbr’s Harvard Reference Generator

MLA style is the official style of the Modern Language Association, defined in the MLA Handbook (9th edition). It’s widely used across various humanities disciplines. Unlike most parenthetical citation styles, it’s author-page rather than author-date.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) provides guidelines for a citation style using numbers in superscript or italics in the text, corresponding to entries in a numbered reference list at the end. It is used in chemistry.

The American Medical Association ( AMA ) provides guidelines for a numerical citation style using superscript numbers in the text, which correspond to entries in a numbered reference list. It is used in the field of medicine.

CSE style includes multiple options for citing your sources, including the citation-name and citation-sequence systems. Your references are listed alphabetically in the citation-name system; in the citation-sequence system, they appear in the order in which you cited them.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ( IEEE ) provides guidelines for citing your sources with IEEE in-text citations that consist of numbers enclosed in brackets, corresponding to entries in a numbered reference list. This style is used in various engineering and IT disciplines.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) citation style is defined in Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (2nd edition).

Vancouver style is also used in various medical disciplines. As with Harvard style, a lot of institutions and publications have their own versions of Vancouver—it doesn’t have one fixed style guide.

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The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the main style guide for legal citations in the US. It’s widely used in law, and also when legal materials need to be cited in other disciplines.

Chicago notes and bibliography

Chicago notes and bibliography is one of the two citation styles presented in the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition). It’s used mainly in the humanities.

The Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities ( OSCOLA ) is the main legal citation style in the UK (similar to Bluebook for the US).

There are many different citation styles used across different academic disciplines, but they fall into three basic approaches to citation:

  • Parenthetical citations : Including identifying details of the source in parentheses —usually the author’s last name and the publication date, plus a page number if available ( author-date ). The publication date is occasionally omitted ( author-page ).
  • Numerical citations: Including a number in brackets or superscript, corresponding to an entry in your numbered reference list.
  • Note citations: Including a full citation in a footnote or endnote , which is indicated in the text with a superscript number or symbol.

Check if your university or course guidelines specify which citation style to use. If the choice is left up to you, consider which style is most commonly used in your field.

  • APA Style is the most popular citation style, widely used in the social and behavioral sciences.
  • MLA style is the second most popular, used mainly in the humanities.
  • Chicago notes and bibliography style is also popular in the humanities, especially history.
  • Chicago author-date style tends to be used in the sciences.

Other more specialized styles exist for certain fields, such as Bluebook and OSCOLA for law.

The most important thing is to choose one style and use it consistently throughout your text.

A scientific citation style is a system of source citation that is used in scientific disciplines. Some commonly used scientific citation styles are:

  • Chicago author-date , CSE , and Harvard , used across various sciences
  • ACS , used in chemistry
  • AMA , NLM , and Vancouver , used in medicine and related disciplines
  • AAA , APA , and ASA , commonly used in the social sciences

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

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IMAGES

  1. Citation and Referencing for History

    history essay citation style

  2. Chicago Style Citation Generator (Free) & Format Guide

    history essay citation style

  3. Guide to Chicago Style Citations

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  4. Which citation style to use for history [5 examples]

    history essay citation style

  5. Chicago-Style Citation for Assignments in History

    history essay citation style

  6. How to use endnote for apa referencing

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  5. What Citation Style to Use for College Essays?

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COMMENTS

  1. What citation style to use for history

    What citation style to use for history By Ana Lopez / Apr 15 2020 There are plenty of citation styles you can use for research papers but do you actually know which ones are used specifically in the history field? In order to ease your way into your paper, we compiled a list of the main citation styles used for history.

  2. Citations for Historians

    Citations for Historians - History Research Guide - Research Guides at Carleton College Chicago Quick Guide: Notes & Bibliography! Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide: Notes & Bibliography (ch 14) Compiled and published by the Chicago Manual of Style (for footnotes and endnote; humanities).

  3. Citing & Referencing

    In-text referencing: where the Author and Year of publication are identified in the essay and a list of References which have been cited are placed at the end of the essay. Examples of this style are Monash Harvard; APA; MHRA; Chicago and MLA.

  4. PDF Department of History

    Submitting your essay: Your instructor will give specific instructions and deadlines for uploading your work to Brightspace. If you are asked to deliver a printed essay, leave it in the tray on the counter at the History Department office, located in Clearihue A203. It will be date stamped and put in the instructor's mailbox.

  5. Senior Essay in History: Citing Your Sources

    In the field of history, the standard citation style is the Chicago Style, and you will want to consult it to find the proper format for citing sources in your footnotes as well as at the end of your paper in your bibliography. Here are the main links for referring to the Chicago Manual of Style: Chicago Manual of Style Online (17th ed.)

  6. PDF UOW History Style Guide

    Referencing is a central component of essay writing in History subjects. Footnotes (references placed at the bottom of the page) are used to provide evidence of the research undertaken in preparing an essay. They show the reader where you obtained the information and developed the arguments that make up your essay. In doing so, footnotes serve to

  7. PDF History Faculty Style Guide

    in whatever consistent style is adopted (see Section II for a recommended style). Do not use the author-date system - Skinner, 1969 - in either text or footnotes: although this system is used in some types of scholarly works, it is not well suited to most kinds of history and it is important for historians to learn to use

  8. PDF A Brief Manual of Style Department of History University of Northern

    The Chicago Manual of Style (14th ed., 1993). Other disciplines have different stylistic conventions; for example, English uses "MLA" or the Modern Language Association's style. All professors in the UNC Department of History have agreed to use either "Note Style One" or "Note Style Two," both of which are described below.

  9. Essay Citation Style

    Citation Style for UCD History Essays contains details about how to reference books, journal articles, book chapters in edited books, newspaper articles, dissertations, archival sources, and website content in your essays using footnotes. The School follows the Chicago system of referencing.

  10. PDF Citation%20Guide revised%208 28 14-2

    In Microsoft Word, create a footnote following these steps: Put your cursor at the end of the sentence you wish to footnote. From the "Insert" menu, choose "Footnote". Word will automatically create a numbered footnote at the bottom of the page. Type your footnote there.

  11. History: Referencing and Style Guide

    Referencing in your assignments. Whether working on a thesis, dissertation or essay, correct referencing is vital to ensure that you credit all your sources. The Faculty of History offers guidelines on how to approach this and the reference management software listed below can assist. Whichever style you adopt, remember to be consistent.

  12. APA Style

    " APA Style® originated in 1929, when a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers convened and sought to establish a simple set of procedures, or style rules, that would codify the many components of scientific writing to increase the ease of reading comprehension." (APA Style | "What is APA Style®?")

  13. The Mechanics of Citation

    The Mechanics of Citation - History - Carleton College The Mechanics of Citation The following guidelines are loosely based on The Chicago Manual of Style, now in its 17th edition. Any student thinking of going to graduate school in history or any other learned discipline should acquire and use the most recent version of this basic reference work.

  14. History Style Sheet

    Footnotes & Endnotes Historical writing integrates personal analysis informed by research gathered from a wide range of sources. History papers use footnote citations as well as bibliographies to cite the sources used for interpreting and analyzing the past.

  15. Writing Resources

    List of Resources on History Writing. Formulating a Research Question. Making the Most of Research Time. Formulating an Argument. General Writing Guidelines. Sources and Evidence. Citations and Notes. Writing a 4-7 page History Paper (David Herzberg, 1992, Wesleyan University) Harvard Writing Center Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide.

  16. LibGuides: History Resource Guide: APA-7 Citation Style

    The APA Citation Style. This resource guide will focus on the 7th edition of the APA publication style developed by the American Psychological Association, which is used by the Social Sciences and other curricular areas. Take a look at the links on the left for examples of APA 7 in-text citations, reference pages, and some useful sites and ...

  17. PDF SAMPLE CHICAGO STYLE PAPER

    Dr. Johnson July 11, 2013 The Chicago Style of writing is used for academic writing in the field of Humanities, especially history. Specific guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago Style are outlined in manuals such as the 16th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, which was issued in September

  18. Writing and Citing

    History: Writing and Citing Writing and Citing Citation Guide The History Department's Concise Guide to Essay Writing includes several pages on footnotes and bibliography layout. This should be accessible via your course's Learn site. UC History uses the Chicago style, which their guide is based on.

  19. PDF Citation Style for UCD History Essays (August 2022)

    yourself with the Chicago style as referencing underpins academic analysis and argument. The Chicago style uses footnotes. To insert a footnote in Microsoft Word, click 'References', and 'Insert Footnote'. 1. First year modulesicularly 'Creating History',, part will devote time to teaching and learning referencing.

  20. APA Sample Paper

    Contact Us. [email protected]. 229-227-6959. Make an appointment with a Librarian.

  21. When to use Citations and Quotations

    Basic rules for both: A good historical essay keeps the support for its argument transparent and its readers engaged. These two priorities—allowing readers to follow the evidence and judge it for themselves, while reminding them why they should care, as the story involves real people and their thoughts—can help students decide when they must use a citation and/or when they should use a ...

  22. Citation Styles Guide

    A citation style is a set of guidelines on how to cite sources in your academic writing. You always need a citation whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source to avoid plagiarism. How you present these citations depends on the style you follow. Scribbr's citation generator can help!

  23. A History of Citation Styles

    So a citation system like APA style conveys the values and identity of a discourse community, including that of nursing research. Although the APA was founded in the late nineteenth century, its members did not agree upon a style guide until the 1920s (Madison et al., 1929). Its establishment was largely the product of an effort by James McKeen ...