Footnote and Endnote Citations: How They Work, with Examples

Footnote and endnote citations put a small superscript number in your text and give the source details in a numbered note, either at the foot of the page or at the end of the paper.

They are standard in history, the arts, theology and law. This guide explains how note systems work, the difference between full and short notes, how they connect to a bibliography, and how the main note styles format them.

Footnotes or Endnotes?

Both use the same numbering and the same note format. The only difference is where the notes appear.

Unless your brief says otherwise, use footnotes. Most word processors insert them automatically and renumber them when you edit.

Note Numbers in the Text

• Number notes consecutively through the paper, starting at 1. Long theses may restart numbering in each chapter.
• Place the number after the punctuation at the end of the clause or sentence, except a dash, which it precedes.
• Use a new number for every note, even when citing the same source again.
• Avoid placing numbers in the middle of a phrase unless precision demands it.

Full Notes and Short Notes

The first time you cite a source, give a full note with all the details. After that, use a short note: the author's surname, a shortened title and the page.

These examples are illustrative. Under the 17th edition, the book note also includes the place of publication: (Boston: Riverbank Press, 2019).

Short Titles

A short title uses up to four key words from the main title, keeping the same order and dropping the subtitle and any opening "The" or "A". Keep italics or quotation marks as in the full note.

Notes for Other Common Sources

The same pattern of a full note first and a short note afterwards applies to every source type. These Chicago 18th edition examples cover the sources students use most after books and articles.

Archival material varies so much that Chicago gives detailed guidance for each type. If you cite many manuscripts, check the guide your department recommends.

Inserting Notes in Your Word Processor

Use the built-in footnote tool rather than typing superscript numbers. In Microsoft Word it sits under References, Insert Footnote; in Google Docs it is under Insert, Footnote. Automatic notes renumber themselves when you add or delete text, which avoids broken sequences.

Ibid. and Repeated Citations

"Ibid." means "in the same place" and refers to the source in the immediately preceding note. Recent editions of Chicago prefer short notes over ibid., though many instructors still accept it.

OSCOLA allows ibid. for the immediately preceding citation and uses cross-references, such as "Marsh (n 1) 106", for sources cited earlier.

Notes and the Bibliography

The bibliography lists every source alphabetically by the author's surname, with the first author's name inverted and a hanging indent. Its punctuation differs from the note: full stops replace commas, and publication details are not in brackets.

The free Bibloq citation generator produces Chicago entries you can adapt for both notes and bibliography.

Turabian: Chicago for Students

Turabian's A Manual for Writers adapts Chicago for student papers, theses and dissertations. Its notes-bibliography system follows Chicago closely, with extra guidance on layout, such as title pages and margins.

If your brief says Turabian, check which edition. The 9th edition follows Chicago 17th, so include the place of publication in book notes. If your course has moved to Chicago 18th rules, apply the edition differences noted above.

Legal Citation: OSCOLA and Bluebook

Law uses its own footnote styles. In the UK and many Commonwealth countries, OSCOLA (4th edition) is standard; in the United States, the Bluebook dominates.

• OSCOLA footnotes end with a full stop and use minimal punctuation within citations.
• Case names are italicized in the text and footnotes, for example Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 (HL).
• Legislation needs no full stops in abbreviations: Human Rights Act 1998, s 3.
• OSCOLA allows the bibliography to be omitted in shorter work; follow your law school's rules.

When You Will Meet Note Citations

Content Notes

Not every footnote is a citation. A content note adds a brief explanation or aside that would interrupt the main text. APA and MLA papers can use content notes sparingly while still citing sources in the text.

Common Footnote Mistakes

• Repeating the full note every time instead of using a short note.
• Using bibliography punctuation in the notes, or the reverse.
• Placing note numbers before the punctuation.
• Typing numbers manually so they fail to renumber after edits.
• Leaving sources out of the bibliography because they appear in the notes.

How Bibloq Helps with Footnote Citations

Send your paper, the style and edition (Chicago 17th or 18th, Turabian, OSCOLA, MHRA or Bluebook) and any department guide. An editor converts or corrects every note, applies short forms consistently and builds a matching bibliography.

Need a full essay? A writer in your subject prepares a custom paper with notes in your style, for study and reference. Free revisions within the scope of your original request are included.