How to Cite a Book in Chicago 17
Complete guide with footnote and bibliography examples for citing print books, ebooks, edited volumes, and book chapters in Chicago 17th edition.
Basic Format: Print Book (Single Author)
Chicago footnotes use commas between elements; bibliography entries use periods. The author's name is inverted (Last, First) only in the bibliography.
First Footnote
1. Firstname Lastname, Title of Book (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page(s).
Bibliography Entry
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
Example: Single Author
First Footnote
1. Margaret Atwood, The Testaments (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2019), 112.
Shortened Footnote
2. Atwood, The Testaments, 145.
Bibliography Entry
Atwood, Margaret. The Testaments. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2019.
Book with Multiple Authors
For two or three authors, list all names in the order they appear. In the bibliography, only the first author's name is inverted.
First Footnote
1. Narelle Miragliotta, Wayne Errington, and Nicholas Barry, The Australian Political System in Action, 2nd ed. (South Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2013), 252.
Bibliography Entry
Miragliotta, Narelle, Wayne Errington, and Nicholas Barry. The Australian Political System in Action. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2013.
Book with Four or More Authors
In a footnote, list only the first author followed by “et al.” In the bibliography, list all authors up to ten.
First Footnote
1. John A. Smith et al., Handbook of Research Methods (New York: Sage, 2021), 45.
Edited Book
First Footnote
1. Patricia Johnson, ed., Contemporary Indigenous Poetics (Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2024), 201.
Bibliography Entry
Johnson, Patricia, ed. Contemporary Indigenous Poetics. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2024.
Chapter in an Edited Book
First Footnote
1. Michael Wong, “Reclaiming Narrative Sovereignty,” in Contemporary Indigenous Poetics, ed. Patricia Johnson (Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2024), 52.
Bibliography Entry
Wong, Michael. “Reclaiming Narrative Sovereignty.” In Contemporary Indigenous Poetics, edited by Patricia Johnson, 45‑67. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2024.
Ebook with DOI or URL
First Footnote
1. Jonathan Todres and Sarah Higinbotham, Human Rights in Children's Literature (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016), chap. 2, https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190213343.001.0001.
Bibliography Entry
Todres, Jonathan, and Sarah Higinbotham. Human Rights in Children's Literature: Imagination and the Narrative of Law. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190213343.001.0001.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to include the city of publication?
Yes. Chicago style includes the place of publication before the publisher name. If the city is not well‑known, include the state or province abbreviation.
How do I cite a translated book?
Include the translator after the title: Title, trans. Firstname Lastname (Place: Publisher, Year).
