How to Cite a Blog Post in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite blog posts and online opinion pieces in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a blog post in your bibliography:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Post." Blog Name (blog), Month Day, Year. https://url.
Chicago Example for a Blog Post
A complete Chicago reference for a blog post, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Bell, Jordan. 2024. “Why I Stopped Using Footnotes.” Writing in Public, June 21. https://www.example.org/blog/footnotes.
Matching in-text citation: (Bell 2024)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Author 2024)
Narrative
Author (2024) notes...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Put the post title in quotation marks and italicize the blog name.
- Add the descriptor "(blog)" after the blog name unless the word "blog" is already in the name.
- Give the full publication date (Month Day, Year) and end with the URL.
- Blog posts are usually cited in notes; they may be omitted from the bibliography.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your blog post.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
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