How do I cite a book chapter in Chicago?

To cite a book chapter in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for a book chapter in Chicago?

In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Chapter Author Year, 25)

How to Cite a Book Chapter in Chicago (17th edition)

Learn how to cite chapters and essays in edited books 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 book chapter in your bibliography:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Chapter." In Title of Book, edited by Editor First Name Last Name, xx–xx. Place: Publisher, Year.

Chicago Example for a Book Chapter

A complete Chicago reference for a book chapter, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Kowalski, Ana. 2021. “Teaching Citation as a Habit of Mind.” In Handbook of Writing Instruction, 2nd ed., edited by Sofia Reyes and Joon Kim. Academic Press.

Matching in-text citation: (Kowalski 2021)

Chicago In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Chapter Author Year, 25)

Narrative

Chapter Author (Year) explains...

Key Chicago Formatting Rules

Put the chapter title in quotation marks and italicize the book title.
Introduce the book with "In" and credit the editor with "edited by" before the page range.
Give the chapter page range (no pp.) after the editor, then place, publisher, and year.
Notes-Bibliography: cite the specific page(s) in the footnote.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your book chapter.
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.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: chicago.csl

Metadata to collect

chapter author
chapter title
book editor
book title
edition
publisher and year
chapter page range
DOI

Common metadata traps

Cite the chapter author, not the book editor, as the author of the entry.
Give the full page range of the chapter, not only the pages you quoted.

Editorial sources

Chicago Manual of Style — citation quick guide →

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a book chapter in Chicago?: To cite a book chapter in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Chicago format for a book chapter citation?: The Chicago format for a book chapter is: Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Chapter." In Title of Book, edited by Editor First Name Last Name, xx–xx. Place: Publisher, Year.
What does the in-text citation look like for a book chapter in Chicago?: In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Chapter Author Year, 25)