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.
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