How to Cite a Book in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite printed and electronic 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 in your bibliography:
Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
Chicago Example for a Book
A complete Chicago reference for a book, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Okafor, Amara. 2019. The Craft of Research Writing. 2nd ed. University Press.
Matching in-text citation: (Okafor 2019)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Smith 2024, 45)
Narrative
Smith (2024, 45) writes...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Italicize the book title.
- Include place of publication and publisher.
- For footnotes: First Name Last Name format.
- For bibliography: Last Name, First Name format.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your book.
- 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.
Generate This Citation Automatically
Skip the manual formatting. Paste a DOI, URL, or ISBN into CitationEasy and get a perfectly formatted Chicago citation in seconds.
Cite in Chicago Now →