How to Cite a Journal Article in Chicago Style
The Chicago Manual of Style offers two citation systems: Notes & Bibliography (preferred in humanities) and Author-Date (used in sciences). This guide covers both formats for journal articles.
Chicago Notes & Bibliography Format
The Notes & Bibliography system uses footnotes or endnotes for citations and a bibliography at the end.
Basic Format
Footnote/Endnote (first reference):
First Name Last Name, "Article Title," Journal Title Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page range, DOI or URL.
Shortened note (subsequent references):
Last Name, "Shortened Title," Page.
Bibliography entry:
Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." Journal Title Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page range. DOI or URL.
Example: Journal Article with DOI
First note:
1. Sarah Johnson, "Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss," Environmental Science Quarterly 45, no. 2 (2024): 123-145, https://doi.org/10.1000/esq.2024.456.
Shortened note:
2. Johnson, "Climate Change," 130.
Bibliography:
Johnson, Sarah. "Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss." Environmental Science Quarterly 45, no. 2 (2024): 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1000/esq.2024.456.
Example: Journal Article from Database
Note:
3. Maria Garcia and David Lee, "The Impact of Social Media on Political Engagement," Journal of Communication Studies 78, no. 4 (2023): 567-589.
Bibliography:
Garcia, Maria, and David Lee. "The Impact of Social Media on Political Engagement." Journal of Communication Studies 78, no. 4 (2023): 567-589.
Note: If accessed through a database without a DOI, you may omit the database name.
Chicago Author-Date Format
The Author-Date system uses in-text citations with author and year, plus a reference list.
Basic Format
In-text citation:
(Author Year, Page)
Reference list entry:
Author, First Name. Year. "Article Title." Journal Title Volume (Issue): Page range. DOI or URL.
Example: Journal Article with DOI
In-text citation:
(Johnson 2024, 130)
Reference list:
Johnson, Sarah. 2024. "Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss." Environmental Science Quarterly 45 (2): 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1000/esq.2024.456.
Example: Two Authors
In-text citation:
(Garcia and Lee 2023, 570)
Reference list:
Garcia, Maria, and David Lee. 2023. "The Impact of Social Media on Political Engagement." Journal of Communication Studies 78 (4): 567-589.
Example: Four or More Authors
In-text citation:
(Smith et al. 2024, 45)
Reference list:
Smith, John, Anna Williams, Michael Chen, and Lisa Brown. 2024. "Machine Learning Applications in Healthcare." Journal of Medical Informatics 12 (1): 34-67. https://doi.org/10.1000/jmi.2024.789.
Note: List all authors in the reference list. Use "et al." only in citations.
Key Differences: Notes vs Author-Date
| Feature | Notes & Bibliography | Author-Date |
|---|---|---|
| Citations | Footnotes/Endnotes | In-text (Author Year) |
| End section | Bibliography | Reference List |
| Name format (bib) | Last, First | Last, First |
| Date placement | After journal name | After author name |
| Best for | History, Arts, Humanities | Sciences, Social Sciences |
Special Cases
Journal Article with No DOI
If the article has no DOI but is accessed online, include the URL. If accessed in print, just include the page range.
Article Published Online Ahead of Print
Brown, Lisa. 2024. "Emerging Trends in Renewable Energy." Energy Policy Review. Published ahead of print, January 15, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1000/epr.2024.123.
Article with Volume but No Issue Number
Wilson, Robert. 2023. "Economic Inequality in Urban Centers." Urban Economics 56: 234-267.
Common Questions
Should I include the database name?
No. Chicago style does not require database names if you have a DOI or stable URL.
Do I need page numbers for online articles?
Include page numbers if they're available. For online-only articles without pagination, you can cite by section or omit page numbers.
How do I cite articles in press?
Replace the year with "forthcoming" or "in press" and include the DOI if available.
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