How to Cite Manuscripts and Unpublished Works in Chicago Style
Manuscripts and unpublished works are crucial sources for historical research, literary studies, and archival scholarship. Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition) provides detailed formats for citing medieval and early modern manuscripts, unpublished papers, working papers, and private collections in both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems.
Understanding Manuscript and Unpublished Work Citations
Manuscripts differ from published works in requiring detailed physical and locational information. Citations must enable other researchers to locate the exact document, whether it's a medieval codex in a European library, an author's draft in a literary archive, or an unpublished academic paper. The Notes-Bibliography system is almost universally preferred in fields that work with manuscripts—history, literary studies, religious studies, and art history.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts
Basic Format for Historical Manuscripts
Footnote/Endnote:
Location, Library/Archive, Collection Name, Manuscript designation, folio or page reference.
Bibliography entry:
Location. Library/Archive. Collection Name. Manuscript designation. [Brief description if needed]
Example: Medieval Manuscript with Folio Numbers
First note:
1. London, British Library, MS Cotton Nero A.x, fol. 42r.
Shortened note:
2. British Library, MS Cotton Nero A.x, fol. 45v.
Note: Use "r" for recto (front) and "v" for verso (back) of folios. Medieval manuscripts use folio numbers, not page numbers.
Bibliography:
London. British Library. MS Cotton Nero A.x. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, ca. 1400.
Example: Early Modern Manuscript
Note:
3. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawl. D. 398, fol. 12r-13v.
Example: Illuminated Manuscript
Note:
4. Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS lat. 8846, fol. 1v (illumination of Christ in Majesty).
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Modern Unpublished Manuscripts
Basic Format for Literary and Author Manuscripts
Footnote/Endnote:
Author, "Title or Description," Date, manuscript type, Collection Name, Box/Folder, Repository, Location.
Example: Author's Manuscript Draft
Note:
5. F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Great Gatsby," ca. 1924, manuscript draft, F. Scott Fitzgerald Papers, Box 1, Folder 3, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ.
Bibliography:
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. "The Great Gatsby." ca. 1924. Manuscript draft. F. Scott Fitzgerald Papers, Box 1, Folder 3. Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ.
Example: Unpublished Typescript
Note:
6. Zora Neale Hurston, "The Life Story of Mrs. Ruby McCollum," 1956, unpublished typescript, Zora Neale Hurston Papers, Box 7, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Example: Author's Notes or Working Papers
Note:
7. Virginia Woolf, notebook entry, March 1926, holograph notebook, Berg Collection of English and American Literature, New York Public Library, New York, NY.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Unpublished Academic Papers
Basic Format for Unpublished Papers
Footnote/Endnote:
Author, "Paper Title" (unpublished manuscript, Date), Format if relevant, Location if accessed.
Bibliography entry:
Author, First Name. "Paper Title." Unpublished manuscript, Date. Format/Location.
Example: Unpublished Paper (in Author's Possession)
Note:
8. Sarah Johnson, "Digital Humanities and Historical Method" (unpublished manuscript, 2024), Microsoft Word file.
Bibliography:
Johnson, Sarah. "Digital Humanities and Historical Method." Unpublished manuscript, 2024. Microsoft Word file.
Example: Working Paper from Institution
Note:
9. Michael Chen and Lisa Anderson, "Economic Impacts of Climate Change," Working Paper no. 2024-15 (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2024).
Bibliography:
Chen, Michael, and Lisa Anderson. "Economic Impacts of Climate Change." Working Paper no. 2024-15. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2024.
Example: Unpublished Paper from Repository
Note:
10. Robert Martinez, "Machine Learning in Historical Research" (unpublished manuscript, 2023), https://osf.io/preprints/xyz123.
Example: Manuscript Accepted for Publication
Note:
11. Emily Rodriguez, "Environmental Justice Movements,"Journal of Social History, forthcoming.
Note: Use "forthcoming" for accepted but not yet published work. Include journal name if known.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Private Collections
Example: Document from Private Collection
Note:
12. Abraham Lincoln to Mary Todd Lincoln, April 16, 1848, autograph letter, private collection of John Smith, Chicago, IL.
Bibliography:
Lincoln, Abraham. Letter to Mary Todd Lincoln. April 16, 1848. Autograph letter. Private collection of John Smith, Chicago, IL.
Example: Anonymous Private Collection
Note:
13. Emily Dickinson, manuscript poem no. 465, ca. 1862, private collection.
Note: If the collector wishes to remain anonymous, use "private collection" without naming the owner.
Chicago Author-Date: Unpublished Works
Example: Unpublished Manuscript
In-text citation:
(Johnson 2024)
Reference list:
Johnson, Sarah. 2024. "Digital Humanities and Historical Method." Unpublished manuscript. Microsoft Word file.
Example: Working Paper
In-text citation:
(Chen and Anderson 2024)
Reference list:
Chen, Michael, and Lisa Anderson. 2024. "Economic Impacts of Climate Change." Working Paper no. 2024-15. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
Example: Forthcoming Publication
In-text citation:
(Rodriguez forthcoming)
Reference list:
Rodriguez, Emily. Forthcoming. "Environmental Justice Movements."Journal of Social History.
When to Use Each System
| Discipline | Recommended System |
|---|---|
| History | Notes-Bibliography |
| Literary Studies | Notes-Bibliography |
| Medieval Studies | Notes-Bibliography |
| Art History | Notes-Bibliography |
| Religious Studies | Notes-Bibliography |
| Economics (working papers) | Author-Date |
Common Errors to Avoid
1. Using Page Numbers for Folios
Medieval and early modern manuscripts use folio numbers (fol. 12r, fol. 12v), not page numbers (p. 12). Each folio has a front (recto, "r") and back (verso, "v"). Don't confuse these systems.
2. Incomplete Repository Information
For manuscript collections, include: city, repository name, collection name, and box/folder numbers. This information is essential for other researchers to locate the document.
3. Wrong Format for Manuscript Designations
Use the official manuscript designation as it appears in the library catalog: "MS Cotton Nero A.x" not "Ms. Cotton" or "Cotton MS." Follow the repository's conventions exactly.
4. Confusing Unpublished and Forthcoming
"Unpublished manuscript" means the work is not intended for publication or has not been accepted. "Forthcoming" means the work has been accepted for publication but hasn't appeared yet. These are different statuses.
5. Missing Dates for Modern Manuscripts
Include dates or approximate dates ("ca. 1950") for modern manuscripts. This helps readers understand when the work was created and its historical context.
6. Over-Abbreviating Medieval References
Spell out repository names in first references. You can abbreviate in subsequent notes: "British Library" first, then "BL" if consistent throughout.
Special Cases and Considerations
Manuscript with Multiple Authors or Scribes
Note:
14. Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS fr. 146, fol. 25r (scribe identified as "Scribe A" by Smith 2018).
Digitized Manuscript Online
Note:
15. London, British Library, MS Harley 2253, fol. 128r, digitized at British Library Digitized Manuscripts, https://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Harley_MS_2253.
Preprint or Repository Version
Note:
16. David Lee, "Computational Text Analysis Methods" (preprint, submitted January 2024), arXiv:2401.12345.
Unpublished Translation
Note:
17. Giovanni Boccaccio, Genealogia Deorum Gentilium, trans. Jane Smith (unpublished translation, 2023), manuscript in translator's possession.
Unpublished Correspondence
Note:
18. W. E. B. Du Bois to Countee Cullen, September 12, 1926, unpublished letter, W. E. B. Du Bois Papers, Series 1, Box 3, Folder 45, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries, Amherst, MA.
Research Best Practices
Recording Manuscript Information
When working with manuscripts, photograph catalog cards, collection labels, and finding aids. Record all identifying information immediately, including manuscript numbers, folio references, and any special characteristics. This documentation is crucial for accurate citations and for other researchers to verify your sources.
Permission and Access
Many manuscript collections require special permission for access or citation. Some private collectors or repositories restrict publication of manuscript content. Always comply with access policies and cite restrictions when relevant. Note if you examined material under special permission.
Describing Manuscript Content
In your text (not the citation), describe manuscript characteristics relevant to your argument: script type, language, illuminations, marginalia, or physical condition. This contextual information helps readers understand the source's significance.
Why Manuscript Citations Matter
Manuscript citations demonstrate the depth and rigor of archival research. They allow peer review and verification of evidence, help other scholars build on your work, establish the authenticity and provenance of sources, and contribute to the scholarly documentation of manuscript collections. In fields like medieval studies, textual criticism, and literary studies, precise manuscript citations are fundamental to scholarly credibility.
For historians, unpublished manuscripts often provide evidence unavailable in published sources. Author's drafts, personal correspondence, working papers, and institutional records reveal thinking processes, rejected alternatives, and private thoughts that published works conceal. Citing these materials requires special care to enable scholarly verification.
Generate Chicago Citations for Manuscripts
Create accurate Chicago-style citations for manuscripts, unpublished papers, and archival materials in both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date formats. Essential for historians, literary scholars, and archival researchers.