How to Cite a Book in Chicago 17 Format

Books are the most frequently cited source type in humanities research. Whether you're writing a history paper, a literary analysis, or a philosophy thesis, mastering Chicago 17 book citations is essential. The Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition uses a Notes-Bibliography (NB) system that requires two distinct formats: footnotes (or endnotes) for in-text references and a bibliography entry for your final source list. Getting both right is critical for academic credibility.

This guide covers every variation you'll encounter — from single-author monographs to edited volumes, translated works, and multi-volume sets — with real-world examples you can model your own citations after.

Understanding Chicago Book Citations

Chicago's Notes-Bibliography system requires you to provide citation information in three contexts:

1. First footnote — The complete citation, given the first time you reference a source. Includes all publication details and the specific page(s) you're citing.
2. Shortened footnote — An abbreviated form used for all subsequent references to the same source. Includes only the author's last name, a shortened title, and page number(s).
3. Bibliography entry — The full citation in your bibliography (or "Works Cited" list), formatted with inverted author names and hanging indentation.

Each format has distinct punctuation, name order, and structure. The examples below demonstrate all three for every variation.

Real-World Examples

1. Single Author

The most common book citation format. One author, one volume, standard publication.

2. Two Authors

When a book has two authors, list both names in the order they appear on the title page. In the bibliography, only the first author's name is inverted.

3. Three Authors

For three authors, list all three in footnotes and bibliography. In the bibliography, only the first name is inverted.

4. Four or More Authors

For books with four or more authors, the footnote lists only the first author followed by "et al." The bibliography may list all authors or, for works with more than ten, use "et al." after the seventh.

5. Edited Volume

When citing an edited book as a whole (not a specific chapter), list the editor(s) in the author position followed by "ed." or "eds."

Step-by-Step: Creating a Chicago Book Citation

Follow these steps to build your footnote and bibliography entries from scratch.

Step 1: Identify the Author(s)

Find the author's full name on the title page — not the cover, which may abbreviate or stylize names. Record the name exactly as printed.

• Footnote order: Firstname Lastname (natural order)
• Bibliography order: Lastname, Firstname (inverted for alphabetical filing)
• For multiple authors, only invert the first author's name in the bibliography
• Include suffixes (Jr., III) after the first name in bibliography: Lastname, Firstname, Jr.

Step 2: Record the Full Title

Copy the complete title and subtitle from the title page. Italicize the entire title. Separate the title from the subtitle with a colon and a space.

• Use headline-style capitalization (capitalize major words)
• Retain original spelling and punctuation within the title
• Example: The Great Gatsby or Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Step 3: Find Publication Information

Check the copyright page (verso of the title page) for:

• Place of publication: List only the city. If multiple cities are listed, use only the first. Omit state/country unless the city is obscure.
• Publisher name: Shorten where conventional. Use "University of Chicago Press" rather than "The University of Chicago Press." Omit "Inc.," "Co.," "Ltd.," etc.
• Year: Use the most recent copyright year, not the printing year.

Step 4: Note the Edition or Volume (If Applicable)

If you're citing anything other than a first edition, include the edition number. Abbreviate: "2nd ed.," "3rd ed.," "rev. ed." Place edition information after the title in the bibliography and after the title within the parenthetical facts of publication in footnotes.

Step 5: Record Page Numbers (Footnotes Only)

Footnotes must include the specific page(s) you are referencing. Bibliography entries never include page numbers for whole books.

• Single page: 42
• Page range: 42–45 (use an en dash, not a hyphen)
• Non-consecutive pages: 42, 78, 112

Step 6: Assemble the Citation

For the footnote: Author, Title (Place: Publisher, Year), pages.

For the bibliography: Author. Title. Place: Publisher, Year.

Note the punctuation differences: footnotes use commas between elements and parentheses around publication facts; bibliography entries use periods between major elements and no parentheses.

Common Errors

These are the most frequent mistakes students make with Chicago book citations. Study the incorrect and corrected versions carefully.

Error 1: Wrong Name Order in Bibliography

Error 2: Using Parentheses in Bibliography

Error 3: Missing Page Numbers in Footnotes

Error 4: Inverting All Authors in Bibliography

Error 5: Using Hyphens Instead of En Dashes in Page Ranges

Special Cases

Book with a Translator

When a book has been translated, include the translator's name after the title, preceded by "Translated by" (or "trans." in footnotes).

Chapter in an Edited Volume

When citing a specific chapter or essay within an edited book, the chapter title goes in quotation marks and the book title is italicized.

Note: The bibliography entry for a chapter includes the page range of the entire chapter, not just the pages you cited.

Edition Other Than the First

Include the edition number after the title. Abbreviate as "2nd ed.," "3rd ed.," "rev. ed.," or "expanded ed."

E-book

For e-books, include the format or platform name. If the e-book has fixed page numbers, cite them. If it uses location numbers or lacks stable pagination, cite a chapter or section number instead.

No Author

If no author or editor is identified, begin with the title. Do not use "Anonymous" unless the work is explicitly attributed that way.

Multivolume Work

When citing one volume of a multivolume work, include the volume number. If the volume has its own title, include both the volume title and the series title.

Republished Book

When citing a book that has been reissued by a different publisher or in a new format, provide the original publication date followed by the current edition's details.

Footnote vs. Bibliography: Side-by-Side Comparison

Understanding the structural differences between footnotes and bibliography entries is the key to avoiding errors. Here are the critical distinctions:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need both a footnote and a bibliography entry for every source?

Yes. In Chicago's Notes-Bibliography system, every source cited in a footnote should also appear in the bibliography, and every bibliography entry should correspond to at least one footnote. The footnote gives readers the specific location (page number) of your reference, while the bibliography provides the complete publication details for the work as a whole. Some instructors may have specific exceptions, so check your assignment guidelines.

When do I use "Ibid." and is it still recommended?

Chicago 17 permits but no longer encourages "Ibid." (meaning "in the same place"). You may use it to refer to the immediately preceding footnote when citing the same source. However, the Chicago Manual now recommends using shortened citations instead, as "Ibid." can become confusing when footnotes are added, deleted, or reordered during revision. If you do use "Ibid.," it must refer to the single source in the note directly above — if the previous note cites multiple sources, do not use "Ibid."

How do I handle a book with both an author and an editor?

If the book is primarily the author's work but has an editor (common with collected works, annotated editions, or posthumous publications), list the author first and the editor after the title.

What if my book was published before 1900?

For books published before 1900, you may omit the publisher name. The place and date of publication are sufficient. For very old works, use the original publication date and include reprint information if citing a modern edition.

Should I include the state or country with the city of publication?

Include the state abbreviation (using the two-letter postal code) only if the city is not well known or could be confused with another city. Major cities like New York, London, Chicago, and Paris do not need state or country qualifiers. For less familiar locations, include clarification: "Cambridge, MA" (to distinguish from Cambridge, UK), "Springfield, IL" (multiple Springfields exist).

Validation Checklist

Before submitting your paper, run through this checklist for every book citation:

Footnotes

• ☐ Author names in natural order (Firstname Lastname)
• ☐ Book title italicized with headline-style capitalization
• ☐ Subtitle included after a colon, if applicable
• ☐ Publication facts in parentheses: (City: Publisher, Year)
• ☐ Specific page number(s) included after the closing parenthesis
• ☐ Commas separating all elements
• ☐ Period at the end of the note
• ☐ Shortened form used for second and subsequent references
• ☐ En dashes (–) used for page ranges, not hyphens (-)

Bibliography

• ☐ First author's name inverted (Lastname, Firstname)
• ☐ Additional authors in natural order
• ☐ Periods (not commas) between major elements
• ☐ No parentheses around publication information
• ☐ No page numbers (for whole-book citations)
• ☐ Hanging indentation applied
• ☐ Entries alphabetized by first author's last name
• ☐ Edition number included if not the first edition
• ☐ Translator or editor credited where applicable

Consistency

• ☐ Every footnoted source appears in the bibliography
• ☐ Author names spelled consistently across all citations
• ☐ Titles match exactly between footnotes and bibliography
• ☐ Publisher names shortened consistently (no "Inc.," "Ltd.," etc.)

Additional Resources

For comprehensive coverage of all Chicago 17 source types — including journals, websites, and multimedia — see our Complete Guide to Chicago 17th Edition Citations.

Need to verify your citations quickly? Use our free Chicago citation checker to catch formatting errors before you submit.