Chicago Bibliography & Reference List

    Learn how to format bibliography and reference list entries for both Chicago citation systems.

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    Published: September 15, 2025
    By heypaperhero Team

    Bibliography vs. Reference List

    Chicago style uses different terms and formats depending on which citation system you choose:

    System Differences

    • • Notes-Bibliography: Uses "Bibliography" with inverted first author name
    • • Author-Date: Uses "Reference List" with date after author
    • • Alphabetization: Both systems arrange entries alphabetically by author's last name
    • • Hanging Indent: Both use hanging indents for each entry

    Notes-Bibliography Format

    Basic Bibliography Entry

    In the Notes-Bibliography system, the bibliography appears at the end of your paper with the heading "Bibliography."

    Book Entry Format:

    Author Last, First. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.

    Example:
    Johnson, Sarah. Democratic Ideals in Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2022.

    Journal Article Entry

    Format:
    Author Last, First. "Article Title." Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Date): Page range.

    Example:
    Miller, David. "Historical Perspectives on Democracy." Political Science Quarterly 85, no. 3 (Fall 2023): 245-267.

    Website Entry

    Format:
    Author Last, First. "Page Title." Website Name. Last modified Date. URL.

    Example:
    Chen, Susan. "Modern Voting Patterns." American Political Association. Last modified October 15, 2023. https://www.apa.org/voting-patterns.

    Author-Date Reference List Format

    Basic Reference List Entry

    In the Author-Date system, the reference list appears at the end with the heading "Reference List" or "References."

    Book Entry Format:

    Author Last, First. Year. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher.

    Example:
    Johnson, Sarah. 2022. Democratic Ideals in Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Journal Article Entry

    Format:
    Author Last, First. Year. "Article Title." Journal Name Volume (Issue): Page range.

    Example:
    Miller, David. 2023. "Historical Perspectives on Democracy." Political Science Quarterly 85 (3): 245-267.

    Website Entry

    Format:
    Author Last, First. Year. "Page Title." Website Name. Last modified Date. URL.

    Example:
    Chen, Susan. 2023. "Modern Voting Patterns." American Political Association. Last modified October 15, 2023. https://www.apa.org/voting-patterns.

    Formatting Rules

    Page Setup

    • • Start the bibliography/reference list on a new page
    • • Center the heading "Bibliography" or "Reference List"
    • • Use the same font and spacing as the rest of your paper
    • • Continue page numbering from the main text

    Entry Formatting

    • • Use hanging indents (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented)
    • • Single-space within each entry, double-space between entries
    • • Alphabetize entries by the first author's last name
    • • Use sentence case for article titles, title case for book titles
    • • Italicize book titles and journal names

    Multiple Authors

    Two authors (Notes-Bibliography):
    Miller, David, and Susan Chen. Historical Perspectives. New York: Academic Press, 2023.

    Two authors (Author-Date):
    Miller, David, and Susan Chen. 2023. Historical Perspectives. New York: Academic Press.

    Three or more authors:
    Taylor, Robert, Jennifer Adams, and Michael Brown. 2022. Modern Research Methods. Boston: Scholarly Publications.

    Special Cases

    No Author

    Alphabetize by title:
    "Annual Economic Report." U.S. Department of Commerce. 2023. https://www.commerce.gov/annual-report.

    Multiple Works by Same Author

    Author-Date system:
    Johnson, Sarah. 2022. Democratic Ideals in Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
    Johnson, Sarah. 2023. Political Theory Today. Boston: Academic Press.

    Corporate Authors

    U.S. Department of Education. 2023. Annual Report on Educational Progress. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

    Sample Bibliography Page

    Bibliography
    Chen, Susan. "Modern Voting Patterns." American Political Association. Last modified October 15, 2023. https://www.apa.org/voting-patterns.
    Johnson, Sarah. Democratic Ideals in Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2022.
    Miller, David. "Historical Perspectives on Democracy." Political Science Quarterly 85, no. 3 (Fall 2023): 245-267.
    Taylor, Robert, Jennifer Adams, and Michael Brown. Modern Research Methods. Boston: Scholarly Publications, 2022.

    Common Bibliography Mistakes

    • • Wrong hanging indent: Use proper hanging indents for all entries
    • • Inconsistent date placement: Follow your chosen system consistently
    • • Missing italics: Italicize book titles and journal names
    • • Wrong alphabetization: Sort by first author's last name
    • • Incorrect punctuation: Follow punctuation rules precisely
    • • Missing URLs: Include URLs for online sources

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