Chicago 17th Edition
Notes-Bibliography

Chicago style recommends 1-inch margins on all sides and a readable font such as 12-pt Times New Roman or 11-pt Arial. While Chicago does not mandate specific fonts, these are the most widely accepted choices. SimpleFormat Pro applies these settings automatically for consistent formatting.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §2.8; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Body text should be double-spaced. However, block quotations, notes (footnotes/endnotes), bibliography entries, and table/figure captions are typically single-spaced with a blank line between entries. SimpleFormat Pro handles all spacing variations automatically.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §2.8; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

The first line of each paragraph should be indented 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). This applies to body text paragraphs. Block quotations use a different indentation pattern—they are indented entirely from the left margin without quotation marks.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §2.12; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Notes-Bibliography (NB) uses superscript footnotes or endnotes with a Bibliography. It's preferred in humanities disciplines like history, literature, and the arts. Author-Date uses parenthetical citations with a References list and is common in sciences and social sciences. A document must use one system only—never mix them.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., Chapter 14-15; CMOS Online Citation Guide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Page numbers appear in the header, typically in the top right corner, on every page except the title page (which is counted but not numbered). Arabic numerals begin with page 1 on the first page of text. Front matter (if any) uses lowercase Roman numerals.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §1.4-1.7; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

For most academic papers, a title page is recommended. The title should be centered about one-third down the page, followed by your name, course information, and date. The title page is counted as page 1 but the page number is not displayed. SimpleFormat Pro generates properly formatted title pages.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §1.43-1.45; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Chicago is flexible with heading formats. Use headline-style capitalization (Title Case) for all headings. Common approaches include centered bold for Level 1, flush left bold for Level 2, and flush left bold italic for Level 3. Maintain consistency throughout your document.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §2.18-2.22; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Headline style (Title Case) capitalizes the first and last words of a title, plus all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), prepositions, and 'to' in infinitives.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §8.157-8.159; Capitalize My Title; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. In the 17th edition, all prepositions are lowercased regardless of length (e.g., 'between,' 'through,' 'without'). Note: The 18th edition changed this rule to capitalize prepositions of five or more letters. SimpleFormat Pro follows the edition you select.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §8.157; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

The standard order is: Title Page → Table of Contents (if needed) → List of Tables/Figures (if needed) → Body Text → Appendices (if any) → Endnotes (if used instead of footnotes) → Bibliography. Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page where citations occur.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §1.4; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Both are acceptable in Chicago style. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where the citation occurs; endnotes are compiled at the end of the document or chapter. Footnotes are generally preferred as they allow readers to see sources immediately. Check your instructor's or publisher's preference.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.19; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Note numbers in the text are superscript Arabic numerals (¹, ², ³) placed after punctuation marks—periods, commas, colons, semicolons, question marks, and exclamation points. The only exception is dashes: note numbers precede dashes. Numbers are continuous throughout the document.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.26; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Notes begin with a full-sized number followed by a period and a space (e.g., '1. '). The first line is indented 0.5 inches. Author names appear in normal order (Given Surname), and elements are separated by commas. Notes are typically single-spaced with a blank line between them.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.24; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

After the first full citation of a source, subsequent citations use shortened footnotes containing: author's surname, shortened title (if more than 4 words), and page number. Example: 'Smith, Modern History, 45.' This saves space while maintaining clear attribution.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.29-14.32; Purdue OWL; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

While permitted, ibid. is discouraged in the 17th edition. CMOS recommends shortened citations instead because they work better in electronic formats where notes may be viewed individually. If you do use ibid., it refers only to the immediately preceding note and must never follow a note with multiple sources.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.34; Simmons LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

If citing multiple pages from the same source in one note, separate page numbers with commas: 'Smith, Modern History, 45, 67, 89.' For different sources in the same note, separate with semicolons: 'Smith, Modern History, 45; Jones, Art Today, 23.'

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.19-14.21; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Full note: '1. Firstname Lastname, Title of Book (Place: Publisher, Year), page.' Example: '1. Mary Johnson, Modern Architecture (New York: Columbia University Press, 2020), 145.' Commas separate elements; publication info is in parentheses.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.100-14.103; Purdue OWL Books; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Full note: '1. Author Firstname Lastname, "Chapter Title," in Book Title, ed. Editor Name (Place: Publisher, Year), page.' Example: '1. John Smith, "Early Photography," in Visual Arts History, ed. Sarah Brown (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2019), 78.'

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.103-14.107; Shippensburg Library; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Full note: '1. Author Firstname Lastname, "Article Title," Journal Title volume, no. issue (Year): page.' Example: '1. Jane Doe, "Renaissance Sculpture," Art History Quarterly 45, no. 2 (2021): 234.' Journal titles are italicized; article titles use quotation marks.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.168-14.187; Purdue OWL Periodicals; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Full note: '1. Author or Organization, "Page Title," Website Name, publication or access date, URL.' Example: '1. National Archives, "Declaration of Independence," Archives.gov, accessed January 15, 2026, https://www.archives.gov/declaration.' Access dates are used only when no publication date is available.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.205-14.210; Purdue OWL Web Sources; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Full note: '1. Author, "Article Title," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, URL or page.' Example: '1. John Smith, "City Council Votes on Budget," Chicago Tribune, March 15, 2024, https://www.chicagotribune.com/...' Page numbers are often omitted for online versions.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.191-14.200; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Include DOIs when available (preferred over URLs). If no DOI exists, include a stable URL. For formally published sources accessed online that also exist in print, URLs may be omitted. For web-only content, URLs are required. Access dates are needed only when no publication date is available.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.8, §14.12; Purdue OWL Web Sources; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

DOIs can be formatted as 'https://doi.org/xxxxx' (preferred for clickable links) or 'DOI: xxxxx'. Either format is acceptable—be consistent throughout your document. No period follows the DOI or URL at the end of a citation.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.8; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Full note: '1. Author Firstname Lastname, "Title of Thesis" (PhD diss. or MA thesis, University Name, Year), page.' Example: '1. Sarah Chen, "Medieval Trade Routes" (PhD diss., Yale University, 2022), 89.' Thesis titles use quotation marks, not italics.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.215; University of Iowa Guide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. Chicago footnotes can contain both citations and additional commentary. This is a key advantage of the NB system—you can add context, caveats, cross-references, or tangential information without interrupting the main text. Keep such notes concise and relevant.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.39-14.44; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

The heading is simply 'Bibliography' (not 'Works Cited' or 'References'). It should be centered at the top of a new page with no special formatting—not bold, italic, or underlined. Leave a blank line before the first entry.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.61; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Entries are alphabetized letter-by-letter by the author's surname. For entries beginning with titles (no author), alphabetize by the first significant word (ignore A, An, The). Multiple works by the same author are ordered alphabetically by title.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.65-14.67; Camosun LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Invert the first author's name: 'Lastname, Firstname.' For works with multiple authors, only the first name is inverted: 'Smith, John, and Mary Johnson.' Use 'and' (not ampersand &) between author names. Periods separate major elements.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.76; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

A hanging indent means the first line is flush left and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). In Word: select the reference entries, go to Paragraph settings, and choose 'Hanging' under Special indentation. SimpleFormat Pro applies hanging indents automatically.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.62; Camosun LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Within each entry, use single-spacing. Between entries, add a blank line (or use double-spacing between entries). This creates clear visual separation while keeping individual entries compact and readable.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.62; Purdue OWL General Format; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

No. Bibliography entries are never numbered in Chicago style. They are simply listed alphabetically. Numbering is a characteristic of other citation styles like IEEE or Vancouver, not Chicago.

Source: Purdue OWL General Format; CMOS 17th ed.; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

The 17th edition discourages the three-em dash (———) for repeated authors. Instead, repeat the author's name for each entry. This change improves clarity, especially in electronic formats where entries might be viewed individually.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.67; Camosun LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place: Publisher, Year. Example: 'Johnson, Mary. Modern Architecture. New York: Columbia University Press, 2020.' Book titles are italicized and use headline-style capitalization. Periods separate major elements.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.100-14.103; Purdue OWL Books; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Lastname, Firstname. "Chapter Title." In Book Title, edited by Editor Name, page range. Place: Publisher, Year. Example: 'Smith, John. "Early Photography." In Visual Arts History, edited by Sarah Brown, 67-98. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2019.'

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.103-14.107; UQ Library; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Journal Title volume, no. issue (Year): page range. DOI or URL. Example: 'Doe, Jane. "Renaissance Sculpture." Art History Quarterly 45, no. 2 (2021): 230-256. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.'

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.168-14.187; Purdue OWL Periodicals; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

When no individual author is identified, use the organization or website name as the author. If that's unavailable, begin with the title. For web pages, you might use: 'Website Name. "Page Title." Accessed Date. URL.'

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.79; Purdue OWL; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

List works alphabetically by title. In the 17th edition, repeat the author's name for each entry (rather than using a three-em dash). Each entry follows standard bibliography format with full author name.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.67; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes, place of publication is required for books in the 17th edition. Format: 'Place: Publisher' (e.g., 'Chicago: University of Chicago Press'). Note: The 18th edition made place of publication optional.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.131; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

A bibliography is typically preferred even when using full footnotes. It provides readers with a comprehensive list of sources for reference. The bibliography may be omitted only in very short works with few sources, but check with your instructor.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.61; Purdue OWL; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Author. Title. Translated by Translator Name. Place: Publisher, Year. Example: 'Eco, Umberto. The Name of the Rose. Translated by William Weaver. San Diego: Harcourt, 1983.' The original publication date may be noted if relevant.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.104; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Use a block quotation for prose quotations of 5 or more lines, or more than 100 words. Block quotes are indented 0.5 inches from the left margin, single-spaced, and do not use quotation marks. Poetry quotations of 2 or more lines should also be blocked.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §13.10; Purdue OWL; Bibliography.com; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Indent the entire block 0.5 inches from the left margin. Do not use quotation marks (the indentation signals it's a quote). Single-space the block quote even if body text is double-spaced. Begin on a new line after your introductory text.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §13.10; Camosun LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Place the superscript footnote number at the end of the block quotation, after the final punctuation mark. The note number follows the same rule as inline quotations—it comes after punctuation.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §14.26; Bibliography.com; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Chicago uses three spaced periods ( . . . ) with spaces before, between, and after each period. If the omission comes at the end of a sentence, add a period before the ellipsis (four dots total). SimpleFormat Pro formats ellipses correctly.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §13.48-13.56; CMOS Shop Talk; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Use square brackets [ ] to indicate any changes, additions, or clarifications you make within a quotation. For example: 'The study [conducted in 2019] showed significant results.' If you add emphasis, note it: (emphasis added).

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §13.59-13.62; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Italicize titles of standalone works: books, journals, newspapers, albums, films. Use quotation marks for shorter works contained within larger ones: articles, chapters, poems, songs, episode titles. This applies in both notes and bibliography.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §8.166-8.175; Purdue OWL; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Spell out numbers zero through one hundred in prose, plus any number beginning a sentence. Use numerals for 101 and above, as well as for percentages, statistics, measurements, and exact amounts. Chicago also allows spelling out only zero through nine as an alternative.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §9.2-9.7; Daniel Tortora Blog; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

In nontechnical contexts, use 'percent' spelled out with a numeral: '15 percent.' In technical or statistical writing, the % symbol is acceptable. Never begin a sentence with a numeral; spell it out or rewrite the sentence.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §9.18; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Use an en-dash (–), not a hyphen (-), for number ranges: pages 45–67, years 2020–2024, chapters 5–7. The en-dash replaces 'to' or 'through.' SimpleFormat Pro automatically converts hyphens in ranges to en-dashes.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §6.78-6.79; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

In text, use 'Month Day, Year' format: 'January 15, 2026.' In bibliographic citations, months may be abbreviated. Do not use ordinal indicators (1st, 2nd, 15th); write 'January 5' not 'January 5th.'

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §9.30-9.36; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Table captions appear ABOVE the table. Format: 'Table 1. Title of table' (or 'Table 1: Title'). Captions are typically single-spaced and may use sentence case or title case—be consistent. Source notes appear below the table.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.52; SFU Library; Camosun LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Figure captions appear BELOW the figure. Format: 'Figure 1. Description of figure' or 'Fig. 1. Description.' Use sentence case for figure captions. Credit lines for sources appear within or after the caption.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.9; CMOS Shop Talk; SFU Library; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Tables and figures are numbered in separate sequences using Arabic numerals (Table 1, Table 2... Figure 1, Figure 2...). Number them in the order they are first mentioned in the text. For chapters, you may use 'Table 3.1' format.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.4, §3.50; Purdue OWL; CMOS Shop Talk; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Place source citations below the table/figure, introduced by 'Source:' or 'Sources:' Example: 'Source: Adapted from Smith, Statistical Methods, 45.' For figures, credit lines may be incorporated into the caption.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.76-3.79; §3.29-3.37; Sheridan Library; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Refer to tables and figures by their number: 'As shown in table 1...' or 'Figure 3 illustrates...' Use lowercase 'table' and 'figure' in running text. Never reference by position ('the table below' or 'the following figure').

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.8, §3.50; Purdue OWL; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Table content is typically single-spaced. Align numbers on decimal points; left-align text. Use horizontal rules at top and bottom; internal rules are optional. Vertical rules are generally discouraged. Column heads are centered.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.53-3.65; Camosun LibGuide; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Use superscript lowercase letters (a, b, c) for notes within tables—not numbers, which might be confused with data. Corresponding notes appear below the table, after any general notes but before source notes.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §3.76-3.79; Sheridan Library; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

For longer works with multiple tables or figures, include separate 'List of Tables' and 'List of Figures' pages in the front matter. Each entry includes the number, title (may be shortened), and page number. Format matches table of contents.

Source: CMOS 17th ed., §1.43; CMOS Shop Talk; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

SimpleFormat Pro applies all Chicago 17th Edition Notes-Bibliography formatting rules automatically: proper footnote/endnote formatting, shortened citations, bibliography entries with hanging indents, headline-style title capitalization, and correct punctuation patterns. Simply paste your content and select Chicago NB.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. SimpleFormat Pro allows you to choose between footnotes (at page bottom) or endnotes (collected at document end) based on your preference or instructor requirements. The formatting adapts accordingly while maintaining proper Chicago NB structure.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. SimpleFormat Pro recognizes when you've cited a source previously and generates properly formatted shortened footnotes with author surname, abbreviated title, and page number—following CMOS 17th edition recommendations.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Manually formatting a 20-page humanities paper with 40+ footnotes and a full bibliography typically takes 3-5 hours: formatting notes, creating bibliography entries, applying hanging indents, verifying title capitalization. SimpleFormat Pro completes this in 5-15 minutes.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Freelance editors and academic formatting services charge $75-$200+ per paper for Chicago formatting, depending on length and complexity. SimpleFormat Pro provides instant, accurate formatting free for up to 5 pages, then $9.99 (6-25 pages), $19.99 (26-100 pages), or $29.99 (101-500 pages).

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Common errors include: incorrect note number placement (before vs. after punctuation), missing hanging indents in bibliography, using ibid. when discouraged, inconsistent title capitalization, footnotes with author name inversion (should be Given Surname, not Surname Given), and missing publication place.

Source: CMOS Shop Talk; SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Absolutely. SimpleFormat Pro is designed for humanities papers that often have 50+ footnotes per chapter. It handles complex footnote content including explanatory text, multiple citations, and proper shortened forms for repeated sources.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. SimpleFormat Pro detects block quotations (text enclosed in quotation marks with 40+ words) and applies correct Chicago formatting: 0.5-inch left indent, single-spacing, quotation marks removed, and proper positioning of footnote numbers after final punctuation.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. SimpleFormat Pro supports multi-chapter academic documents including theses and dissertations. It maintains consistent Chicago NB formatting across chapters while handling front matter, endnotes sections, and comprehensive bibliographies.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

SimpleFormat Pro generates 100% Chicago 17th Edition NB-compliant documents as a base. Instructor-specific variations (different fonts, specific margin requirements, modified spacing) can be adjusted in Word after formatting. The complex work—footnotes, bibliography, citations—is complete.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Yes. Chicago Notes-Bibliography is used across history, literature, philosophy, art history, religious studies, and other humanities fields. SimpleFormat Pro handles source types common in these disciplines: archival materials, classical works, artworks, musical scores, and more.

Source: SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro

Cite AI tools as you would software or online tools. Note: 'OpenAI's ChatGPT, response to author query, January 2026.' Include the AI tool name, describe the prompt context, and date. Include in bibliography with URL if applicable. Always verify AI policies with your instructor.

Source: CMOS Online Q&A; SimpleFormat Pro; Applied by: SimpleFormat Pro