The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) supports two types of reference styles: the Author-Date system and the Notes and Bibliography system (also used in the Turabian system).
Traditionally, those in the humanities have preferred the Notes and Bibliography system, those in the sciences the Author-Date system, and the social sciences may use either, depending on the field and journal.
Note: when using the Turabian/Notes and Bibliography method, numbered citations should be in superscript format.
This guide is based on The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th ed., 2024. (A copy of the print version of the 17th edition is available at the Ready Reference Desk, under the call number Z253 .U69 2017).
The CMOS is available through the MSU Databases or by clicking the database link below:
Book or monograph, single author:
Author-Date System:
Barrett, Michelle. 2001. Star Trek: The Human Frontier. Routledge.
(Barrett 2001, 99-100)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Michelle Barrett, Star Trek: The Human Frontier (Routledge, 2001), 99-100.
2. Barrett, Star Trek, 6.
Barrett, Michelle. Star Trek: The Human Frontier. Routledge, 2001.
Book or monograph, more than one author:
Author-Date System:
Sekuler, Robert, and Randolph Blake. 1998. Star Trek on the Brain: Alien Minds, Human Minds. W. H. Freeman.
(Sekuler and Blake 1998, 47)
*Note: for four or more authors, list all authors in the reference but only the first and "et al." in the in-text reference.
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Robert Sekuler and Randolph Blake, Star Trek on the Brain: Alien Minds, Human Minds (W.H. Freeman, 1998), 47.
2. Sekuler and Blake, Star Trek on the Brain, 48.
Sekuler, Robert, and
Chapter from a book:
*Note according to the Chicago manual 18th edition it is no longer necessary to record a page range for the chapter in the bibliography or reference list entry.
Author-Date System:
Murkherjee, Souvik. 2012. "Egoshooting in Chernobyl: Identity and Subject(s) in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Games" In Computer Games and new Media Cultures, edited by J. Fromme and A. Unger. Springer
(Murkherjee 2012, 221-222)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Souvik, Mukherjee, "Egoshooting in Chernobyl: Identity and Subject(s) in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Games," In Computer Games and New Media Cultures eds. J. Fromme and A. Unger (Springer, 2012), 226-229.
2. Souvik, "Egoshooting in Chernobyl," 221.
Souvik, Mukherjee, "Egoshooting in Chernobyl: Identity and Subject(s) in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Games." In Computer Games and New Media Cultures, edited by J. Fromme and A. Unger. Springer, 2012.
Article from an journal (with a DOI number):
*Note according to the Chicago manual 18th edition, for online articles include a URL, preferably a DOI, alternatively list the database name where the article is found.
Author-Date System:
Chapman, Adam, Anna Forka, and Jonathan Westin. 2017. "Introduction: what is historical game studies?" Rethinking History 21 no.3: 358-371. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2016.1256638
(Chapman, Forka, and Westin 2017, 360-361)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Adam Chapman, Anna Forka, and Jonathan Westin, "Introduction: what is historical game studies?" Rethinking History 21, no.3 (2017): 357, https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2016.1256638
2. Chapman, Forka, and Westin, "Introduction," 360
Chapman, Adam, Anna Forka, and Jonathan Westin, "Introduction: what is historical game studies?" Rethinking History 21, no. 3 (2017): 358-371. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2016.1256638
Article from a journal (database):
*Note according to the Chicago manual 18th edition, for online articles include a URL, preferably a DOI, alternatively list the database name where the article is found. A database is listed if the article came from a subscription database and the URL is long or otherwise unsuitable.
Author-Date System:
Burwell, Catherine. 2017. "Game Changers: Making New Meanings and New Media with Video Games." The English Journal 106 no. 6: 41-47. JSTOR.
(Burwell 2017, 43)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Catherine Burwell, "Game Changers: Making New Meanings and New Media with Video Games," The English Journal 106, no. 6 (2017): 43, JSTOR.
2. Burwell, "Game Changers," 45
Burwell, Catherine, "Game Changers: Making New Meanings and New Media with Video Games," The English Journal 106, no. 6 (2017): 41-47. JSTOR.
Newspaper and magazine articles online (with URL):
*Note according to the Chicago manual 18th edition, for online articles from newspapers, magazines, blogs etc. Page numbers can be put in a note but are omitted from the bibliography. For online sources include a URL, alternatively list the database name where the article is found.
Author-Date System:
Marriott, Michel.2001. "Playing Games Gets Serious (and Painful)," New York Times, May 31.https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/31/technology/playing-games-gets-serious-and-painful.html.
(Marriot 2001)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1.Michel Marriott, "Playing Games Gets Serious (and Painful)," New York Times, May 31, 2001, https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/31/technology/playing-games-gets-serious-and-painful.html.
2. Marriott, "Playing Games"
Marriott, Michel. "Playing Games Gets Serious (and Painful)," New York Times, May 31, 2001.https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/31/technology/playing-games-gets-serious-and-painful.html.
Newspaper and magazine articles online (with database):
*Note according to the Chicago manual 18th edition, for online articles from newspapers, magazines, blogs etc. Page numbers can be put in a note but are omitted from the bibliography. For online sources include a URL, alternatively list the database name where the article is found.
Author-Date System:
Chandler, Michael Allison. 2009. "More and More, Schools Got Game," Washington Post, January 4, 2009. LexisNexis Academic.
(Chandler 2009)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Michael Alison Chandler, "More and More, Schools Got Game," Washington Post, January 4, 2009. LexisNexis Academic
4. Chandler, "More and More."
Chandler, Michael Alison. "More and More, Schools Got Game." Washington Post, January 4, 2009. LexisNexis Academic.
Website (or a portion of a website):
A mention of the website in the text is usually sufficient ("In a February 27, 2015 article on Leonard Nimoy's passing, Entertainment Weekly said..."). Websites can also be cited in the following examples. Include a date of access or modification.
Author-Date System:
World Nuclear Association. 2024. "Safety and Security: Chernobyl Accident 1986." Last modified April 30, https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident.
Ottens, Nick. 2015. "Forgotten Trek: Designing the Enterprise-C." Accessed March 3, 2015. http://www.startrek.com/article/forgotten-trek-designing-the-enterprise-c.
(World Nuclear Association 2024)
(Ottens 2015)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. Nick Ottens, "Forgotten Trek: Designing the Enterprise-C," accessed March 3, 2015, http://www.startrek.com/article/forgotten-trek-designing-the-enterprise-c.
2. "Safety and Security: Chernobyl Accident 1986," World Nuclear Association, last modified April 30, 2024, https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident.
3. "Safety and Security"
4. Ottens, "Forgotten Trek."
Ottens, Nick. “Forgotten Trek: Designing the Enterprise-C.” Accessed March 3, 2015. http://www.startrek.com/article/forgotten-trek-designing-the-enterprise-c.
World Nuclear Association. "Safety and Security: Chernobyl Accident 1986." Last modified April 30, 2024. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident.
Social Media
*Note according to the Chicago manual 18th edition most social media content can be limited to in-text citation. A note or reference entry for author-date citation styles may be added if a more formal citation is needed. In rare cases a bibliography entry may be appropriate. (Examples taken from Chicago manual of style 18th edition).
Author Date System:
NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb). 2022. “👀 Sneak a peek at the deepest & sharpest infrared image of the early universe ever taken—all in a day’s work for the Webb telescope. (Literally, capturing it took less than a day!).” Twitter (now X), July 11. https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1546621080298835970.
(NASA Webb Telescope 2022)
Notes and Bibliography System:
1. NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb), “👀 Sneak a peek at the deepest & sharpest infrared image of the early universe ever taken—all in a day’s work for the Webb telescope. (Literally, capturing it took less than a day!),” Twitter (now X), July 11, 2022, https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1546621080298835970.
3. NASA Webb Telescope, “👀 Sneak a peek.”
NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb). “👀 Sneak a peek at the deepest & sharpest infrared image of the early universe ever taken—all in a day’s work for the Webb telescope. (Literally, capturing it took less than a day!).” Twitter (now X), July 11, 2022. https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1546621080298835970.
