Chicago (17th ed.) Citation Style Guide: Further Examples

"References to conversations (whether face-to-face or by telephone) or to letters, email or text messages, or direct or private messages shared through social media and received by the author are usually run in to the text or given in a note. They are rarely listed in a bibliography. Most such information can be referred to simply as a conversation, message, or the like; the medium may be mentioned if relevant." (Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. p. 850)

Bibliographic Form

Footnote Form

Shortened Note

In the Chicago Manual of Style, images are referred to as illustrations, figures, artwork, art, photographs, maps and charts (Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. p. 126). 

Unless illustrations/images are presented separately...each should appear as soon as possible after the first text reference to it (Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. p.130).

Images are typically captioned immediately below (but sometimes above or to the side). A caption is explanatory material about the image; it can be as simple as a word or two, or can be several sentences (Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed., p.136).

If you directly insert an image into your paper, (as opposed to just referring to it) put the citation information in a caption under the image instead of a footnote. Start the caption with a figure number (e.g. Figure 1.). Refer to this help sheet from the Chicago Manual of Style Website to see an example of an image placed in a paper.

Bibliographic Form

Footnote Form

Shortened Form

Bibliographic Form

Footnote Form

Shortened Form

The 18th Edition of the Chicago Manual of Style acknowledges that, "when the source of information is an Indigenous Elder or other Indigenous Knowledge Keeper, there are some additional requirements" beyond citing these resources as a personal communication (14.137). In particular, the authority in oral information shared by Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers "deserves the same level of respect typically given to scholarly sources outside of Indigenous communities" (14.137). All information used in a citation, including nation or community, treaty territory, and city/place of residence, must be confirmed with the Indigenous Elder or Knowledge Keeper.

Footnote template: 

Footnote examples:

Bibliography template:

Author/Date 

Last Name, First Name (Traditional Name [if applicable]). Year. Nation/community. Treaty territory [if applicable]. Where they live [if applicable]. Topic/subject of communication. Interview/Personal communication, month, day.

Larrabee, Rhonda, Knowledge Keepter. 2023. Qayqayt First Nation. The traditional unceded territory of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt, and Kwikwetlem Peoples. Oral Teachings and Memories. Personal communication, November 21, 2023.

Parenthetical

(Last Name Year).

(Larrabee 2023).

(Lekeyten, Elder 2019).

Narrative

In an interview, Rhonda Larrabee (2023) described QayQayt history in the area as ...

In an interview, Elder Lekeyten (2019) explained that ...

More information on efforts to decolonize citation can be found here.

Many instructors will not allow the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (i.e. ChatGPT, et cetera) in assignments. If you do use tools like this, it is important that you check with your instructors first and then that you include citations in your assignment.

The Chicago Manual of Style Online recently released some information about citing artificial intelligence tools.

Unlike other citation styles, Chicago requires you to "acknowledge the AI tool in your text" but not to credit it for the text. AI tools should be cited in footnotes or endnotes but not in a bibliography or reference list. The example given for a footnote or endnote in a student paper is:

In this citation, ChatGPT is the author, OpenAI acts as the publisher/sponsor of the content. Because readers cannot access content created in ChatGPT (and other AI tools), Chicago does not require the URL. 

You can also include the prompt in the footnote or endnote if it wasn't mentioned in the body of the paper. An example of this (and without the URL) is given as follows: