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Footnote Examples and Format Tips

• DESCRIPTION open book showing footnotes
• PERMISSION ThinkStock

Footnotes are used in some books and research work, particularly work published in the social sciences discipline. Footnotes are intended to provide readers with further information or to share copyright permission information.

A few footnote usage rules:

• Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the research paper, not restarting numbering on each page.
• Each quotation requires a footnote.
• Footnotes are always double-spaced.
• Footnotes are referenced using a superscript number.

While APA style discourages the use of footnotes in most circumstances, footnotes are used in the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS).

Footnotes in Research

• Footnotes can be found on the bottom of the same page as the original quote to which it is referring, or at the end of the paper or book entirely — although these notes are typically called endnotes , after the page of References.
• Entire citations are not necessary in footnotes; instead, the footnote should merely refer to the name of the publication and date as listed on the reference page.
• If a copyright permission footnote is added, the original letter regarding copyright permission must be attached to the paper.

Footnote Format Examples

Sample footnote #1.

Text within the research paper:

It is well known that patients who suffer from Crohn’s and Colitis can have many debilitating symptoms.¹

¹See the CCFA.org website for more information about the symptoms that Crohn’s and Colitis patients may experience.

Sample Footnote #2

A variety of research suggests that developing basic literacy skills in early childhood can contribute to greater success in acquiring strong comprehension skills later in school.²

²A variety of research based articles and ideas for developing early learning skills can be found at www.readingrockets.org.

Sample Footnote #3

While it is generally assumed that all large dogs are in need of copious amounts of exercise that would prevent them from being suitable pets for smaller residences, recent research has suggested this is a fallacy.³

³See Smith (2013) to see more information specific to large dogs and exercise needs.

Sample Footnote #4

In many states, malpractice lawsuit filings have limitations that may prevent the injured from pursuing the route necessary to receive compensation for injuries due to negligence by doctors, nurses, or other hospital staff.4

4Refer to Johannsen (2007) to access information about limitations by state.

Sample Footnote #5

While most candy and sweet treats are believed to have a negative effect on those with, or susceptible to getting, diabetes, more research is supporting the idea that chocolate, when consumed in moderation, can have positive effects on the body.5

5Refer to Braunshweig (2011) for specific benefits of chocolate consumption.

Sample Footnote #6

The development of aptitude with technology in young children should not overshadow the necessity of play which is crucial to building important gross and fine motor skills in early childhood.6

6See Harsenwusen (2014) for research demonstrating the lack of motor skill development in young children using tablets for more than an hour each day.

Sample Footnote #7

Interstitial cystitis is a condition that can cause pain and embarrassment for women of any age, and affects many aspects of her life.7

7See www.urologyhealth.org for more information on the debilitating effects interstitial cystitis can have.

Sample Footnote #8: Copyright Permission

From: “How To Raise a Technologically Competent Child,” by Smuten, F. and Dorgwab, T., 2011, Journal of Early Childhood Development, 76, page 23. Copyright 2011 by Dragon Press. Reprinted with Permission.

These are all examples of footnotes in different contexts.

What Are Footnotes and How Do You Use Them?

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While reading a book or article, have you ever noticed little numbers placed at the ends of some sentences?

These numbers usually appear as superscripts and correspond with numbers placed at the bottom of the page, next to which appears further information that is both necessary and supplementary. Sometimes this information will come in the form of citations, but sometimes it will simply present additional notes about the topic at hand.

These citations and explanations are called "footnotes" (because they appear in the footer of the page). Take a look at the example below to see where footnotes appear on a page:

We've outlined how to use footnotes below. Check it out!

1. What Are Footnotes?

2. footnotes vs. endnotes, 2.1 should i use footnotes or endnotes, 3. how to do footnote citations, 3.1 in-text citations, 3.2 footnotes, 4. how to use footnotes in essays, 4.1 style guides, 4.1.1 modern language association (mla), 4.1.2  american psychological association (apa), 4.1.3  chicago manual of style (cms), 5. technical guide to using footnotes, 5.1 how to add footnotes in microsoft word, 5.2 how to add footnotes in google docs, 6. final tips and tricks .

Footnotes are notes that are placed at the end of a page and used to reference parts of the text (generally using superscript numbers). Writers use footnotes for several purposes, including  citations , parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more.

Now that you understand what footnotes are, you might be wondering: why use them? The truth is, long explanatory notes can be difficult for readers to trudge through (especially when they occur in the middle of a paper). Providing this information is necessary, but doing so in the main text can disrupt the flow of the writing.

Imagine if every time an author wanted to provide a citation, the entire citation had to be written out at the end of the sentence, like this (Anthony Grafton, The Footnote: A Curious History [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999] 221). Books would become much longer and reading would be much more tedious. That's why footnotes are so useful: they let authors provide the required information without disrupting the flow of ideas.

While footnotes are a great resource for sharing information without clogging up the writing, it's important to note that certain style guides restrict when footnotes can be used. We'll get into that soon!

Unsure how to edit your paper? Contact the Scribendi team for professional proofreading .

Authors can also use endnotes to avoid disrupting their writing with extraneous information. Both serve similar purposes; the main difference lies in their location in your text. Here's a closer look at how both footnotes and endnotes work.

• Identified in the main text with a small superscript number
• Used for citations, parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more
• Provide the correlating notes at the bottom of the same page
• Identified in the main text with a small superscript number (like footnotes)
• Used for citations, parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more (like footnotes)
• Found collectively at the end of an article, chapter, or document (unlike footnotes)

When deciding  whether to use footnotes or endnotes , authors must consider three main factors:

• The style guide being used (as some require either footnotes or endnotes)
• The number of notes being included (as having too many footnotes on each page can be distracting)
• Which option will be more convenient for the reader

To make a footnote citation, label the area of your text that you need to reference with a number (if it's your first footnote, start with "1."). At the bottom of the page, include this number with the citation. When readers see the number in the text, they know they can find the source by looking for the corresponding footnote.

Here's an example of a quoted piece of text using in-text citations vs. footnotes.

"Like the high whine of the dentist's drill, the low rumble of the footnote on the historian's page reassures" ( The Footnote: A Curious History [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press], 1999. pg. 1).

"Like the high whine of the dentist's drill, the low rumble of the footnote on the historian's page reassures." 1

[Text continues]

Bottom of the page:

1. The Footnote: A Curious History [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press], 1999. pg. 1

The exact format of your footnote depends on   the style guide  you're following. Here are some of the most common style guides for writing papers, as well as the footnote rules for each one.

Of the major style guides, The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) uses footnotes most often. However, footnotes are occasionally employed in other style guides as well. The main difference is that, while CMS uses footnotes for citation purposes, the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) generally rely on them for the provision of additional information.

While MLA style discourages the use of long footnotes or endnotes, the style guide does permit their use for directing readers to other pertinent information on a relevant subject.

The guide recommends that superscript numbers within the text are placed outside any punctuation that might be present (i.e., after a period if the note is at the end of a sentence and after a comma if the note is at the end of a clause). The exception to this is that the superscript numbers should be placed before dashes.

• When a footnote must be placed at the end of a clause, 1 add the number after the comma.
• When a footnote must be placed at the end of a sentence, add the number after the period. 2
• Numbers denoting footnotes should always appear after punctuation, with the exception of one piece of punctuation 3 —the dash.

4.1.2 American Psychological Association (APA)

Like MLA, APA discourages the use of footnotes unless absolutely necessary. Even then, the guide recommends that footnotes only be used to provide content notes (such as providing brief, supplemental information about the text or directing readers to additional information) and to denote copyright permissions. The rules regarding placement of the in-text numbers is the same in APA as in MLA.

4.1.3 The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

Of the three main style guides described here, CMS relies on footnotes the most. While CMS does allow the author–date system of in-text referencing (i.e., providing the author's name and the date of publication in parentheses at the end of the phrase, clause, or sentence that references the work), it also offers a citation style in which footnotes or endnotes are employed. In both cases, bibliographies are also required. Whether an author should use the author–date system or footnotes is often decided by the author's professor, journal, or publisher.

As an example, if footnotes are used, the following format should be adhered to when referencing a book in CMS:

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To use footnotes in your own book, essay, or article, you must first decide on the most appropriate and logical placement of your footnotes in the text. Add numbers according to your chosen style guide, and be sure to add the numbers directly after the phrase, clause, or sentence to which the corresponding footnote refers.

Most online writing programs (such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs) come with easy-to-use tools for inserting footnotes. Here are step-by-step guides to using footnotes in both these programs.

5.2 How to Add Footnotes in Microsoft Word

Here's how to use footnotes in Microsoft Word 2021:

• Click on the place in the text where you want the first footnote to appear.
• Under the References tab, you'll see the following symbol: AB.1. Beneath this symbol is a button with the words, "Insert Footnote." Click it to create your first footnote.
• After you click that button, two numbers should appear: one number should appear in the main text, and the corresponding number should appear at the bottom of the page.
• Write your citation or additional information next to the number that appears in the footer. Format the information according to the rules of your style guide.
• You can easily return to your place in the text by clicking the number at the beginning of the footnote.

Congrats! You've created your first footnote. You can also adjust the footnote settings (like the numbering) by clicking the arrow beside the Footnotes group. It's really that easy!

Here's how to use footnotes on Google Docs:

• Under the Insert tab, click on "Footnotes."

All you really have to do to create footnotes is click a button—it couldn't be easier!

6. Final Tips and Tricks

To  improve your writing  and avoid cluttering the page, you should use footnotes sparingly and only to provide helpful additions or citations. As previously noted, this information may be considered supplementary, which is why it's best to place it away from the main portion of your writing.

When creating your footnotes, always keep reader convenience in mind, and remember that the footnotes are there to convey helpful information. If your footnotes are excessive or unnecessary, readers are likely to become annoyed—they may even be distracted from the main points of your writing.

Now that you're no longer asking "What are footnotes?" and you know how to use them according to various style guides, footnotes can become a great asset to you as a writer. Be sure to follow the recommendations above, as well as those of your preferred style guide, to ensure that you're using footnotes to their best effect. Don't forget—if you ever need help with writing, our academic articles are here for you!

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How to Use Footnotes and Endnotes

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• 5th June 2019

Footnotes and endnotes both let you add extra information in an essay or college paper . But what should you include in these notes? And when should you use them? In this post, we run through everything you need to know about using footnotes and endnotes in academic writing.

What Are Footnotes and Endnotes?

Footnotes appear at the bottom or “foot” of the page. You can therefore put extra information in a footnote, such as source details for a citation, without interrupting the flow of the main text.

To indicate a footnote, you can add a superscript number to the text, such as at the end of this sentence. 1 These numbers then correspond to numbered notes at the bottom of the page.

Endnotes are like footnotes, but they appear together at the end of the document rather than at the bottom of each page. Endnotes are thus less immediately accessible for the reader than footnotes, but they can help ensure that pages with multiple notes don’t become cluttered.

If you are not sure which to use, check your style guide for advice.

Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

To insert a footnote or endnote in a Microsoft Word document, you need to:

• Go to References > Footnotes on the main ribbon
• Select either Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote as required
• Type your note in the newly created footnote/endnote

You can also customize the style of footnotes and endnotes by clicking on the arrow in the bottom right of the Footnotes section of the References tab (or by going to Insert > Footnotes in Word for Mac ). This will open a new window where you can select your preferred formatting options.

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When to Use Footnotes and Endnotes

The main uses of footnotes and endnotes are as follows:

• To add a footnote citation in referencing systems such as MHRA and Chicago , with full source information also given in a bibliography at the end of the document. Endnotes are also used for citations in some systems, such as in IEEE or Vancouver referencing, where numbers in the text point to an entry in a reference list at the end of the document.
• To add non-essential commentary on something in the main text of your document. For example, if your research has raised an interesting question that is not directly relevant to your current work, you could mention it in a footnote or endnote. This lets you acknowledge the question – showing the reader that you haven’t simply ignored or failed to notice it – but without interrupting the flow of prose in the main document.

Keep in mind, too, that some referencing systems use in-text parenthetical citations . As such, you should only reference a source in a footnote or endnote if your school has asked you to do it this way.

Do Notes Count Towards the Word Limit?

We’re often asked whether to include footnotes and endnotes in the word count for papers. Different schools have different rules about this, so you will have to check your style guide . However, you should never use these supplementary notes to cheat the word count.

The key here is that essential information should never go in a footnote or endnote. If you do move vital evidence or analysis to a note, the person marking your work may ignore it. And reducing the word count is never more important than putting forward a full, coherent argument.

If you do need to reduce the word count in an essay, you have other options, such as rewriting wordy sentences or cutting repetition. Having your work proofread is a great way to ensure that your writing is always clear and concise, too, so let us know if you’d like any help.

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How to Use Footnotes and Endnotes in Essays

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• 23rd February 2019

Footnotes and endnotes both offer a way to add extra information to an essay . But what should you include in footnotes and endnotes? And when should you use them? In this post, we run through everything you need to know about using footnotes and endnotes in essays.

What Are Footnotes and Endnotes?

Footnotes appear at the bottom or ‘foot’ of the page. This lets you add information to an essay without interrupting the flow of the main text. Usually, this will be a citation or non-essential commentary.

To indicate a footnote, you will need to add a superscript number to the text, such as at the end of this sentence. 1 These numbers then correspond to numbered notes at the bottom of the page.

Endnotes are like footnotes, but they appear together at the end of the document rather than at the bottom of individual pages. This means endnotes are less immediately accessible for the reader than footnotes, but it helps ensure that pages with multiple notes don’t become cluttered. If you are not sure which to use, check your university style guide for advice.

Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

To insert a footnote or endnote in a Microsoft Word document, you need to:

• Go to References > Footnotes on the main ribbon
• Select either Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote as required
• Type your note in the newly created footnote/endnote

You can also customise the style of footnotes and endnotes by clicking on the little arrow in the bottom right of the Footnotes section of the References tab (or by going to Insert > Footnotes in Word for Mac ). This will open a new window where you can select your preferred formatting options.

Find this useful?

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When to Use Footnotes and Endnotes

The main uses of footnotes and endnotes are as follows:

• To add a footnote citation in referencing systems such as MHRA and Chicago , with full source information also given in a bibliography at the end of the document. Endnotes are also used for citations in some systems, such as in IEEE or Vancouver referencing, where numbers in the text point to an entry in a reference list at the end of the document.
• To add non-essential commentary on something in the main text of your document. For example, if your research has raised a question that is not directly relevant to your essay, you may want to mention it in a footnote or endnote instead. This lets you acknowledge it in your work – showing the reader that you haven’t simply ignored it or failed to notice something – but without interrupting the flow of the main document.

Keep in mind, too, that some referencing systems use in-text parenthetical citations . As such, you should only give references in footnotes or endnotes if your university has asked you to do this.

Do They Count Towards the Word Limit?

We’re often asked whether to include footnotes and endnotes in the word count for an essay. Different universities have different rules about this, so you will have to check your style guide . However, you should never use footnotes or endnotes to try and cheat the word count.

The key here is that only non-essential information should go in footnotes or endnotes. As such, if you move vital evidence or analysis to a footnote, the person marking your work may ignore it. And reducing the word count is never more important than putting forward a full, coherent argument.

If you do need to reduce the word count in an essay, you have other options, such as rewriting wordy sentences or cutting repetition. Having your work proofread is a great way to ensure that your writing is always clear and concise, too, so let us know if you’d like any help.

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What Are Footnotes and How to Use Them

By Erin Wright

What Are Footnotes?

Footnotes are supplementary pieces of information that support your writing. If you’re following The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style, which is the best style guide for general business content), supplementary information includes works cited, suggestions for further research, commentary, quotations, copyright statements, or a combination of any of the above. 1

If you’re following the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA style) or MLA style from the Modern Language Association, works cited typically appear in the reference list or bibliography; so, footnotes are reserved for commentary, suggestions for further research, or copyright statements. 2

Work cited example based on Chicago style:

1. Lynne Truss, Eats, Shoots & Leaves (New York: Gotham Books, 2003), 89.

Commentary example:

2. This study excluded Groups D and E; therefore, it should not be considered exhaustive.

Suggestion for further research example:

3. Visit www.erinwrightwriting.com for more information about ampersands.

Where Should Footnotes Appear in Formal Documents?

Footnotes usually appear at the bottom of the page. Each footnote is preceded by a number that also appears as a superscript after the corresponding material on that page. Chicago style allows you to use symbols, such as the asterisk or the dagger, instead of numbers if you only have a few footnotes. 3

If you’re following APA style or MLA style, footnotes can appear at the foot of the page or all together at the end of the document. 4 (In Chicago style and MLA style, notes placed at the end of articles, chapters, or books are called endnotes. 5 ) Unlike Chicago style, APA style and MLA style don’t recommend using symbols as footnote identifiers. 6

Where Should Footnotes Appear in General Business Writing?

If you’re publishing less formal content online, such as a blog post or a how-to article, there’s no rule that says you can’t put footnotes at the end of individual sections. I like to call them “floating footnotes” because they float where they’re most needed instead of languishing at the end of a page or document.

In fact, floating footnotes can be more helpful than traditional footnotes for viewers who only need to read a few sections of your content. Floating footnotes can also benefit viewers who don’t want to scroll all the way to the end of a long webpage or ebook.

However, reserve floating footnotes for longer pieces so your content doesn’t become disjointed. If your blog post or article is only a couple of screen lengths, tradition footnotes should work just fine. You can see an example of a floating footnote in the second-to-last section of Three Ways to Add Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word .

Three Tips for Writing Footnotes

1. If your supplementary information is longer than a paragraph, consider using an appendix instead of a footnote.

2. If you’re following Chicago style and your footnotes are taking up too much page space, consider using endnotes instead.

3. Avoid unnecessary footnotes: if they don’t cite your sources or improve your readers’ understanding of the topic, they’re probably not necessary.

Check out these related posts on the differences between bibliographies and reference pages and how to insert footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word .

And of course, here are my footnotes for this blog post:

1.  The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 14.19, 14.37–40.

2. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020), 2.13; MLA Handbook , 9th ed. (New York; Modern Language Association, 2021), 7.1-7.2.

3. The Chicago Manual of Style , 14.25.

4. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 2.13; MLA Handbook , 7.3.

5. The Chicago Manual of Style , 14.43; MLA Handbook , 7.3.

6. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 2.13; MLA Handbook , 7.3.

Updated January 25, 2022

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Footnotes in APA With Format Tips and Examples

Generally, using footnotes is associated with Chicago notes-biblio style. Even so, other styles do use them sometimes. With APA 7 style, you should use footnotes only when you absolutely must. Ask your instructor for clarification. The purpose of footnotes is to add to or clarify a point. Footnotes are also used to add copyright information.

Types of APA Footnotes

There are two types of footnotes used in APA format : content footnotes and copyright footnotes.

Content Footnotes

Content footnotes are used to provide the reader with some extra information about the source. For example, you may want to direct the reader to another chapter in the book. Try to avoid footnotes in APA 7, but if you must use one, keep it short and simple. For more complex ideas, add an appendix or try to incorporate it into the text itself. Another option is to direct the reader to online supplemental materials, if needed.

3   See Lessing (2018), chapter 5, for statistical tables on cultural diversity.

Copyright Footnotes

If, for some reason, you need to include copyright material that exceeds fair use guidelines , you need to obtain permission from the copyright holder. Include that permission in a copyright permission footnote. If you’ve obtained permission to use a table or infographic, then you should include the credited source in the caption. Don’t use a footnote in that case.

Format – Journal Article

1  From [or The data in column 1] “Title of Article,” by A. A. Author and B. B. Author, year, Title of Journal , Volume, p. xx. Copyright year by the Name of Copyright Holder. Reprinted [or adapted] with permission.

Format – Book

2  From [or The data in column 1] Title of Book , (p. xxx), by A.A. Author and B.B. Author, year, Place of Publication: Publisher. Copyright year by the Name of Copyright Holder. Reprinted [or adapted] with permission.

Numbering Footnotes

Number all footnotes consecutively in the order in which they appear in the manuscript with superscript Arabic numerals.

Placement of superscript footnote numbers follow these rules:

• Format like this, 1 following any punctuation except a dash.
• The footnote number precedes a dash 2 –– like so.
• Place the footnote number (if it applies only to material within the parentheses 3 ) like this.

Sociologists examined—over eighteen months 1 —the effects of cultural diversity. 2  (But only on elementary students. 3 )

For any subsequent references to the same footnote, include a parenthetical note.

(see Footnote 1).

Place the footnote at the bottom of the page on which it’s discussed. Also, double-check your footnote numbers to make sure they match the correct footnote. Footnotes can also be placed on a separate page after the reference page.

Atypical for APA Style

Since APA style does not typically use footnotes, ask your instructor for direction. For a school paper, it is best to avoid having to ask copyright permissions as it may take too long for the copyright holder to respond.

Creating an Endnote in a Research Paper

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to use footnotes in MLA

How to use footnotes in MLA

Sometimes when writing a paper, you have additional information that you want to include, but it won’t work well in the main text of your paper. This additional information also may not work as a parenthetical citation. In those cases, you can use footnotes in MLA Style. (Note that this article is for MLA. If you are curious about footnotes in APA style, see APA footnotes .)

What is a footnote?

A footnote is additional information that is added at the bottom of the page and indicated with a superscript number. Writers choose to add a footnote when the information would be distracting if it appeared in the main text. You may choose to add a footnote when you want to clarify a point or justify a point of view. Footnotes can also be used if you want to show another line of argument on the topic, or you want to show the differences between your work and others.

While MLA format does allow for footnotes, writers are encouraged to use footnotes sparingly.

How to use footnotes

There are two types of footnotes: bibliographical and content.

Bibliographical notes

Bibliographical notes add additional sources relevant to your thesis. Use these types of notes when your references are too long and citing all of them would interrupt your text. In the note you can cite a long string of sources. You can also use bibliographical notes to make comments on your sources and to identify areas of further research. Keep in mind, however, that references to a few authors’ names can also be put into a parenthetical citation in the text.

MLA style recommends that you use bibliographic notes sparingly.

Content footnotes

Content footnotes offer information or commentary that doesn’t fit in your main text or offer a further explanation of the topic. Content footnotes also allow you to add background information that may be interesting to your readers or refer to other sources with more detail than in bibliographic notes.

Like bibliographic notes, MLA recommends that content notes should be used sparingly.

Endnotes vs. footnotes

The difference between a footnote and an endnote is its placement in the paper. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the same page where they are referenced.  Endnotes appear all together at the end of the paper in a list labeled Note(s) or Endnote(s). Endnotes are listed before the Works Cited page. You should ask your professors what style of notes are required in their classes.

Footnote format

Footnotes are formatted with superscript numbers that usually appear at the end of the sentence after the punctuation. You can also use a footnote in the middle of the sentence by placing the number directly after a punctuation mark. If you use a footnote in a sentence that has a dash, make sure the footnote number is placed before the dash. Footnotes should be numbered sequentially throughout the paper. Do not start over again at number 1 on each page.

The footnote citation at the bottom of the page should have the number, and it should also be in superscript. For the note itself, use the same font as the rest of your paper but in a smaller size. For example, if your paper is written in 12 pt. font, then your footnote should be in 10 pt. font. If you use a source in a footnote, you also need to include it in the Works Cited list at the end of your paper.

• Works Cited

Magyarody, Katherine. “‘Sacred Ties of Brotherhood’: The Social Mediation of Imperial Ideology in  The Last of the Mohicans and  Canadian Crusoes .”  Nineteenth-Century Literature , vol. 71, no. 3, 2016, pp. 315–342.  JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/26377183.

MLA Handbook . 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

Published October 27, 2020. Updated July 18, 2021.

By Catherine Sigler. Catherine has a Ph.D. in English Education and has taught college-level writing for 15 years.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
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• Sample Paper
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

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• View all MLA Examples

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To use endnotes in your paper, you need to follow the guidelines provided below:

General points

Use superscript Arabic numerals to number the endnote citations in the text. You can use your word processor’s notes feature so that the numbering is generated automatically.

Do not use the ibid abbreviation in endnotes.

The title of the endnote page at the end of your paper can be “Notes” or “Endnotes.”

If you want to add any citations within the note, include the page numbers in parentheses at the end of the sentence or at a natural breaking point.

Endnotes in the text

Place endnote indicators after any punctuation marks as in the examples below:

The work was compared with the literature study. 1

As Vivekananda said, “Education is the manifestation of divinity already in man.” 2

However, if you have a dash, place endnote indicator before the dash.

Drawing to the point mentioned by Shakespeare 3 —a dramatist, poet, and actor—we conclude that true love persists till the end of the doom’s day.

Other points

Multiple endnotes within a sentence are allowed. However, place them wisely to ensure clarity.

An endnote citation can appear in the middle of a sentence if the sentence warrants that placement for clarity, but insert the endnote in the least distracting (but unambiguous) place.

While MLA only uses endnotes in its publications, notes may be styled as footnotes or as endnotes.

MLA Citation Examples

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APA Footnotes – Formatting, Copyright & Examples

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One of the most common citation style guide manual for research papers or academic papers is the APA style . A significant part of this citation style guide are in-text citations and references in author-date style. However, sources can also be formatted as footnotes based on APA 7th edition. APA footnotes allow researchers to add supplementary information to their work without interrupting the flow of the text. This article delves into the format and proper use of APA footnotes.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 APA footnotes — In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: APA footnotes
• 3 Formatting APA footnotes
• 4 APA footnotes: Copyright footnotes
• 5 APA footnotes: Content footnotes

APA footnotes — In a Nutshell

• APA footnotes are not mandatory. However, you can use them to provide additional information and copyright attribution.
• APA footnotes have different formatting rules, depending on where you place them.
• You can place them at the end of a specific page or on a separate page after the reference page at the end of your paper.

Definition: APA footnotes

APA Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page in a research paper that includes sources that have to be referenced properly. They also serve as comments on a designated part or section of the text on the page. Typically, the APA style is a citation formatting style in research that mostly demands in-text citations in author-date style. APA footnotes use superscript numbers that typically appear in consecutive order and should follow any punctuation except a dash.

Formatting APA footnotes

You can format footnotes in APA style by using superscript numbers and placing them in consecutive order. Also, the footnote numbers should appear at the end of the sentences or clauses on which they are intended to provide more content. They come after the period or other punctuation (except the dashes ). If the text   ends with a dash , the   footnote   should come   before the   dash .

Note: if the footnote relates to the content in the parentheses , the footnote must be placed enclosed by the parentheses.

• Footnote at the end of the sentence:  The data from the samples is consistent with the information in the literature review. 2
• Footnote within parentheses: (Whose daily exercise schedule does not relate to each other 3 )
• Footnote before a dash: While the productivity levels were significantly low – the data was measured using several methods 3 – like.

APA footnotes should not be repeated . Therefore, if you need to refer to a source that is already cited as a footnote, you should write “see footnote 10” or something similar in the text or parentheses.

Footnotes can appear at the bottom of the relevant page or at the end of the paper on a separate page designated for footnotes:

Footnotes at the end of the essays

This is where you place the footnotes on a designated page at the end of your paper. When doing so, the APA footnotes page should appear after the reference page. Other mandatory formatting requirements are:

• The title of the footnotes page should be centered and bold .
• The first line of each footnote should be indented .
• A single space should appear between the superscript number and the footnote .
• Footnotes at the end of the text should be double-spaced .
• The footnotes should be reported in the order of their figures in the text .

Footnotes at the end of the page

Your word processor can help you automatically insert footnotes at the page’s bottom. This technique helps you ensure that all the superscript numbers correspond to the right footnote. Additionally, it helps you separate the footnotes from the primary text.

Footnotes at the end of essays should ALWAYS be single-spaced. Also, there should be a single space between the superscript number of the APA footnote.

APA footnotes: Copyright footnotes

If you use copyright resources that go beyond the fair use guidelines in your project, you may require copyright footnotes. The role of copyright footnotes is to acknowledge that you have permission to include the copyrighted material in your research.

For instance, you can reproduce an image or infographic with the received permission and include the copyright note in the relevant caption instead of the footnote.

9 From Man and his Vision: A Comprehensive Analysis (p.62), by Jamal H. Anu and John K. Manuel, 2005, Routledge. Copyright 2005 by Marc & Joburg. Reprinted with permission.

APA footnotes: Content footnotes

Content footnotes in APA help you provide additional data about your content to readers.

For instance, you can use them to clarify a point or direct readers to the sources containing more information on a specific topic or detail in your text.

2 See Miranda (2015), Chapter 16, for a detailed report on this study.

Are footnotes required in APA?

APA footnotes are not mandatory for certain papers in APA. However, adding them to your paper would not hurt.

How can you use APA footnotes?

You can use footnotes in APA to provide additional information or copyright attribution .

When should APA footnotes appear?

You can write APA footnotes at the bottom of relevant pages in your paper. However, you can also group them and place them on a separate page at the end of your research paper .

What are footnotes?

Footnotes are a way for authors to provide additional content to their papers without diverting readers from the text.

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25 Examples

The following two examples are excerpts of an essay by KPU student J.R. Gurzon and are reproduced with permission.

This excerpt illustrates how footnotes are integrated into the writing. It shows an example of a first and subsequent footnote from the same source, as well as an additional first footnote from another source.

Annotated Bibliography

This excerpt illustrates a bibliography with annotations (adding annotations is only necessary if your instructor requires them). It shows the sources arranged in alphabetical order .

Bibliography entry:

Gurzon, J.R. “The First Outbreak of Minamata Disease & its Consequences.” The Emergent Historian 8 (Spring/Summer 2021): 10-18. https://journals.kpu.ca/index.php/eh/index.

Chicago Style Citations Copyright © 2021 by Ulrike Kestler and Sigrid Kargut is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Please note that although these resources reflect the most recent updates in the The Chicago Manual of Style  (17 th  edition) concerning documentation practices, you can review a full list of updates concerning usage, technology, professional practice, etc. at  The Chicago Manual of Style Online .

Introduction

The Chicago Manual of Style  (CMOS) covers a variety of topics from manuscript preparation and publication to grammar, usage, and documentation, and as such, it has been lovingly dubbed the “editor's bible.”

The material on this page focuses primarily on one of the two CMOS documentation styles: the Notes-Bibliography System (NB) , which is used by those working in literature, history, and the arts. The other documentation style, the Author-Date System, is nearly identical in content but slightly different in form and is preferred by those working in the social sciences.

Though the two systems both convey all of the important information about each source, they differ not only in terms of the way they direct readers to these sources, but also in terms of their formatting (e.g., the position of dates in citation entries). For examples of how these citation styles work in research papers, consult our sample papers: 

Author-Date Sample Paper

NB Sample Paper

In addition to consulting  The Chicago Manual of Style  (17th edition) for more information, students may also find it useful to consult Kate L. Turabian's  Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations  (8th edition). This manual, which presents what is commonly known as the "Turabian" citation style, follows the two CMOS patterns of documentation but offers slight modifications suited to student texts.

Notes and Bibliography (NB) in Chicago style

The Chicago Notes and Bibliography (NB) system is often used in the humanities to provide writers with a system for referencing their sources through the use of footnotes, endnotes, and through the use of a bibliography. This offers writers a flexible option for citation and provides   an outlet for commenting on those sources, if needed. Proper use of the Notes and Bibliography system builds a writer’s credibility by demonstrating their accountability to source material. In addition, it can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the intentional or accidental uncredited use of source material created by others.

Introduction to Notes

In the Notes and Bibliography system, you should include a note (endnote or footnote) each time you use a source, whether through a direct quote, paraphrase, or summary. Footnotes are added at the end of the page on which the source is referenced, while endnotes are compiled at the end of each chapter or at the end of the entire document.

In either case, a superscript number corresponding to a note, along with the bibliographic information for that source, should be placed in the text following the end of the sentence or clause in which the source is referenced.

If a work includes a bibliography, which is typically preferred, then it is not necessary to provide full publication details in notes. However, if a bibliography is not included with a work, the first note for each source should include  all  relevant information about the source: author’s full name, source title, and facts of publication. If you cite the same source again, or if a bibliography is included in the work, the note only needs to include the surname of the author, a shortened form of the title (if more than four words), and the page number(s). However, in a work that does not include a bibliography, it is recommended that the full citation be repeated when it is first used in a new chapter.

In contrast to earlier editions of CMOS, if you cite the same source two or more times consecutively, CMOS recommends using shortened citations. In a work with a bibliography, the first reference should use a shortened citation which includes the author’s name, the source title, and the page number(s), and consecutive references to the same work may omit the source title and simply include the author and page number. Although discouraged by CMOS, if you cite the same source and page number(s) from a single source two or more times consecutively, it is also possible to utilize the word “Ibid.,” ( from the Latin ibidem, which means “in the same place,”) as the corresponding note. If you use the same source but a draw from different new page, the corresponding note should use “Ibid.” followed by a comma and the new page number(s).

In the NB system, the footnote or endnote itself begins with the appropriate full-sized number, followed by a period and then a space.

Introduction to Bibliographies

In the NB system, the bibliography provides an alphabetical list of all sources used in a given work. This page, most often titled Bibliography, is usually placed at the end of the work preceding the index. It should include all sources cited within the work and may sometimes include other relevant sources that were not cited but provide further reading.

Although bibliographic entries for various sources may be formatted differently, all included sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) are arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. If no author or editor is listed, the title or, as a last resort, a descriptive phrase may be used.

Though useful, a bibliography is not required in works that provide full bibliographic information in the notes.

Common Elements

All entries in the bibliography will include the author (or editor, compiler, translator), title, and publication information.

Author Names

The author’s name is inverted in the bibliography, placing the last name first and separating the last name and first name with a comma; for example, John Smith becomes Smith, John.

Titles of books and journals are italicized. Titles of articles, chapters, poems, etc. are placed in quotation marks .

Publication Information

The year of publication is listed after the publisher or journal name .

Punctuation

In a bibliography, all major elements are separated by periods.

For more information and specific examples, see the sections on  Books  and  Periodicals .

Please note that this OWL resource provides basic information regarding the formatting of entries used in the bibliography. For more information about Selected Bibliographies, Annotated Bibliographies, and Bibliographic Essays, please consult Chapter 14.61 of  The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition).