Chicago Citation Generator (17th Edition)
Create Chicago 17th edition bibliography entries plus a matching sample footnote for websites, books, chapters, journals, news and video.
Results
The 7ESL Chicago Citation Generator follows the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style in its notes and bibliography form — the system used in history, art history and many humanities courses. For every source it produces two things: the bibliography entry, with the first author inverted and elements separated by periods, and a matching sample footnote, with names in normal order, commas between elements, and the publication details in brackets, ready for you to add the page number you are citing.
Chicago rules the tool applies for you
In the bibliography, only the first author's name is inverted; co-authors stay in normal order, and up to ten authors are listed before "et al." applies. In footnotes the threshold is stricter: four or more authors shorten to the first author plus "et al." from the first note. Titles take headline-style title case; book and journal titles go in italics, while article and chapter titles sit in quotation marks. Journal citations use the distinctive Chicago pattern — volume, "no.", the year in brackets, then a colon before the pages: Journal of Learning 12, no. 3 (2024): 45-67. Dates are written month-day-year ("March 5, 2024").
Footnotes versus author-date
Chicago has two sub-systems. This tool builds the notes-and-bibliography form, which cites with numbered footnotes or endnotes. If your department asks for Chicago author-date instead — common in the sciences — the entries look closer to APA; check your brief, and use the sample footnote only with the notes system. Remember to replace the "00" placeholder in the sample note with the page you are actually citing, and to shorten repeat notes to author, short title and page.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool make footnotes or a bibliography?
Both. It builds the bibliography entry and a matching sample footnote — names un-inverted, commas instead of periods, publication details in brackets — so you can see the two forms side by side.
What is the difference between the note and the bibliography entry?
The bibliography inverts the first author and separates elements with periods. The footnote keeps names in normal order, uses commas, wraps publication details in brackets, and ends with the page you cite.
How many authors before "et al."?
In the bibliography, up to ten authors are listed; more than ten are shortened to the first seven plus "et al." In footnotes, four or more authors shorten to the first author plus "et al." straight away.
Is this Chicago notes-bibliography or author-date?
Notes and bibliography — the humanities form. If your course requires Chicago author-date, the reference looks closer to APA style; check your assignment brief before choosing.
What does the "00" in the sample footnote mean?
It is a placeholder for the page number you are citing. Replace it with the actual page — footnotes cite the exact location, unlike the bibliography entry.