Chicago manual of style essay

When writing an essay according to The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), there are specific guidelines you need to follow for general formatting, layout, and citation. Chicago style offers two distinct citation systems: Notes and Bibliography (NB)—favored in history, arts, and humanities—and Author-Date—favored in the physical, natural, and social sciences.

1. General Formatting Guidelines

Unless your instructor gives you alternative instructions, apply these standard settings:

• Font: Use a readable, standard typeface like Times New Roman, set at 12 pt.
• Spacing: Double-space the entire main text. (Exceptions: block quotes, footnotes/endnotes, and bibliography entries are typically single-spaced with an extra blank line between them).
• Margins: Keep margins uniform at 1 inch on all sides.
• Paragraph Indentation: Indent the first line of every paragraph by 0.5 inches (standard tab stop).
• Page Numbers: Place page numbers in the top right corner of the header, starting with Arabic numeral “1” on the very first page of your text (or title page, depending on instructions).

2. Title Page vs. Text Start

Chicago allows for two different formats depending on the length of your paper:

• With a Title Page (Best for longer papers/essays):
  • Center your title about one-third of the way down the first page. Include a subtitle on a separate line if applicable, separated by a colon.
  • Place your name, course title, instructor’s name, and date lower down on the page.
  • Start the actual text (and page numbering) on a new page following the title page.
• Without a Title Page (Best for shorter essays):
  • Put a 4-line block in the top left corner of the first page containing your name, instructor’s name, course code, and date.
  • Center your essay title a few lines below this block, then begin your introductory text one to two lines beneath the title.

3. Choosing Your Citation Style

Option A: Notes and Bibliography (NB) — Most Common

This system uses superscript numbers in the text that correspond to footnotes (at the bottom of the page) or endnotes (at the end of the essay). A complete Bibliography is placed at the end.

• Footnote format (first mention):
  1. Author First Name Last Name, Title of Book (City of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page #.
• Footnote format (subsequent mentions):
  2. Author Last Name, Shortened Title, Page #.
• Bibliography format:Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year. (Note: Entries use hanging indents and are alphabetized by author’s last name).

Option B: Author-Date

This system uses in-text parenthetical citations integrated directly into the sentences (e.g., (Smith 2018, 45)), paired with a References list at the end.

• In-text citation: (Author Last Name Year, Page #)
• References list entry:Author Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher.

4. Special Formatting Elements

• Block Quotations: If you are quoting prose that is 5 or more lines (or longer than 100 words), format it as a block quote. Indent the entire quote 0.5 inches from the left margin, single-space it, and do not use quotation marks.
• Subheadings: For longer essays, you can break up text using subheadings. Capitalize them headline-style or sentence-style consistently, making sure they follow a clear hierarchy (Level 1, Level 2, etc.).