Generate Chicago citations from a URL or source details. This free Chicago citation generator supports both Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date, so choose the system required for your paper before entering a source.
Citation Format
Source Type
Paste a public URL to extract available citation details, then review every field before generating the citation.
Citation Details
Three steps
How to use the Chicago citation generator
- Select Chicago (Notes and Bibliography) or Chicago (Author-Date), then choose the source type.
- Paste a URL or enter the author, title, publication details, date, pages, and URL manually.
- Check the details, generate the citation, and copy the result into the appropriate note, bibliography, text, or reference list.
Two systems
Notes and Bibliography vs. Author-Date
Notes and Bibliography uses numbered footnotes or endnotes plus a bibliography and is common in the humanities. Author-Date uses parenthetical citations linked to a reference list and is common in the sciences and social sciences. Follow the system required by your course, department, journal, or publisher.
The form covers the source types shown above, including websites, books, journal articles, newspapers, and YouTube videos. Auto-filled metadata can be incomplete, so compare the result with the original source and your assignment requirements.
Examples
Chicago citation examples
These examples use a fictional book by Lena Carter.
Notes and Bibliography
First note: 1. Lena Carter, Writing with Sources (Northfield Press, 2024), 42.
Shortened note: 2. Carter, Writing with Sources, 42.
Bibliography: Carter, Lena. Writing with Sources. Northfield Press, 2024.
Author-Date
In-text citation: (Carter 2024, 42)
Reference list: Carter, Lena. 2024. Writing with Sources. Northfield Press.
Edge cases
Common Chicago citation cases
- Choosing a system: use the one required by your instructor or publisher.
- Repeating a source: Notes and Bibliography normally uses a shortened note after the first full note.
- Specific passage: include the relevant page number in the note or author-date citation when available.
- Missing web date: confirm that no publication or revision date is available and record an access date when applicable.
- Final source list: alphabetize entries and apply a hanging indent.
Learn more
More Chicago help
Read the Chicago style guide for a comparison of both systems and the Chicago footnotes guide for full and shortened notes. For source-specific help, see how to cite a book and how to cite a website. You can also compare the options in our citation styles guide.
FAQ
Chicago citation generator questions
Does this generator support both Chicago systems?
Yes. The selector includes Chicago Notes and Bibliography and Chicago Author-Date. Select the required system before generating the citation.
Which Chicago system should I choose?
Notes and Bibliography uses numbered footnotes or endnotes and is common in the humanities. Author-Date uses parenthetical citations and a reference list. Follow the requirement for your course or publication.
Is a Chicago note the same as a bibliography entry?
No. A note is numbered and may include the specific page cited. A bibliography entry is structured for an alphabetical source list and reverses the first author’s name.
Should I review an auto-filled Chicago citation?
Yes. Check the selected system, source type, author names, title, date, publisher or container, pages, and URL against the original source.