The main difference between footnotes and endnotes is that footnotes are included at the bottom of each page, whereas endnotes are included at the end of a chapter, article, or book. People working in the humanities-literature, history, and the arts-are the primary users of the Chicago footnotes and bibliography system. However, footnotes can also be used to provide an additional explanation that would be difficult or distracting to include in the body of the text, to point the reader to additional reading or background information, to clarify a term or editorial decision, or to provide any other information that cannot be included within the text itself. In Chicago style (notes-bibliography style), footnotes are used instead of in-text citations to cite sources and to reduce interruption to the flow of the writing.

The footnote should be included directly following the text it pertains to, usually after any punctuation. Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:Ī footnote is a note that provides additional information or references for the reader.Ī footnote is indicated with a superscript numeral (like this 1) within the text that corresponds to the same numeral at the bottom of the page, which is followed by the reference or additional information. It will help you understand footnotes vs endnotes, teach you how to create them, and show real examples you can learn from. This is your how-to guide for footnotes following the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition.

Footnote citation example