Citation Guides

Reference Examples: Blog (CMOS 14.208)

Blog posts are cited like online newspaper articles, see the "News Publication" tab for additional examples.

Bibliography Examples:

Germano, William. "Futurist Shock." Lingua Franca (blog). Chronicle of Higher Education, February 15, 2017. http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2017/02/15/futurist-shock/.

If quoting from the comment section, an in-text citation is typically all that is needed rather than making a formal citation. However, there are cases where the information taken from the comment is significant enough to warrant its own citation. In that case, the comment should be treated like a review, beginning with the name of the commenter, the date of the comment, the words "comment on," "reply to", or something like that, followed by the full citation of the blog post itself. If the blog post has already been cited in full, a shortened form may be used, as exampled here. In the shortened form, URLs are not necessary, but may be included if there is a comment-specific URL available.

Reference Examples: Book (CMOS 14.100-163)

Book with Single Author or Editor (CMOS 14.23, 14.159-161)

Bibliography Examples:

Strayed, Cheryl. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.

Note: For E-Books, cite as you would any other book, but end the citation with the name of the application, and file type, if available. If consulted on a web browser, independent of a specific app, use a DOI/URL as the final piece of the citation. See below:

Bibliography Examples:

Begley, Adam. Updike. New York: Harper, 2014. Kindle.

Bonds, Mark Evan. Absolute Music: The History of an Idea. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199343638.001.0001.

Borel, Brooke. Infested: How the Bed Bug Infiltrated Our Bedrooms and Took Over the World. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015. Adobe Digital Editions EPUB.

Two or Three Authors (CMOS 14.23)

Note: For two or three authors, list the authors in the order that they appear on the text, and list all of them in both the notes and the bibliographic entry. Note that only the first author listed in the bibliographic entry has their name inverted last, first.

Bibliography Examples:

Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015.

Berkman, Alexander, Henry Bauer, and Carl Nold. Prison Blossoms: Anarchist Voices from the American Past. Harvard University Press, 2011.

Four or More Authors (CMOS 14.23)

Reference Examples: Thesis or Dissertation (CMOS 14.215)

Other than the title, which should be in quotation marks rather than italics, theses and dissertations are cited like books. The academic institution is considered the "publisher," even if it is not a formally published work. The type of thesis should be specified, as well. If only citing the abstract, the word "abstract" should follow the title, as seen in example 2 below.

Bibliography Examples:

Choi, Mihwa. "Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty." PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2008. ProQuest (AAT 3300426).

Reference Examples: Government or Legal Document (CMOS 14.269-14.305; 14.264)

Before getting too deep into the specifics of citing court cases and any legal-specific citation guides, know that documents published in secondary sources and other freestanding publications, such as The Federalist Papers, Journals of the Continental Congress, and other legal or governmental journals, can be cited using Chicago style as usual, following the medium being referenced. The following recommendations refer to legal documents directly reported by government reports and case filings.

The Chicago Manual of Style bases its guidelines for Legal and Public Documents largely on two guides designed for legal citation: (1) The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, published by the Harvard Law Review Association; or (2) the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation, published by the Association of Legal Writing Directors and Coleen M. Barger. The Chicago Manual of Style aims to provide a condensed guideline for the majority of common legal and public document references, but highly recommends that students and faculty who perform extensive work in this area (particularly at a graduate level or higher) have a copy of one of these guides on hand. For a more in-depth breakdown of the specifics of legal and public document references, see CMOS 14.269-14.275, and find a helpful Bluebook quick guide here: The Bluebook Online (legalbluebook.com).

Web versions of verified legal and public documents should be treated as if they were in print, with a URL as the last element of the citation, if necessary. Include the database name for sources consulted via commercial databases such as Westlaw or LexisNexis. If citing a legal or public document from a nonlegal source such as a book or periodical, follow the usual guidelines for that medium.

As seen in the Bluebook guide, if referencing a source from within a larger text, the first page number of the document being cited should be listed directly after the name of the source, usually with no punctuation between. If referencing a specific page number within that document, follow the first page number separated by a comma.

There is an extensive list of abbreviations for the names of reporters, cases, courts, legislative documents, and more within the Bluebook. There are also recommendations for abbreviating common terms and ordinals, specifying the use of 2d and 3d rather than 2nd and 3rd. There is a helpful list of these abbreviations available at Bluebook Abbreviations: Common Words in Case Names | YourDictionary.

Short forms of citations within The Bluebook guidelines include case names reduced to only one-party name (typically the plaintiff); statutes and legislative documents identified by name or document/section numbers; treaties only by name, and the use of id. 

Cases and Court Decisions (CMOS 14.276-14.279)

A full citation includes:

1. Case name
2. Volume number in arabic numerals
3. Abbreviated name of the reporter(s)
4. The ordinal series number of the reporter (if applicable)
5. Page number of the opening page of the decision followed by a comma and the specific page number referenced
6. Abbreviated name of the court (if not already indicated by the reporter named) and date together in parentheses

Though this is rarely used within Bluebook-style citations, if a URL is required to point directly to an official source, such as the US Supreme Courts website, it may be added to the end of the citation.

If citing a commercial electronic database, include these elements:

1. Case name
2. Docket number (as provided by the database)
3. Name of the database
4. Any date and identifying number supplied by the database
5. Abbreviated name of the court (if not already indicated by the reporter named) and date together in parentheses
6. Page or screen number referenced preceded by an asterisk.

Secondary Sources and Freestanding Publications

As mentioned above, these types of sources, which can include legislative documents, pamphlets, and reports, as well as articles and documents included in books, can largely be treated as a typical source using normal Chicago guidelines.

Legal-style citations are usually limited to the notes (hence, few bibliographic examples on this page), but secondary sources or freestanding works as discussed in this section may be included in the bibliography.

Bibliography Examples:

Continental Congress. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. Edited by Worthington C. Ford et al. 34 vols. Washington, DC, 1904-37.

Speeches and other forms of Address (CMOS 14.264)

Considered a form of lecture. For additional assistance, see the tabs for the medium in which you view the speech ("Audio Recordings," "Video Recordings," or "Live Presentation").

Reference Examples: Journal/Periodical Article (CMOS 14.164-204)

Journals, magazines, and other forms of periodical publications are largely cited in the same way, so there are not different examples for each. Reference the full Chicago Manual of Style for examples of how to cite under unusual circumstances. Newspaper examples are found on their own tab, as they require a more specific dating system.

Basic Entry (For Print Versions) (CMOS 14.23)

Bibliography Examples:

Bagley, Benjamin. "Loving Someone in Particular." Ethics 125, no. 2 (January 2015): 477-507.

From a Database or Online (CMOS 14.23)

Bibliography Examples:

Liu, Jui-Ch'i. "Beholding the Feminine Sublime: Lee Miller's War Photography." Signs 40, no. 2 (Winter 2015): 308-19. https://doi.org/10.1086/678242.

Note: In cases where a DOI is unavailable, a standard URL may be used in its place.

Is an Access Date Needed? (CMOS 14.176)

Formally published electronic sources such as professional journals do not require an access date in most cases, unless specifically requested by a professor (or later, publisher). In the case that they are included, they should come immediately before the DOI or URL, surrounded by commas in the notes, and periods in the bibliographic entry. See the example here:

Bibliography Examples:

Narr, Charlotte F., and Amy C. Krist. "Host Diet Alters Trematode Replication and Elemental Composition." Freshwater Science 34, no. 1 (March 2015): 81-91. Accessed August 1, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1086/679411.

Reference Examples: News Publication (CMOS 14.191-200)

Though journals or magazines need only include whatever date or season the publishers include on the title page or header/footer of the article, newspapers must be cited with the full date of publication (February 19, 2014). If it is the type of story that is updated frequently online as things develop, such as a weather warning or major crisis, a timestamp should also be used (January 21, 2016, 3:55pm EST).

Basic Article Reported by a News Service (CMOS 14.191)

Note: Because of the nature of newspaper publishing, sometimes an author by-line will be included, but not always. Include as much information as is included in the article, but as exampled below, certain pieces may be left out. For major publications where the location is well-known (such as the New York Times), the specific city and state need not be listed.

Bibliography Examples:

Mike Royko. "Next Time, Dan, Take Aim at Arnold." Chicago Tribune, September 23, 1992.

Christopher Lehmann-Haupt. "Robert Giroux, Editor, Publisher and Nurturer of Literary Giants, is Dead at 94." New York Times, September 6, 2008. New York edition.

"Pushcarts Evolve to Trendy Kiosks." Lake Forester (Lake Forest, IL), March 23,2000.

David G. Savage. "Stanford Student Goes to Supreme Court to Fight for Her Moms." Los Angeles Times, April 27, 2015. Nation. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-gay-marriage-children-20150424-story.html.

John Myers. "Invasive Faucet Snails Confirmed in Twin Ports Harbor." Duluth (MN) News-Tribune, September 26, 2014. EBSCOhost.

Article Requiring a Timestamp (CMOS 14.191)

Bibliography Examples:

Jason Samenow. "Blizzard Warning: High Winds, About Two Feet of Snow Forecast for D.C. Area." Washington Post, January 21, 2016, 3:55p.m. EST. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/01/21/blizzard-warning-high-winds-around-two-feet-of-snow-forecase-for-d-c-area/.

Editorial (CMOS 14.195)

Bibliography Examples:

"Junk Science at the F.B.I." Editorial. New York Times, April 27, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/opinion/junk-sciences-at-the-fbi.html.

Letter to the Editor or Reader's Comment (CMOS 14.196)

Bibliography Examples:

John Q. Public. Letter to the editor. Los Angeles Times, September 7, 2008.

Chris (California). April 29, 2015, Comment on Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Richard Pérez-Peña. "Baltimore Police Cite Presence of Minors in Defending Response to Unrest." New York Times, April 28, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/us/baltimore-riots.html#permid=14810877.

News Release (CMOS 14.200)

Bibliography Examples:

Federal Emergency Management Agency. "FEMA Awards $2,781,435 Grant to DuPage County." News release no. RV-NR-2015-006. March 19, 2015. https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2015/03/19/fema-awards-2781435-grant-dupage-county.

Reference Examples: Live Performance (CMOS 14.266)

This tab covers specifically artistic performances viewed live, such as a concert, play, or musical. Academic presentations such as lectures, talks, conference presentations, and speeches are covered in the "Presentation" tab. Recorded versions such as a concert album recorded live or a video recording of a stage musical should be cited as an Audio or Video recording, respectively.

Because unrecorded live performances cannot be consulted after the fact by readers, it is generally sufficient to mention details in the text or in the notes rather than the bibliography. It is helpful to include key names that may be important to that specific performance, such as the director, choreographer, conductor, or lead performers (especially when understudies are used in place of the typical leads).  Additionally, because each individual performance can vary day-to-day, it is important that the specific date of the performance is always listed, and potentially time of day, if there is both a matinee and evening show on that day.

In-Text Example

In a performance of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York on February 2, 2016, the performers . . .

Reference Examples: Personal Communication (CMOS 14.211-14.214)

This includes interviews you conducted, emails, personal letters, text messages, etc. Published versions of the same (interviews in magazines, letters published in a book, etc.) should be cited according to the format they are published in (magazine, book, etc.).

The vast majority of references to personal communications, including conversations, letters, emails, text messages, etc., can be limited to incorporating it into the text, or given in a foot/end note (see below for examples of both). Creating a full bibliographic entry is rarely, if ever, needed, as it is not a retrievable source for readers to find. These types of sources can also be tricky as far as whether or not they can be considered viable sources for a paper, so be sure to consult your professor before referencing any personal communications in an academic setting.

Whether in-text or in a note, simply say "author" when referring to yourself, as you are the author of the paper.

In-Text Citation Examples:

. . . Though unable to confirm without an in-person session, conversation between the subject's mother and the author did indicate that the child demonstrates considerable signs of . . .

. . . In a conversation with the author on April 14, 2016, Commissioner Franklin suggested that . . .

Reference Examples: Physical Object (Artwork) (CMOS 14.235-14.237)

This includes Sculptures, Paintings, Photographs, Historical Relics in a Museum, etc.

Generally, works of art can be cited in the text alone, rather than in a note or bibliography. If you find a need to include a formal citation, begin with the artist (if known), a title (or brief description, if unnamed), a date or approximate date of completion, description of the medium and current location. If you refer to it online, include the website information and URL.

Bibliography Examples:

McCurry, Steve. Afghan Girl. December 1942. Photograph. National Geographic, cover, June 1985.

Picasso, Pablo. Bull's Head. Spring 1942. Bicycle saddle and handlebars, 33.5 x 43.5 x 19 cm. Musée Picasso Paris.

Reference Examples: Poetry

In general, poetry is not cited in any special way within the Chicago style. For the majority of poetry references, follow the citation guidelines for the format in which it was referenced (from a printed anthology, within a website, etc.). 

For well-known, widely published works of poetry, particularly classics such as Shakespeare or Dante's Divine Comedy, it is helpful to cite by their traditional divisions (such as act, scene, line) rather than using page numbers, which will vary greatly among on the many editions printed. If it is unclear if a work is "well-known" or not, you should typically follow the numbering system used within the work you are referencing.

In a similar manner to citing Scripture and other Classical Works, these well-known works often do not require a full citation, unless the specific edition is significant because of its translation or works that are frequently edited to align with modern language, such as Shakespearean works. If you are unsure if a work is well-known enough to warrant an abbreviated citation, ask your professor what their preference is. Or you can default to a complete citation to follow the age-old wisdom: "When in doubt, cite it out."

Classic English Poems and Plays (CMOS 14.253)

Bibliography Examples:

Dryden, John. Dramatic Essays. Everyman's Library. New York: Dutton, 1912.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor. Arden Shakespeare, 3rd ser. London: Thomson Learning, 2006.

Reference Examples: Presentation (Live) (CMOS 14.217)

This includes Lectures, Talks, Conference Presentations, and Speeches viewed firsthand, whether in-person or via stream. For recorded versions of the same, see the "Audio Recordings" or "Video Recordings" tabs. Printed transcripts or published papers should be treated like a journal article or book chapter, depending on the publishing format.

Bibliography Examples:

Rohde, Hannah, Roger Levy, and Andrew Kehler. "Implicit Casuality Biases Influence Relative Clause Attachment." Poster presented at the 21st CUNY Conference on Human Sentence Processing, Chapel Hill, NC, March 2008. http://idiom.ucsd.edu/~rlevy/papers/cuny2008/rohde-levy-kehler-2008-cuny.pdf.

Teplin, Linda A., Gary M. McClelland, Karen M. Abram, and Jason J. Washburn. "Early Violent Death in Delinquent Youth: A Prospective Longitudinal Study." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, La Jolla, CA, March 2005.

Reference Examples: Reference Work (CMOS 14.232-14.234)

This includes Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Style Manuals (such as the Chicago Manual of Style), and other similar Technical Guides.

Whether viewed in print or online, major dictionaries and encyclopedias and other well-known reference works typically only require a brief citation within the notes rather than including a full bibliographic entry. Some examples of "well-known" works may include the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Oxford English Dictionary, and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. If you are unsure if a source is widely used enough to warrant a shortened citation, it is best to err on the side of using a full citation rather than making assumptions, but you can always consult your professor.

References to works sorted alphabetically (such as dictionaries) should be cited according to the content being referenced rather than volume or page number. This is indicated by the abbreviation "s.v." (sub verbo, which means "under the word") or the plural form "s.vv.", followed by the word or title of the item being referenced.

Works Consulted in Print (CMOS 14.232)

Lesser-known reference works that warrant a full citation can be treated like any other book resource, with the use of "s.v." as described above. Well-known reference works that warrant a shortened citation should still always contain an edition number and the date that particular set or volume was issued.

Bibliography Examples:

Diccionario de historia de Venezuela. 2nd ed. 4 vols. Caracas: Fundacion Polar, 1997.

Garner, Bryan A. Garner's Modern English Usage. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.

Work Consulted Online (CMOS 14.233)

Because online versions of reference works are often continually updated, it is not usually necessary to include an edition number. Instead, include the revision date for the entry you're referring to, or provide an access date, if the platform doesn't specify when it was last edited. (Note that this does not apply to PDF's accessed online, which should be treated more like an ebook.) Listing an author or creating organization is not necessary, but if an author is specifically listed, it should be included in the citation (see example 2 below).

Generally, online versions of reference works should be treated like citing a page on a website, with a URL as the final component of the citation.

Reference Examples: Review (CMOS 14.201-204)

Elements in a citation for a review should be given in this order:

1. Name of reviewer, if given
2. Title of the review, if any
3. The words review of followed by the name of the work being reviewed and it's author/composer/director/etc.
4. Location and date, if it is a review of a live production
5. The citation for where the review was published

Book Review (CMOS 14.202)

Bibliography Examples:

Brehm, William C. Review of Strike for America: Chicago Teachers against Austerity, by Micah Uetricht. Comparative Education Review 59, no. 1 (February 2015): 177-79. https://doi.org/10.1086/679296.

Performance Review (Television, Live Theater, Movies, etc.) (CMOS 14.203)

Bibliography Examples:

Kozinn, Allan. Review of concert performance by Timothy Fain (violin) and Steven Beck (piano), 92nd Street Y, New York. New York Times, April 21, 2000, Weekend section.

Reference Examples: Scripture and Classical Works

Religious texts and classical works such as ancient philosophers, poets, and historians are often cited in ways that differ from the usual means of citation, regardless of which style manual you are using. Theological texts can also include non-traditional means of publishing, as in the case of papal encyclicals. Provided here are the most commonly needed citation examples for Scriptural/Classical works, but there is also a much more expanded guide designed for our Theology and Philosophy departments, which includes guidance from The SBL Handbook of Style. See the "Theological/Philosophical Citations" page on this guide.

Many scriptural and classical works possess their own numbering system based on sections, lines, chapters, verses, etc., rather than page numbers. As seen in the examples below, Chicago style makes use of the traditional numbering system rather than page numbers whenever possible.

Biblical References (CMOS 14.239-240)

References to Biblical scriptures, both from the Jewish and Christian traditions, are usually limited to in-text citations or notes rather than appearing in the bibliography*. References should include the name of the book (usually abbreviated), followed by the chapter and verse numbers, with a colon between the numbers. Note that in the examples below, the "traditional" abbreviations end with a period, while the shorter forms do not. For greater guidance on abbreviations, see the full "Theological/Philosophical Citations" page.

When a distinction to a specific version needs to be made, include the version name (either spelled out or abbreviated) in parentheses after the chapter and verse.

*Some analytical projects, especially those that make comparisons between several translations or editions, should include a full bibliographic entry for each version used. See the "Theological/Philosophical Citations" page on this guide for more help in this case.

Other Sacred Texts (14.241)

References to sacred texts from non-Judeo-Christian religions (such as the Qur'an/Koran, Vedas, or Upanishads) follow the same citation method as those of biblical works.

Classical Texts (CMOS 14.242-14.252)

This includes a variety of sources, including Medieval philosophers, poets, and texts originally in Greek or Latin.

As with scriptural references, classical works are not typically given a bibliographic entry unless the edition or translation is significant to the reference (see section below). In most cases, an in-text citation is enough, with or without a note, as needed. Follow the numbering system of the works, whenever possible, rather than using page numbers (see section below). This may include letters as well as numbers, as seen in the examples below.

It is common for authors' names and titles of works to be abbreviated in references to well-known classical works, especially in subsequent references to the same work. According to The Chicago Manual of Style, the most widely accepted list of abbreviations for classical works is found in The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Follow the link to view the list for free, as well as download a printable PDF.

In-Text Citation Example:

The eighty days of inactivity reported by Thucydides (8.44.4) for the Peloponnesian fleet at Rhodes, terminating before the end of Thucydides's winter (8.60.2-3), suggests . . .

Classical Texts with a Specific Edition/Translation (CMOS 14.246)

As with scriptural works, some projects will warrant greater detail, even up to a full bibliographic entry, for even the most well-distributed works as The Republic or Beowulf. In these cases, treat the work as you would a traditional book (but continue to use the source's numbering system in place of page numbers).

Additionally, some professors will want to know the specific edition/translation referenced in an academic project, so be sure to ask them what their preference is on providing a bibliographic entry for any classical work. See some examples here for how to specify edition/translator in a note, even if a full bibliographic entry is not necessary.

Modern Editions without Traditional Numbering System (CMOS 14.251)

Some modern editions do not include the traditional numbering system, and it is acceptable to use page numbers in those circumstance. In this case, a full bibliographic entry is also required, because the page numbers will differ based on the edition used.

Bibliography Examples:

Aristotle. Complete Works of Aristotle: The Revised Oxford Translation. Edited by J. Barnes. 2 vols. Bollingen Series. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1983.

Maimonides. The Code of Maimonides, Book 5: The Book of Holiness. Edited by Leon Nemoy. Translated by Louis I. Rabinowitz and Philip Grossman. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1965.

Reference Examples: Video Recordings

Television and Film Recordings (CMOS 14.265)

As with musical and audio recordings, television and film recordings vary greatly in terms of what information is relevant. Include as much of the information listed here as possible for the item being cited.

1. Lead with the name of the person primarily responsible for the content, or most relevant to your project, such as the composer, writer, performer, etc. Designations such as director may be used, but are not necessarily required.
2. The title of the work, in italics or quotation marks, as applicable. Generally, complete works such as a movie or television season are in italics, as like the title of a book, while partial works such as a single episode are in quotation marks, as like a chapter from a book. If the item has named chapters, list that first within quotation marks, as if it were an episode of a show.
3. Information about the work, including the names of additional contributors and the date and location of the recording, production, or performance as in the case of theatrical recordings. This may involve a little bit of additional research, as this information may not be readily available, such as when watching on some streaming services.
4. Information about the publisher, including the date of publication.
5. Information about the medium or format (DVD, MP3, AVI, etc.) -OR- the name of the streaming service/network (Hulu, ABC, etc.).
6. Supplementary information, such as the number of discs in an album and the duration of the recording may also be given, if needed, as well as any additional information that might be relevant to the citation.
7. For sources consulted online, end with a URL.

Bibliography Examples:

Cleese, John, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. "Commentaries." Disc 2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, special ed. DVD. Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. Culver City, CA: Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, 2001.

Cuarón, Alfonso, dir. Gravity. 2013: Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Pictures, 2014. Blu-ray Disc, 1080p HD.

Handel, George Frideric. Messiah. Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus, Robert Shaw. Performed December 19, 1987. Ansonia Station, NY: Video Artists International, 1988. Videocassette (VHS), 141 min.

Mayberry, Russ, dir. The Brady Bunch. Season 3, episode 10, "Her Sister's Shadow." Aired November 19, 1971, on ABC. https://www.hulu.com/the-brady-bunch.

Online Videos and Apps (CMOS 14.267)

Bibliography Examples:

Kessler, Aaron M. "The Driverless Now." Produced by Poh Si Teng and Jessica Naudziunas. New York Times, May 2, 2015. Video, 2:01. http://www.nytimes.com/video/business/100000003662208/the-driverless-now.html.

Lyiscott, Jamila. "3 Ways to Speak English." Filmed February 2014 in New York, NY. TED video, 4:29. https://www.ted.com/talks/jamila_lyiscott_3_ways_to_speak_english.

Note: If citing a comment on an online video, follow the guidelines on the "Websites and Social Media" tab for citing comments.

Reference Examples: Websites and Social Media (CMOS 14.205-14.211)

Overall Websites and Specific Pages (CMOS 14.207)

Bibliography Examples:

Microsoft Corporation. "Apps for Office Sample Pack." Office Dev Center. Updated October 20, 2015. https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/office/Apps-for-Office-code-d04762b7.

Note: Time stamps denoting when the source was accessed are not required, but should be included when citing things that may be frequently updated, as shown in several of the articles above.

General Social Media Guidelines (CMOS 14.209)

Generally, social media content does not require a formal citation, and an in-text citation is sufficient, as shown here:

Conan O'Brien's tweet was characteristically deadpan: "In honor of Earth Day, I'm recycling my tweets" (@ConanOBrien, April 22, 2015).

If it is important to include a link, or the account/thread/information is frequently cited or an important component of your argument, 

Because social media posts can take so many forms, include as many of these elements as available, and in this order:

1. Author of the post. If both a screen name and real name is available, start with the real name, followed by the screen name in parentheses. If only the screen name is available, use it in place of the author's name, with no parentheses.
2. Because social media content does not typically have titles, use the main text instead. As if it was a title, put the text in quotation marks, and use up to the first 160 characters. Keep the same spelling errors, punctuation, and capitalization as the original material.
3. The name of the social media service and, if it is a visual like a photo or video, a brief description of what kind of post it is.
4. The date of posting, including the month, day, and year. Times stamps are not required unless needed to distinguish your source from others on the same day. (Examples would be a back-and-forth discussion in the comment section, creators who post multiple items per day, accounts with frequent updates like news, weather, etc.)
5. The URL. Specific URLs for a post, comment, etc., can usually be found in the timestamp.

Social Media - Various (CMOS 14.209)

Bibliography Examples:

Chicago Manual of Style. "Is the world ready for singular they? We thought so back in 1993." Facebook, April 17, 2015. https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoManual/posts/10152906193679151.

If quoting from the comment section, an in-text citation is typically all that is needed rather than making a formal citation. However, there are cases where the information taken from the comment is significant enough to warrant its own citation. In that case, the comment should be treated like a review, beginning with the name of the commenter, the date of the comment, the words "comment on," "reply to", or something like that, followed by the full citation of the blog post itself. If the blog post has already been cited in full, a shortened form may be used, as exampled here. In the shortened form, URL's are not necessary, but may be included if there is a comment-specific URL available.