Writing a paper for a history or humanities class? Whether you are drafting a detailed art essay or a complex research paper, you are likely dealing with the Chicago essay format.
Whether your professor asks for the “Turabian” style (the student version) or the full “Chicago Manual of Style” (CMOS), the goal is the same: precision, clarity, and professional presentation.
However, Chicago style is famous for being detailed. From specific margin settings to the complex “Notes and Bibliography” system, it is easy to make a mistake.
This guide will walk you through exactly how to perfect your Chicago essay format, complete with a comparison table and real-world examples.
General Layout: Getting Started
Before you write your first sentence—and start worrying about how to master word count—you need to configure your document settings. A standard Chicago format research paper must follow these visual rules:
-
Margins: Set margins to 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.
-
Font: Use a readable, standard font. Times New Roman, 12 pt is the safest choice.
-
Line Spacing: Your main text must be double-spaced.
-
Exception: Block quotes, table titles, footnotes, and bibliography entries should be single-spaced.
-
-
Page Numbers: Place page numbers in the top right corner of the header.
Cheat Sheet: Footnotes vs. Bibliography
This is where most students lose points. In Chicago style, the citation at the bottom of the page (Footnote) looks different from the list at the end of the paper (Bibliography).
Use this table to check your work quickly:
| Feature | Footnote (N) | Bibliography (B) |
| Where is it? | Bottom of the page | End of the document |
| Author Name | First Name Last Name (e.g., John Smith) | Last Name, First Name (e.g., Smith, John) |
| Punctuation | Uses commas ( , ) to separate items | Uses periods ( . ) to separate items |
| Publication Info | Inside parentheses ( ) | No parentheses |
| Page Numbers | Specific page cited (e.g., 45) | Page range of entire article (e.g., 40-55) |
| Indentation | First line indented (like a paragraph) | Hanging indent (second line indented) |
Real-World Citation Scenarios
Here are specific examples of how to cite common sources in your Chicago style paper.
Scenario 1: A Standard Book
This format is essential if you are learning how to write a book review for your history course.
The Rule: Note the difference in the author’s name and punctuation.
-
Footnote:Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (Boston: Little, Brown, 2000), 64–65.
-
Bibliography:
Scenario 2: An Academic Journal Article
An Academic Journal Article Correctly citing journals is a key skill when you need to write an article review or support your thesis.
The Rule: Article titles go in “Quotation Marks,” journal names go in Italics.
-
Footnote:Emily L. Dittmar and Douglas W. Schemske, “Temporal Variation in Selection Influences Microgeographic Local Adaptation,” American Naturalist 202, no. 4 (2023): 472.
-
Bibliography:
Scenario 3: A Website (No Author)
The Rule: If no author is listed, start with the owner of the site or the title. Include the access date if there is no publication date.
-
Footnote:“Privacy Policy,” Google, last modified August 19, 2024, https://policies.google.com/privacy.
-
Bibliography:
Scenario 4: A YouTube Video
The Rule: Treat the video title like an article title.
-
Footnote:“Chicago Style Bibliography,” Scribbr, February 20, 2020, video, 3:15, https://youtu.be/somevideoID.
-
Bibliography:
How to Handle “Shortened Notes”
You do not need to repeat the full citation every time. If you cite the same book twice, use the shortened format for the second time.
Example:
Simplify Your Writing, Master Your Essays with EssayPass
While understanding the Chicago essay format is one thing, managing dozens of sources, formatting every footnote, and ensuring your bibliography is perfect can be a major headache. This is where you need more than just a guide—you need a true writing partner.
Meet EssayPass AI Essay Writer, your expert assistant for academic writing. We built EssayPass to take the stress out of the writing process, so you can focus on your ideas, not on tedious formatting rules.
EssayPass is packed with features designed for student success:
-
Intelligent Academic Writing Assistant: Generate a complete draft based on the assignment requirements you provide.
-
Eight Citation Formats: Whether you need Chicago style or need to know how to write an APA essay, we support all major formats including MLA, Harvard, and IEEE.
-
Structure and Outline Tools: Organize your thoughts and build a strong, logical argument—crucial when you aim to write an argumentative essay from the ground up.
- Optional Turnitin Report: Worried about originality? Use our built-in AI Detector and request optional Turnitin-based reports to ensure your paper is plagiarism-free and AI-safe.
-
Learning Tools Included: You don’t just get an essay; you get a learning package. Access a Summary, FAQs, Writing Strategy Breakdown, Reference PDFs, and an AI Editing Assistant to help you understand the topic better.
Stop letting formatting rules slow you down. It’s time to write smarter, not harder. Step into a world of effortless writing and see how thousands of students are acing their papers.
👉 Click here to explore EssayPass and perfect your essay today!
