How to Cite a Book in Chicago Manual of Style (Author-Date)
Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.
Citation Format
Basic Template
(Author Year) Reference: Author. Year. Book Title. Place: Publisher.
Citation Components
Author(s)
Full names. Multiple: Author and Author.
Year
Year of publication.
Book Title
Title in sentence case. Not italicized in author-date style.
Place of Publication
City where published.
Publisher
Full publisher name.
Real-World Example
Example Source
McChesney, Robert
2013
Digital disconnect: How capitalism is turning the internet against democracy
New York
The New Press
Formatted Citation
McChesney, Robert. 2013. Digital Disconnect: How Capitalism Is Turning the Internet Against Democracy. New York: The New Press.
In-Text Citation
(McChesney 2013)
(Author Year) or (Author Year, page#)
Common Mistakes
Wrong:
(McChesney, 2013) - using comma between author and year
Right:
(McChesney 2013) - use space, not comma
Why: Chicago author-date uses space between author and year in in-text citations.
Wrong:
Reference: McChesney, R. (2013). Digital Disconnect... New York: The New Press.
Right:
Reference: McChesney, Robert. 2013. Digital Disconnect... New York: The New Press.
Why: Use full first name. Year before title. No parentheses for year.
Wrong:
McChesney, Robert. 2013. digital disconnect. new york: the new press.
Right:
McChesney, Robert. 2013. Digital Disconnect. New York: The New Press.
Why: Use sentence case for title (capitalize first word and proper nouns). Capitalize place name and publisher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to include the publication place? ▼
Yes, Chicago author-date requires: Place: Publisher format.
What if there's no publication place? ▼
Use [S.l.] (sine loco) to indicate place unknown: [S.l.]: Publisher.
How do I cite edition information? ▼
Include after title: Author. Year. Title. Edition info. Place: Publisher.
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