How to Cite a Journal Article 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. Article title. Journal Name Volume, no. Issue: pages.

Citation Components

Author(s)

Full names. Use 'and' between multiple authors.

Year

Publication year. Use in (Author Year) format.

Article Title

Sentence case. In quotation marks in the reference list.

Journal Name

Full journal title. Not italicized in this format.

Volume/Issue

Format: Volume, no. Issue: page range

DOI or URL

Include DOI or URL if available.

Real-World Example

Example Source

author

Zhang, Wei and Maria Santos

year

2022

title

Efficacy of remote learning interventions in K-12 education

journal

Educational Psychology Review

volume

34

issue

2

pages

567-598

doi

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09642-4

Formatted Citation

Zhang, Wei, and Maria Santos. 2022. "Efficacy of remote learning interventions in K-12 education." Educational Psychology Review 34, no. 2: 567-598.

In-Text Citation

(Zhang and Santos 2022)

(Author Year) or (Author, Author Year, page#)

Common Mistakes

Wrong:

(Zhang & Santos 2022) - using & symbol

Right:

(Zhang and Santos 2022) - use 'and'

Why: Chicago author-date uses 'and', not '&' symbol in citations.

Wrong:

Reference: Zhang, Wei, and Maria Santos. "Efficacy..." Educational Psychology Review, 34(2), 567-598. 2022

Right:

Reference: Zhang, Wei, and Maria Santos. 2022. "Efficacy..." Educational Psychology Review 34, no. 2: 567-598.

Why: Year comes after author name. Use 'no.' for issue number. Colon before page range.

Wrong:

(Zhang and Santos, 2022, p. 567)

Right:

(Zhang and Santos 2022, 567)

Why: Don't use comma after author name. Don't use 'p.' or 'pp.' - just the number.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite three or more authors in Chicago author-date?

In references: list all authors. In in-text citations: use (First Author et al. Year) format.

Should I include DOI or URL for journal articles?

Include DOI if available. If no DOI, include the URL. If neither, page numbers are sufficient.

What's the difference between this and APA for journal articles?

Chicago author-date doesn't italicize the journal name, uses different punctuation, and formats volume/issue differently.

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