How to reference a journal article in Chicago
An article footnote in Chicago has 8 parts. See them labelled on an example, then build your own and copy it.
- In your essay: A footnote, or (Author year)
- Checked 21 October 2026
Pip tip: in KanBananza, right-click any page and choose “Save as a source”. Most of this is filled in for you.
The 8 parts
Author, “Title,” Journal Volume, no. Issue (Year): Pages, DOI.
, 2 · TITLE“Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,”3 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health4 · VOLUME12, no. 5 · ISSUE36 · DATE(2024): 7 · PAGES41–58, 8 · DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
- 2 · TitleCapital letters for the main words (KanBananza adds them). In double quotation marks.The article’s own title, with any subtitle.
- 3 · JournalIn italics.The journal’s full name, from its cover or website.
- 4 · VolumeThe number.On the article’s first page or the journal’s web page.
- 5 · IssueThe number. After “no.”.Next to the volume. Some journals have no issue numbers.
- 6 · DateThe year. In round brackets.The year of the issue, on the article’s first page or the journal’s web page.
- 7 · PagesThe first and last page.The first and last page of the article.
- 8 · DOIAs a link: https://doi.org/ then the DOI.A code starting 10., on the article’s first page or web page.
In your bibliography
The bibliography at the end gives the same source like this, with the surname first:
. 2 · TITLE“Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students.”3 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health4 · VOLUME12, no. 5 · ISSUE36 · DATE(2024): 7 · PAGES41–58. 8 · DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Two places, one source
Students who slept more did better in their exams.1
A footnote number, after the full stop.1 Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
The footnote gives the full details, at the bottom of the page.Using Chicago author-date instead?
Some courses use Chicago’s other form: the author and year in brackets in your text, and a reference list at the end. Here’s the same article:
. 2 · DATE2024. 3 · TITLE“Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students.”4 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health5 · VOLUME126 · ISSUE(3): 7 · PAGES41–58. 8 · DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
In your essay: Students who slept more did better in their exams (Patel and Shah 2024).
Build your footnote
Fill in what you have. Anything still missing is highlighted. Nothing you type leaves this page.
What if…
Made by an organisation
Give the organisation’s name where the author goes.
Riverside Media Bureau, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
No date
Write “n.d.” where the date goes.
Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (n.d.): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Two authors
Give both names, joined with “and”.
Amara Green and Ravi Patel, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Four or more authors
Give the first author, then “et al.”, which means “and others”.
Amara Green et al., “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Check your university’s version
Chicago has two forms, and departments choose one. Don’t mix them in one piece of work. Your course handbook always wins.
This guide follows The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition, in both its forms: notes and bibliography, and author-date.
Questions
What goes in the footnote?
The first time you cite it, the footnote gives the full details: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123. To point to one place in it, add that at the end: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 45, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
What if there’s no date?
Check the page or document again first. If there really is none, here’s how Chicago sets it out: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (n.d.): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Is Chicago the same at every university?
Chicago has two forms, and departments choose one. Don’t mix them in one piece of work. Your course handbook always wins.
Referencing is easier as you go
Our step-by-step guides show how to keep your sources in order while you research and write, so the reference list is ready when you are.
Skip the typing next time
In KanBananza, right-click any page and choose “Save as a source”. The details are filled in for you, anything missing is flagged, and your reference list is made in your style. Harvard is free; the other styles come with Full Bananza.
These guides and KanBananza’s references are here to help, but they don’t replace your course’s own referencing guide: check your references against your handbook, and ask your tutor or library if you’re not sure. You’re responsible for your own work. Style names belong to their owners, who aren’t connected with KanBananza and don’t endorse it. See our terms.