Chicago Style: Citing Electronic Sources

Sample reference entry in Chicago Style formatted with a hanging indent.

Web page

As you are more likely to cite a particular idea from a single web page, we advise that you cite individual web pages rather than websites. This helps your reader trace back to your source of evidence.

Websites differ greatly in what kind of publication information they include. Try to include as much of the following information as possible: author, name of site, sponsor, date updated and web address.  Recall that agencies, governments, and corporations may be listed as authors when no individual author is listed.

First Footnote/Endnote

1. "About Canada's Military Photographers," Faces of the Second World War, Military Heritage, Library and Archives Canada, last modified December 8, 2017, http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/second-world-war....

5. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” Documents, United Nations, accessed May 17, 2018, http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/.

Subsequent Footnotes/Endnotes

2. Library and Archives Canada, "About Canada's Military Photographers."

9. United Nations, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Bibliography

Author's Name: Last Name First. "Title of Document or Page." Folder Name. URL.

Example

Library and Archives Canada. "About Canada's Military Photographers," Faces of the Second World War, Military Heritage. Last modified December 8, 2017. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/second-world-war....

United Nations, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Documents. Accessed May 17, 2018, http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/.

Notice:

  • The name of the document or page is in quotation marks.
  • The name of the web site is only italicized if the website also exists in print (in the case of a magazine or a style guide, like The Chicago Manual of Style Online).
  • When a URL is too long to fit on one line, create a break where there is punctuation (period, slash, dash); do not add a hyphen to the URL. The break comes after a single or double slash and before a period, comma, tilde, hyphen or underline. A line break can come before or after an ampersand or equals sign. Remove all hyperlinks in a printed paper.

Downloaded Text File (PDF)

First Footnote/Endnote

1. Ontario Ministry of Education, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Canadian and World Studies, 2018. (Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2018), http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/canworld910curr2018.pdf

Subsequent Footnotes/Endnotes

2. Ontario Ministry of Education, Canadian and World Studies, 2018.

Bibliography

Author's Name. Title of Document. Location: Publisher, date. URL.

Example

Ontario Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Canadian and World Studies, 2018. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2018.  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/canworld910curr2018.pdf

Blog Entry

Citations for blogs should include the author of the blog entry, name of the entry, the title of the blog itself, date of the entry and the web address (URL).

First Footnote/Endnote

1. Brent Wood, "Love in a Dangerous Time," PCVS Corner Stone (blog), 28 June 2012, http://pcvscornerstone.blogspot.ca/2012/06/love-in-dangerous-time.html.

Subsequent Footnotes/Endnotes

2. Wood, "Love in a Dangerous Time."

Bibliography

Author's Name: Last Name First. "Title of blog entry." Title of Blog (blog). Date of entry. URL

Example

Wood, Brent. "Love in a Dangerous Time." PCVS Corner Stone (blog). 28 June 2012, http://pcvscornerstone.blogspot.ca/2012/06/love-in-dangerous-time.html

Notice:

  • The name of the web site is italicized.
  • When a URL is too long to fit on one line, create a break where there is punctuation (period, slash, dash); do not add a hypen to the URL. The break comes after a single or double slash and before a period, comma, tilde, hyphen or underline. A line break can come before or after an ampersand or equals sign. Remove all hyperlinks in a printed paper.

Digital Media (YouTube Video and Podcasts)

Citations for YouTube videos and podcasts should include the author/creator of the work and name of the work followed by information about its online format including the online format, runtime, posting date, and web address (URL).If you are citing a video/podcast that is a re-posting of a previous event, you should also include information about where it was originally performed/created.

Note that you do not have to include the date that you accessed the materials unless it is a time sensitive issue or you are advised to do so by your professor.

First Footnote/Endnote

1. CBC News, CBC Archives: Just Watch Me, 1970 YouTube video, 7:34, from an interview aired on CBC, October 13, 1970, posted by "CBCtv," December 3, 2008, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUq9b1XTa0.

Subsequent Footnotes/Endnotes

2. CBC News, Just Watch Me

Bibliography

Last name, First name of Speaker/Creator. Title. Format, Running Time. Original Publication Information (if any).Posted by Name of poster. Posting Date. URL

Example

CBC News, CBC Archive: Just Watch Me, 1970. YouTube video, 7:34. From an interview    originally aired on CBC, October 13, 1970. Posted by "CBC TV." December 3 2008.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUq9b1XTa0

Notice:

  • The name of the video is italicized.
  • When a URL is too long to fit on one line, create a break where there is punctuation (period, slash, dash); do not add a hyphen to the URL. The break comes after a single or double slash and before a period, comma, tilde, hyphen or underline. A line break can come before or after an ampersand or equals sign.  Remove all hyperlinks in a printed paper.

Content or Course Notes Posted on Blackboard

First Footnote/Endnote

1. Academic Skills Centre, "Why is Academic Integrity Important?," Academic Integrity at Trent 2022-23, Trent University Blackboard, https://learn.trentu.ca/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id=_49920_1&content_id=_375473_1

Subsequent Footnotes/Endnotes

2. Academic Skills Centre, "Why is Academic Integrity Important?"

Bibliography

Author's Name: Last Name First. "Title of Document or Page." Title of Blackboard Site.  Site Sponsor. URL

Example

Academic Skills Centre. "Why is Academic Integrity Important?" Academic Integrity at Trent 2013-14. Trent University Blackboard https://learn.trentu.ca/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?c...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Generator (like OpenAI ChatGPT)

The Chicago Manual of Style Online provides discussion in their Q&A section about practices for acknowledging content generated by artificial intelligence; they also explain that conventions will continue to change over time. Students and scholars should refer back to the Manual for updates to these conventions. 

The Manual indicates that AI generators can be cited in a footnote. Any changes to the text generated by the application should be noted in the footnote. Include information about the prompt in your text or in your footnote.

There should be no reference to the application in your bibliography unless the specific page for the generated text is public and can be shared (not the case if you have to sign in to use the app).

1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, July 7, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

2. ChatGPT, response to “Why do bees swarm,” OpenAI, July 7, 2023, https://chat.openai.com/chat.

Trent University respectfully acknowledges it is located on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishnaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.

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