what are footnotes for in research paper

How to Use Footnotes in Research Papers

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• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A footnote is a reference, explanation, or comment 1 placed below the main text on a printed page. Footnotes are identified in the text by a numeral  or a  symbol .  

In research papers and reports , footnotes commonly acknowledge the sources of facts and quotations that appear in the text.

" Footnotes are the mark of a scholar," says Bryan A. Garner. "Overabundant, overflowing footnotes are the mark of an insecure scholar — often one who gets lost in the byways of analysis and who wants to show off" ( Garner's Modern American Usage , 2009).

Examples and Observations

• " Footnotes: vices . In a work containing many long footnotes, it may be difficult to fit them onto the pages they pertain to, especially in an illustrated work."
• " Content footnotes  supplement or simplify substantive information in the text; they should not include complicated, irrelevant, or nonessential information..." " Copyright permission footnotes  acknowledge the source of lengthy quotations, scale and test items, and figures and tables that have been reprinted or adapted."
• Content Footnotes "What, after all, is a content footnote but material that one is either too lazy to integrate into the text or too reverent to discard? Reading a piece of prose that constantly dissolves into extended footnotes is profoundly disheartening. Hence my rule of thumb for footnotes is exactly the same as that for  parentheses . One should regard them as symbols of failure. I hardly need to add that in this vale of tears failure is sometimes unavoidable."
• Footnote Forms All notes have the same general form: 1. Adrian Johns. The Nature of the Book: Print and Knowledge in the Making (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998), 623. If you cite the same text again, you can shorten subsequent notes: 5. Johns. Nature of the Book , 384-85.
• The Disadvantages of Footnotes "More than one recent critic has pointed out that footnotes interrupt a narrative . References detract from the illusion of veracity and immediacy . . . . (Noel Coward made the same point more memorably when he remarked that having to read a footnote resembles having to go downstairs to answer the door while in the midst of making love.)"
• Belloc on Footnotes "[L]et a man put his foot-notes in very small print indeed at the end of a volume, and, if necessary, let him give specimens rather than a complete list. For instance, let a man who writes history as it should be written — with all the physical details in evidence, the weather, the dress, colors, everything — write on for the pleasure of his reader and not for his critic. But let him take sections here and there, and in an appendix show the critic how it is being done. Let him keep his notes and challenge criticism. I think he will be secure. He will not be secure from the anger of those who cannot write clearly, let alone vividly, and who have never in their lives been able to resurrect the past, but he will be secure from their destructive effect."
• The Lighter Side of Footnotes "A footnote is like running downstairs to answer the doorbell on your wedding night."

1 "The footnote has figured prominently in the fictions of such leading contemporary novelists as Nicholson Baker 2 , David Foster Wallace 3 , and Dave Eggers. These writers have largely revived the digressive function of the footnote." (L. Douglas and A. George, Sense and Nonsensibility: Lampoons of Learning and Literature . Simon and Schuster, 2004)

2 "[T]he great scholarly or anecdotal footnotes of Lecky, Gibbon, or Boswell, written by the author of the book himself to supplement, or even correct over several later editions, what he says in the primary text, are reassurances that the pursuit of truth doesn't have clear outer boundaries: it doesn't end with the book; restatement and self-disagreement and the enveloping sea of referenced authorities all continue. Footnotes are the finer-suckered surfaces that allow tentacular paragraphs to hold fast to the wider reality of the library." (Nicholson Baker, The Mezzanine . Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1988)

3 "One of the odd pleasures in reading the work of the late David Foster Wallace is the opportunity to escape from the main text to explore epic footnotes , always rendered at the bottoms of pages in thickets of tiny type." (Roy Peter Clark, The Glamour of Grammar . Little, Brown, 2010)

• Hilaire Belloc,  On , 1923
• Chicago Manual of Style , University of Chicago Press, 2003
• Anthony Grafton,  The Footnote: A Curious History . Harvard University Press, 1999.
• Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 6th ed., 2010.
• Paul Robinson, "The Philosophy of Punctuation."  Opera, Sex, and Other Vital Matters . University of Chicago Press, 2002.
• Kate Turabian,  A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , 7th ed. University of Chicago Press, 2007 .
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Endnote Note citing a particular source or making a brief explanatory comment placed at the end of a research paper and arranged sequentially in relation to where the reference appears in the paper.

Footnote Note citing a particular source or making a brief explanatory comment placed at the bottom of a page corresponding to the item cited in the corresponding text above.

Fiske, Robert Hartwell. To the Point: A Dictionary of Concise Writing . New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2014.

Structure and Writing Style

Advantages of Using Endnotes

• Endnotes are less distracting to the reader and allows the narrative to flow better.
• Endnotes don't clutter up the page.
• As a separate section of a research paper, endnotes allow the reader to read and contemplate all the notes at once.

Disadvantages of Using Endnotes

• If you want to look at the text of a particular endnote, you have to flip to the end of the research paper to find the information.
• Depending on how they are created [i.e., continuous numbering or numbers that start over for each chapter], you may have to remember the chapter number as well as the endnote number in order to find the correct one.
• Endnotes may carry a negative connotation much like the proverbial "fine print" or hidden disclaimers in advertising. A reader may believe you are trying to hide something by burying it in a hard-to-find endnote.

Advantages of Using Footnotes

• Readers interested in identifying the source or note can quickly glance down the page to find what they are looking for.
• It allows the reader to immediately link the footnote to the subject of the text without having to take the time to find the note at the back of the paper.
• Footnotes are automatically included when printing off specific pages.

Disadvantages of Using Footnotes

• Footnotes can clutter up the page and, thus, negatively impact the overall look of the page.
• If there are multiple columns, charts, or tables below only a small segment of text that includes a footnote, then you must decide where the footnotes should appear.
• If the footnotes are lengthy, there's a risk they could dominate the page, although this issue is considered acceptable in legal scholarship.
• Adding lengthy footnotes after the paper has been completed can alter the page where other sources are located [i.e., a long footnote can push text to the next page].
• It is more difficult learning how to insert footnotes using your word processing program than simply adding endnotes at the end of your paper.

Things to keep in mind when considering using either endnotes or footnotes in your research paper :

1.    Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout a research paper, except for those notes accompanying special material (e.g., figures, tables, charts, etc.). Numbering of footnotes are "superscript"--Arabic numbers typed slightly above the line of text. Do not include periods, parentheses, or slashes. They can follow all punctuation marks except dashes. In general, to avoid interrupting the continuity of the text, footnote numbers are placed at the end of the sentence, clause, or phrase containing the quoted or paraphrased material. 2.    Depending on the writing style used in your class, endnotes may take the place of a list of resources cited in your paper or they may represent non-bibliographic items, such as comments or observations, followed by a separate list of references to the sources you cited and arranged alphabetically by the author's last name. If you are unsure about how to use endnotes, consult with your professor. 3.    In general, the use of footnotes in most academic writing is now considered a bit outdated and has been replaced by endnotes, which are much easier to place in your paper, even with the advent of word processing programs. However, some disciplines, such as law and history, still predominantly utilize footnotes. Consult with your professor about which form to use and always remember that, whichever style of citation you choose, apply it consistently throughout your paper.

NOTE:   Always think critically about the information you place in a footnote or endnote. Ask yourself, is this supplementary or tangential information that would otherwise disrupt the narrative flow of the text or is this essential information that I should integrate into the main text? If you are not sure, it's better to work it into the text. Too many notes implies a disorganized paper.

Cermak, Bonni and Jennifer Troxell. A Guide to Footnotes and Endnotes for NASA History Authors . NASA History Program. History Division; Hale, Ali. Should You Use Footnotes or Endnotes? DailyWritingTips.com; Tables, Appendices, Footnotes and Endnotes. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Lunsford, Andrea A. and Robert Connors. The St. Martin's Handbook . New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989; Saller, Carol. “Endnotes or Footnotes? Some Considerations.” The Chronicle of Higher Education 58 (January 6, 2012): http://chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2012/01/06/endnotes-or-footnotes-some-considerations/.

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Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

What are Footnotes and How to Use Them for Research?

The research process is inherently collaborative, involving the analysis of the collective body of knowledge developed over time. It is academically and ethically vital to acknowledge others’ contributions. Footnotes serve as subtle markers of acknowledgment while also providing supplementary details to enhance the reader’s understanding and engagement with your work. 

Table of Contents

What are footnotes?   

During your research, you’ll encounter inconspicuous superscript numbers at the end of some sentences, which link to corresponding notes at the page’s bottom or ‘foot.’ These notes serve as references to cited works and offer supplementary information to aid the reader’s understanding.  

It’s important to note that not all references and supplementary notes are at the bottom of the page; some are placed at the end of the research paper as “endnotes.” This doesn’t lessen their significance; they still offer valuable context and insights. 

Footnotes vs Endnotes  

Footnotes and endnotes fulfill the same fundamental purpose in scholarly writing. However, the choice between them often reflects an author’s personal preference or aligns with specific style guidelines. Footnotes are frequently utilized for immediate comments or explanations related to the main text. On the other hand, endnotes are commonly reserved for citations of the works referenced within the text.  

Let’s examine footnotes and endnotes more closely to understand the distinctions between these two citation methods: 

Footnotes are highly effective due to their ease of access and their ability to direct readers to relevant citations or supplementary ideas swiftly. This approach increases the likelihood that readers will engage with the citation or additional information. However, the limited space at the bottom of the page necessitates caution. Overloading it with excessive other text can be overwhelming and potentially distracting for readers.  

Endnotes, in contrast, offer the advantage of being located at the end of a paper within a designated section, giving authors the freedom to incorporate supplementary information liberally without the need to use up the limited space on a page. However, endnotes are often overlooked by readers. This oversight can be attributed to a mental justification that if information is not included in the main text, it may not hold significant value.¹²

Footnote Citation Styles  

Incorporating footnotes into your research paper is crucial, but it’s equally important to grasp the specific footnote citation style required by your target journal or publication. The format and style of footnote citations can differ significantly based on the citation style guide in use. Below, you’ll find illustrative examples of how to use footnotes in essays according to the central style guides:¹

Chicago Style  

The Chicago Style uses footnotes to provide full source details in the form of numbered notes at the bottom of each page. A corresponding bibliography is provided at the end of the research essay or document. Here is an example: 

“The Apollo program was designed by men, for men. If we do not acknowledge the gender bias of the early space program, it becomes difficult to move past it.” ¹ 

1.1 Mary Robinette Kowal, To Make It to the Moon, Women Have to Escape Earth’s Gender Bias (New York Times, 17 July 1969). 

In this example, the superscript “1” in the text corresponds to the first footnote, which provides complete source information for an article by Mary Robinette Kowal in The New York Times. 

Modern Language Association (MLA) Style

The MLA Style does not typically use footnotes for citations. Instead, it relies on in-text citations with an author-page number format. However, the footnotes might be utilized for explanatory or supplementary information. Example: 

“The protagonist’s transformation throughout the novel is central to its theme and character development.” 1 

1 This analysis draws on the ideas of literary critic John Smith regarding character evolution in narrative fiction. 

In this example, the superscript “1” in the main text points to a footnote that offers additional context and acknowledges the source, i.e., John Smith’s ideas. 

American Psychological Association (APA) Style

APA Style typically uses in-text citations rather than footnotes. However, you may use footnotes for clarifications or additional information, not for standard source citations. Here is an example: 

“The study’s results revealed a statistically significant correlation between the two variables^1^.” 

^1^ Note that the p-value was set at 0.05 as the threshold for statistical significance. 

In the example, the superscript “^1^” in the main text indicates a footnote, which is used to provide a brief explanation. 

How to add Footnotes in Microsoft Word and Google Docs?  

So, how do you make footnotes? Adding footnotes in both Microsoft Word and Google Docs is a straightforward process. Step-by-step instructions are provided below for adding footnotes in both applications: 

Microsoft Word  

• Position your cursor where you want to insert a footnote in the document. 
• Navigate to the “References” tab and click on the “Insert Footnote” button. 
• A small superscript number (typically “1”) will appear where you positioned the cursor, and a corresponding footnote area will appear at the bottom of the page. Enter your footnote content in this designated area. 
• To insert additional footnotes, repeat the same steps. Microsoft Word will automatically manage the numbering of footnotes. (4) 

Google Docs  

• Place the cursor at the location where you wish to insert a footnote. 
• In the menu bar, click on “Insert” and select “Footnote.” 
• A superscript number (usually “1”) will appear where you placed your cursor, and a footnote section will be created at the bottom of the page. Type your footnote content in this section. 
• Add more footnotes using the same steps. Google Docs will handle the footnotes numbering. (5) 

References:  

• Footnotes and Endnotes  – Khalifa University 
• Footnotes and Endnotes  – University of Bristol 
• Footnote Referencing Styles  – Bibliography.com 
• Add footnotes and endnotes  – Microsoft Support 
• Use headers, footers, page numbers, & footnotes – Google Docs Editors Help 

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Footnotes in a Research Paper: A Necessary Guide

For any scholarly research paper, proper formatting and citation is essential. Footnotes provide an invaluable resource for citing sources and adding additional commentary to a document; as such, knowing how to properly format them in a research paper is key. This article will guide readers through the necessary steps of including footnotes in their work – from understanding why they are important to correctly placing them within the text of the document. With this knowledge at hand, readers will be better equipped to effectively communicate their ideas via their written word with confidence that it adheres to appropriate academic standards.

I. Introduction to Footnotes in a Research Paper

Ii. benefits of incorporating footnotes into a research paper, iii. understanding the different types of footnote references, iv. applying specific formats and guidelines for citation sources using footnotes, v. locating additional resources on utilizing appropriate citations with your paper’s content, vi. commonly-encountered challenges when working with research papers and their corresponding notes, vii. conclusion: why adhering to professional standards is essential when creating effective scholarly documents.

Footnotes for Research Papers Research papers are an important part of academic life, as they provide a way to support the argument presented in your paper and also add additional detail that may be too much for the body. As such, it is necessary to understand how footnotes work within research papers.

The most common type of footnote used in research papers is known as an endnote or bibliographic citation – this allows readers to quickly reference where you obtained information from and encourages them to further explore related topics. When citing sources with footnotes, it is essential to include all relevant details including author name(s), publication date (if applicable), title of article/source, page numbers (where applicable) etc. In addition, when referencing online resources make sure that you always use reliable websites; if possible try and avoid Wikipedia-style references which are not considered academically sound by many institutions.

Additionally, you can use footnotes as a way of highlighting other interesting points without cluttering up your main text flow – these often take the form of opinions from experts on a particular subject matter or even personal anecdotes which illustrate key themes better than traditional facts alone might do. If using such techniques make sure that their source is cited clearly so readers can easily trace back any claims made should they wish too!

Significance of Footnotes Incorporating footnotes into a research paper can be an invaluable asset to both the author and reader. For authors, it offers the chance to add supplemental information that may not fit naturally within the main body of work while also providing concrete sources for their claims. This allows readers to gain further insight into the research being presented as well as expand on their understanding by exploring different perspectives.

At first glance, one might view footnote inclusion in a research paper simply as a matter of citation; however, upon closer examination its importance is revealed far beyond mere documentation and compliance with scholarly regulations. By allowing authors to include additional content without disrupting the flow or structure of their writing, footnotes grant them greater flexibility when presenting arguments or adding evidence. Furthermore, these notes enable researchers who have conducted extensive inquiry over particular topics or fields open up pathways for investigation not only through direct connections but also from ideas generated organically from reading supplementary material included at bottom of pages throughout works containing footnotes .

For those researching and writing scholarly papers, understanding the different types of footnote references is key. Footnotes are essential in properly citing sources used throughout a paper – providing credit where it’s due while helping to ensure accuracy.

When looking at research papers with footnotes, three primary types will be encountered: bibliographic notes (or endnotes), explanatory or content notes, and citations.

• Bibliographic Notes: Also known as “endnotes” these include basic information regarding cited sources such as author name(s), year published, title etc.
• Explanatory/Content Notes: These provide additional explanation within your text to help clarify points being made.

In this day and age, citing sources is an essential part of any research paper. Without a proper citation format for the various types of sources used in your paper, it can be difficult to convey credibility as well as accuracy. Luckily, there are specific guidelines available that provide step-by-step instructions on how to apply footnotes within a research project:

• Choose Your Citation Style: Before applying footnotes into your text, you must first determine which style guide works best with your document. Common styles include MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association) and Chicago Manual of Style.
• Be Consistent Throughout Your Paper: Once you have determined which style you will use throughout the document, make sure every footnote follows its set rules – including formatting conventions.

When adding citations via footnotes at the bottom of each page or end notes after all pages have been written out; one should follow the basic structure included by their chosen guidebook. This includes numbering consecutively through out the entire paper along with relevant author’s names and titles being cited when necessary.

For example if quoting from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte published in 1847 using MLA then Footnote 1 would appear as [1]: Bronte , Emily . “Wuthering Heights” 1847 ed., Publication City , Publisher Name , Year Published . In addition remember that depending on your reference source certain elements such as author’s name may require changing order or exclusion altogether so always consult more than one source before finalizing a work!

Locating Helpful Resources Creating well-cited papers can be an intimidating process. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to assist with the task. Research Guides and Articles : Many universities provide their students access to research guides that offer instruction on appropriate citation styles as well as other tips for writing effective academic papers. Additionally, many websites and libraries house helpful articles related to proper citations which may also help guide you through the process.

Online Citations Generators: This tool offers speedy assistance in constructing your paper’s bibliography or reference page without much effort from you! All you have to do is input your source information (such as article title, author name etc.) into the generator and it will create a properly formatted citation for any style needed (APA, MLA or Chicago). Several free generators exist online such as EasyBib[1] . However certain subscriptions services allow users more features so it’s best to find one tailored specifically toward your needs.

[1]EasyBib website – https://www.easybib.com/

When working with research papers and their notes, there are a few commonly-encountered challenges that researchers should be aware of. It is important to keep these in mind when tackling any type of research project.

Research papers can become incredibly dense and disorganized quickly if not managed properly. Keeping track of references and sources used as well as keeping the text formatted consistently can help ensure an organized paper at the end. Additionally, it’s helpful to create outlines or sketches while writing so that ideas don’t become too scattered. Another key aspect to consider when organizing your work is making sure all footnotes have been added where necessary throughout the document [1] . Even though they take up extra space on a page, having complete footnotes adds credibility to your argument by allowing readers easy access for checking citations themselves [2] .

[1]: Smith, J., & Davis M., (2014). Footnote Guide. New York City: Academic Publisher Press Inc.. [2]: Scopino Jr., T., Veltkamp R., & Chyba C.(2005) The Importance Of Writing Clear Footnotes In Research Papers . Oxford University Press

In academic writing, adhering to professional standards is essential for creating effective scholarly documents. It not only helps maintain the quality of research papers but also provides an understanding of best practices when it comes to style and formatting. According to Brown & Edwards (2020), “Good adherence to structure and format helps create a professional-looking paper that is taken seriously by your peers”. 1

The use of correct language, proper grammar and punctuation in conjunction with appropriate referencing styles are all required when composing these kinds of documents. Academic journals often have their own specific formatting requirements as well which should be followed if submitting for publication or review. 2

For example: citing sources correctly, using consistent font sizes throughout the text body, making sure images fit on the page properly etc.

• (1) : Brown, C., & Edwards M. (2020). Professional Document Writing Techniques For The Classroom.
• (2) : Bateson T., et al., (2018). How To Prepare A Scholarly Paper For Submission To An International Journal.

This article has provided a comprehensive guide to the use of footnotes in research papers, focusing on why and how these references should be used. As this style is often dictated by an academic institution, it can be beneficial for researchers to become familiar with accepted practices when compiling their work. Ultimately, the inclusion of properly formatted footnotes serves as essential support for writers engaging in scholarly writing. With this knowledge firmly under one’s belt, authors are well equipped to employ effective citation styles that will strengthen their research paper and help solidify its credibility amongst peers.

What Are Footnotes and How Do You Use Them?

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Written by  Scribendi

While reading a book or article, have you ever noticed little numbers placed at the ends of some sentences?

These numbers usually appear as superscripts and correspond with numbers placed at the bottom of the page, next to which appears further information that is both necessary and supplementary. Sometimes this information will come in the form of citations, but sometimes it will simply present additional notes about the topic at hand.

These citations and explanations are called "footnotes" (because they appear in the footer of the page). Take a look at the example below to see where footnotes appear on a page:

We've outlined how to use footnotes below. Check it out!

1. What Are Footnotes?

2. footnotes vs. endnotes, 2.1 should i use footnotes or endnotes, 3. how to do footnote citations, 3.1 in-text citations, 3.2 footnotes, 4. how to use footnotes in essays, 4.1 style guides, 4.1.1 modern language association (mla), 4.1.2  american psychological association (apa), 4.1.3  chicago manual of style (cms), 5. technical guide to using footnotes, 5.1 how to add footnotes in microsoft word, 5.2 how to add footnotes in google docs, 6. final tips and tricks .

Footnotes are notes that are placed at the end of a page and used to reference parts of the text (generally using superscript numbers). Writers use footnotes for several purposes, including  citations , parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more.

Now that you understand what footnotes are, you might be wondering: why use them? The truth is, long explanatory notes can be difficult for readers to trudge through (especially when they occur in the middle of a paper). Providing this information is necessary, but doing so in the main text can disrupt the flow of the writing.

Imagine if every time an author wanted to provide a citation, the entire citation had to be written out at the end of the sentence, like this (Anthony Grafton, The Footnote: A Curious History [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999] 221). Books would become much longer and reading would be much more tedious. That's why footnotes are so useful: they let authors provide the required information without disrupting the flow of ideas.

While footnotes are a great resource for sharing information without clogging up the writing, it's important to note that certain style guides restrict when footnotes can be used. We'll get into that soon!

Unsure how to edit your paper? Contact the Scribendi team for professional proofreading .

Authors can also use endnotes to avoid disrupting their writing with extraneous information. Both serve similar purposes; the main difference lies in their location in your text. Here's a closer look at how both footnotes and endnotes work.

• Identified in the main text with a small superscript number
• Used for citations, parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more
• Provide the correlating notes at the bottom of the same page
• Identified in the main text with a small superscript number (like footnotes)
• Used for citations, parenthetical information, outside sources, copyright permissions, background information, and more (like footnotes)
• Found collectively at the end of an article, chapter, or document (unlike footnotes)

When deciding  whether to use footnotes or endnotes , authors must consider three main factors:

• The style guide being used (as some require either footnotes or endnotes)
• The number of notes being included (as having too many footnotes on each page can be distracting)
• Which option will be more convenient for the reader

To make a footnote citation, label the area of your text that you need to reference with a number (if it's your first footnote, start with "1."). At the bottom of the page, include this number with the citation. When readers see the number in the text, they know they can find the source by looking for the corresponding footnote.

Here's an example of a quoted piece of text using in-text citations vs. footnotes.

"Like the high whine of the dentist's drill, the low rumble of the footnote on the historian's page reassures" ( The Footnote: A Curious History [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press], 1999. pg. 1).

"Like the high whine of the dentist's drill, the low rumble of the footnote on the historian's page reassures." 1

[Text continues]

Bottom of the page:

1. The Footnote: A Curious History [Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press], 1999. pg. 1

The exact format of your footnote depends on   the style guide  you're following. Here are some of the most common style guides for writing papers, as well as the footnote rules for each one.

Of the major style guides, The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) uses footnotes most often. However, footnotes are occasionally employed in other style guides as well. The main difference is that, while CMS uses footnotes for citation purposes, the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) generally rely on them for the provision of additional information.

While MLA style discourages the use of long footnotes or endnotes, the style guide does permit their use for directing readers to other pertinent information on a relevant subject.

The guide recommends that superscript numbers within the text are placed outside any punctuation that might be present (i.e., after a period if the note is at the end of a sentence and after a comma if the note is at the end of a clause). The exception to this is that the superscript numbers should be placed before dashes.

• When a footnote must be placed at the end of a clause, 1 add the number after the comma.
• When a footnote must be placed at the end of a sentence, add the number after the period. 2
• Numbers denoting footnotes should always appear after punctuation, with the exception of one piece of punctuation 3 —the dash.

4.1.2 American Psychological Association (APA)

Like MLA, APA discourages the use of footnotes unless absolutely necessary. Even then, the guide recommends that footnotes only be used to provide content notes (such as providing brief, supplemental information about the text or directing readers to additional information) and to denote copyright permissions. The rules regarding placement of the in-text numbers is the same in APA as in MLA.

4.1.3 The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

Of the three main style guides described here, CMS relies on footnotes the most. While CMS does allow the author–date system of in-text referencing (i.e., providing the author's name and the date of publication in parentheses at the end of the phrase, clause, or sentence that references the work), it also offers a citation style in which footnotes or endnotes are employed. In both cases, bibliographies are also required. Whether an author should use the author–date system or footnotes is often decided by the author's professor, journal, or publisher.

As an example, if footnotes are used, the following format should be adhered to when referencing a book in CMS:

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To use footnotes in your own book, essay, or article, you must first decide on the most appropriate and logical placement of your footnotes in the text. Add numbers according to your chosen style guide, and be sure to add the numbers directly after the phrase, clause, or sentence to which the corresponding footnote refers.

Most online writing programs (such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs) come with easy-to-use tools for inserting footnotes. Here are step-by-step guides to using footnotes in both these programs.

5.2 How to Add Footnotes in Microsoft Word

Here's how to use footnotes in Microsoft Word 2021:

• Click on the place in the text where you want the first footnote to appear.
• Under the References tab, you'll see the following symbol: AB.1. Beneath this symbol is a button with the words, "Insert Footnote." Click it to create your first footnote.
• After you click that button, two numbers should appear: one number should appear in the main text, and the corresponding number should appear at the bottom of the page.
• Write your citation or additional information next to the number that appears in the footer. Format the information according to the rules of your style guide.
• You can easily return to your place in the text by clicking the number at the beginning of the footnote.

Congrats! You've created your first footnote. You can also adjust the footnote settings (like the numbering) by clicking the arrow beside the Footnotes group. It's really that easy!

Here's how to use footnotes on Google Docs:

• Under the Insert tab, click on "Footnotes."

All you really have to do to create footnotes is click a button—it couldn't be easier!

6. Final Tips and Tricks

To  improve your writing  and avoid cluttering the page, you should use footnotes sparingly and only to provide helpful additions or citations. As previously noted, this information may be considered supplementary, which is why it's best to place it away from the main portion of your writing.

When creating your footnotes, always keep reader convenience in mind, and remember that the footnotes are there to convey helpful information. If your footnotes are excessive or unnecessary, readers are likely to become annoyed—they may even be distracted from the main points of your writing.

Now that you're no longer asking "What are footnotes?" and you know how to use them according to various style guides, footnotes can become a great asset to you as a writer. Be sure to follow the recommendations above, as well as those of your preferred style guide, to ensure that you're using footnotes to their best effect. Don't forget—if you ever need help with writing, our academic articles are here for you!

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How to Write Footnotes

Information on how to write footnotes and endnotes. Footnotes, a type of citation format, are most often used for history and philosophy papers. As such, scientists rarely encounter it, but it is still useful to know how to follow the practice.

This article is a part of the guide:

• Outline Examples
• Example of a Paper
• Write a Hypothesis
• Introduction

Browse Full Outline

• 1 Write a Research Paper
• 2 Writing a Paper
• 3.1 Write an Outline
• 3.2 Outline Examples
• 4.1 Thesis Statement
• 4.2 Write a Hypothesis
• 5.2 Abstract
• 5.3 Introduction
• 5.4 Methods
• 5.5 Results
• 5.6 Discussion
• 5.7 Conclusion
• 5.8 Bibliography
• 6.1 Table of Contents
• 6.2 Acknowledgements
• 6.3 Appendix
• 7.1 In Text Citations
• 7.2 Footnotes
• 7.3.1 Floating Blocks
• 7.4 Example of a Paper
• 7.5 Example of a Paper 2
• 7.6.1 Citations
• 7.7.1 Writing Style
• 7.7.2 Citations
• 8.1.1 Sham Peer Review
• 8.1.2 Advantages
• 8.1.3 Disadvantages
• 8.2 Publication Bias
• 8.3.1 Journal Rejection
• 9.1 Article Writing
• 9.2 Ideas for Topics

Many biology journals, for example, prefer footnotes because they allow annotation of the in-text citation on the same page.

Whilst footnotes are a little more cumbersome than the 'author/date' system, they are useful where sources require elaboration and short explanatory notes.

What is a Footnote

The footnote takes the form of a superscripted number, just after a paraphrased piece of information. Subsequently, a cross-reference to this number is inserted at the bottom of the same page.

In fact, for dissertations and theses, many writers use footnotes to keep track of their citations , adding a short note of what exactly each one adds to the paper.

Once the paper is complete, the writer converts them to endnotes at the end or every chapter, or even removes them all together, and uses a standard APA or MLA bibliography instead.

Automatically Inserting Footnotes

The reason that footnotes are still popular in some fields is that most word processing programs now include a function that makes it very easy to include footnotes in any paper.

In Microsoft Word, clicking Insert > Reference > Footnote allows you to insert footnotes automatically, and automatically numbers them. This function is so useful, that even if you cut and paste, and swap information around, it automatically adjusts the footnotes.

This is why it is an excellent resource for keeping track of your sources during the course of a research paper .

How to Write Footnotes - Protocols

If you are using footnotes, the common convention is to insert a full citation, including author, year and the title of the book, followed by the page number. Afterwards, the surname of the author and the page number is sufficient.

Older journals often use the word ibid, to show that a footnote uses the same source as the previous one, but this has become much rarer.

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Martyn Shuttleworth (Nov 21, 2009). How to Write Footnotes. Retrieved Jun 10, 2024 from Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/how-to-write-footnotes

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How to Format Your Research Paper

• APA 7 Paper Format
• MLA Paper Format
• Chicago Paper Format

How to Create Footnotes

• Hanging Indents
• Ask a Librarian

What Are They

Footnotes are short numbered notes that are placed at the bottom of the page in an essay or article. They are used for a variety of reasons including, citing materials, providing notes on a source or topic, and to acknowledge copyright status. 

Although you will find footnotes in many journal articles, they are not typically required in APA or MLA formatted essays. They are most heavily used when applying the CMOS style. 

For information on footnotes in the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  see section 2.13 "Footnotes.". For information on using footnotes with MLA see the " Using Notes in MLA Style " article from the MLA Style Center .  For information on footnotes in  The Chicago Manual of Style  see Chapter 14 "Notes and Bibliography."

Using Google Docs:

• Cómo incorporar notas al calce en Google Docs Vea éste video en español.

Using Microsoft Word:

• Cómo incorporar notas al calce en Microsoft Word Vea éste video en español.
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• Next: Hanging Indents >>
• Last Updated: Mar 29, 2024 2:49 PM
• URL: https://necc.mass.libguides.com/formatting

To cite this LibGuide use the following templates:

APA : Northern Essex Community College Library. (Date updated). Title of page . Title of LibGuide. URL

MLA : Northern Essex Community College Library. "Title of Page." Title of LibGuide, Date updated, URL.

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Princeton University Library

Footnotes made easy.

• Secondary sources

Archives and manuscripts

Interviews and oral history, government documents, journals and newspapers.

• Frequently-asked questions
• Using Zotero at Princeton This link opens in a new window

In citing correspondence from manuscript collections, give the full names of the writer and recipient, the date the letter was written, and the manuscript collection in which it may be found. The first time a collection is cited, its name should be given in full and its location should be indicated.  Subsequent citations should abbreviate the name of the collection and omit location of the collection.  For example:

• 9.  James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, May 6, 1791, Andre De Coppet Collection, Firestone Library, Princeton University.
• 10.  James Madison to George Washington, Feb. 18, 1788, De Coppet Collection.
• 11. Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 11 September 1801, Thomas Jefferson Collection, Folder 20, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library.

In the case of large collections, you should indicate the number of the box (or designation of the file) in which the cited material may be found.  For example:

• 12.  Adlai E. Stevenson to John F. Kennedy, Jan. 12, 1961, Adlai E. Stevenson Papers, Box 310, Seeley G. Mudd Library, Princeton University.

Bibliography

• Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Record Group 218. National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C.
• Stevenson, Adlai E.  Papers.  Seeley G. Mudd Library, Princeton University.
• Thomas Jefferson Collection. Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
• Triangle Club Records, 1883-2008, University Archives, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library.

Chicago says

• 14.232 Overview and additional resources
• 14.233 Note forms versus bibliography entries
• 14.234 Specific versus generic titles for manuscript collections
• 14.235 Dates for manuscript collections
• 14.236 Folios, page numbers, and such for manuscript collections
• 14.237 “Papers” and “manuscripts”
• 14.238 Location of depositories
• 14.239 Collections of letters and the like
• 14.240 Examples of note forms for manuscript collections
• 14.241 Examples of bibliography entries for manuscript collections
• 14.242 Letters and the like in private collections
• 14.218 Interviews and personal communications—order of attribution
• 14.219 Unpublished interviews
• 14.220 Unattributed interviews
• 14.221 Published or broadcast interviews
• 14.222 Personal communications
• 14.223 Electronic mailing lists

Note: if you are planning to conduct oral history interviews as part of your research, you should discuss your project in detail with your advisor to determine whether if falls under the University's Human Subjects Research policies.

The Oral History Association has published guidelines on their web site at http://www.oralhistory.org/do-oral-history/principles-and-practices/ . See also the Smithsonian's Oral History Interviewing Guide , which includes a sample release form.

Finally, there are a number of handbooks for oral history: The oral history manual. Barbara W. Sommer and Mary Kay Quinlan. 2nd ed. Lanham, MD : AltaMira Press, c2009. (from the American Association for State and Local History) History Reference (SH) D16.14 .S69 2009

For legal and government documents, the Bluebook now supersedes the style of older Chicago editions: The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation . 20th ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Law Review Association, 2015. Trustee Reading Room Reference (DR): Ready Ref. K50 .xU64 [and many other locations]

U.S. government documents: bibliography examples

• U.S. Congress. House. Committee on Naval Affairs. Hearings on H.R. 9218 . 75th Cong., 3rd sess., 1938.
• U.S. Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944. Vol. 4, Europe . Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1966.

United States government documents

• 14.288 Cases or court decisions—basic elements
• 14.289 United States Supreme Court decisions
• 14.290 Lower federal-court decisions
• 14.291 State- and local-court decisions
• 14.292 Constitutions
• 14.293 Legislative documents—abbreviations
• 14.294 Laws and statutes
• 14.295 Bills and resolutions
• 14.296 Hearings
• 14.297 Congressional reports and documents
• 14.298 Congressional debates since 1873
• 14.299 Records of congressional debates before 1873
• 14.300 State laws and municipal ordinances
• 14.301 Presidential documents
• 14.302 Treaties
• 14.303 Secondary sources and freestanding publications
• 14.304 Unpublished government documents

British government documents

• 14.310 UK legal cases
• 14.311 UK parliamentary publications
• 14.312 UK statutes
• 14.313 Publication of UK parliamentary debates
• 14.314 UK command papers
• 14.315 Unpublished UK government documents
• 14.316 Intergovernmental bodies
• 14.317 International legal and public documents online

It is not necessary to cite the volume or issue number of a magazine of general interest.  Note, however, that the abbreviation “p” is required to distinguish clearly between the date of publication and page number.  For example:

• 12.  Michael Rogers, “Software for War, or Peace: All the World’s a Game,” Newsweek , Dec. 9, 1985, p. 82.    

For reference to a newspaper, the name of the paper and date usually are sufficient. However, for large newspapers, particularly those made up of sections,  it is desirable to give the page number.  For example: 

• 13.  Washington Globe , Feb. 24, 1835; Richmond Enquirer, May 15, 1835.
• 14.  New York Times , Oct. 24, 1948, p. 17.
• New York Times , 1921-1923
• 14.199 Citing magazines by date
• 14.200 Online magazine articles
• 14.201 Magazine article titles
• 14.202 Magazine departments
• 14.203 Newspaper citations—basic elements
• 14.204 Newspaper headlines
• 14.205 Regular columns
• 14.206 Citing in text rather than in a bibliography
• 14.207 Unsigned newspaper articles
• 14.208 Letters to the editor
• 14.209 Weekend supplements, magazines, and the like
• 14.210 Names of newspapers
• 14.211 Names of foreign newspapers
• 14.212 News services
• 14.213 News releases
• << Previous: Secondary sources
• Next: Frequently-asked questions >>
• Last Updated: Dec 19, 2023 1:33 PM
• URL: https://libguides.princeton.edu/history/footnotes

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• Knowledge Base
• MLA footnotes and endnotes

MLA Footnotes & Endnotes | Format & Examples

Published on August 23, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on March 5, 2024 by Jack Caulfield.

MLA style requires you to cite sources using MLA in-text citations , not notes. However, you can still use footnotes or endnotes in MLA style for other purposes:

Citing a lot of sources at once

• Providing any extra explanation needed about your citation or translation practice
• Elaborating on ideas
• Providing additional examples that don’t fit into the main text

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page, while endnotes appear at the end of the paper, just before the Works Cited list. MLA allows the use of either type, but stick to one or the other.

Any sources you cite in your footnotes or endnotes must also be included in your Works Cited list , just like sources in the main text. Scribbr’s free MLA Citation Generator can help you create accurate MLA citations.

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Table of contents

Formatting footnotes and endnotes in mla, explaining citation or translation practice, using notes to elaborate on ideas, providing more examples in notes, frequently asked questions about mla notes.

Both footnotes and endnotes are indicated by superscript numbers. The number usually appears at the end of a sentence, after the period.

If you need to use a note in the middle of a sentence to avoid ambiguity, place the number directly after a punctuation mark (with the exception of the dash , where the number comes before).

Four main factors have been determined as possible characteristics of any successful fictional work: 6 popularity, enduring fame, commercial success and scholarly appeal. Each of the case studies must possess at least one of these. 7

The note itself begins with the corresponding number, again in superscript, followed by a space, and then the content of the note. Notes should be in the same font as the rest of your document, but a smaller font size; the first line of each note is slightly indented.

Your word processing program should allow you to automatically insert footnotes .

Formatting the endnotes page

If you are using endnotes, list them on a separate page directly before the Works Cited list. The title (“Notes” or “Endnotes”) appears centered at the top of the page. Like the rest of an MLA format paper , the endnotes should be double-spaced.

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When you have a lot of sources to cite at once, you can save space in your text by placing them in a note instead. These can be sources for a statement you made in the text, or sources providing supplementary information relevant to the discussion.

Note that you don’t need to use parentheses around the page numbers when the note just consists of a list of sources.

When there’s any important information that might not be immediately obvious from your citations, you can explain it in a note at the first point where it comes up.

For example, you might use your own translations for some texts but not others, or you might cite different editions of a text in different ways. These details can be clarified in notes where relevant.

When you mention something in passing but think more information may be useful to the reader, you can add the extra information, as well as related sources if relevant, in a note.

Bear in mind that long notes with superfluous information can be distracting for readers. Use notes of this kind sparingly, and keep them brief. If a piece of information is essential to your point, you should usually include it in the main text.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Sometimes you have more examples than you can smoothly fit into your text. In those cases, it can be worth placing further examples in a note, if you think they add something to your point. You might also provide a counterexample to acknowledge the limitations of your argument.

No, you should use parenthetical MLA in-text citations to cite sources. Footnotes or endnotes can be used to add extra information that doesn’t fit into your main text, but they’re not needed for citations.

If you need to cite a lot of sources at the same point in the text, though, placing these citations in a note can be a good way to avoid cluttering your text.

In MLA style , footnotes or endnotes can be used to provide additional information that would interrupt the flow of your text.

This can be further examples or developments of ideas you only briefly discuss in the text. You can also use notes to provide additional sources or explain your citation practice.

You don’t have to use any notes at all; only use them to provide relevant information that complements your arguments or helps the reader to understand them.

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page.  Endnotes appear in a list at the end of the text, just before the reference list or bibliography. Don’t mix footnotes and endnotes in the same document: choose one or the other and use them consistently.

In Chicago notes and bibliography style , you can use either footnotes or endnotes, and citations follow the same format in either case.

In APA and MLA style , footnotes or endnotes are not used for citations, but they can be used to provide additional information.

Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :

• To cite information from a single numbered note, write “n” after the page number, and then write the note number, e.g. (Smith 105n2)
• To cite information from multiple numbered notes, write “nn” and include a range, e.g. (Smith 77nn1–2)
• To cite information from an unnumbered note, write “un” after the page number, with a space in between, e.g. (Jones 250 un)

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2024, March 05). MLA Footnotes & Endnotes | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/footnotes-and-endnotes/

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How to use footnotes and endnotes in academic papers.

• Charlesworth Author Services
• 28 January, 2022

How to use and write Footnotes and Endnotes in academic papers

Research papers and reports often include adjuncts such as charts and graphs, tables , diagrams, a hierarchy of headings, citations and references etc. Notes – whether footnotes or endnotes – are an important adjunct. They primarily serve the role of supplying additional information , which, if weaved into the main text, may reduce its ease of readability .

Footnotes vs. endnotes

• Location : By definition, footnotes appear at the foot of a page on which appears the text they support. Endnotes are placed at the end of a paper, a chapter or a book.
• Space : Footnotes, being located at the bottom of each individual page, are constrained by the amount of space available, whereas endnotes, located right at the end of the text, are afforded much more ample room.
• Amount of information (and flow) : The above point (space) is a useful distinction that tells readers what to expect. Footnotes offer small bits of information that you can choose to take in without breaking stride. You could take a quick look and return to the main text on the same page. On the other hand, endnotes may sometimes contain sizeable amounts of information, but you do not have to interrupt your reading of the main text. You can choose to read them once you have reached the end of the document.

Footnotes: Examples

As discussed, footnotes comprise small bits of information short enough to take in at a glance. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the function of footnotes.

• A text may mention the name of an organisation and use a footnote to explain that the organisation had a different name in the past.
• A text may mention a certain sum of money in Korean Won, and the corresponding footnotes will indicate the equivalent sum in US dollars. 

Endnotes: Examples

As discussed too, endnotes can comprise much longer parcels of information. Here too are a couple of examples to illustrate the use of endnotes.

• While you may describe a certain method in your main text, you might use an endnote to outline in more detail some other tangential studies , perhaps from a slightly different field, which used that same method , the results they produced and why this may be of interest.
• You might cite an important quotation within the main body of your text and then include in a related endnote the full paragraph or section from which that quotation was taken, thus enabling interested readers to explore the wider context and additional insights if they wish. 

Usage in academic papers and digital documents

As an author of an academic paper, you can choose between footnotes and endnotes depending on how much additional information you want to give. Be aware, however, that footnotes and endnotes, especially endnotes, are virtually never used in research papers in the physical and biological sciences . They may sometimes be used in the social sciences and are more commonly seen in the humanities .

In digital documents, the distinction between footnotes and endnotes and their placement is less important, because the additional information can be connected to the main text with hyperlinks .

Writing footnotes and endnotes

• Superscripts and symbols : Within the main text, both footnotes and endnotes are typically signalled, or announced, using superscript numbers, although, for footnotes, other symbols such as a star or an asterisk (*), a dagger or obelisk (†), a double dagger or diesis (‡), a section mark (§), a pilcrow or blind p (¶), and so on are also employed, usually in that order. Do note that these symbols are never used with endnotes .
• Numbers : With numbered footnotes, the sequence either begins afresh on each page or can be continued throughout within a paper, a chapter (e.g. if the book has chapters by different contributors) or a book. Endnotes are always numbered and the sequence is always continuous .
• Heading for endnotes : Note that the heading for endnotes, when all of them are gathered at the end, is simply ‘Notes’ and not ‘Endnotes’.
• Footnotes for tables : Table titles, column or row headings, or specific cells within a table can all carry footnotes. Those footnotes are explained at the foot of the table in question and not at the foot of a page on which the table appears.

As a scholar, try to familiarise yourself with the idea of notes and their related mechanics as early on in your writing process as possible. These details can seem numerous at first, but once you master them, you will be able to spontaneously incorporate them into your writing.

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Footnotes in a Research Paper: Why They Matter and How to Use Them

• by Sean Brown
• October 29, 2023

Accurately citing sources is a crucial aspect of any research paper. As researchers, we rely on the work of others to support and strengthen our arguments. But how do we give credit where credit is due without disrupting the flow of our own writing? This is where footnotes come into play.

In this blog post, we will explore the purpose of footnotes in a research paper and why they are an essential tool for any serious scholar. We will delve into questions such as why footnotes and endnotes are important, how to create a list of footnotes, and the difference between footnotes and a bibliography. So, whether you’re a student aiming for academic excellence or a seasoned researcher looking to enhance the credibility of your work, this post will provide you with valuable insights on how to effectively incorporate footnotes into your writing.

So, grab your pens and get ready to unravel the mystery behind footnotes. Let’s dive in!

What is the Purpose of Footnotes in a Research Paper

In a world filled with abbreviations and acronyms, footnotes are like the quirky cousin who doesn’t quite fit in. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they serve an important purpose in the realm of research papers. So, let’s put on our detective hats and uncover the mystery behind footnotes!

Establishing Credibility with Sources

Footnotes play a crucial role in research papers by providing a way to cite and acknowledge the sources used. They give your work a hefty dose of credibility, sort of like adding sprinkles to an already delicious cupcake. By including footnotes, you show that you’ve done your homework and borrowed insights from respected experts in the field, making your paper stand tall amidst a sea of academic work.

Avoiding the Dreaded Plagiarism Monster

Plagiarism, the monster that strikes fear into the hearts of all honest researchers. Footnotes act as your trusty sidekick, helping you steer clear of this dreaded creature. When you include a footnote, you’re essentially saying, “Hey, reader, I got this idea from someone else. I’m not trying to pull a fast one on you!” It’s like having an alibi for every tidbit of information you include in your research paper.

Digging Deeper into the Rabbit Hole

Footnotes are not just about giving credit where credit is due. They also offer a chance for readers to dive deeper into the rabbit hole of knowledge. Picture yourself as Alice and footnotes as the portals to Wonderland. By including additional information or references in footnotes, you give curious readers the opportunity to explore further, discover new insights, and nerd out on the topic. It’s like leaving them a hidden treasure map that leads to a chest full of intellectual goodies.

Keeping Your Flow Smooth and Steady

Now, you might be thinking, “But footnotes disrupt the flow of my masterpiece!” Fear not, dear writer, for footnotes can actually help maintain a smooth and steady flow. Instead of squeezing lengthy explanations or side thoughts into your main text, you can simply drop them down a rabbit hole (aka a footnote). This helps you maintain a logical and coherent structure in your research paper, while still providing additional context for those who seek it. It’s like having a secret passage that doesn’t clutter up your beautiful writing.

Making Your Life (and Your Reader’s Life) Easier

Imagine reading a research paper without footnotes. You come across an intriguing idea, a pearl of wisdom, or a captivating fact, and you think, “Wait, where did this come from? Where can I find more?” Footnotes save the day by answering these burning questions. They provide a neat little roadmap to the sources you used, making it easy for your curious readers to embark on their own intellectual journey. It’s like being a tour guide for your research paper, ensuring your audience doesn’t get lost along the way.

Footnotes may seem like the oddballs of the research paper world, but they serve a crucial purpose. From establishing credibility to avoiding plagiarism and enhancing readability, footnotes are the unsung heroes of academic writing. So, embrace the quirkiness, my fellow researchers, and let footnotes add that extra oomph to your scholarly endeavors !

FAQ: What is the Purpose of Footnotes in a Research Paper

In the world of academia and research, footnotes play a vital role in providing additional information, citation, and acknowledging the ideas of others. If you’ve ever questioned the significance of footnotes in a research paper, this FAQ-style guide is here to address your queries and shed some light on the subject.

Why are Footnotes and Endnotes Important

Footnotes and endnotes are crucial elements in research papers for several reasons. Firstly, they allow scholars to provide additional commentary , explanations, or references without disrupting the flow of the main text. Secondly, footnotes enable readers to verify the sources and credibility of the information presented. Finally, footnotes demonstrate the author’s depth of research and acknowledge the contributions of other scholars.

How Do You Make a List of Footnotes

Creating a list of footnotes may seem like a daunting task, but fear not! Follow these simple steps to tackle it like a pro:

• Identify the point in the text where a footnote is needed.
• Place a superscript number (e.g., ^1^, ^2^, ^3^) after the relevant word or sentence.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page (or the end of the document) to find the corresponding numbered footnote.
• Write a concise explanation, reference, or commentary for the specific footnote.

The primary purpose of footnotes in a research paper is to provide additional information and acknowledge the sources used. Footnotes serve as a way to substantiate claims, direct readers to relevant resources, and ensure the transparency and credibility of the research conducted. Additionally, footnotes allow authors to expand upon certain points or provide interesting anecdotes that may enhance the reader’s understanding of the topic.

What is the Difference between Footnotes and Bibliography

Here’s the lowdown on the difference between footnotes and bibliography:

Footnotes are short, numbered references that appear at the bottom of each page or at the end of the document. They provide additional information, explanations, or citations for specific points made in the main text.

On the other hand, a bibliography is a separate section at the end of a paper that lists all the sources consulted and cited throughout the research. It provides a comprehensive collection of references for readers who wish to further explore the topic.

How Do You Do a Bibliography for Footnotes

When it comes to creating a bibliography for footnotes, here’s a simple approach:

• Compile a list of all the sources cited in your footnotes.
• Arrange the sources in alphabetical order, based on the author’s last name.
• Include all the necessary information for each source, such as the author’s name, publication title, date, and page numbers.
• Make sure to follow the specific citation style required by your academic institution or publisher, such as MLA, APA, or Chicago style.

Why Do We Need to Acknowledge the Ideas of Others

Acknowledging the ideas of others is not only a matter of academic integrity but also a way to give credit where credit is due. Research builds upon the work of previous scholars, and by recognizing their contributions, you show respect for the intellectual community and avoid plagiarism. Remember, standing on the shoulders of giants not only helps you see further but also establishes trust and credibility in your own research.

What Are the Purposes of Citation

Citation serves several essential purposes in research papers:

Giving credit : Citations acknowledge the original authors whose work you are referencing, ensuring ethical academic conduct.

Validation and credibility : By citing reputable sources, you provide evidence that supports and strengthens your own arguments.

Enabling verification : Readers can locate and review the sources you’ve cited, allowing them to evaluate the validity of your research and explore the topic further.

Building on existing knowledge : Citations provide a platform for future researchers to delve deeper into the topic and contribute new insights.

How Do You Footnote History

When it comes to footnoting history, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Primary sources : In historical research, it’s essential to cite primary sources, such as original documents, letters, diaries, or firsthand accounts, to establish the authenticity of the information presented.

Secondary sources : Referencing credible secondary sources, such as scholarly articles or books, provides additional context, analysis, and interpretations of historical events or periods.

Specificity : Ensure your footnotes include specific page numbers, archival document references, or URLs (if applicable), allowing readers to locate the exact source you used.

What is the Meaning of Footnote

A footnote, quite literally, is a “note at the foot” of a page in a research paper or document. It is a numbered reference that provides additional information, citation, or commentary related to a specific point made in the main text. Footnotes are essential for offering readers an opportunity to explore sources in more detail while maintaining a smooth reading experience.

How Many Footnotes Is Too Many

While footnotes are undeniably valuable, it’s important to strike a balance. Too many footnotes can overload a research paper and distract readers from the main content. As a general rule, use footnotes sparingly, but when they add significant value or provide crucial references, don’t hesitate to incorporate them. Remember, clarity and readability should always be top priorities.

• bibliography
• credibility
• research paper
• researchers
• specific footnote

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Citation & Reference Guide

• Getting Started
• In-Text Citations & Quotations
• Reference List

Footnotes & Quotations

• Bibliography
• Tools and Resources

Every time you use another person's ideas in your assignment, whether you present them in quotations or write them in your own words, you must cite and reference. This page demonstrates how to create citations using the Notes and Bibliography system of the Chicago Citation Style, and how to add quotations to your text. If you are interested in learning about creating references for your bibliography, please consult the   Bibliography page. 

For more information on citing in the Notes and Bibliography system, and quoting, please consult chapter 14 of The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition, 2017).

Footnotes  (to go to the Quotations section, click here )

General Information 

The Chicago Notes and Bibliography Citation Style uses footnotes for the citation of sources in the text:

• Insert a superscript number after the clause or sentence you wish to cite in your assignment. This number refers the reader to a note starting with the same number at the bottom of the same page , also known as a footnote. A footnote offers information on the source being cited, such as the author's name, the title of the work, the year and place of publication, and the page(s) from which a specific piece of information originated. 
• In the Chicago Notes and Bibliography style, it is also possible to use endnotes instead of footnotes. They are distinguished by their location. Footnotes can be found at the bottom of the relevant page, whereas endnotes are located at the end of a chapter or a document. Since footnotes are most commonly used by students at Saint Paul University, this guide focuses on that particular note style.
• When a superscript number is found at the end of a sentence, it is placed after the final punctuation mark. When a superscript number is found at the end of a quote, it is placed after the final quotation mark.
• Place an indent of 5 spaces (1 cm) on the first line of every footnote. Do not indent subsequent lines.
• Separate the different components of a footnote (author's name, title of the work, date of publication, etc.) by commas.

Single space footnotes internally. Put double spaces between footnotes.

For example:

In the body of your text:

Studies demonstrate that team building activities are essential to having a harmonious workplace. 1 Polish researchers, in particular, recommend “reserving an afternoon for employees during which they are able to enjoy and collaborate on an activity, whether it is playing board games or taking part in sports.” 2 This is a strategy (which is explained in great detail by Johnson) 3 that was very popular in the 1970s.

At the bottom of the same page:

_______________________________________

 1. Jill E. Cumberland, An Introduction to Team Management (New York: MBA Press, 2005), 22.

       2.  Lara Bobienski and Anatol Kaczka, "Building Stronger Teams in the Corporate World," Management Monthly 34, no. 2 (2014): 134, doi:10.1045/rmh0000009.

           3.  Harold Johnson, "Team Building Games," in Increasing Team Spirit in the Workplace , eds. Juliet L. Burns and Cara Watson (Sudbury, ON: White Water, 2005), 334-50.

Full and Short Form of Footnotes

The first time you cite a source in your work, the full form of the footnote must be given, which includes the author's full name, the title of the work, and the publication information.  A short form is presented in subsequent citations. In this case, the family name, a shortened version of the title (if longer than four words), and the page number(s) are given. Omit the initial A or The, and only include the significant words of the short form of the title.

Here's an example for an online journal article:

     1. Trevor Devine, "Relations Between Europe and the Middle East During the Middle Ages: The Case of the Holy Roman Empire," World History and Archaeology Journal 118, no, 3 (2010): 364-65, http://www.whaj.com/issues/index.

     14. Devine, "Relations Between Europe,"  370.

In the case above, Devine's work was cited at the beginning of the research paper and, again, a few pages later.

Footnote Types

For footnote types, see the Chicago Citations and References  page. 

• Short direct quotations are quotes that are less than 100 words. You need to put short quotations in quotation marks, and indicate the quote by using a subscript number. You will then include a citation in your footnotes section for the quote. You will also need to create a full reference in your bibliography. 

Mitchell investigates “possible causal pathways connecting genetic replicators and social behaviors.” 1

(taken from https://getproofed.com)

• Long direct quotations are quotes that are more than 100 words. You need to start a new paragraph for a long direct quotation, and you do not use quotation marks. The quote is indented 0.5 from the margin and is a freestanding block of text. You will also need to include a footnote and a full reference in your bibliography. 

Discussing genetics and behavior, Mitchell writes that:

In order to evaluate the legitimacy of such explanations it is, thus, necessary to explicate the variety of possible causal pathways connecting genetic replicators and social behaviors. If phenotypic variation is the direct object of natural selection, one must understand the underlying relationship between the phenotypic expression and genetic replicators to argue that any such phenotypic trait is, or can be, an adaptation.¹

This suggests the relationship between genetics and behavior in animals is…

Sample Citations in Chicago

To find out what citations (footnotes) done in the Chicago Citation Style look like, consult the following link:

Chicago Style: Sample Notes & Bibliography Paper

Abbreviations

Certain words may be abbreviated in your footnotes.

Here is a list of commonly used abbreviations that are accepted in the Chicago Style. For full information on abbreviations, consult chapter 10 of the  The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, 2017 .

Place Names

Here are guidelines for writing place names in your footnotes. A place name is normally found before the name of a publisher to indicate where a specific work was published. The guidelines for place names can be found in sections 8.44-8.59 (pp. 478-485) of The Chicago Manual of Style :

If the city of publication of a work is not well known or may be confused with another city of the same name, include the abbreviation for the state, province, or country in which that city is located. Use the two-letter postal codes for Canadian provinces and territories, and American states. The capital of the United States, Washington, is always followed by the abbreviation "DC". For example:

If the city of publication is well known, an abbreviation for the state, province, or country is not required. For example:

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

A digital object identifier, or DOI, is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to an online article. This code helps you quickly identify and locate that article on the web. Some electronic books can also have DOIs.

A DOI is typically found on the first page of an article/book or in the article/book's record in a database. If you are unable to find it, use the free DOI lookup by crossref.org. Please note that not all online articles and e-books are assigned a DOI.

If a DOI is listed with an electronic article or an e-book, make sure to include it in your footnote. This piece of information will make it easier for readers of your research paper to find that article/book.

Here is an example of a DOI:

     doi:10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225

If you have a DOI number and want to find the article or book that it is associated with, simply enter it in the search box on crossref.org .

                                                                                                                                                                                      [Back to top]

• << Previous: Chicago
• Next: Bibliography >>
• Last Updated: May 1, 2024 2:59 PM
• URL: https://ustpaul.libguides.com/citationstyles

Reference Examples

More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual . Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual .

To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of work (e.g., journal article ) and follow the relevant example.

When selecting a category, use the webpages and websites category only when a work does not fit better within another category. For example, a report from a government website would use the reports category, whereas a page on a government website that is not a report or other work would use the webpages and websites category.

Also note that print and electronic references are largely the same. For example, to cite both print books and ebooks, use the books and reference works category and then choose the appropriate type of work (i.e., book ) and follow the relevant example (e.g., whole authored book ).

Examples on these pages illustrate the details of reference formats. We make every attempt to show examples that are in keeping with APA Style’s guiding principles of inclusivity and bias-free language. These examples are presented out of context only to demonstrate formatting issues (e.g., which elements to italicize, where punctuation is needed, placement of parentheses). References, including these examples, are not inherently endorsements for the ideas or content of the works themselves. An author may cite a work to support a statement or an idea, to critique that work, or for many other reasons. For more examples, see our sample papers .

Reference examples are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 10 and the Concise Guide Chapter 10

Related handouts

• Common Reference Examples Guide (PDF, 147KB)
• Reference Quick Guide (PDF, 225KB)

Textual Works

Textual works are covered in Sections 10.1–10.8 of the Publication Manual . The most common categories and examples are presented here. For the reviews of other works category, see Section 10.7.

• Journal Article References
• Magazine Article References
• Newspaper Article References
• Blog Post and Blog Comment References
• UpToDate Article References
• Book/Ebook References
• Diagnostic Manual References
• Children’s Book or Other Illustrated Book References
• Classroom Course Pack Material References
• Religious Work References
• Chapter in an Edited Book/Ebook References
• Dictionary Entry References
• Wikipedia Entry References
• Report by a Government Agency References
• Report with Individual Authors References
• Brochure References
• Ethics Code References
• Fact Sheet References
• ISO Standard References
• Press Release References
• White Paper References
• Conference Presentation References
• Conference Proceeding References
• Published Dissertation or Thesis References
• Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis References
• ERIC Database References
• Preprint Article References

Data and Assessments

Data sets are covered in Section 10.9 of the Publication Manual . For the software and tests categories, see Sections 10.10 and 10.11.

• Data Set References
• Toolbox References

Audiovisual Media

Audiovisual media are covered in Sections 10.12–10.14 of the Publication Manual . The most common examples are presented together here. In the manual, these examples and more are separated into categories for audiovisual, audio, and visual media.

• Artwork References
• Clip Art or Stock Image References
• Film and Television References
• Musical Score References
• Online Course or MOOC References
• Podcast References
• PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References
• Radio Broadcast References
• TED Talk References
• Transcript of an Audiovisual Work References
• YouTube Video References

Online Media

Online media are covered in Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Publication Manual . Please note that blog posts are part of the periodicals category.

• Facebook References
• Instagram References
• LinkedIn References
• Online Forum (e.g., Reddit) References
• TikTok References
• X References
• Webpage on a Website References
• Clinical Practice References
• Open Educational Resource References
• Whole Website References

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA Sample Paper

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper  ,  APA Sample Professional Paper

This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader

Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student  and  professional  papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.

However, for your convenience, we have provided two versions of our APA 7 sample paper below: one in  student style and one in  professional  style.

Note: For accessibility purposes, we have used "Track Changes" to make comments along the margins of these samples. Those authored by [AF] denote explanations of formatting and [AWC] denote directions for writing and citing in APA 7. 

APA 7 Student Paper:

Apa 7 professional paper:.

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• Emergency preparation, response and recovery
• Fire prevention and rescue
• Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
• Home Office

Fact sheet: Fire doors (regulation 10)

Updated 24 July 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022/fact-sheet-fire-doors-regulation-10

Regulations made under Article 24 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Purpose of this fact sheet

This fact sheet is not guidance and should not be read as such. It is intended to provide information about the regulations to residents and other interested parties.

What we have done

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 made it a legal requirement from 23 January 2023 for responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to:

undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors [footnote 1] (including self-closing devices) in the common parts

undertake – on a best endeavour basis – annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts

The regulations also require responsible persons to provide to residents of all multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises (that have common parts) information on the importance of fire doors to a building’s fire safety.

Why we did this

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry in the Phase 1 report noted that “Fire doors play an essential role in preventing or inhibiting the spread of smoke and toxic gases and in preserving the effective compartmentation of buildings.”

The Inquiry noted that the fire doors in Grenfell Tower did not, through damage and/or disrepair, act in the way that they should so that they prevent smoke and gases from spreading.

The Inquiry recommended (Recommendations 33.29 (a) and (b)) that the owner and manager of every residential building containing separate dwellings carry out an urgent inspection of all fire doors to ensure compliance with current legislative standards and that regular (no less than every three months) checks be carried out to ensure all fire doors are fitted with an effective self-closing device which is in working order.

In addition, the Inquiry recommended (Recommendation 33.30) that all those who have responsibility for the condition of the entrance doors to individual flats in high-rise residential buildings (with unsafe cladding) be required by law to ensure these doors comply with current standards. [footnote 2]

Prior to the Fire Safety Act 2021, flat entrance doors in multi-occupied residential buildings may not have been routinely considered as part of the fire risk assessment process. The Fire Safety Act 2021 has removed the legal ambiguity and confirms that flat entrance doors are in scope of the Fire Safety Order.

The regulations require responsible persons to undertake best endeavour annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of communal doors in multi-occupied residential buildings above 11m.

Information on the importance of fire doors to a building’s fire safety will help to deepen residents’ understanding of their role in keeping their building safe and encourage them to allow responsible persons access to check their flat entrance doors.

Current situation

The checks required under the regulations do not replace the existing duty under the Fire Safety Order for the responsible person to put in place general fire precautions and their duties under Article 17 of the Fire Safety Order in all buildings which are in scope of the Fire Safety Order, regardless of height (see below).

What does “best endeavours” mean?

It will be for responsible persons to determine the best approach to engage with residents in order to get access to undertake the annual checks of flat entrance doors. This could include the responsible person agreeing with residents a date, so access can be granted.

Problems with access

Residents should be encouraged to allow responsible persons access to check their flat entrance doors. Use can be made of the information to residents required by these regulations, or other resident engagement strategies.

If access cannot be achieved, the responsible person should gather evidence of the steps they have taken to discharge this duty. This could include correspondence between the responsible person and resident seeking permission to gain access.

Minimum requirements for inspections of fire doors

Fire doors are crucial in preventing the spread of fire and smoke in buildings.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that flat entrance doors must be considered in the Fire Risk Assessment mandated by the Fire Safety Order. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require regular checks to ensure that self-closing devices are working and the fire doors, including flat entrance doors, are in efficient working order and in good repair. These checks are to ensure that the existing door standard is maintained.

During the fire risk assessment, the assessor may recommend improvements to be made to the door and it will be for the responsible persons to determine how these are implemented. If faults are found with the doors, then it may be necessary to undertake appropriate maintenance to ensure they remain fit for purpose or, where needed, to replace them. However, there is no requirement to replace a fire door simply because it does not meet the current standard under building regulations if the door remains in full working order from a fire safety point of view.

The minimum requirement is for the responsible person to undertake an inspection of the doors to identify any obvious damage or issues. Furthermore, it is not envisaged that those checking the doors carry out a detailed technical examination on the fire resistance of the door (which is a matter for the fire risk assessment), unless it appears that an original fire resisting flat entrance door has been replaced with a non-fire resisting door or it’s visibly damaged in a way that would impact on its performance as fire door. It should not be necessary to engage a specialist for these checks as the responsible person should be able to carry out these checks themselves.

There are several useful guides including government issued guidance available online which can support a responsible person in undertaking checks.

A responsible person should consider:

if there has been any alterations or damage to a door’s glazing apertures or air transfer grille

if there are any gaps around the door frame and that seals and hinges are fitted correctly

that the door closer shuts the door

that the door closes correctly around the whole frame

that there is no visible damage (either deliberate or from wear and tear) to the door or door closer

If any issues are identified from these checks, it might be appropriate to undertake more detailed checks of doors (or the self-closing device) if any damage is identified from the initial inspection. This could include engaging a specialist.

Checks of fire doors in buildings below 11 metres

The regulations do not replace the existing duty for a responsible person to put in place general fire precautions in any premises covered by the Fire Safety Order, regardless of the building’s height.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 has clarified that in any residential building which contains two or more sets of domestic premises are within the scope of the Fire Safety Order.

Responsible persons for residential buildings below 11 metres in height have a duty to put in place general fire precautions in these buildings, this duty includes making sure that all fire doors – including flat entrance doors – are capable of providing adequate protection.

Responsible persons are also required to provide residents in all residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises with information on fire doors.

Information responsible persons should give to residents

The information given to residents should cover the importance of keeping doors closed, that doors and self-closing devices are not tampered with and that any faults or damage to doors should be raised immediately.

Residents will receive this information when they move into a multi-occupied residential building and then on an annual basis.

Does not include the landing doors of lifts.  ↩

Pg. 779 HC 49-IV – The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report - Volume 4 of 4 (PDF, 6.40MB)   ↩

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