Chicago Internet notes and references

The most recent edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, published in 1993, predates the widespread use of the Internet and gives little guidance on Internet citations. The examples here apply Chicago style to online sources, adding additional date information in recognition of the dynamic nature of online texts.

　　Many citations of online sources in college papers are inadequate. Here's an all-too-common example: www.hoovers.com. What's missing? Lots—information about the type of online resource, a specific URL to a particular document, and data on author, title, when online material was posted, and when you retrieved it （that means when you downloaded or printed the information, not when you wrote it into your paper）. It's important to provide dates because the web is a dynamic medium, with content and web sites constantly changing.

　　References to online documents follow the same basic Chicago format: alphabetization by author, a title, and publication information. One difference: references to online documents typically have two dates, the date the material was published or updated, and the date it was retrieved. Since the web is a dynamic medium with content and web sites constantly changing, it's helpful to your reader to note posting and retrieval dates.

　　The page problem

　　One complication of online documents is that they usually lack page numbers, so it's not easy to point readers to particular passages. In order to direct readers as closely as possible to the right source passage, use whatever divisions the work is formatted in. Look for division numbers, section titles or for words like Introduction and Conclusion. In a pinch count paragraphs: "para. 7."

　　What's your source?

　　Another source of confusion with online documents is the profusion of copies of texts. With the way the Internet works, anyone can post any document, accurate or not, for public access. In general, make sure that if you're quoting from a text you try to track down the copyright holder or other responsible organization, rather than taking the text and URL from a personal page or other idiosyncratic source. For instance, cite government documents from the Government Printing Office's website （http://www.access.gpo.gov/） or similar source. Doing so increases the chances you'll get an accurate copy, and it reassures readers about your scholarly care. For more on online research, see the Nuts and Bolts section on Research and the Internet.

　　Here are the types of electronic sources detailed below:

E1. Private or personal web site
E2. Organizational or corporate web site
E3. Online book
E4. Article in an online journal or magazine
E5. Newspaper article
E6. Government publication
E7. Short work in larger work or database
E8. Other web materials
E9. Forum or conference posting
E10. Email

　　E1. Private or personal web site

　　Footnote/endnote

　　11. Leah Cunningham, "My Mahir Shrine!!" N.d., （17 July 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　Cunningham, Leah. "My Mahir Shrine!!" N.d. （17 July 2000）.

　　Personal web sites are often not listed in the bibliography.

　　E2. Organizational or corporate web site

　　Footnote/endnote

　　7. American Political Science Association, APSANET: The American Political Science Association Online, 1 July 2000, （23 August 2000）.

　　8. Ford Motor Company, home page, 29 September 2000, （29 September 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　American Political Science Association. APSANET: The American Political Science Association Online. 1 July 2000. （23 August 2000）.

　　Ford Motor Company. Home page. 29 September 2000. （29 September 2000）.

　　E3. Online book

　　Footnote/endnote

　　Previously published book

　　3. Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs （1910; online edition, Bartleby.com, 1999）, （15 August 2000）.

　　Online book or book published both online and in print

　　4. Michael Harvey, The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing （Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000）, （15 September 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　Jewett, Sarah Orne. The Country of the Pointed Firs. 1910. Online edition, Bartleby.com, 1999. （15 August 2000）.

　　Harvey, Michael. The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000. （15 September 2000）.

　　E4. Article in an online journal or magazine

　　Footnote/endnote

　　4. David Edelstein, "Pols on Film," Slate Magazine （18 August 2000）, （20 August 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　Edelstein, David. "Pols on Film." Slate Magazine, 18 August 2000. （20 August 2000）.

　　E5. Newspaper article

　　Footnote/endnote

　　5. Maureen Dowd, "Stop That Canoodling!" New York Times on the Web, 20 August 2000, （20 August 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　Dowd, Maureen. "Stop That Canoodling!" New York Times on the Web, 20 Aug. 2000. （20 Aug. 2000）.

　　E6. Government publication

　　Footnote/endnote

　　6. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, "Commission Staff Issues Accounting Bulletin on Revenue Recognition," press release, 3 December 1999, （17 July 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "Commission Staff Issues Accounting Bulletin on Revenue Recognition." Press Release. 3 Dec. 1999. （17 July 2000）.

　　For other kinds of public documents, apply these Internet elements—the URL and retrieval date—to the formats for public documents above.

　　E7. Short work in larger work or database

　　Footnote/endnote

　　7. "Cuckoo Song," in The Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250?900, ed. Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch （1919; online edition, Bartleby.com, 1999）, （16 August 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　"Cuckoo Song." The Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250?900. Ed. Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch. Oxford: Clarendon, 1919. Online edition, Bartleby.com, 1999. （16 August 2000）.

　　If the title of the short work is noted in the body of the paper, the note and bibliographic reference could refer simply to the larger book.

　　E8. Other web materials

　　Footnote/endnote

　　8. "Microstrategy, Inc.," chart, Washington Post, 20 August 2000, （20 August 2000）.

　　Bibliographic entry

　　"Microstrategy, Inc." Chart. Washington Post, 20 August 2000. （20 August 2000）.

　　E9. Forum or conference posting

　　Footnote/endnote

　　9. William Jensen, "Re: Question About Grading Essays," 17 April 2000, （18 July 2000）.

　　Use of the source material in the body of the essay should clarify the nature of the source.

　　Bibliographic entry. Postings not accessible to the public are generally not included in the bibliography. Public postings may be included.

　　E10. Email

　　Footnote/endnote

　　9. Peter Johnson, email to author, 3 October 2000.

　　Bibliographic entry. Following CMS style for personal communications, email is generally not listed in the bibliography （CMS 15.269）.