Where to Insert the Numbered Citation for Chicago Format?

In Chicago style citation format, the numbered citation in the text is a superscript number. I’ve seen many people place this number within the sentence,i.e., before the full stop or comma. However, the correct spot to insert the citation is actually at the end of the sentence, after the punctuation. So it goes directly after the full stop or comma.

Another point to mention is that there should be no space between the citation and the punctuation, so if the sentence ends, the citation goes directly after the period, without any spaces between it and the period. This is the correct way to insert a Chicago-style numbered citation within the main text.

Below is an example of an incorrectly placed citation before the period:

These meanings are present in God’s wisdom, then enter the suprasensible or spiritual world, and afterward become embodied through imagination in auditory or visual form¹.

Below is an example of an incorrectly placed citation after the period, with a space:

These meanings are present in God’s wisdom, then enter the suprasensible or spiritual world, and afterward become embodied through imagination in auditory or visual form. ¹

Below is an example of a citation that is in an incorrect format where it is not superscript:

These meanings are present in God’s wisdom, then enter the suprasensible or spiritual world, and afterward become embodied through imagination in auditory or visual form. 1

Below is an example of a citation that is in an incorrect format where it is not superscript and within square brackets:

These meanings are present in God’s wisdom, then enter the suprasensible or spiritual world, and afterward become embodied through imagination in auditory or visual form. [1]

Finally, below is the same citation but placed correctly right after the full stop:

These meanings are present in God’s wisdom, then enter the suprasensible or spiritual world, and afterward become embodied through imagination in auditory or visual form.¹

A Chicago-style citation must be superscript, pointing to its correct reference entry in the footnotes on the same page where the citation appears. The reference entry is written in its full length form when it appears the first time. Then after that, it should be written in a short form of first author’s last name, title, and page number. This way you do not have to keep repeating the long form of a reference every time it is mentioned. This takes some practice if you are used to working with other citation styles like the common APA, MLA or IEEE formats. But once you get the hang of it, it becomes easy to implement and is actually effective because the reader does not have to go to the end of the manuscript to check the bibliogrpahy, since the corresponding reference entries to each citation in the text is on the same page as the citation. Quite convenient if you ask me.

Also remember that the citation must appear directly after the punctuation at the end of a clause or sentence. There must not be any space between it and the puncutation. The Chicago style is straigtforward and simple to implement in your research work if you follow the correct rules that come along with it.

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