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Chicago Format Guidelines

Find document formatting, in-text citation guidance, and more for papers written in Chicago/CMOS style.

Why is Style Important?

Style refers to the guidelines for formatting research papers.  It is a means of protection for writers against accusations of plagiarism.  Style provides a system for referencing sources as a means to credit the source material. 

What Style Do I Use?

The most common styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.  Be sure to ask your instructor which style to use for your papers and projects.  

  • MLA (Modern Language Association): most commonly used to cite sources within the language arts, cultural studies, and other humanities disciplines.
  • APA (American Psychological Association): most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences.
  • Chicago or CMOS (Chicago Manual of Style): most commonly used by those working in literature, history, and the arts.

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