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Chicago Style Guide 17th Edition: Websites, blogs & social media

This referencing style guide is based on the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition. It has many different reference types. It gives detailed examples of how these references should be formatted in the "Notes and Bibliography" style.

Website, blogs & social media

In-Text Citation

Use a superscript number (like this: ¹) in the text at the place where you are indicating that you are citing from a source.

Example: 

In this piece Hayden talks about the benefits of sea swimming, including a sense of togetherness with others in the water.¹


Footnote: 

#. Author First name Last name, “Title of Web Page,” Website Name or Publishing Organisation, publication date or last modified date, access date if no other date available, URL.

Example:

1. Meadhbh Hayden, “My Tips for Swimming in the Irish Sea,” SpunOut.ie,    February 23, 2021, https://spunout.ie/voices/advice/my-tips-swimming-irish-sea. 


Note: If no author is available, publishing organization can be used instead. If neither are available, list the web page title first. Use the first word to choose where to place the reference in your alphabetical listing. Ignore articles such as “A”, “The” or “An” when choosing the location.

Note: Only provide an access date, if date published or last modified dates are unavailable.

Note: Publishing organization does not need to be included if it is the same body as the website name/title/author, as in the case above .

Reference: 

Author Last name, First name. “Title of Web Page." Website name or Publishing organization. Publication date or last modified date, year. Access date if no other date available. URL.

Example:

Hayden, Meadhbh. “My Tips for Swimming in the Irish Sea." SpunOut.ie. February 23, 2021. https://spunout.ie/voices/advice/my-tips-swimming-irish-sea.In-Text Citation: Use a superscript number (like this: ¹) in the text at the place where you are indicating that you are citing from a source.

Blogs, unpublished interviews and personal communications are cited only as notes, unless you cite the source a number of times within your text. Then include it in the bibliography also. If unsure, discuss with your lecturer or module co-ordinator.
 

In-Text Citation: 

Use a superscript number (like this: ¹) in the text at the place where you are indicating that you are citing from a source.

Example:

Italian economist and former member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank Lorenzo Bini Smaghi considers that Basel II has had little long-term effect on the Irish economy.²


Footnote: 

#. Author(s) First name Last name or Screen Name, "Title of Post," Name of Blog, Month Day, Year, URL.

Example:

11. Brendan Walsh, "Lorenzo Bini Smaghi on the Impact of Basel III," Irish Economy, April 2, 2011, http://www.irisheconomy.ie/index.php/2011/04/02/lorenzo-bini-smaghi-on-the-impact-of-basel-iii/.


Note: Inclusion of the word “blog” in brackets after the blog name is optional.

Reference: 

Author(s) Last name, First name or Screen Name, "Title of Post," Name of Blog (blog), Month Day, Year, URL.

Example: 

Walsh, Brendan. “Lorenzo Bini Smaghi on the Impact of Basel III.” Irish Economy (blog). April 2, 2011. http://www.irisheconomy.ie/index.php/2011/04/02/lorenzo-bini-smaghi-on-the-impact-of-basel-iii/.

An in-text citation and footnote are sufficient for social media communications such as Facebook posts/pages. Only include in the bibliography/reference entries if discussing the post(s) in detail in your writing.


In-Text Citation:

Use a superscript number (like this: ¹) in the text at the place where you are indicating that you are citing from a source.

Example:

“Living with Pride,” is an LGBTI+ photographic collection created by activist Christopher Robson.¹


Footnote:

#. Author First name Last name or Facebook page name (Screen name), “Post text/Page Title,” Facebook, Month Day, Year, Time stamp (if required), URL.

Example:

1. Irish Arts Review, “Dublin: Living with Pride,” Facebook, June 11, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/395224270497111/posts/4351208668231965/?sfnsn=mo

Reference: 

Author Last name, First name or Facebook page name (Screen name). “Post text/Page Title.” Facebook, Month Day, Year, Time stamp (if required). URL.

Example:

Irish Arts Review. “Dublin: Living with Pride.” Facebook, June 11, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/395224270497111/posts/4351208668231965/?sfnsn=mo

 

Note: You only need to include the timestamp if you need to distinguish between multiple posts by the same author on the same date.

Note: Include an ellipsis (…) after a post has been shortened. This indicates it included more text.

An in-text citation and footnote are sufficient for social media communications such as tweets. Only include in the bibliography/references if discussing the tweet(s) in detail in your writing.


In-Text Citation:

Use a superscript number (like this: ¹) in the text at the place where you are indicating that you are citing from a source.

Example:

Walsh praises Meaney’s conference paper where Meaney questions the stark contrast in how state commissioned researchers for the Mother and Baby Homes report have been treated compared those who served as eyewitnesses to the report.¹


Footnote:

#. Author First Name Last Name (@Twitter handle), “Post text (160 characters max),” Twitter, Month day, year, time. URL.

Example:

1. Fionnuala Walsh (@Fionnuala88), “@gmeaney asking important questions about what it means to be a commissioned researcher for the State on a project (M & B Homes Report), whose work is valued & published, but…,” Twitter, March 12, 2021, 4:52pm, https://twitter.com/MaryMcAuliffe4/status/1370417537452802059.


Note: You only need to include the timestamp if you need to distinguish between multiple tweets by the same author on the same date.

Note: Include an ellipsis (…) after a tweet that has been shortened. This indicates it included more text.

Reference:

Author Last Name, First Name (@Twitter handle), “Post text (max 160 characters).” Month day, year, timestamp URL.

Example:

Walsh, Fionnuala (@Fionnuala88). “@gmeaney asking important questions about what it means to be a commissioned researcher for the State on a project (M & B Homes Report), whose work is valued & published, but….” Twitter, March 12, 2021, 4:52pm. https://twitter.com/MaryMcAuliffe4/status/1370417537452802059.