You’ll typically only have one footnote per sentence. If you need more than one footnote, place the other footnote at the end of the sentence clause it relates to, outside the closing punctuation. The only exception is if the sentence is broken up by a long dash, in which case, the superscript number goes before the beginning of the dash. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
For some longer papers, such as doctoral theses, footnote numbers may start over with each chapter. If you’re unsure if this is appropriate for your project, discuss it with your editor or advisor. Most word processing apps will maintain sequential numbering for you, provided you use the app’s function for inserting footnotes, rather than trying to type the numbers manually.
You typically have formatting options that allow you to choose numbers, letters, or other symbols to indicate footnotes. You can also change the size or placement of footnotes, although the default option is usually appropriate.
For most style guides, the use of footnotes does not replace the need for a list of references at the end of your paper. Even if a full list of references isn’t strictly required, it can help place your paper in context. [8] X Research source
For example, suppose you’ve paraphrased information from a book by Reginald Daily, titled Timeless wikiHow Examples: Through the Ages. If you were using Chicago style, your footnote citation would look something like this: Reginald Daily, Timeless wikiHow Examples: Through the Ages (Minneapolis: St. Olaf Press, 2010), 115.
For example, suppose later on in your paper you need to cite Reginald Daily’s wikiHow book again. Your shortened citation might look something like this: Daily, wikiHow Examples, 130.
For example, suppose you have a sentence in your text comparing the conclusions in Reginald Daily’s book with the observations in another book on the same topic. Your footnote might look something like this: Reginald Daily, Timeless wikiHow Examples: Through the Ages (Minneapolis: St. Olaf Press, 2010), 115; Mary Beth Miller, The wiki Revolution (New York: New Tech Press, 2018), 48.
For example, if Miller’s work reached a conclusion that was contrary to the conclusion Daily reached, your footnote might look something like this: Reginald Daily, Timeless wikiHow Examples: Through the Ages (Minneapolis: St. Olaf Press, 2010), 115; but see Mary Beth Miller, The wiki Revolution (New York: New Tech Press, 2018), 48. If you believe it would be helpful to your readers, you can add a brief parenthetical comment after the second source that explains why you included it.
For example, suppose you want to include a brief explanation as to why you’re citing Daily’s book, despite the fact that it was published in 2010. Your footnote might look something like this: Reginald Daily, Timeless wikiHow Examples: Through the Ages (Minneapolis: St. Olaf Press, 2010), 115. Although published in 2010, Daily’s work provides a jumping-off point for research in this area.
For example, there may be a basic concept that is beyond the scope of your paper, but important for your readers to understand. You could add a footnote that says “For an explanation of the theory of relativity, see generally” followed by a source or list of sources. Typically, these types of footnotes provide your reader with information on something that is tangential to your paper but could be important to help your readers understand the topic as a whole or place your paper in context.
Some style guides, such as MLA and APA, instruct that parenthetical statements should be included in the main text of your paper, rather than in footnotes. [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
These types of footnotes frequently accompany a quote from a source and may include a citation to the source. For example, if you quoted a source that discussed wikiHow, and you wanted to clarify, you might add a footnote that says “wikiHow examples are used to clarify text in situations where it would be helpful to have a visual cue. Reginald Daily, Timeless wikiHow Examples: Through the Ages (Minneapolis: St. Olaf Press, 2010), 115. "
For example, suppose you are writing a paper about the use of wikiHow articles as sources, and you include a study finding that wikiHow articles are more accurate than articles on major news sites about similar topics. You might add a footnote that says “Despite this fact, the vast majority of professors at public universities in the US do not accept wikiHow articles as sources for research papers. " You can also use footnotes to make a witty remark, which can add humor and lightheartedness to your paper. However, these types of footnotes should be used extremely rarely, and only when appropriate to the subject matter.
