Citation Styles by Discipline: Arts and Humanities

Arts and humanities fields typically use either MLA or Chicago style for citations. MLA is favored in literature and foreign-language fields, while Chicago is preferred in history, art history, and performing arts. 

Entries in the list of works cited are made up of core elements given in a specific order, and there are optional elements that may be included. The core elements in your works cited list are the following, given in the order in which they should appear, followed by the correct punctuation mark. The final element in an MLA reference should end with a period:

1. Author.
2. Title of source.
3. Title of container,
4. Contributor,
5. Version,
6. Number,
7. Publisher,
8. Publication date,
9. Location.

To use this template of core elements, first evaluate what you are citing to see which elements apply to the source. Then list each element relevant to your source in the order given on the template. 

For citations, the Chicago style offers authors the choice between two formats:

• The Notes and Bibliography system: Preferred by many working in the humanities (literature, history, the arts, etc.). Sources are cited in numbered footnotes or endnotes in the text and listed in a separate bibliography.
• The Author-Date system: Often used in the sciences and social sciences. Sources are briefly cited in the text (usually in parentheses, author's last name and year of publication), and matched up with an entry in a reference list with full bibliographic information.

Aside from the use of numbered footnotes vs. parenthetical citations in-text, the two systems share a similar style.

Chicago Style Guides 
This resource provides comprehensive guidance on how to cite a variety of sources in Chicago style.

MLA Citation Guides 
This website is organized by source type and provides details about, and examples of, correct MLA citations.

What Citation Style to Use for History 
This article covers the primary citation styles used in history.

What Citation Style to Use for Literature 
This article discusses the most common styles used in literary research.

What Citation Style to Use for Philosophy 
This piece discusses the major citation styles used in philosophy.