What is the difference between citations and footnotes

In general, to avoid interrupting the continuity of the text, footnote numbers are placed at the end of the sentence, clause, or phrase containing the quoted or paraphrased material. Depending on the writing style used in your class, endnotes may take the place of a list of resources cited in your paper or they may represent non-bibliographic items, such as comments or observations, followed by a separate list of references to the sources you cited and arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.

If you are unsure about how to use endnotes, consult with your professor. In general, the use of footnotes in most academic writing is now considered a bit outdated and has been replaced by endnotes, which are much easier to place in your paper, even with the advent of word processing programs. However, some disciplines, such as law and history, still predominantly utilize footnotes. Consult with your professor about which form to use and always remember that, whichever style of citation you choose, apply it consistently throughout your paper.

NOTE: Always think critically about the information you place in a footnote or endnote. Ask yourself, is this supplementary or tangential information that would otherwise disrupt the narrative flow of the text or is this essential information that I should integrate into the main text? If you are not sure, it's better to work it into the text. Too many notes imply a disorganized paper.

Guides readers directly and instantly to the citation or the idea related to the specific part of information. Does not take time to find the note at the back of the paper to link the footnote to the subject of the text. Every time you quote someone or mention a fact that needs backing up, put a note number right there in the text. In your notes, write your sources.

Books and articles have slightly different formats. Endnotes and footnotes are exactly the same except for where you put them. Your instructor will probably tell you which to use. Published on July 17, by Courtney Gahan. Revised on May 31, Footnotes are superscript numbers 1 placed within the body of text. They can be used for two things:. Using footnotes has one big advantage; you can include additional information without distracting the reader from the main text.

Table of contents Using footnotes for citations Using footnotes for additional information How to insert footnotes How to format footnotes. This means that if you want to cite a source , you add a superscript number at the end of the sentence that includes the information from this source.

This number corresponds to a footnote or endnote citation, where you include information such as the author, title of work, date, etc. What you include depends on the citation style. Amsterdam: Scribbr, Your supervisor will be able to tell you which citation style you should be using.

It is crucial to use your citation style correctly in order to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism has serious consequences. Even if your citation style uses parenthetical citation instead of footnotes, you might choose to include footnotes to provide the reader with supplementary information..

For example, MLA footnotes can be used to direct the reader to further relevant sources or add information that could be useful but is not critical to your text. If you wish to include footnotes or endnotes because you want to provide supplementary information, you should consider:. Learn more. Place the cursor where you would like the superscript number to appear. The superscript number will appear in the text automatically. The corresponding number will be automatically inserted in the footer ready for you to add the footnote citation.

If you must include the footnote in the middle of a sentence for the sake of clarity, or because the sentence has more than one footnote try to avoid this! Otherwise, put it right at the end of the most relevant word. If the footnote is not at the end of a sentence, skip only one space after it.

The only real difference is placement -- footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page, while endnotes all appear at the end of your document. If you want your reader to read your notes right away, footnotes are more likely to get your reader's attention. Endnotes, on the other hand, are less intrusive and will not interrupt the flow of your paper. Sometimes you may be asked to include these -- especially if you have used a parenthetical style of citation.

A "works cited" page is a list of all the works from which you have borrowed material.