I want to talk about something incredibly important, a topic that has a real impact on your reader–specifically, their eyes. Have you ever been reading an academic article, or a peer’s essay, and your eyes have gloriously landed on a superscript number at the end of a sentence? And you slowly look down to the bottom margin of the page to find what you had hoped with bated breath would be there? Yes! It’s a perfectly formatted footnote, made even better by its Chicago citation style. That’s right, today I will be presenting you with, The Case for Footnotes.
So, what’s a footnote for exactly? Well it depends on the citation style you’re using it for. Footnotes are used primarily in Chicago, Turabian, and Oxford styles but can also be used in MLA and APA under certain circumstances; the majority of subjects we discuss at the Writing Center use MLA and APA. When it comes to in-text citations for these styles, we see those intrusive parenthetical citations constantly. I mean, who wants to see (McFadden, 123) or (102; bk. 10, pt. 8, ch. 4) in the middle of their perfectly crafted sentence? I absolutely do not. How then do you utilize footnotes in APA and MLA?
Well, unfortunately you can’t completely rid your essay, report, or book review of these parentheticals when it comes to MLA and APA, but you can incorporate some footnotes with the right kind of information these styles call for. If you’re using MLA, you can use footnotes in two ways. The first is a bibliographic note. This sort of note is used to recommend further explanatory reading/helpful sources on a concept you’re discussing. Let’s say you’re writing extensively about a certain issue and you have an extra source that could aid your reader on some of the confusing aspects of the topic. This is exactly where a footnote can come in handy. Instead of completely glossing over this part, you can simply add a footnote along the lines of
¹ See Burkeman, especially pages 25-37, for further analysis of [insert concept here].
The other form of MLA footnote is a content note. Also referred to as explanatory notes, content notes help you to further emphasize or explain specific aspects of your work. Some of these aspects include an explanation of word choice, a provision of further examples, or acknowledging someone who aided you in your work. There are other instances in which a content footnote can be used, but they are to be used sparingly. Additionally, you’ll need to include a separate section titled “Notes” at the end of your paper to distinguish the footnotes from your works cited.
Similarly to MLA, APA format has content footnotes that abide by the same guidelines. Though, it is strongly encouraged to keep content footnotes brief– as providing too much information at the bottom of a page can appear digressive. APA also has copyright and appendices footnotes. Copyright footnotes are necessary when reprinting or adapting information or content–this really comes into play when you’re getting an article published. As for appendices, they should only be used when referencing tables, studies, or demographics that are relevant to your piece. Depending on the type of reference you’re using, the format of the footnote varies, but the superscript number will usually appear after the description of this reference. For example, if you’re using a table with information on age demographics, your footnote would appear under the table after your brief description.
Table 1. Age Demographics
| Name | Age | City | Year Reported |
| Sue Smith | 48 | Richmond | 1998 |
| John Snead | 61 | Richmond | 1998 |
| Jane Spears | 54 | Richmond | 1999 |
This is where you would include a brief description on the data collected, the impact of the information, etc. and your footnote number would be placed right here.¹
It’s safe to say that this short blog post doesn’t outline all of the requirements and guidelines for APA and MLA footnote use, but starting here is a good way to familiarize yourself with the ways in which footnotes can be used in your academic writing. Although, what I want to do now is take a moment to admire what a beautiful thing a Chicago footnote is. My area of study allows me to use Chicago for my written works and let me tell you, it is the most satisfying way to cite sources or suggest supplemental ideas. Chicago style doesn’t have any kind of parenthetical citations that break your sentences apart. Instead, it allows for a seamless reading experience with minimal distractions.¹ I mean look at that! You weren’t interrupted by a last name or page number when reading that sentence, and I know it probably felt pretty nice. I could write an entire thesis on why Chicago is the superior citation style, but alas, I am confined to the format of a blog post.
If you’re interested in learning more about using footnotes in your academic writing, visit https://owl.purdue.edu/ to find formatting guidelines, sample papers for your chosen citation style, and much more. You can also find the most recent editions of the APA, MLA, and Chicago style manuals located in the Writing Center and on the first floor of Cabell library. But if you leave this page having gained anything, I hope it’s a new-found appreciation for the art of footnotes. Now go forth ye students, and footnote proudly in the name of your reader’s eyeballs.
About the Author
Caetlin McFadden (she/they) is an English research graduate student from Northern Virginia, but likes to think she’s a Richmond native. She’s a notorious slow reader and Bruce Springsteen enthusiast. In their free time, they enjoy watching bad documentaries with their two cats.
Quote: “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” -Stephen King
Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash
from the writing center at virginia commonwealth university 