Ascough: Footnotes & Bibliography

Footnote and
Bibliography Format

Richard S. Ascough

Department of Religious Studies

229 Theological Hall
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario
Canada, K7L 3N6

(613) 533-6000
x78066

fax: (613) 533-6879

rsa@post.queensu.ca

The following is an overview for the formatting of footnotes and bibliography in academic papers. For a more complete guide see Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (6^th edition; Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1996) esp. 175-203. A more thorough treatment can be found in The Chicago Manual of Style (14th edition; Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1993).

The first category is a guide to citing biblical books in academic papers. The second category is the Chicago Manual of Style format. This is followed by the American Psychological Association style. This second style is like the MLA style except that the date of publication is included with the name and page number in the in-text parentheses.

Either is acceptable in academic papers submitted for my courses. However, do not mix the formats; choose one or the other.

Citing Biblical Books

When quoting from or referring to books of the Bible in your essay you should not footnote the reference. Rather, you should include the reference to the name of the book, the chapter, and verse in parentheses in the text of the essay. For example,

Paul refers frequently to the concept of love within the Christian communities, encapsulating his thoughts in the climax to the hymn to love with the words "the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor 13:13).

If this is the first time you actually quote the text then you should also include an abbreviated reference to the English version of the Bible that you are using. For example,

Paul refers frequently to the concept of love within the Christian communities, encapsulating his thoughts in the climax to the hymn to love with the words "the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor 13:13, NRSV).

You need not include the version reference after this time. However, if you quote from more than one version in your paper, the first use of the most frequently cited version should include a footnote that says "Unless otherwise noted, all biblical quotations are from the NRSV." Then, when other versions are used, include the abbreviated reference. For example,

Paul refers frequently to the concept of love within the Christian communities, summing up the Torah as "love your neighbor as yourself" (Rom 13:9, NRSV) and encapsulating his thoughts in the climax to the hymn to love with the words "the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor 13:13). This latter verse is much clearer in modern versions than the archaic phrasing "the greatest of these is charity" (1 Cor 13:13, KJV).

The Bible need not appear in your bibliography.

For more on English versions of the Bible go to http://post.queensu.ca/~rsa/English_Versions.htm. For standard abbreviations for biblical books go to http://www2.roanoke.edu/religion/Maclean/Relg112/RELGAbbrev.htm.

Chicago Manual of Style

In the list below, the format of the footnote is given, followed by the corresponding format of the citation in the bibliography. Note that the bibliography should begin on a new page at the end of the text of the essay.

Single author of a book:

John S. Kloppenborg, The Formation of Q: Trajectories in Ancient Wisdom Collections (Studies in Antiquity and Christianity; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987) 113.

Kloppenborg, John S. The Formation of Q: Trajectories in Ancient Wisdom Collections. Studies in Antiquity and Christianity. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987.

Multiple authors of a book:

Mikeal C. Parsons and Richard I. Pervo, Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993) 75.

Parsons, Mikeal C. and Richard I. Pervo. Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993.

Book of collected essays:

Jerome H. Neyrey, ed., The Social World of Luke-Acts: Models for Interpretation (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991) xi-xii.

Neyrey, Jerome H., ed. The Social World of Luke-Acts: Models for Interpretation. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991.

Book in a series:

Peter T. O'Brien, Commentary on Philippians (New International Greek Testament Commentary; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991) 403.

O'Brien, Peter T. Commentary on Philippians. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.

Article in a journal:

John S. Kloppenborg, "Tradition and Redaction in the Synoptic Sayings Source," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 46 (1984) 43.

Kloppenborg, John S. "Tradition and Redaction in the Synoptic Sayings Source." Catholic Biblical Quarterly 46 (1984) 34-62.

Article in a book of collected essays:

Roland E. Murphy, "Introduction to the Pentateuch," in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990) 6.

Murphy, Roland E. "Introduction to the Pentateuch." In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, 3-7. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990.

Dictionary or encyclopaedia entry:

James L. Crenshaw, "Proverbs, Book of," in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol 5, ed. David Noel Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1992) 519.

Crenshaw, James L. "Proverbs, Book of." In The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 5, ed. David Noel Freedman, 513-20. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Word book entry:

J. Guhrt, "Covenant," in The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 1, ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975) 366-67.

Guhrt, J. "Covenant." In The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 1, ed. Colin Brown, 365-72. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975.

Electronic Resources:

Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed. s.v. "glossolalia" [CD ROM] 
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992).

Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed. s.v. "glossolalia" [CD ROM].  
      Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Web Pages:

Mark Goodacre, "Fatigue in the Synoptics," New Testament Studies 44 (1998) 45-58; available from http://www.bham.ac.uk/theology/fatigue.htm; Internet; accessed 17 July 1998.

Goodacre, Mark. "Fatigue in the Synoptics." New Testament Studies 44 (1998) 45-58. Available from http://www.bham.ac.uk/theology/fatigue.htm. Internet. Accessed 17 July 1998.

Footnote Format if a source is used again:

If the source in the previous note is cited again ==> Ibid., pg #.

- e.g., Ibid., 46.

If a previously cited source is cited again ==> last name, short title, pg #.

- e.g., Kloppenborg, "Tradition and Redaction," 46.

- e.g., Kloppenborg, Formation of Q, 107.

American Psychological Association (APA)

This is a separate style of referencing works and should not be mixed with the conventions cited above. It is similar to the MLA format, although it also requires that the date of the work cited be included in the parentheses in the body of the essay. Thus, in this style citations of authors and works are placed in parentheses in the text of the document (Turabian 1996, 175-84). Make sure you use author's last name followed by the date, a comma and the page number(s).

The full bibliographical information should be presented at the end of the body of the essay, on a new page, with the heading Works Cited. The format is similar to that cited above but note the date of publication is placed immediately after the author's name (Turabian 1996, 182).

Turabian, Kate L.  1996. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers,  
     Theses, and Dissertations. 6^th edition. Chicago and 
     London: University of Chicago Press.

Footnotes can still be used, but only for content, not simply to cite a bibliographical reference.