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What Are Endnotes, Why Are They Needed, and How Are They Used?

Experts Give Good Examples for More Effective Writing

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• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

An "endnote" is a reference, explanation, or comment placed at the end of an article, research paper, chapter, or book. Like footnotes  (which are used in this article), endnotes serve two main purposes in a research paper: (1) They acknowledge the source of a quotation, paraphrase, or summary; and (2) They provide explanatory comments that would interrupt the flow of the main  text .

Endnotes vs. Footnotes

"Your department may specify whether you should use footnotes or endnotes, especially for a thesis or dissertation.

If not, you should generally choose footnotes, which are easier to read. Endnotes force readers to flip to the back to check every citation. On the other hand, choose endnotes when your footnotes are so long or numerous that they take up too much space on the page, making your report unattractive and difficult to read. Also, endnotes better accommodate tables, quoted poetry, and other matter that requires special typography."

(Turabian, Kate L.  A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , 7th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2007.)

"Readers of academic and scholarly books usually prefer footnotes to endnotes because the former allows them to skim the notes without losing their place in the text. Popular wisdom, however, says that nonscholarly readers are either reluctant or unwilling to purchase a nonfiction trade book whose feet are hemmed with ribbons of tiny type; thus most trade books place (the shop term is 'bury') the notes containing sources and references at the back of the book ."

(Einsohn, Amy. The Copyeditor's Handbook,  University of California Press, 2006.)

Endnote Conventions

"An author or title mentioned in the text need not be repeated in the footnote  citation , though it is often helpful to do so. In an endnote, however, the author (or at least the author's last name) and title should be repeated, since at least some readers may have forgotten whether the note number was 93 or 94 by the time they find it at the back of a work.

Such frustration can be prevented by the devices illustrated in the examples below."

34. This and the preceding four quotations are all from  Hamlet , act 1, sc. 4. 87. Barbara Wallraff,  Word Court  (New York: Harcourt, 2000), 34. Further citations to this work are given in the text.​

(​ The Chicago Manual of Style,  University of Chicago Press, 2003.)

Endnote Numbering

"Endnotes are numbered consecutively throughout a chapter or article, with each new chapter or section starting over with endnote 1. The notes section at the back is then broken down by chapter or section, with the corresponding endnote numbers listed underneath.

Place endnote numbers within the text in superscript type (small typeset above the line). In the notes section, use the same number to identify the endnote with the number in the text."

(Robbins, Lara M.  Grammar, and Style at Your Fingertips,  Alpha, 2007.)

Sample Endnotes From Pennebaker's 'The Secret Life of Pronouns '

"Chapter 2: Ignoring the Content, Celebrating the Style 19. The drawing is from the Thematic Apperception Test by Henry A. Murray, Card 12F, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press. 20. Throughout this book, I include quotations from people who have been in my studies or classes, from text on the Internet, or even from conversations or e-mails from friends or family members. In all cases, all identifying information has been removed or altered. 22. In this book, the terms style, function , and stealth words are used interchangeably. They have many other names as well —  junk words, particles , and closed-class words . Linguists tend to disagree about the precise definitions of each of these overlapping terms."

(Pennebaker, James W.  The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us,  Bloomsbury Press, 2011.)

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Endnote Note citing a particular source or making a brief explanatory comment placed at the end of a research paper and arranged sequentially in relation to where the reference appears in the paper.

Footnote Note citing a particular source or making a brief explanatory comment placed at the bottom of a page corresponding to the item cited in the corresponding text above.

Fiske, Robert Hartwell. To the Point: A Dictionary of Concise Writing . New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2014.

Structure and Writing Style

Advantages of Using Endnotes

• Endnotes are less distracting to the reader and allows the narrative to flow better.
• Endnotes don't clutter up the page.
• As a separate section of a research paper, endnotes allow the reader to read and contemplate all the notes at once.

Disadvantages of Using Endnotes

• If you want to look at the text of a particular endnote, you have to flip to the end of the research paper to find the information.
• Depending on how they are created [i.e., continuous numbering or numbers that start over for each chapter], you may have to remember the chapter number as well as the endnote number in order to find the correct one.
• Endnotes may carry a negative connotation much like the proverbial "fine print" or hidden disclaimers in advertising. A reader may believe you are trying to hide something by burying it in a hard-to-find endnote.

Advantages of Using Footnotes

• Readers interested in identifying the source or note can quickly glance down the page to find what they are looking for.
• It allows the reader to immediately link the footnote to the subject of the text without having to take the time to find the note at the back of the paper.
• Footnotes are automatically included when printing off specific pages.

Disadvantages of Using Footnotes

• Footnotes can clutter up the page and, thus, negatively impact the overall look of the page.
• If there are multiple columns, charts, or tables below only a small segment of text that includes a footnote, then you must decide where the footnotes should appear.
• If the footnotes are lengthy, there's a risk they could dominate the page, although this issue is considered acceptable in legal scholarship.
• Adding lengthy footnotes after the paper has been completed can alter the page where other sources are located [i.e., a long footnote can push text to the next page].
• It is more difficult learning how to insert footnotes using your word processing program than simply adding endnotes at the end of your paper.

Things to keep in mind when considering using either endnotes or footnotes in your research paper :

1.    Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout a research paper, except for those notes accompanying special material (e.g., figures, tables, charts, etc.). Numbering of footnotes are "superscript"--Arabic numbers typed slightly above the line of text. Do not include periods, parentheses, or slashes. They can follow all punctuation marks except dashes. 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. 2.    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. 3.    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 implies a disorganized paper.

Cermak, Bonni and Jennifer Troxell. A Guide to Footnotes and Endnotes for NASA History Authors . NASA History Program. History Division; Hale, Ali. Should You Use Footnotes or Endnotes? DailyWritingTips.com; Tables, Appendices, Footnotes and Endnotes. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Lunsford, Andrea A. and Robert Connors. The St. Martin's Handbook . New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989; Saller, Carol. “Endnotes or Footnotes? Some Considerations.” The Chronicle of Higher Education 58 (January 6, 2012): http://chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2012/01/06/endnotes-or-footnotes-some-considerations/.

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At the core of EndNote Desktop is your Library: the file on your computer that stores all of your references. Since references can come from myriad places, including databases, journal pages, Google Scholar, the web, books, newspapers, and more, there are several ways to add references to your Library. The short video below covers the basics. Detailed instructions for Google Scholar, library databases, and manual entry follow.

EndNote in Action: Adding references

Adding references from Google Scholar

To export references from Google Scholar to EndNote Desktop:

1. Open EndNote Desktop

2. Navigate to Google Scholar  (scholar.google.com)

Tip:  Use the UTC Library's link to Google Scholar for access to articles using the Get It @ UTC link

5. Select the option to download an EndNote import file.

IMPORTANT :

You will often need to make slight edits to your imported reference. See the section on manually entering references for more information. In the meantime, common edits include the following:

• Verify that the reference type is correct (i.e., book, journal article, web page, etc.)
• Make sure authors are listed  Lastname, Firstname
• For works with more than one author, enter each author on a separate line (i.e., press Enter after each author)
• Make sure titles are in  sentence case  ("Learning from words: testimony as a source of knowledge" NOT "Learning From Words: Testimony As A Source of Knowledge")
• Verify that all of the necessary data has been imported (e.g., for a journal article: Author(s), Year, Article Title, Journal Title, Volume, Issue, Page(s))

Adding references from a library database

To export references from a library database into your EndNote Desktop library:

1.  Open EndNote.

2.  Go to a library database of your choice and search for you topic.

3.  Mark or select the references from your search results that you would like to export into your EndNote Desktop library.

4. Different databases will have different names for the EndNote export function, including  Cite; Export; Send to; EndNote; and Save  

5 . Look for the option to download either an  EndNote  or  RIS  file. Download the file to your computer, double-click on it, and it should open directly into EndNote Desktop.

• Verify that the reference type is correct (i.e., book, article, web page, etc.)
• Make sure  titles are in  sentence case  ("Learning from words: testimony as a source of knowledge" NOT "Learning From Words: Testimony As A Source of Knowledge")

Adding references manually

References can be manually created in an EndNote Desktop. Examples of a reference requiring manual creation would be a report from a government department's website, information or images from other websites, artwork from a gallery or museum, podcasts, YouTube videos, social media posts, company or industry reports, and unpublished works.

To manually create a reference in your EndNote Desktop library:

4.  The reference has now been manually created.

EndNote has specific criteria for how you must enter bibliographic information. Key things to note:

Adding PDFs to your references

• EndNote allows you to attach PDFs to each reference. 
• Open your desired reference and look for the tab that says PDF

Go to editing references

Next: editing references.

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• Video tutorial - Removing Citations A video tutorial on how to remove citations in EndNote 20 for Windows.
• Video Tutorial - Editing and Managing Citations A video tutorial on editing and managing citations in EndNote 20 for Windows.
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EndNote provides a space for you to add your own personal notes to a reference.  Write any information about the source that will prove helpful when writing your assignment.  These notes can be referred back to at any time.

Please note: These research notes do not appear in the in-text citation or full reference.  

To add your own notes to the reference click the reference in the centre panel → In the right panel select Edit → Scroll down to the Research Notes section and write your notes.  Save your changes.  

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EndNote features a toolbar add-on in Microsoft Word that automatically formats your citations and builds your bibliography as you write your research paper. It is easy to change the output style by choosing preloaded styles from the Output Styles dropdown menu in MS Word. You also have the option to download hundreds of EndNote Output Styles from Endnote.com.

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MLA Footnotes & Endnotes | Format & Examples

Published on August 23, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on March 5, 2024 by Jack Caulfield.

MLA style requires you to cite sources using MLA in-text citations , not notes. However, you can still use footnotes or endnotes in MLA style for other purposes:

Citing a lot of sources at once

• Providing any extra explanation needed about your citation or translation practice
• Elaborating on ideas
• Providing additional examples that don’t fit into the main text

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page, while endnotes appear at the end of the paper, just before the Works Cited list. MLA allows the use of either type, but stick to one or the other.

Any sources you cite in your footnotes or endnotes must also be included in your Works Cited list , just like sources in the main text. Scribbr’s free MLA Citation Generator can help you create accurate MLA citations.

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Table of contents

Formatting footnotes and endnotes in mla, explaining citation or translation practice, using notes to elaborate on ideas, providing more examples in notes, frequently asked questions about mla notes.

Both footnotes and endnotes are indicated by superscript numbers. The number usually appears at the end of a sentence, after the period.

If you need to use a note in the middle of a sentence to avoid ambiguity, place the number directly after a punctuation mark (with the exception of the dash , where the number comes before).

Four main factors have been determined as possible characteristics of any successful fictional work: 6 popularity, enduring fame, commercial success and scholarly appeal. Each of the case studies must possess at least one of these. 7

The note itself begins with the corresponding number, again in superscript, followed by a space, and then the content of the note. Notes should be in the same font as the rest of your document, but a smaller font size; the first line of each note is slightly indented.

Your word processing program should allow you to automatically insert footnotes .

Formatting the endnotes page

If you are using endnotes, list them on a separate page directly before the Works Cited list. The title (“Notes” or “Endnotes”) appears centered at the top of the page. Like the rest of an MLA format paper , the endnotes should be double-spaced.

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When you have a lot of sources to cite at once, you can save space in your text by placing them in a note instead. These can be sources for a statement you made in the text, or sources providing supplementary information relevant to the discussion.

Note that you don’t need to use parentheses around the page numbers when the note just consists of a list of sources.

When there’s any important information that might not be immediately obvious from your citations, you can explain it in a note at the first point where it comes up.

For example, you might use your own translations for some texts but not others, or you might cite different editions of a text in different ways. These details can be clarified in notes where relevant.

When you mention something in passing but think more information may be useful to the reader, you can add the extra information, as well as related sources if relevant, in a note.

Bear in mind that long notes with superfluous information can be distracting for readers. Use notes of this kind sparingly, and keep them brief. If a piece of information is essential to your point, you should usually include it in the main text.

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Sometimes you have more examples than you can smoothly fit into your text. In those cases, it can be worth placing further examples in a note, if you think they add something to your point. You might also provide a counterexample to acknowledge the limitations of your argument.

No, you should use parenthetical MLA in-text citations to cite sources. Footnotes or endnotes can be used to add extra information that doesn’t fit into your main text, but they’re not needed for citations.

If you need to cite a lot of sources at the same point in the text, though, placing these citations in a note can be a good way to avoid cluttering your text.

In MLA style , footnotes or endnotes can be used to provide additional information that would interrupt the flow of your text.

This can be further examples or developments of ideas you only briefly discuss in the text. You can also use notes to provide additional sources or explain your citation practice.

You don’t have to use any notes at all; only use them to provide relevant information that complements your arguments or helps the reader to understand them.

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page.  Endnotes appear in a list at the end of the text, just before the reference list or bibliography. Don’t mix footnotes and endnotes in the same document: choose one or the other and use them consistently.

In Chicago notes and bibliography style , you can use either footnotes or endnotes, and citations follow the same format in either case.

In APA and MLA style , footnotes or endnotes are not used for citations, but they can be used to provide additional information.

Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :

• To cite information from a single numbered note, write “n” after the page number, and then write the note number, e.g. (Smith 105n2)
• To cite information from multiple numbered notes, write “nn” and include a range, e.g. (Smith 77nn1–2)
• To cite information from an unnumbered note, write “un” after the page number, with a space in between, e.g. (Jones 250 un)

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What are Endnotes? Most Comprehensive Guide to the Perfectly Referenced Paper

Updated 21 Jun 2024

Adding endnotes is one of the ways to give your readers more insights or citation details about a source not included in the main text. In this article, we have discussed how to use this referencing type in various citation styles ─ keep reading to get to endnotes’ examples. You will also find an answer to what endnotes are and how they differ from footnotes. 

Key things to know about endnotes 

What are endnotes? They are references or annotations at the end of a document, chapter, or section but not at the bottom of each page (like footnotes). 

• They may cover some information you want to include in your text, but it is not quite relatable to the main chapters.
• Endnotes allow you to include citations without interrupting the flow of the text.
• You can use them to credit sources used in the text.
• The text becomes cluttered with too many footnotes. 

The difference between endnotes and footnotes

They are used for the same purpose but differ in placement: while a footnote is placed at the bottom of each page, you should look for an endnote at the end of the document or section. You can also notice the difference in length, as footnotes are usually shorter. 

Use footnotes to:

• Give short explanations or comments closely related to the main text.
• Provide a citation for a source directly quoted or paraphrased in the text.
• Avoid disrupting the text flow by providing a lengthy citation.
• Provide additional information best placed on the same page as the reference.

Use endnotes to:

• Give more extensive commentary or explanation, being distractive as footnotes.
• Provide a citation for a source that is not directly quoted or paraphrased in the text.
• Avoid cluttering the page with too many footnotes.
• Write a book or article that requires a more formal and structured approach.

How to use endnotes? Important steps to follow

Keep in mind that following one of the styles covered below, you must always adjust the formatting to match their requirements. Also, add a heading for the endnotes page. 

Look out for these general formatting rules:

Place and number.

Typically, this referencing type is placed at the end of a document, chapter, or section. Make sure you assign a number corresponding to the text referenced in the note. 

In most formatting styles, use single-spaced with a double space between each note. The first line of each one is usually indented.

Include relevant information.

Depending on the note's purpose, you may need to include the cited source's author, title, publication date, and page number.

Adding endnotes in Word

• Place the cursor in the text when you want to add an endnote.
• Click on the "References" tab and choose “Insert Endnote”.
• Type the text of the endnote. You can add as many of them as you need, and they will be numbered sequentially according to their insertion order.

Endnotes in Chicago style 

Chicago format is a common citation style in the humanities, particularly history, literature, and the arts. It is known for using both endnotes and footnotes. It offers two different citation options: the notes-bibliography system , which uses either endnotes or footnotes (you can choose which to use depending on the purpose), and the author-date system , which uses in-text citations.

• Number endnotes consecutively throughout the document.
• The number for the note is superscripted in the text and appears at the beginning of the corresponding note in the according section.
• Place the number marker at the end of a sentence after the period. Otherwise, you can place them at the end of a statement or phrase within a sentence, but again it comes after punctuation like a comma or semicolon. An exception is a dash.
• The endnotes page is titled with bold and centered "Notes" after the main text and any appendices.
• The Chicago style requires a separate bibliography with full citations for all sources. The title “Bibliography” is preferred, but “Works Cited” or “Literature Cited” is acceptable. Unless you’re writing a short paper and have been told you don’t need to.

Here is a Chicago style endnotes example:

                     1. Jane Doe. "The Great Depression and Its Impact on American Society." Journal of American History 123, no. 4 (2018): 56.

Endnotes in APA style 

You will find a few cases of APA endnotes, as in-text citations and reference lists serve this purpose. Yet, they are used to add additional comments or explanations that are not essential to understanding the main text.

• Such notes are listed at the end of the document after the reference list with the heading “Footnotes” (APA style doesn’t use the “endnotes” term) in bold and centered at the top.
• APA requires double-spaced, indented paragraphs.
• Start each note with its number in superscript, followed by a space.
• Each one is numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals.
• The superscript number appears in the text immediately after the punctuation mark for the sentence or phrase it relates to.
• They should be used sparingly and only for content that cannot be easily integrated into the main text.

Endnotes in MLA style 

Endnotes are typically used when the note's content is too long or detailed to include in the main text or when the information interrupts the main text flow. Nevertheless, MLA in-text citations appear in parentheses, but you can use endnotes to avoid cluttering the text if you need a lot of citations in one place.

• In MLA style, “Notes” or “Endnotes” are listed at the end of the document before the Works Cited list.
• The superscript number for the endnote appears in the text immediately after the punctuation mark for the sentence or phrase that the endnote relates to.
• Indent the first line of each endnote, and start the note with the number in superscript followed by a space.
• Endnotes should be double-spaced.

Now you know what are endnotes used for and how to integrate them into your paper to reach maximum efficiency. To use them correctly in your paper, you must follow guidelines for required formatting that differ in styles, such as Chicago, APA, and MLA. Understanding what endnotes are and how to use them can be time-consuming, so if you need help, you might consider the option to pay someone to do my homework for accurate and properly formatted endnotes.

In which cases is using endnotes appropriate? 

The purpose of endnotes depends on the style you are using. In Chicago, an endnote is used for in-text citations. In APA and MLA, endnotes are used to provide copyright information or to clear up confusing content. Thus, you can use them to add lengthy information to your paper that looks cluttering as a footnote.

What should I add to the endnote?

It should include information that expands upon a point, references or citations to sources used in the document, and acknowledgments or other relevant notes.

Which purpose does an endnote serve? 

Endnotes can serve various purposes: citing sources, adding extra information, directing readers to other areas, etc. Thus, it offers extensive information, comments, or references to sources used in a paper, without interrupting the main text flow. 

Should endnotes be included on every page?

No, footnotes serve this purpose. While endnotes are formatted identically to footnotes, they are presented as a single list at the end of your paper. The definition of endnotes implies they are part of a different section and are not included in the bibliography section, even though they both explain sources used in a document. 

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Written by Elizabeth Miller

Seasoned academic writer, nurturing students' writing skills. Expert in citation and plagiarism. Contributing to EduBirdie since 2019. Aspiring author and dedicated volunteer. You will never have to worry about plagiarism as I write essays 100% from scratch. Vast experience in English, History, Ethics, and more.

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Creating groups of references

You can use Groups to organize your references by project, paper, or topic: 

• Create a group by going to Groups and then selecting Create Group.
• A folder will appear on the left. You can name it whatever you like.
• Select the references you want to add and drag them into the group you want to assign them to.

A reference can be assigned to more than one group. You can remove references from a group without deleting them from your library. Right-click on the reference and select Remove References from Group. If you wish to delete a reference entirely, instead select Move References to Trash.

Adding "Journal Term Lists"

Adding a journals term list helps avoid problems with journal names displaying incorrectly in bibliographies. For users in the health sciences, just import the medical list – these will follow the Index Medicus (MEDLINE) journal abbreviations. Do not import both the medical and bioscience lists.

• In EndNote, go to the Tools menu, click on Open Terms Lists, and click Journals Term List.
• Click the Lists tab at the top of the window that opens.
• Click the label “Import Lists”
• Navigate to your Endnote Program files and open the TERMS folder
• Choose the term list you want to import. Endnote will import the terms list and tell you how many terms have been added to your library. Click OK to continue.

Deduplicating references

• Go to Library and then click Find Duplicates. You will see a side-by-side comparison of the duplicate references.
• Click Keep to maintain a copy of one of the references, The other will automatically be moved to the trash. You also have the option to Skip which means both references will be kept.
• If you do not want to compare each set of duplicate references, click Cancel. You will see then a list of all Duplicate References found, with the duplicate records highlighted. To delete these duplicates, right-click (or Control-click on Mac) and select Move References to Trash.

Find Full Text

You can change your EndNote preferences to enable the software to try to find and attach PDFs for your references. (This does not work all of the time, regardless of whether we subscribe to a particular journal.)

• If you are on Windows, open EndNote, go to the Edit menu (at the very top of the screen) and then choose Preferences. If you have a Mac, open EndNote, go to the EndNote menu (at the top of the screen) and then choose Preferences.
• From the menu, click Find Full Text.
• Make sure all of the checkboxes for the find full-text search options are checked (you do not need to check the box for "Automatically invoke Find Full Text on newly-imported references").
• Copy and paste this URL into the OpenURL box: http://getit.library.nyu.edu/resolve/
• Copy and paste this URL into the "Authenticate with URL" box: https://proxy.library.nyu.edu/login?url=https://library.nyu.edu
• Apply the changes you made and click OK.

Once you've changed your preferences, you can have EndNote try to find the full text:

• Select the references that you would like to find full text for.
• Right-click (or Control-click on Mac) and choose Find Full Text. In a pop-up window, you will be prompted to log in with your NYU NetID and password, and you will be redirected to the library homepage.
• Click Continue in the bottom right corner of this pop-up window. Then close the pop-up window, select your EndNote records, and choose Find Full Text again. 
• << Previous: Adding references from PubMed
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• Last Updated: Jul 30, 2024 6:19 PM
• URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/endnote

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How to Do Endnotes

Last Updated: March 23, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 234,627 times.

Proper citation of sources is necessary to give credit to the authors whose work informed yours, to point readers to the sources you used, and to show the breadth of your research. Though endnotes are less commonly used in student or academic papers than in-line citations or footnotes, they are quite common in books, where they make for a cleaner page. The basics of endnotes are always the same – numbered notes within the text refer to numbered entries in a notes section at the end of the document – but there are minor differences depending on whether you use Chicago or MLA (Modern Language Association) style.

Inserting Endnotes

• To avoid plagiarism, you must correctly attribute ideas and quotations, which is using someone else's ideas or material without acknowledgement (intentionally or unintentionally). If you are a student, plagiarism may result in disciplinary action. If you are an academic or professional, plagiarism will result in, at best, the rejection of your manuscript, and at worst disciplinary action. People have even their degrees revoked when plagiarism was discovered. [1] X Research source
• To allow the reader to check your work. Proper citations allow readers to look up the quotes and ideas you used in context, to see if they agree with your interpretation. [2] X Research source
• To allow interested readers to dig deeper. Endnotes allow readers interested in your topic to easily locate the sources that informed it so that they can read them as well.
• To show that you have considered a variety of sources. Endnotes allow you to show the reader that you have considered all of the major arguments regarding your given topic, or if you have not, allows them to easily see which authors you have failed to consider.

• Page number
• Author name, as well as the name of any editors or translators
• Book name, place of publishing, name of publisher, and year of publishing if a book
• Article name, periodical name, volume and series number, and date of publication

• Pushing citations to the end of a paper or work helps to create clean, uncluttered pages. This is why endnotes are often preferred in books.
• Having all the citations in one place allows the reader to digest them as a whole.
• On the other hand, not having citations on the page means the reader will have to flip to the back of your manuscript each time they want to look something up, which can be frustrating.
• Endnotes can give the impression that you are trying to hide your citations.

• Note numbers should follow punctuation. Never put a note number before a period, comma, or quotation mark.
• Note numbers should be consecutive throughout an entire paper.
• In a book, note numbers may restart with each chapter, in which case the endnotes should be divided by chapter.
• Put the superscript number at the end of the clause or sentence in which you reference someone else's materials. [5] X Research source For example: "According to Hoskins and Garrett, IQ tests are often problematic, 1 but I argue that it is still possible to implement them usefully in school settings."

• Indent the first line of each endnote half an inch (or 5 spaces) from the left margin. Additional lines within a single endnote should be flush with the left hand margin.
• Use the appropriate citation form per your style guide.

Using Chicago (Turabian) Style

• Chicago style uses endnotes (or footnotes) to cite sources, rather than providing inline citation. This is a key difference from MLA style, which uses inline citation.
• In Chicago style, it is recommended to always write the author name and title, not just the author name, in subsequent citations after the first full one.
• In Chicago style, a bibliography typically follows the endnotes. The bibliography lists all sources in alphabetical order by author’s last name. You should add entries to it every time you create a note. The format is slightly different from endnotes. See http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html for more information.

• Book (author) – Author’s First and Last Name, Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date of Publication), page number(s).
• Book (editor) – Author’s First and Last Name, ed., Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Date of Publication), page number(s).
• Journal Article – Author’s First and Last Name, “Title of Article,” Title of Journal Volume (Year): page number(s).
• Newspaper – Author’s First and Last Name, “Title of Article,” Title of Newspaper , date, page number(s).
• For all source types, if there are two to three authors, list their names with commas between them. For more than three authors, write the first author's name, a comma, and “et al.” in place of any remaining authors.
• For a complete list of source types and their appropriate formats, see http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html .

• Author’s last name, Title, page number(s). (If the title is not fiction or poetry, you can use a shortened form of the title if it is longer than four words.)

• 1 Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera , trans. Edith Grossman (London: Cape, 1988), 27-28.
• 2 Ibid., 45.

• In some cases, your teacher may prefer you to single-space endnotes and leave a blank line between each entry. If you have questions, consult with your teacher. [12] X Research source

Using MLA Style

• MLA style does not recommend using endnotes to cite works. You should use inline citation in MLA style unless specifically told otherwise.
• In most cases, you will still need to provide a Works Cited page in addition to your endnotes.

• For example, "For further discussion of this phenomenon, see also King, 53; Norris, 175-185; and Kozinsky, 299-318."
• For example, "Several other studies also reach similar conclusions. For examples, see also Brown and Spiers 24-50, Chapel 30-45, and Philips 50-57."

• For example, "Although it is less commonly known than her major works, singer-songwriter Wendy's 1980 album Cookies also deals with the idea of ecofriendly agriculture."
• For example, "Johnson reiterated this point in a conference talk in 2013, although she worded it less forcefully there."

• Center the word Notes on the page. Do not use any formatting or quote marks. If you have only one endnote, use the word Note.
• Double-space endnotes in MLA style.

Community Q&A

• Other style guides may also use endnotes, although APA Style, commonly used in social sciences, does not. [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source If you are writing for a journal or publisher that has an in-house style guide, consult with them about endnote requirements. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/useinformationcorrectly/avoiding-plagiarism/1/
• ↑ http://web.grinnell.edu/Dean/Tutorial/EUS/IC.pdf
• ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/documentation-guide/chicago-style/footnotes-and-endnotes
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/c.php?g=293795&p=1956824
• ↑ https://guides.lib.uw.edu/hsl/ama/intext
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-US/article/Add-footnotes-and-endnotes-BFF71B0C-3EC5-4C37-ABC1-7C8E7D6F2D78
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-US/article/Add-footnotes-and-endnotes-61F3FB1A-4717-414C-9A8F-015A5F3FF4CB
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/dam/jcr:e7d5f449-dd5e-42c7-89dc-a264d75f4c23/Turabian-Tip-Sheet-11.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html
• ↑ http://www.library.georgetown.edu/tutorials/research-guides/turabian-footnote-guide
• ↑ http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/Documentation/faq0240.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_endnotes_and_footnotes.html
• ↑ https://guides.library.brandeis.edu/citations/MLA
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/footnotes_and_endnotes.html

About This Article

To use endnotes in a paper, start by inserting a superscript number that corresponds with the source each time you reference it in your paper. Then, at the end of your paper, create a new page with the heading, “Notes.” List the sources, including the author’s first and last name, the title and date of the publication, and the page number for each one. Separate each element with a comma, then add a period after the page number. For two different ways to format your endnotes, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Footnotes and Endnotes

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects APA 6, which is now out of date. It will remain online until 2021, but will not be updated. The equivalent APA 7 page can be found here .

APA does not recommend the use of footnotes and endnotes because they are often expensive for publishers to reproduce. However, if explanatory notes still prove necessary to your document, APA details the use of two types of footnotes: content and copyright.

When using either type of footnote, insert a number formatted in superscript following almost any punctuation mark. Footnote numbers should not follow dashes ( — ), and if they appear in a sentence in parentheses, the footnote number should be inserted within the parentheses.

When using the footnote function in a word-processing program like Microsoft Word, place all footnotes at the bottom of the page on which they appear. Footnotes may also appear on the final page of your document (usually this is after the References page). Center the word “Footnotes” at the top of the page. Indent five spaces on the first line of each footnote. Then, follow normal paragraph spacing rules. Double-space throughout.

Content Notes

Content notes provide supplemental information to your readers. When providing content notes, be brief and focus on only one subject. Try to limit your comments to one small paragraph.

Content notes can also point readers to information that is available in more detail elsewhere.

Copyright Permission Notes

If you quote more than 500 words of published material or think you may be in violation of “Fair Use” copyright laws, you must get the formal permission of the author(s). All other sources simply appear in the reference list.

Follow the same formatting rules as with content notes for noting copyright permissions. Then attach a copy of the permission letter to the document.

If you are reproducing a graphic, chart, or table, from some other source, you must provide a special note at the bottom of the item that includes copyright information. You should also submit written permission along with your work. Begin the citation with “ Note .”

Note . From “Title of the article,” by W. Jones and R. Smith, 2007, Journal Title , 21, p. 122. Copyright 2007 by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.

WashU Libraries

How to choose: zotero, mendeley, or endnote.

• Gathering Citations
• Switching among tools
• Writing your paper

Chat with a librarian or reference assistant

Match Your Workflow

You cannot go wrong choosing any of the tools, but it helps if you take a few things into consideration before starting. Remember that you can switch between the tools, it just becomes less convenient the longer you use a tool and the more file attachments you collect.

Some reasons to choose Zotero:

• It gathers citation records for non-PDF and PDF content. Zotero's single-click capture works with many databases and websites, and works well with many catalogs, including WU Classic, MOBIUS, and WorldCat (FirstSearch interface)
• You can also enable the retrieval of PDF metadata, which allows you to create citation records just from dragging a PDF into Zotero.
• Zotero has built in PDF reading and annotation tools . (newly added feature 3/2022)
• Zotero is open source and cannot be acquired by a company.
• *Pricing structure: Zotero follows the "freemium" model:  300 MG for the free version with additional storage available for purchase
• For continuously updated Zotero information, downloading, and excellent help pages, and forums, check their website:  https://www.zotero.org/support/ .
• WUSTL Libraries has a helpful Zotero guide .  In addition, the Libraries have more support available for the Zotero program.  To make an appointment for help, see Zotero Help appointment button on your left.

Some reasons to choose Mendeley:

• Your research content is primarily contained in PDF files: Mendeley has an integrated PDF viewer and can create citation records just from importing a PDF file. Mendeley.org has the strongest website and community platform.
• Mendeley’s PDF viewer has excellent, easy-to-use, built-in capability.  You may also edit with another Mendeley user simultaneously.
• Mendeley is owned by the for-profit publishing company Elsevier.
• *Pricing structure: Mendeley follows the "freemium" model:  2 GB for the free version with additional storage available for purchase
• For continuously updated Mendeley information and excellent help pages, check their website:  https://www.mendeley.com/guides .

Some reasons to choose EndNote:

• Zotero and Mendeley are relatively young tools when compared to EndNote. EndNote X9 offers some additional features that might be necessary for your discipline and work flow.
• There are two versions of Endnote -- a stand alone desktop program and EndNote Online, a cloud-based version. If you want to use both, they can be synced so that you have the same references (from a single desktop library) in both places.
• However, EndNote X9 is not free but can be purchased with a significant educational discount through the Washington University STS. Currently, EndNote for WUSTL students for $24.  For purchasing information, go here: https://sts.wustl.edu/sas-mathematica-and-endnote-for-students/ .
• For additional info, help pages, and videos about Endnote X9, check their thorough company guide: EndNote X9: https://clarivate.libguides.com/endnote_training/users/enx9
• To establish your free Endnote Online account use the following steps:
• Go to the  Web Of Science    from a computer connected to the campus network
• Click the Products link at top right of page. EndNote will be one of the options
• Click register on the pop up window
• Storage limit: EndNote online via the Web of Science provides 2GB of storage with upgrade packages available.
• Scroll down on this website to see a comparison of the two EndNote options: https://endnote.com/product-details/basic/
• This guide at WUSTL’s Becker Medical School is also a helpful resource.

Related Guides

• Zotero & ZoteroBib by Kris Helbling Last Updated Jun 10, 2024 1314 views this year
• Citing Your Sources & Writing Styles by Services *Research & Liaison Last Updated Jun 10, 2024 1713 views this year
• Next: Gathering Citations >>
• Last Updated: Jun 10, 2024 2:38 PM
• URL: https://libguides.wustl.edu/choose

Library subject guides

Endnote: a beginner's guide.

• Getting started: downloads, installation and referencing styles
• Adding full-text (PDFs)
• Creating groups
• Using filters
• Using connection files
• Using journal term lists
• Editing a referencing output style
• Backing-up your EndNote library
• Help and training
• Endnote Online

Attaching full-text PDF articles to your existing references manually

You can add full-text PDFs to existing references in your EndNote Desktop library using either one of the two options below.

METHOD A: Manually attach a PDF to an existing reference

This method is useful when you already have the PDF of a reference saved on your computer or USB, or for references that do not have a DOI (please see METHOD B   below for more details). This method is carried out for one reference at a time, not multiple reference simultaneously.

Instructions

1. In your EndNote Desktop library, select (click) the reference you would like to attach the PDF to, then:

• press the  Attach File button within the Summary  tab on the right panel, then select file and press the Open button.
• File Attachments > Attach File >  select file > press the  Open  button.

2. Click on any other reference to bring up a " Do you want to save the changes you made to the reference? " pop-up box. Click Yes .

3. Repeat steps 1-2 for each other reference you want to attach a PDF to.

Attaching full-text PDF articles to your existing references using Find Full Text

Method b: automatically attach multiple pdfs simultaneously to existing references using 'find full text'.

This method is useful when you do not already have the PDFs of your references. EndNote Desktop will search for the full-text PDFs within RMIT Library's subscription databases. If we have those PDFs, EndNote will then automatically attach them to their corresponding references in your EndNote Desktop library. This method can be carried out either for one reference at a time or for multiple reference simultaneously. You will need to be connected to the Internet.

1. Configure your EndNote Desktop settings:

a) Click on the  Find Full Text  option within Preferences :

On Windows:  Edit > Preferences > Find Full Text

On a Mac:  EndNote > Preferences > Find Full Text

b) Within the  Find Full Text  option in  Preferences :

Ensure that the  OpenURL option is ticked.

In the  OpenURL Path  field, copy and paste this link:  https://libkey.io/libraries/1057/openurl

Check that the  Authenticate with URL   field is  empty -- do not type anything within.

Press Apply .

c)  Click on the  URLs and Links  option within the same Preferences window.

d) Within the  URLs and Links  option in  Preferences :

Replace whatever is in the ISI Base URL field with the following link (copy and paste):  https://go.openathens.net/redirector/rmit.edu.au?url=

In the  OpenURL Arguments field, replace WoS with endnote .

2. Automatically find and attach full-text PDFs:

a) Select one or more references in your EndNote Desktop library

b) Get EndNote to find and attach the full-text PDFs using one of these options:

References > Find Full Text > Find Full Text , OR

Right-click on selected reference(s) and click on  Find Full Text

Adding full-text PDF articles to create new references (PDF Import option)

You can get EndNote to automatically create new references in your EndNote Desktop library by importing a group of full-text PDFs. This method will only work for PDFs with a DOI. You do not need to know which ones have a DOI -- EndNote will work that out. 

1.   In your EndNote Desktop library:   File >   Import >   Folder. Select  Choose , then find the folder that contains your PDFs. Click OK , then click  Import .

2.  The references (and all of their details such as title, authors, year, etc.) have been created, and their corresponding PDFs have been attached to them. Please check the accuracy of each reference and that no content is missing. You will need to be familiar with the requirements of your referencing style to know what potential errors to look for (e.g. missing volume number, title fully capitalised, etc.).

PDF management

You can set up your EndNote Desktop library to enable automatic importing of PDFs from a designated folder on your computer. This allows for any new PDFs added to the folder to be automatically imported into your EndNote Desktop library, and for the PDF to be automatically renamed using the naming convention you selected in Step 1 (for example: Author + Year).

Note: The automatic renaming process works in the background when you open your EndNote Desktop library and while you are working in it.

1. In your EndNote Desktop library:

• On Windows: Edit > Preferences > PDF Handling
• On a Mac: EndNote   > Preferences > PDF Handling

2.  Select a PDF Auto R enaming Option , e.g.   Author + Year. EndNote will automatically rename your PDFs when importing them into your EndNote Desktop library. This renaming does not affect the name of the PDF in the original folder on your computer.

3. Place a tick in the  Enable automatic importing option, and select the designated folder from your computer (click Select Folder ). EndNote will automatically import into your EndNote Desktop library any new PDFs added to this folder.   If the reference is already in your EndNote Desktop library, the PDF will automatically be attached to it. If the reference is  not already in your EndNote Desktop library, a new reference will automatically be created and the PDF attached.

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• Last Updated: Jul 10, 2024 12:25 PM
• URL: https://rmit.libguides.com/endnote

Which reference manager?: Comparison of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero

• Comparison of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero
• Referencing guides

Reference management tools

A reference management tool is a software for storing and managing information resources. Generally, a reference management tool can help you:

• import references from search engines, databases and websites 
• save PDFs, images and other documents
• annotate PDFs
• insert citations and create bibliographies on Word documents  
• collaborate with other researchers

EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero are the most popular reference management tools used by many researchers and students.

Find more details about these three tools in the following comparison table and detailed instructions in our online guides for each tool.

EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero: which is the best tool for you

 The following comparison table of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero may help you choose a right tool to meet your research needs.

• Next: Referencing guides >>
• Last Updated: Jan 25, 2023 11:42 AM
• URL: https://aut.ac.nz.libguides.com/managingreferences