How to Create Footnotes or Endnotes

In the discipline of history, the "classic" version of footnote (or endnote - either one is a "note") remains standard. In general, historians are interested in the date and place of publication of a source, which may indicate bias. Some instructors may prefer to have the publisher listed as well. Follow the formats below for citing your sources in notes. Below you will find instructions on creating footnotes, as well as some advise on using them.

Placing a Footnote or Endnote

In the text of the paper, a note number is inserted at the end of a sentence, one half-space above the line of text (this is called a superscript). Numbers should run consecutively through the whole paper. They should not be surrounded by brackets or punctuation of any kind; thus: "and with a final charge at the Union cavalry, Stuart's Brigade carried the day." 14

To insert a footnote or an endnote in Microsoft Word, use the following steps:

1. Place the cursor where you would like to insert the footnote or endnote.
2. Click "References".
3. Click "Insert footnote" or "insert endnote."
4. Type the note in the space created by Word

Avoid Anonymous Quotes

Remember to introduce the author of each quotation. Placing a footnote at the end of a sentence with a quotation is not adequate.

Footnotes versus Endnotes

The full notes are typed out at the bottom of the pages of text (footnotes) or in a series of pages following the text of the paper (endnotes). Pages of notes following the end of the text should also be numbered consecutively.