Online encyclopedia or dictionary

You may need to consult more than one section of Re:cite to accurately represent the source used. Your citation may look different depending on the number of authors it has. Check the frequently asked questions about Chicago B page for further advice.

In-text citation

In-text citation examples

In eMelbourne: The Encyclopedia of Melbourne (n.d, under "Street Lighting")…

OR

Lemons (2008) discusses…

Reference list

Well-known reference works (such as major dictionaries and encyclopedias) are commonly only cited in the text, however it is appropriate to include them in your reference list if they form a critical part of your research, or if they are frequently cited. Check with your lecturer if you are unsure.

Reference list templates

Title of Encyclopedia/Dictionary. Year. "Title of Entry." Modified or access date. DOI (or URL).

OR

Author (Surname, First Name). Year. "Title of Entry." In Title of Encyclopedia/Dictionary. Publisher, Year. Modified or accessed Date. DOI (or URL).

Reference list examples

eMelbourne: The Encyclopedia of Melbourne. n.d. "Street Lighting." Accessed June 17, 2010. http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01432b.htm.

OR

Lemons, J. Stanley. 2008. "Social Feminism." In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History. Oxford University Press. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195148909.001.0001/acref9780195148909-e-993.

Tips for this reference type

  • See Manual 14.131 and 14.132. Also refer to 14.1 for adapting examples to Chicago B.
  • For entries with more than one author, consult the About Chicago B page.
  • The Chicago Manual of Style no longer requires the place of publication to be included in most book citations. See Manual 14.30.
  • Online versions of encyclopedias should be cited like their printed counterparts (see Manual 14.130).
  • For references to an alphabetically arranged work, cite the entry (not the volume or page number) in quotation marks. you can also include the word 'under' for clarity  (ie. under "Social Feminsim.") See Manual 14.130.
  • Chicago recommends including last modified or access dates for online encyclopedias and other reference works.
  • Where there is no publication date available, use the abbreviation "n.d." (no date) in place of the year in the reference list (see Manual 14.104).
  • Give the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) when available, otherwise use the URL.
  • Online reference works are normally cited in the text rather than in the reference list. However, they should be included if they form a critical part of your research, or if they are frequently cited. Check with your lecturer if you are unsure.
  • For certain reference works it may be appropriate to cite individual entries by author, much like contributions to a chapter in an edited book (see 14.132). Include these citations in the reference list.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)