According to the Oxford English Dictionary (3rd edition, 2016):
footnote, noun: A note, reference, or additional piece of information printed at the bottom of a page,
used to explain or comment on something in the main body of the text on the same page.
To follow a footnote, it helps to be able to recognize common elements of citations to sources...
A citation is a reference to an item that gives enough information in order for you to identify it and to be able to find it.
Generally, citations include four elements:
The source information is the clue to figuring out what kind of resource the citation points to:
Other types of publications (audio/visual materials, government documents, dissertations, etc.) will generally include the basic four elements, but will also include enough information in order for the person reading the citation to identify both the type of information source, as well as how to find the information.
This LibGuide was created by Ellen Hamptom Filgo Librarian at Butler University, Indianapolis, IN.
Other users of LibGuides are welcome to use this Guide as a template and to make changes as necessary to fit their custom needs.