What Are Footnotes? How to Use Them
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Footnotes are an essential component of academic writing, offering a way to cite sources, provide additional information, and maintain a smooth flow in your main text. Whether you’re writing a university essay, a dissertation, or a journal article, knowing how to use footnotes correctly can significantly elevate the professionalism and clarity of your work.
This blog post will explain the meaning of footnotes and endnotes, highlight their differences, show you how to use them in Word and Google Docs, and introduce citation styles that rely on them. We'll also answer frequently asked questions and share best practices to help you avoid common mistakes.
Footnotes Meaning: What Are Footnotes?
Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom (or "foot") of a page that provide additional information or references. They are usually marked in the main text with a superscript number, which corresponds to the note below.
They serve several purposes:
- Citing sources without cluttering the main text.
- Offering explanatory notes or commentary.
- Adding related references or cross-references.
What Are Endnotes?
While footnotes appear at the bottom of each page, endnotes serve a similar purpose but appear collectively at the end of a document or chapter.
Endnote Meaning
Endnotes consolidate all citations and comments in one section, keeping the main body free from visual clutter. They are especially common in books or reports where a cleaner page layout is preferred.
Footnotes vs Endnotes: Which Should You Use?
Whether to use footnotes or endnotes largely depends on three key factors: the referencing style you're required to follow, the academic discipline you're writing within, and your personal or institutional preference for how clean or detailed you want the page to look.
Different style guides have different expectations. For example, the Chicago Manual of Style offers both footnote and endnote options, but many humanities courses explicitly favour footnotes for their ease of access. In contrast, some social sciences or scientific disciplines prefer systems like APA or Harvard, which use in-text citations and may only include endnotes for commentary rather than referencing.
If you're ever unsure, consult your department’s preferred style guide or ask your tutor. Here is a handy breakdown:
| Feature | Footnotes | Endnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Bottom of the page | End of chapter/document |
| Reader access | Immediate | Requires flipping to end |
| Common Style | Chicago, MHRA, OSCOLA | APA (for comments), some books |
Discipline-Specific Use of Footnotes
The use of footnotes varies greatly across academic disciplines. Understanding your discipline’s norms is crucial. Using the wrong citation approach may lower your grade or credibility. Here's how they’re typically used:
How to Create Footnotes: A Step-by-Step Guide
Adding footnotes isn’t just about clicking the right buttons. You must also format them according to your citation style. Here’s a quick walkthrough.
How to Add Footnotes in Word
- Place your cursor where you want the footnote marker.
- Go to the "References" tab.
- Click "Insert Footnote".
- Type your footnote text at the bottom of the page.
How to Add Footnotes in Google Docs
- Click where you want the footnote.
- Select Insert > Footnote from the top menu.
- Type your note, and it will automatically appear at the bottom of the page.
Footnotes Keyboard Shortcut in Word & Google Docs
In a rush? You can use the shortcut Alt + Ctrl + F (Windows) or Command + Option + F (Mac) to insert a footnote quickly.
How to Remove Footnotes in Word & Google Docs
To remove a footnote, delete the superscript number in the main text. The corresponding note at the bottom of the page will disappear automatically.
How to Convert Footnotes to Endnotes in Word
If you decide later that you want endnotes instead of footnotes:
- Go to References pane > Footnotes dialog box launcher (small arrow icon on the bottom right).
- Select Convert…
- Choose Convert all footnotes to endnotes.
Common Footnote Citation Styles
Chicago Footnotes
The Chicago Manual of Style is famous for its footnote system, commonly used in history and the humanities. Citations are placed in footnotes, with an optional bibliography at the end.
¹ Eric Hobsbawm, The Age of Extremes (London: Abacus, 1995), 142.
MHRA Footnotes
The MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association) style is widely used in the UK, particularly for English literature, history, and philosophy.
¹ Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (London: J. Johnson, 1792), p. 56.
OSCOLA Footnotes
Used in UK law, OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities) places full references in footnotes and avoids the use of a bibliography for primary sources.
¹ R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union [2017] UKSC 5, [45].
Bibliography vs Footnotes
While footnotes provide immediate references or explanations, a bibliography is a list of all sources cited in your work, usually at the end of the document.
Remember that:
- Footnotes are tied to specific points in the text.
- A bibliography is a summary of all sources used, regardless of where they are cited.
Do Footnotes Count in Word Count?
This depends on the institution and the software settings.
Microsoft Word: You can choose to include or exclude footnotes in your word count. Go to Tools > Word Count, and tick/untick “Include footnotes and endnotes”.
University policy: Always check your university’s guidelines: some departments exclude footnotes, while others count them partially or fully.
Why You Shouldn’t Overuse Footnotes
While footnotes are an effective tool for providing references or additional information, relying on them too heavily can undermine the overall quality of your writing. If every sentence is followed by a superscript number, it can disrupt the natural flow of your argument. Constantly directing your reader’s attention to the bottom of the page can become tiring and distracting, especially in longer essays or dissertations.
Overuse of footnotes may also signal weak integration of sources. If you're continually deferring to the footnotes instead of embedding evidence smoothly into your discussion, it can suggest that you're not fully engaging with the material or making it part of your analysis. Strong academic writing weaves sources into the narrative; footnotes should be a supplement, not a substitute.
In short, footnotes should be used sparingly and purposefully. They are best reserved for essential citations, brief clarifications, or tangential remarks, but not for material that really belongs in the main text.
Automating Footnotes with Reference Tools
Struggling to keep track of dozens of footnotes? Reference management tools can help you generate and format footnotes automatically:
Zotero: Free, open-source tool that integrates with Word and supports MHRA, Chicago, and OSCOLA.
EndNote: Popular in academic institutions; excellent for large-scale referencing projects.
Mendeley: Ideal for storing PDFs and generating citations in various styles.
Word’s built-in referencing manager: Basic but effective for short papers and footnote styles.
These AI tools for managing references will help you stay consistent, avoid mistakes, and save time, but they are not always infallible.
Footnotes Best Practices
Here are some footnotes' do’s and don’ts, so you can use them effectively in your writing :
- Be concise: Avoid lengthy explanations.
- Use them sparingly: Don’t overwhelm the reader.
- Follow a consistent style: Stick to your referencing style throughout.
- Double-check your formatting: Ensure numbering, fonts, and spacing are uniform.
- Avoid repetition: Don’t repeat the same citation unnecessarily.
Frequently Asked Questions About Footnotes
Does Harvard Referencing Use Footnotes?
No. Harvard is an author-date system and uses in-text citations instead of footnotes. For example: (Smith, 2022). However, explanatory footnotes can sometimes be used for commentary, not citations.
Do Footnotes Go After Punctuation?
Yes, in most academic styles (like Chicago and MHRA), footnote numbers should be placed after the punctuation mark, typically after a full stop or comma.
Can I Use Both Footnotes and Endnotes?
Generally, no—most style guides recommend choosing one or the other. However, you can occasionally use footnotes for citations and endnotes for longer commentary in certain types of publications.
How Many Footnotes Are Too Many?
There’s no strict limit, but excessive footnotes can be distracting. Aim for clarity: use footnotes when needed, but don’t overuse them to show off how many sources you’ve read
What If My Footnotes Are Not in the Right Order?
This usually happens if you've moved or deleted references in Word. To fix it:
- Select all (Ctrl+A)
- Press F9 to update fields. This will renumber all footnotes correctly.
Mastering the Art of Footnotes
Footnotes are a powerful tool to support your arguments, guide your reader, and demonstrate your academic credibility. Whether you’re writing a legal essay, a literature dissertation, or a historical analysis, using footnotes correctly can elevate your writing and help you meet academic standards with ease.
Understanding the difference between footnotes and endnotes, choosing the right citation style, and formatting your references consistently are all part of this process.
