Chicago 17th/18th · Diagram
How to Cite A Diagram in Chicago Edition
Chicago Notes & Bibliography asks for fuller repository detail when you cite a diagram—especially medium, dimensions when known, and the holding institution with city—then a URL if you consulted a digital surrogate. Diagram citations belong to the textbook or manual that published the figure, not a scraped study-guide mirror.
Image Citation Generator
Chicago Style (Notes & Bibliography)
17th/18th Edition (CMOS 14.235)1. National Institutes of Health, Structure of a neuron, 2020, Diagram, NIH Curriculum Supplements, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.
💡 "Copy Formatted" copies with HTML styling so pasting into Microsoft Word or Google Docs retains italicized titles and indentation automatically.
Chicago formula for a diagram
Creator Last Name, First Name. Title of Work. Year. Diagram, dimensions. Institution, City. URL.
Italics: Italicize titles of artworks and photographs; medium and dimensions stay roman. Year position: After the title, before medium and repository details.
Worked example
In-text citation
(See note 1)
Template: Footnote number after the sentence; shortened subsequent notes.
Figure caption
Figure 1. National Institutes of Health, Structure of a neuron, 2020. NIH Curriculum Supplements.
Special rules for diagrams
- Name the diagram title and the chapter or figure number when the source uses one.
- If you redraw a process diagram, mark it as adapted and cite the original.
- For scientific schematics, keep labels consistent with the source terminology.
Source of truth: The textbook, paper, or technical manual that published the diagram.
Common mistakes
- Citing a study-guide site that scraped the diagram instead of the textbook.
- Dropping figure numbers that readers need to find the original.
- Calling a flowchart a photograph in the format field.
FAQ
How do you cite a diagram in Chicago?
Build one Chicago reference from creator → date → title → “Diagram” → host. Then paste the finished string into your reference list; do not leave the format field blank or point to a search-results URL.
What is the in-text citation for a diagram in Chicago?
Match the creator spelling used in the reference entry and apply Footnote number after the sentence; shortened subsequent notes.. If the diagram is labeled as a numbered figure in the paper, add that figure number only where your instructor’s Chicago handout allows.
Do I need a figure caption when I include a diagram in my paper (Chicago)?
Only if you reprint the visual. A mention in prose needs in-text + reference list; a reproduced diagram also needs a numbered caption so readers can connect the picture on the page to the bibliography entry.
Where should I look for source details for a diagram?
Start on the object or article page that displays the diagram, then read the credit line, about panel, or download metadata. Skip aggregator cards and thumbnail feeds—they rarely carry a citable creator or permanent link.
What is a common mistake when citing diagrams in Chicago?
Students often citing a study-guide site that scraped the diagram instead of the textbook. Another frequent miss: treating a cropped social share as the publisher of record.
How is citing a diagram different from citing a generic online photo in Chicago?
A generic photo citation can stop at photographer + site + URL. For diagrams, you also have to capture name the diagram title and the chapter or figure number when the source uses one. That extra field is what keeps the entry recoverable.