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Chicago 18th edition author-date

Author-date for the Chicago Manual of Style 18th edition

Citing personal communication

Personal communications are usually cited entirely in the text (but see 14.136–37). The term personal communication (or pers. comm.), or a more specific equivalent, is added after the name, following a comma. Each person cited must be fully identified in the text. Unless it is mentioned in the text, a date should be added to the parenthetical citation, following a comma. The abbreviation et al. should be avoided in such citations (14.111).

For acknowledging oral sources of indigenous knowledge see 14.136.

Personal communication

Type Format
Elements of citation

Originator of the communication --  Medium -- Date

In-text citation

(Brenda Hasbrouck, text message to author, May 5, 2017)

Reference list Not included
EndNote reference type As Chicago recommends for citations to be limited to the text, the personal communication reference type does not automatically display in EndNote. In the output styles template for Chicago 18th, the reference type will need to be activated and designed.