Why use endnotes and footnotes

In substantive texts, you may see both endnotes and footnotes used in the paper or book. However, you will not do this in a typical research paper in school. Note: Many times, online scholarly research articles insert hyperlinks between the note number and the actual note.

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They can follow all punctuation marks except dashes. In general, to avoid interrupting the continuity of the text, footnote numbers are placed at the end of the sentence, clause, or phrase containing the quoted or paraphrased material. Depending on the writing style used in your class, endnotes may take the place of a list of resources cited in your paper or they may represent non-bibliographic items, such as comments or observations, followed by a separate list of references to the sources you cited and arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.

If you are unsure about how to use endnotes, consult with your professor. In general, the use of footnotes in most academic writing is now considered a bit outdated and has been replaced by endnotes, which are much easier to place in your paper, even with the advent of word processing programs. However, some disciplines, such as law and history, still predominantly utilize footnotes.

Consult with your professor about which form to use and always remember that, whichever style of citation you choose, apply it consistently throughout your paper. NOTE: Always think critically about the information you place in a footnote or endnote. Ask yourself, is this supplementary or tangential information that would otherwise disrupt the narrative flow of the text or is this essential information that I should integrate into the main text?

If you are not sure, it's better to work it into the text. Too many notes imply a disorganized paper. Guides readers directly and instantly to the citation or the idea related to the specific part of information. Does not take time to find the note at the back of the paper to link the footnote to the subject of the text. Readers can quickly look down the end of the page to find the extra information or identify a source. Disadvantages of using footnotes:.

Do not include periods, parentheses, or slashes. They can follow all punctuation marks except dashes. In general, to avoid interrupting the continuity of the text, footnote numbers are placed at the end of the sentence, clause, or phrase containing the quoted or paraphrased material.

Depending on the writing style used in your class, endnotes may take the place of a list of resources cited in your paper or they may represent non-bibliographic items, such as comments or observations, followed by a separate list of references to the sources you cited and arranged alphabetically by the author's last name.

If you are unsure about how to use endnotes, consult with your professor. In general, the use of footnotes in most academic writing is now considered a bit outdated and has been replaced by endnotes, which are much easier to place in your paper, even with the advent of word processing programs.

However, some disciplines, such as law and history, still predominantly utilize footnotes. Consult with your professor about which form to use and always remember that, whichever style of citation you choose, apply it consistently throughout your paper. NOTE: Always think critically about the information you place in a footnote or endnote. Ask yourself, is this supplementary or tangential information that would otherwise disrupt the narrative flow of the text or is this essential information that I should integrate into the main text?

If you are not sure, it's better to work it into the text. Too many notes implies a disorganized paper. Cermak, Bonni and Jennifer Troxell.

History Division; Hale, Ali. Should You Use Footnotes or Endnotes? Purdue University; Lunsford, Andrea A. The St.