How to Cite a Email or Personal Communication in Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography)

This guide explains how to format a email or personal communication citation in Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography). Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a email or personal communication in Chicago 17th Edition (Notes-Bibliography):

Template

Note: Author First Last, email message to Recipient First Last, Month Day, Year. Bibliography: Emails are typically cited in notes only, not in the bibliography.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

1. Samantha Chen, email message to author, January 14, 2025.

Bibliography Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your bibliography:

Bibliography entry

Emails are personal communications and are typically cited in notes only, not included in the bibliography.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Name the sender
Use the sender's full name in standard order (First Name Last Name) in the note.
2
Describe the communication
Write "email message to" followed by the recipient's name. If the recipient is you, write "email message to author."
3
Add the date
Include the full date of the email in Month Day, Year format.
4
Include a subject line (optional)
If the subject line is relevant, you may include it in quotation marks: Samantha Chen, "Re: Research Protocol," email message to author, January 14, 2025.
5
Omit from bibliography
Do not include the email in your bibliography. If your instructor requires it, follow the note format with inverted author name.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Including emails in the bibliography — Chicago treats them as personal communications cited in notes only.
Omitting the recipient of the email.
Forgetting to include the date of the email.
Using 'e-mail' instead of 'email' (Chicago 17th edition uses 'email' without the hyphen).
Citing an email from a listserv or mailing list the same way as a personal email — listserv messages may require the list name and URL.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do emails appear in a Chicago bibliography?

No. Chicago treats emails as personal communications. They are cited in notes (footnotes or endnotes) only and are not included in the bibliography.

How do I cite an email if I am the recipient?

Use "email message to author" as the description. For example: Jane Doe, email message to author, March 5, 2025.

Can I cite an email from a public mailing list differently?

Yes. For public mailing list or listserv messages, include the name of the list and the URL of the archived message if available, similar to a forum or online posting.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your email or personal communication:

Sender
Recipient
Subject
Date

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Step-by-Step Guide

Name the sender

Use the sender's full name in standard order (First Name Last Name) in the note.

Describe the communication

Write "email message to" followed by the recipient's name. If the recipient is you, write "email message to author."

Add the date

Include the full date of the email in Month Day, Year format.

Include a subject line (optional)

If the subject line is relevant, you may include it in quotation marks: Samantha Chen, "Re: Research Protocol," email message to author, January 14, 2025.

Omit from bibliography

Do not include the email in your bibliography. If your instructor requires it, follow the note format with inverted author name.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Including emails in the bibliography — Chicago treats them as personal communications cited in notes only.

Omitting the recipient of the email.

Forgetting to include the date of the email.

Using 'e-mail' instead of 'email' (Chicago 17th edition uses 'email' without the hyphen).

Citing an email from a listserv or mailing list the same way as a personal email — listserv messages may require the list name and URL.