FAQ: When should I italicize the title of a source in Chicago Style?

Chicago prefers italics to set off the titles of major or freestanding works such as books, journals and other periodicals, movies and television shows, musicals and plays, and paintings. This practice extends to cover the names of ships and other craft, species names, and legal cases. Quotation marks are usually reserved for the titles of subsections of larger works—including chapters and articles, television episodes, and poems in a collection. Some titles—for example, of a book series or a website, under which any number of works or documents may be collected—are neither italicized nor placed in quotation marks. For more on the titles of works, including matters of capitalization and punctuation, see 8.157–204 This link opens in a new window. For using italics and quotation marks to highlight or set off certain letters, words, and phrases, see 7.49–86 This link opens in a new window.

More Information

• Chicago Guide (Shapiro Library)

Disclaimer

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please speak to your professor about the appropriate use of italics and quotation marks in your class assignments and projects.