How to Cite Sources with Footnotes and Endnotes in Assignment

When completing academic tasks, students are required to display original thought and knowledge of referencing. Referencing your resources appropriately signifies trust in academia and adds to the authority of your assignment. Footnotes and endnotes are one of the most elegant and academically acceptable ways of attributing comparative references.

This guide will address referencing with footnotes and referring with endnotes in your assignment and suggest ways to reference footnotes and endnotes effectively. If you write assignments in History, Law, Literature or Philosophy or are seeking assignment help in Australia, this guide will help you understand referencing with footnotes and endnotes.

What Are Footnotes and Endnotes?

Footnote Citation Defined

Footnotes are small text notations that appear at the bottom (foot) of the page on which a source has been referenced. Each footnote corresponds to a superscript number within the body of the text. Each footnote will explain, cite or provide more detail without significantly interrupting your narrative: 

Example:

The Treaty of Versailles had profound and lasting effects on the geopolitics of Europe.¹¹Margaret MacMillan, Peacemakers: The Paris Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War (London: John Murray, 2001), 127. 

Understanding Endnote Referencing in Assignments

Endnotes are similar to footnotes, but instead of being presented at the bottom of each page, they are presented in a section at the end of each chapter, or the very end of a document. Each endnote is also indicated with a superscript number in the body text.

Endnotes can be more useful when you want to keep the pages of your papers clear of clutter.

Importance of Citation Using Footnotes and Endnotes

Academically, especially in a university context in Australia, it is important to reference in order to: 

• Credit the contribution of someone else's intellect.
• Avoid plagiarism.
• Direct the reader to the original material.
• Use expert evidence to underpin an argument.

Footnote and endnote citation is particularly important to assignments considered in Law, History, Philosophy and the Arts fields. This style of citation appears as a clear presentation, but maintains academic integrity.

Key Differences: Footnotes vs Endnotes

Let’s break down the differences and when to use each:

Assignment Help Australia Tip:

Check your university style guide. Many Australian universities, (e.g. UNSW, Monash, and University of Sydney), state their own requirements on how to use footnoting and endnotes in your assignments. 

Citation Using Footnotes and Endnotes: Common Styles

1. Chicago Manual of Style (Notes and Bibliography)

Commonly used for humanities subjects (e.g. literature, history and arts). The citation is presented in footnotes with the bibliographic information presented at the end of the document.

Example:

The Great Depression had a major negative effect on international trade.

²² Liaquat Ahamed, Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World (New York: Penguin Press, 2009), 88. 

2. Oxford Referencing Style

This uses endnotes (the superscript number is moved to the end of the sentence and referenced in the order in which it can be in the notes) and then a bibliography at the end of the paper. Each note must have full source details for the first reference to a source and then shortened notices in future references. 

Example:

Einstein’s theory of relativity changed our understanding of modern physics.

³ ³ Albert Einstein, Relativity: The Special and General Theory, trans. Robert Lawson (London: Methuen, 1920): 25.

How to Cite Sources with Footnotes and Endnotes in Assignment

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Insert a superscript number after the relevant sentence or phrase, 
2. and then provide the details of the citation type in the footnote or endnote 
3. The citation would then be shortened when you reflect back to the previous source 
4. If you have not already, include a bibliography (for MLA and APA, this may not be necessary). 

Citing Different Types of Sources with Footnote and Endnote Referencing

Books

Footnote:

Tim Winton, Cloudstreet (Sydney: Penguin Books Australia, 1991), 202.

Journal Articles

Footnote:

Sarah Barns, "Digital Infrastructures and Urban Life," Urban Policy and Research 35, no. 1 (2017): 19–32.

Online Sources

Footnote:

National Library of Australia, "Digital Collection Access," last modified Accessed March 5, 2025. 

Edited Collections

Footnote:

John Hirst, "Australia's Democracy: A Short History," in The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins, ed. James Jupp (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001), 132.

Using "Ibid." and Shortened Citations

Once you have written out a reference source, future references can be shortened.

Example of “Ibid.”:

1. Winton, Cloudstreet, 202.
2. Ibid., 210.
3. Ibid.

Example of Shortened Citation:

1.  Winton, Cloudstreet, 215.

Common Mistakes in Footnote and Endnote Referencing

1. Not providing a page number - Make sure to indicate the precise page that you are referencing.
2. Blending citation styles - Do not mix APA with Chicago or Oxford styles;.
3. Using footnotes for everything -. No need to footnote common knowledge.
4. Inconsistent formatting -Remember to check formatting for punctuation, italics, and order, according to citation style guides.
5. Overuse footnotes for commentaries - Keep footnotes simple and relevant.

Assignment Help Australia: Why Proper Referencing Matters

Australian universities take academic misconduct seriously. If your referencing is improper, it can cause you to lose points or worse, be viewed as academic misconduct. 

Here is how assignment help Australia can help you write a citation using footnotes and endnotes - 

• Expert editors can check your reference style.
• Writing services can help you develop model assignments that are cited accurately.
• Citation tools are either recommended or supported by many assignment help providers. 

Whether you're attending the University of Melbourne or a regional TAFE, referencing correctly will elevate your assignments. 

Digital Tools for Footnote and Endnote Citation

1. Microsoft Word

• Go to the References tab.
• Click Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote.
• Word will automatically number and arrange them for you.

2. Zotero & Mendeley

• Manage your citations with Zotero & Mendeley (and similar applications).
• Both of these applications allow you to manage your collected citations and quickly generate footnotes or bibliographies.
• You can also integrate Zotero & Mendeley with Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

3. Citation Generators

• Citation generators (like CiteThisForMe, Scribbr and BibGuru's generators) let you quickly format citations.
• Remember to always double-check that the final citations are correct.

When to Choose Footnotes Over Endnotes (and Vice Versa)

Use Footnotes When:

• The referencing style actually requires footnotes (i.e. Chicago).
• You desire the reader to see your sources immediately.
• Writing legal essays or historical essays.

Use Endnotes When:

• You're writing a longer report/thesis. 
• You want a more tidy page layout. 
• The referencing style (Oxford) requires it.

Advanced Tips: Mastering Citation Using Footnotes and Endnotes

1. Cross referencing allows you to link citations to other chapters in your work.
2. You can link footnotes together if they cover similar topics, again if permitted by your style.
3. Be succinct—do not replicate longer quotes in the footnotes unless specified by your style.
4. Edit and proofread the notes section separately from the main text.
5. Update sources frequently, as the majority of sources online are indeed fluid. 

Final Thoughts 

Footnote citation and endnote referencing are a crucial, academic skill that all students should master, as academics in Australia often have high standards of referencing. When you write an essay for a philosophy class or historical piece, using the proper citation shows care, integrity, and attention to detail. 

Using a citation style with footnotes and endnotes can really help your ensemble piece, if completed consistently and accurately. And if you ever get worried or confused, please seek assignment help in Australia to ensure your paper has appropriate references, citations, and footnotes. 

This can assist you with using footnotes and endnotes, as you observe the functionality of computers and be sure to consult your university referencing style, you will feel confident using footnotes and endnotes; and your resulting paper will be better for it.