Use “review of Title, by Creator” plus source details, formatted in Notes–Bibliography or Author–Date, with a URL or DOI for online reviews.
Chicago style handles reviews cleanly once you know two things: which system you are using and how to label the work being reviewed. The two systems are Notes–Bibliography (NB) and Author–Date (AD). Both need the reviewer, the review title if any, a clear “review of” phrase, the work’s title and creator, the publication, date, and location data such as pages or a link. If you want a quick refresher, the Citation Quick Guide from The Chicago Manual of Style and Purdue OWL’s guide to periodicals explain the base rules and what to include.
Cite A Review In Chicago Style: Quick Start
- Identify the reviewer, the review headline if present, and the item under review with its author, director, artist, or composer.
- Pick your system. Humanities fields lean toward NB; sciences and social sciences often use AD.
- Write the note or in-text citation, then prepare the matching bibliography or reference list entry.
- Include “review of” (or “rev. of”) before the title of the work under review.
- Give source details: periodical or site name, volume and issue if a journal, date, page range, and a DOI or stable link if online.
- Capitalize titles in headline style; italicize the work under review; put the review’s own title in quotation marks.
- When a review has no headline, give only the reviewer, then the “review of …” phrase and source data.
Pick The Right Pattern
The grid below shows common review contexts and a fast pattern for each system. Replace the placeholders with your details and match spacing and punctuation.
| Source Type | Notes–Bibliography (Footnote; Bibliography) | Author–Date (In-text; Reference List) |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper, print | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” Newspaper, Month Day, Year, page. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Newspaper, Month Day, Year. | In-text: (Reviewer Year). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Newspaper, Month Day. |
| Newspaper, online | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” Newspaper, Month Day, Year, URL. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Newspaper, Month Day, Year. URL. | In-text: (Reviewer Year). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Newspaper, Month Day. URL. |
| Magazine | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” Magazine, Month Year, pages or URL. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Magazine, Month Year. URL or page range. | In-text: (Reviewer Year). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Magazine, Month Day or Month Year. URL or page range. |
| Journal | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” review of Work, by Creator, Journal volume, no. issue (Year): pages, DOI. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Review of Work, by Creator. Journal volume, no. issue (Year): page range. DOI. | In-text: (Reviewer Year, page). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Review of Work, by Creator. Journal volume (issue): page range. DOI. |
| Film | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” review of Film, directed by Director, Site, Month Day, Year, URL. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Review of Film, directed by Director. Site, Month Day, Year. URL. | In-text: (Reviewer Year). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Review of Film, directed by Director. Site, Month Day. URL. |
| Performance | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” review of Work by Composer/Playwright, performed by Company, Venue, City, Month Day, Year, Newspaper, URL if online. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Review of Work … Newspaper, Month Day, Year. URL. | In-text: (Reviewer Year). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Review of Work … Newspaper, Month Day. URL. |
| Book | Footnote: Reviewer, “Title,” review of Book, by Author, Periodical, Month Day or Month Year, pages or URL. Bibliography: Reviewer. “Title.” Review of Book, by Author. Periodical, Month Day or Month Year. URL or page range. | In-text: (Reviewer Year). Reference: Reviewer. Year. “Title.” Review of Book, by Author. Periodical, Month Day or Month Year. URL or page range. |
Notes–Bibliography: Clear Models
Newspaper Review, Online
Footnote: Alex Rivera, “Jubilant Returns for the City Symphony,” review of Blue Avenue, by Lina Park, New York Times, May 5, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/.
Bibliography: Rivera, Alex. “Jubilant Returns for the City Symphony.” Review of Blue Avenue, by Lina Park. New York Times, May 5, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/.
Scholarly Journal Review, With DOI
Footnote: Dana Long, “Reframing the Archive,” review of Cataloging Freedom, by Priya Desai, Journal of Media History 12, no. 2 (2023): 144–47, https://doi.org/10.1086/999999.
Bibliography: Long, Dana. “Reframing the Archive.” Review of Cataloging Freedom, by Priya Desai. Journal of Media History 12, no. 2 (2023): 144–47. https://doi.org/10.1086/999999.
Film Review On A News Site
Footnote: Mira Shah, “A Quiet Triumph,” review of Harbor Lights, directed by Ken Ito, Guardian, August 18, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/.
Bibliography: Shah, Mira. “A Quiet Triumph.” Review of Harbor Lights, directed by Ken Ito. Guardian, August 18, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/.
Stage Performance, Print Newspaper
Footnote: Leo Chen, “Movement That Sings,” review of Drift by Ana Sousa, performed by River North Dance, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, October 10, 2022, Chicago Tribune, C3.
Bibliography: Chen, Leo. “Movement That Sings.” Review of Drift by Ana Sousa, performed by River North Dance, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, October 10, 2022. Chicago Tribune. C3.
Author–Date: Clear Models
Magazine Review, Online
In-text: (Nguyen 2024)
Reference: Nguyen, Tessa. 2024. “Tasting Memory.” Review of Grains of Home, by Matteo Russo. Bon Appétit, June 2024. https://www.bonappetit.com/.
Journal Review With Pages
In-text: (Alvarado 2023, 92)
Reference: Alvarado, Nia. 2023. “Mapping the Basin.” Review of Rivers Remember, by Jade Hart. Waterlands 8 (1): 90–93. https://doi.org/10.5555/xyz123.
Film On A Blog
In-text: (Patel 2022)
Reference: Patel, Rohan. 2022. “Crowded Streets, Quiet Eyes.” Review of Transit Days, directed by Lila Okoro. Frames & Scenes, November 12. https://framesandscenes.example/.
Handling Tricky Details
No Review Headline
Skip the review title. Start with the reviewer’s name, then write “review of Title, by Creator,” followed by the source data. Keep punctuation tight and match the pattern for your system.
Anonymous Reviewer
Begin with the review title. If there is no title, start with “Review of …” and move directly to the source. Do not write “Anonymous” unless the item truly prints that word as the byline.
Untitled Work Under Review
Describe the work briefly in roman type inside the “review of” phrase, such as “review of exhibition catalog, Museum of Modern Form.”
Multiple Creators
List the primary creator first, then add editors, translators, conductors, or lead performers if they matter to identification. Use commas, not semicolons, and keep roles in lower case.
Page Numbers And Sections
Newspapers might use section letters. In NB notes, place the page or section at the end of the note; the bibliography entry can omit it. In AD, keep page numbers in the text citation when needed.
Chicago lets newspaper pieces live only in notes when a list is optional. If your teacher or editor wants a list, include entries for clarity.
Preferred Abbreviations
“rev. of” is fine in tight spaces, though many writers spell out “review of.” Use “no.” for issue and “ed.” for editor. Keep months spelled out.
Second Table: Elements And Order
Use this compact map when polishing punctuation and order. It mirrors the patterns shown earlier and fits both print and online sources.
| Element | Notes–Bibliography Placement | Author–Date Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewer | Start of note and bibliography entry | Start of reference; surname first in list |
| Review title | In quotation marks, after the name | In quotation marks, after the name |
| “review of” label | Immediately before the work’s title | Immediately before the work’s title |
| Work under review | Italicized title; add “by Creator” | Italicized title; add “by Creator” |
| Container | Journal/Magazine/Newspaper/Site | Journal/Magazine/Newspaper/Site |
| Volume/issue | Volume, no. issue (Year) | Volume (issue): pages |
| Date | Month Day, Year or Month Year | Year; give Month Day after the title if needed |
| Pages | End of note; range if available | In text as needed; range in reference |
| DOI/URL | End of note and bibliography | End of reference |
Formatting Footnotes And Shortened Notes
NB uses superscript numbers in the text and full details in the first note. Later notes can use a shortened form: reviewer’s surname, a brief title, and the page. The bibliography lists the full entry once. AD uses parenthetical citations with the reviewer’s surname and year, plus a page if needed, tied to a reference list entry.
Shortened Note Demo
First note: Dana Long, “Reframing the Archive,” review of Cataloging Freedom, by Priya Desai, Journal of Media History 12, no. 2 (2023): 144–47, https://doi.org/10.1086/999999.
Later note: Long, “Reframing the Archive,” 146.
Style Tips That Prevent Errors
- Give the review’s own title in quotation marks; italicize only the work being reviewed and the container title.
- Use headline style for English titles; follow the source for non-English capitalization.
- Spell names exactly as printed, including accents and hyphens.
- Prefer DOIs to long URLs when both exist.
- When a review spans nonconsecutive pages, cite the first page in the note and the full range in the bibliography or reference list.
- If a site lacks a clear date, supply the year you can verify and add a retrieval date only when your instructor or editor asks for it.
- If a review is part of a themed column, give the column title after the review title if it helps readers find it.
Checklist Before You Submit
- System chosen and used consistently: NB or AD.
- “review of” phrase present and placed right before the title of the item under review.
- Correct container name and date details, with volume and issue for journals.
- Pages, section letters, or a stable DOI or link supplied.
- Footnotes numbered in sequence; shortened notes used after the first full note.
- Reference list or bibliography alphabetized by reviewer’s surname.
- Every in-text or note entry has a matching list entry.