Endanótur

Endanótur is a note system used in writing to provide citations, explanations, or commentary without interrupting the main text. The notes appear at the end of a document (or at the end of each chapter) and are linked to the relevant text by numeric markers or symbols, commonly superscript numbers. In many styles, the markers in the text are sequential; the endnotes themselves are listed in an Endnotes section near the end of the work. Endnotes may contain full bibliographic details for a citation, or brief remarks with a full reference elsewhere, depending on the style guide.

Compared with footnotes, endnotes save space on each page and can facilitate a smoother reading rhythm, but they require the reader to navigate to the end of the document for details. The Chicago Manual of Style, for example, supports endnotes as an alternative to footnotes in the notes-bibliography system. Other styles and publishers may prefer either format; academia and some journals specify the approach in their submission guidelines.

Modern word processors offer dedicated features to insert and number endnotes automatically, and endnotes can often be converted to footnotes and vice versa. In Icelandic usage, the term endanótur is commonly understood as the tool described above, though the exact formatting depends on institutional or publisher requirements.

Endnotes should be concise and accurate, providing enough information for readers to locate sources while avoiding excessive detail in the note itself.