footnote

A footnote is a note placed at the bottom of a page that provides supplementary information or a citation related to a specific part of the text. In most writing, a superscript number or symbol in the main text refers to the corresponding note at the bottom of the page. Footnotes enable readers to locate sources or to read brief digressions without interrupting the main narrative.

Footnotes are used for two broad purposes: references and commentary. In scholarly works, they commonly provide bibliographic details for sources cited in the text. They may also include brief explanations, translations, or ancillary remarks that would clutter the main paragraph if included there. In many styles, footnotes replace or complement in-text citations and can take the form of a full citation on first reference followed by shortened forms.

Placement and style vary by guide. Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Handbook, and APA Publication Manual specify how to mark notes, their formatting, and the order of items in the note. Typically, notes are numbered consecutively within the document, and footnotes appear at the bottom of the page; endnotes gather notes at the end of a chapter or document.

History and scope: Footnotes have a long history in printed books, growing out of marginalia and annotations in early modern typography. They became widely adopted in scholarly publishing to separate source documentation from running text.

Limitations: While footnotes can enhance credibility and readability, excessive or lengthy notes can disrupt flow. Writers are advised to use footnotes sparingly for essential citations or clarifications.