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Footnotes are small notes at the bottom of a printed page, often used for citations or additional comments. They are indicated by symbols or numbers and different style manuals have different rules. Footnotes can be used for humorous asides or interesting tidbits.
A footnote is a notation at the bottom of the page in a printed document. Footnotes are usually presented in smaller type than the dominant text and are used for a variety of purposes. The “foot” part refers to whether the notation is in the “footer” or “bottom” of the document. A similar concept is the endnote, a note that is given at the end of a document, rather than at the bottom of a specific page.
When a text has these notes, they are indicated with various symbols or superscript numbers. The asterisk symbol, *, is a common symbol, but a variety of symbols can be used including daggers, †. In a text with many footnotes, numbers are usually used to denote them, so that the reader can keep track of what is happening. Endnotes are usually indicated with numbers, to make it easier for people to find.
Different style manuals have different rules on the use of footnotes and it is important to follow the style guidelines when submitting materials for publication. Because the practice can get very complicated, most style guidelines devote at least a few pages to the procedure. Some people avoid using notes altogether, while others enjoy them because they provide a great deal of freedom when used well.
A common reason for footnotes is to provide citations. Whenever an author quotes someone else or discusses someone else’s ideas, they are expected to provide a citation, either to provide credence or to allow readers to examine the source for themselves. Some style guidelines like inline citations in the text, as in “(Myers, 2006),” while others prefer to see annotated citations in the footer. Footnote citations allow readers to focus on the text, consulting the citation whenever they feel like it, rather than being forced to read it.
Footnotes really flourish in the sense of additional comments. Authors may use a note to provide comments or additional information, especially if that information strays. Academics, in particular, cannot resist sharing interesting tidbits with their readers, but these tidbits may not be strictly relevant to the text in question. Using these notes allows authors to talk about topics that may be of interest without detracting from the main focus of the text. Sometimes, notes take up more space on the page than the actual text.
It’s not uncommon to see footnotes used to make humorous asides. For people who enjoy academic jokes, these notes are often a great source for humorous comments and side notes that wouldn’t be appropriate in the core text. Footnotes can also be used to tell anecdotes or to provide a subtle commentary on the source or topic under discussion.
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