Footnotes and endnotes are both ways to provide additional information or citations in a text, but they differ in where the supplementary material appears within the document.
Footnotes vs Endnotes
| Feature | Footnotes | Endnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Location | At the bottom of the page where they are cited | At the end of a chapter or document |
| Accessibility | Immediately accessible for readers | Readers must flip to the end to find the details |
| Use | Common in academic papers, books, articles | Used when text flow is crucial, less disruptive |
| Visibility | Visible on the same page as the reference | Not immediately visible; less intrusive |
| Frequency of Use | More frequently used in humanities | Often used in books, especially non-fiction |
| Detail Level | Can be detailed but usually concise to not disrupt reading flow | Can be longer as they do not interrupt the page layout |
| Reader Engagement | Encourages immediate engagement with additional information | May be overlooked if the reader does not flip to the end |
| Publication Formats | Preferred in formats where immediate information is beneficial | Preferred in formats aiming for a cleaner page layout |