Footnotes vs. Endnotes: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between Footnotes and Endnotes is that footnotes are used for shorter, more frequent notes whereas endnotes are used for longer, less frequent notes.
Before we move to more differences, let’s first understand Footnotes and Endnotes:
- Footnotes: Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page that provide supplementary information or cite references.
- Endnotes: Endnotes are notes placed at the end of a manuscript, article, or book that serve an identical purpose to footnotes.
Now, let’s get to Footnotes vs Endnotes:
Major differences between Footnotes and Endnotes
| Footnotes | Endnotes |
|---|---|
| Footnotes are typically numbered or marked with symbols or superscripts. | Endnotes are also numbered, but they are often marked with regular numeric digits rather than symbols. |
| Footnotes allow readers to view the additional information while they read. | Endnotes require the readers to move to the back of the work to view the notes. |
| Footnotes are usually used for short references or to clarify specific words or phrases in the text. | Endnotes are often used to provide more detailed information or additional sources. |
| Footnotes are commonly used in humanities research, such as history or literature. | Endnotes are more commonly used in scientific research. |
| Footnotes are placed at the bottom of the page in which they occur. | Endnotes are placed at the end of the document, usually in a separate section. |
So, these are the main differences between the entities.
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