Footnotes and endnotes are common writing tool features implemented while using various citation sites and are used interchangeably. Both footnotes and endnotes provide writers with a clear method in directing the reader to further information on any additional citations. This blog will help you learn the difference between a footnote and an endnote.

Although footnotes and endnotes are used correspondingly, both of these terms have a key difference. Endnotes are listed at the end of the section of the article, book, chapter or session. Whereas footnotes is an additional piece of information printed at the bottom of the page. 

What is an endnote?

Endnote is a multiplatform software program, you can handle the procedure of composing and assembling research papers with the help of EndNote. Allowing EndNote to handle the labor-intensive tasks for you will allow you to concentrate much more on writing the paper itself.

What is a footnote?

The bottom of a page is where footnotes are located. They provide references or offer commentary on a specific passage of material above it. Say, for instance, that you want to add a thought to a sentence you have written, but the thought has nothing to do with the point being made in your paragraph. 

What is the difference between a footnote and an endnote? 

An endnote and a footnote have entirely distinct purposes. Each makes use of a unique numbering system that enables the reader to search either in the page’s footer or at the end of documents. If a book is intended for a large audience, it may include both endnotes and footnotes.

Table: Footnote vs Endnote

How do I create footnote and endnote?

A superscript number should be added at the conclusion of a sentence that contains information (a quotation, a paraphrase, or some data) that you want to reference in a footnote or endnote. In general, the superscript numbers belong at the end of the sentence they are referring to. Other than the dash, they must come after all punctuation.

All footnotes and endnotes in the essay start with the number 1 and are numbered sequentially. Footnotes and endnotes can be created using MS Word or other software.

The use of information that the reader needs but is not the main focus of the text in the middle of a text or page can make reading boring. For this reason, footnotes and endnotes are essential components of the text. Due to their crucial role in enabling the author to deliver pertinent information without interfering with the reader’s reading, these notes are crucial. Both have a number or symbol in the text to indicate that any additional information is found in the endnote or footnote, but the author has used a different numbering scheme for each to make it easier for readers to find the right note when they need it.