Endnote

An endnote does the same work as a footnote — supplying a citation, a qualification, or a side-comment — but is gathered at the end of the chapter, section, or book rather than at the bottom of the page on which its reference number appears.

The choice between footnote and endnote is almost always a publisher's choice, made for reasons of typography and audience. Endnotes keep the main text visually uncluttered, which suits trade non-fiction and general readers. They also give the designer more freedom with the page, since the body text no longer has to share the block with a variable amount of note.

The cost is convenience. A reader who wants to check a source has to keep two bookmarks: one at the page they are reading, one at the endnotes. Most readers stop checking after a few chapters, which quietly weakens the accountability that citations are supposed to provide. This is why many academic publishers still prefer footnotes despite the aesthetic cost.

Practical rule: if the notes are load-bearing — if readers will actually want to consult them as they read — use footnotes. If the notes are archival, present only so that a specialist can retrace the argument later, endnotes are fine. Mixing the two systems in one book is bad manners.