Methods are provided for rendering footnotes to a variety of media. Footnote citations and non footnote data are received and inserted into a unit of media at a beginning location within the unit of media. If a footnote citation is detected, insertion into the unit of media is interrupted and the area associated with receiving the non footnote data and the footnote citation is inverted within the unit of media such that the footnote bodies are received and inserted into the unit of media at the beginning location. After insertion of the footnote bodies is complete, the area associated with receiving the non footnote data and the footnotes citation is restored such that the non footnote data and the footnote citations are located at the beginning location within the unit of media.