Turabian style is a citation and formatting guide written specifically for students. It covers how to structure a research paper, thesis, or dissertation, and how to cite sources in either of two Chicago-based citation systems.
Kate L. Turabian served as the dissertation secretary at the University of Chicago for decades. In 1937 she published the first edition of A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations to give students a single, practical reference for academic writing. The manual is now in its 9th edition, published in 2018 by the University of Chicago Press, and is commonly referred to simply as ‘Turabian.’
The 9th edition is based on the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style. Note: the Chicago Manual of Style released an 18th edition in 2024, but as of mid-2026 the Turabian manual has not yet been updated to reflect it. Students should continue following the 9th edition of Turabian until an updated edition is released.
Turabian vs. Chicago Style: What Is the Difference?
Turabian is not a separate citation style. It is a student-friendly guide for applying Chicago style. The citation formats in both manuals are identical; the difference lies in audience, scope, and paper formatting guidance.
| Feature | Turabian (9th ed.) | Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.) |
| Audience | Students writing research papers, theses, dissertations | Professional publishers, editors, scholars |
| Primary purpose | Academic paper writing and submission | Manuscript preparation for publication |
| Length | ~400 pages | ~1,000 pages |
| Paper formatting rules | Detailed: title page, heading levels, margins, pagination | Minimal: publishers set their own house style |
| Citation formats | Identical to Chicago | Identical to Turabian |
| Research and writing guidance | Included | Not included |
| Cost and availability | Widely available in print and digital formats | Available via subscription or purchase |
When a professor says ‘use Chicago style,’ they almost always mean the Turabian guidelines are appropriate. If uncertain, confirm with your instructor whether they want the full Chicago Manual or the Turabian student guide.
Notes-Bibliography vs. Author-Date: Which Citation System Should You Use?
Turabian offers two citation systems. You must choose one and use it consistently throughout the paper. The correct choice depends on your academic discipline.
| Feature | Notes-bibliography | Author-date |
| How sources appear in text | Superscript number referring to a footnote or endnote | Parenthetical citation: (Author Year, page) |
| End-of-paper list title | Bibliography | References |
| Typical disciplines | Humanities: history, literature, philosophy, arts | Sciences, social sciences, education, business |
| Flexibility for unusual sources | High: notes can carry additional commentary | Lower: limited to parenthetical format |
| Reader experience | Citations stay out of the main text flow | Author and year visible in the text itself |
If your assignment sheet specifies neither system, check your department’s conventions. History and literature courses almost always use notes-bibliography. Sociology, economics, and education courses typically use author-date. When still uncertain, ask your instructor directly.
Turabian Citation Format: Notes-Bibliography Examples
Books
| Citation type | Format and example |
| Full footnote | Author First Last, Title: Subtitle (Place: Publisher, Year), page. Example: Jan Swafford, The Vintage Guide to Classical Music (New York: Vintage, 1992), 518. |
| Short note | Author Last, Shortened Title, page. Example: Swafford, Vintage Guide, 345. |
| Bibliography entry | Author Last, First. Title: Subtitle. Place: Publisher, Year. Example: Swafford, Jan. The Vintage Guide to Classical Music. New York: Vintage, 1992. |
Book Chapters
| Citation type | Format and example |
| Full footnote | Author First Last, “Chapter Title,” in Book Title, ed. Editor First Last (Place: Publisher, Year), page. Example: Isobel Grundy, “Jane Austen and Literary Traditions,” in The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen, ed. Edward Copeland and Juliet McMaster (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011), 195. |
| Short note | Author Last, “Shortened Chapter Title,” page. Example: Grundy, “Austen and Literary Traditions,” 211. |
| Bibliography entry | Author Last, First. “Chapter Title.” In Book Title, edited by Editor First Last, page range. Place: Publisher, Year. Example: Grundy, Isobel. “Jane Austen and Literary Traditions.” In The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen, edited by Edward Copeland and Juliet McMaster, 192-214. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. |
Journal Articles
| Citation type | Format and example |
| Full footnote | Author First Last, “Article Title,” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Season Year): page. DOI. Example: Ann Effland, “Small Farms/Family Farms: Tracing a History of Definitions and Meanings,” Agricultural History 95, no. 2 (Spring 2021): 315. doi:10.3098/ah.2021.095.2.313. |
| Short note | Author Last, “Shortened Title,” page. Example: Effland, “Small Farms/Family Farms,” 325. |
| Bibliography entry | Author Last, First. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Season Year): page range. DOI. Example: Effland, Ann. “Small Farms/Family Farms: Tracing a History of Definitions and Meanings.” Agricultural History 95, no. 2 (Spring 2021): 313-330. doi:10.3098/ah.2021.095.2.313. |
Websites
| Citation type | Format and example |
| Full footnote | Author First Last, “Page Title,” Website Name, Month Day, Year, URL. Example: Pritha Bhandari, “How to Write a Lab Report,” Scriber, May 20, 2021, scriber.com/methodology/lab-report. |
| Short note | Author Last, “Shortened Page Title.” Example: Bhandari, “Lab Report.” |
| Bibliography entry | Author Last, First. “Page Title.” Website Name. Month Day, Year. URL. Example: Bhandari, Pritha. “How to Write a Lab Report.” Scriber. May 20, 2021. scriber.com/methodology/lab-report. |
| No publication date | Replace date with “Accessed Month Day, Year” in bibliography, and use “n.d.” in author-date in-text citations. |
Turabian Citation Format: Author-Date Examples
| Source type | Reference list entry | In-text citation |
| Book | Swafford, Jan. 1992. The Vintage Guide to Classical Music. New York: Vintage. | (Swafford 1992, 518) |
| Book chapter | Grundy, Isobel. 2011. “Jane Austen and Literary Traditions.” In The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen, edited by Edward Copeland and Juliet McMaster, 192-214. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. | (Grundy 2011, 195) |
| Journal article | Effland, Ann. 2021. “Small Farms/Family Farms: Tracing a History of Definitions and Meanings.” Agricultural History 95, no. 2 (Spring): 313-330. doi:10.3098/ah.2021.095.2.313. | (Effland 2021, 315) |
| Website | Bhandari, Pritha. 2021. “How to Write a Lab Report.” Scriber. May 20, 2021. scriber.com. | (Bhandari 2021) |
| Website, no date | Author Last, First. n.d. “Page Title.” Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL. | (Author n.d.) |
Turabian Et Al. Rules: How to Cite Multiple Authors
The rules for listing multiple authors differ depending on the citation type and the number of authors. Apply the table below consistently.
| Number of authors | Footnote or in-text citation | Bibliography or reference list |
| 1 author | Full name | Last, First. |
| 2 authors | First Last and First Last | Last, First, and First Last. |
| 3 authors (notes-bibliography) | First Last, First Last, and First Last (full note); First Last et al. (short note and in-text) | List all three authors. |
| 4-6 authors | First author only, followed by et al. | List all authors. |
| 7 or more authors | First author only, followed by et al. | List first three authors, then et al. |
Example full footnote (four authors): Jay M. Bernstein et al., Art and Aesthetics after Adorno (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010), 276.
Example bibliography entry (four authors): Bernstein, Jay M., Claudia Brodsky, Anthony J. Cascardi, and Thierry de Duve. Art and Aesthetics after Adorno. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010.
Basic Formatting Guidelines for a Chicago Style Student Paper
The following rules apply to the main body of any student paper formatted in Turabian style. Always check your institution’s requirements, as some universities add or modify specific rules.
| Element | Turabian requirement |
| Paper size | US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) unless otherwise specified |
| Margins | At least 1 inch on all four sides; dissertations may require a wider left margin for binding |
| Font | A readable, widely available font such as Times New Roman (12 pt) or Arial (12 pt) |
| Main text spacing | Double-spaced throughout |
| Exceptions to double-spacing | Block quotations, table titles, figure captions, footnotes, endnotes, bibliography entries, and reference list entries are all single-spaced with one blank line between items |
| Paragraph indent | First line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inches |
| Right margin | Ragged (not justified) |
| Page numbers | Top right corner or bottom center, placed 0.5 inches from the edge |
| Writing voice | Third person (he, she, it, they); avoid first person (I, me, we) unless your instructor specifically requests it |
| Tense | Simple past tense for historical events; present tense when referring to an author’s written work |
Turabian Title Page: What Goes Where?
The title page is the first page of the paper. It is counted as page one but never displays a page number. All elements are centered.
| Element | Position and format |
| Paper title | Centered approximately one-third down the page; headline case (capitalize all major words); do not underline or put in quotation marks |
| Subtitle | Placed directly below the title, separated by a colon in the title line or on a new line; same formatting as the title |
| Author name | Centered below the title, approximately two-thirds down the page |
| Course information | Course name, instructor name, and institution name, each on a separate centered line below the author name |
| Date | Month, day, year on the final centered line |
| Page number | Not shown on the title page |
| Dissertation format | Adds degree name, department, and university; follows the specific requirements of the awarding institution |
Turabian Title Page Template
Download a free title page template in Turabian style: Turabian_Title_Page_Template
Layout: Built to exact Turabian specs: title block sits at the one-third mark, author/course block at the two-thirds mark, on US Letter paper with 1-inch margins throughout. No page number appears anywhere on the page.
Fields to fill in (shown in gray italic):
| Placeholder | Replace with |
|---|---|
[Paper Title: Full Title in Headline Case] |
Your title, capitalizing all major words |
[Subtitle, If Any] |
Your subtitle, or delete the line entirely |
[Your Full Name] |
Your name as it appears on university records |
[Course Number: Course Name] |
e.g., HIST 4201: Research Methods in History |
[Professor's Full Name] |
e.g., Professor Jane Smith |
[Institution Name] |
Your university |
[Month Day, Year] |
Written out in full, e.g., June 18, 2026 |
Before submitting:
Delete all the small gray instruction lines beneath each field, and delete the reminder note at the bottom. They are there only to guide editing and should not appear in the final paper. The title uses Times New Roman 14pt bold (the conventional choice); body fields are 12pt, matching standard Turabian paper formatting.
Turabian Heading Levels: How Are They Formatted?
Turabian defines five heading levels for organizing a paper. Each level has a distinct combination of alignment, weight, and capitalization. Use heading levels in order; do not skip a level.
| Level | Alignment | Style | Capitalization | Example |
| 1 | Centered | Bold | Headline case | Literature Review |
| 2 | Centered | Not bold | Headline case | Early Studies on the Topic |
| 3 | Flush left | Bold | Headline case | Methodological Approaches |
| 4 | Flush left | Not bold | Sentence case | Qualitative methods used in the field |
| 5 | Indented 0.5 in. | Italic, not bold | Sentence case, ends with period. | Ethnographic fieldwork methods. Begin text on the same line after the period. |
Headline case: capitalize the first word, the last word, and all major words (typically four or more letters). Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, or coordinating conjunctions unless they begin the heading.
Sentence case: capitalize only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon.
How Should Pages Be Numbered?
Turabian uses two separate pagination sequences. Front matter (table of contents, lists of figures) uses lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) centered at the bottom of the page, starting with ii to account for the title page. The body of the paper and any back matter use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) placed in the top right corner, starting at 1.
How to Format the Bibliography or Reference List
The bibliography (notes-bibliography papers) or reference list (author-date papers) begins on a new page after the conclusion. The heading ‘Bibliography’ or ‘References’ is centered at the top of the page.
| Element | Rule |
| Heading | Centered at the top of the new page; not bold, italic, or underlined |
| Entry spacing | Single-spaced within each entry; one blank line between entries |
| Indent style | Hanging indent: first line at the left margin, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches |
| Order | Alphabetical by the first word of each entry (usually the author’s last name) |
| Author name format | Invert the first author’s name (Last, First); do not invert additional co-authors |
| DOI and URL | Include at the end of the entry; follow with a period |
| Access dates | Include only for online content that is likely to change (such as wikis or living documents) |
Turabian Annotated Bibliography: How Is It Different?
A Turabian annotated bibliography follows the same formatting rules as a standard bibliography, but each entry is followed by a short annotation. The annotation is a paragraph of approximately 150 to 200 words placed on a new line below the citation, indented to align with the hanging indent.
Each annotation should:
- Summarize the main argument, thesis, or scope of the source.
- Identify the intended audience and the methodology used.
- Evaluate the strengths and limitations of the source.
- Explain how the source relates to and supports your research.
- Be written in the third person (the author argues, the study demonstrates).
There are two common annotation types:
- Summary annotation: describes the content without evaluation.
- Evaluative annotation: both summarizes and critically assesses the source for accuracy, relevance, and quality.
An annotated bibliography is often double-spaced throughout, with no extra blank line between the citation and its annotation. Confirm the spacing requirement with your instructor, as conventions vary.
What Is New in Turabian 9th Edition?
The 9th edition, published in 2018, is the current and authoritative version of the Turabian manual. Key changes from earlier editions include:
- “ibid” is no longer recommended. The 9th edition advises using shortened notes instead of ibid. for all subsequent citations. Some institutions still require ibid.; always follow your school’s specific policy.
- DOIs are preferred over URLs for journal articles when available, formatted without a ‘doi:’ prefix (e.g., https://doi.org/…).
- The student title page format was updated to separate it clearly from the dissertation title page format.
- The author-date style was re-labeled (previously called ‘parenthetical citations’ in some earlier editions).
- Updated guidance was added for digital and online sources.
Note on the Chicago Manual of Style 18th edition (2024): the new CMOS edition omits the place of publication for books published after 1900, adds guidance on citing AI-generated content, and updates inclusion and accessibility language. Turabian has not yet been updated to reflect these changes. Until the 10th edition of Turabian is published, students should follow the 9th edition rules.
How to Cite AI-Generated Content in Turabian Style
As of the 9th edition, Turabian does not have a dedicated AI citation format. The Chicago Manual of Style treats AI-generated content as personal communication, which means:
- Cite AI output in a footnote or endnote only; do not add it to the bibliography unless the tool produces a stable, publicly accessible link to the exact conversation.
- Include the name of the tool, the version if known, the prompt you used, and the date accessed.
- Example footnote: OpenAI, ChatGPT (GPT-4, March 14, 2023), response to prompt ‘Explain the notes-bibliography citation system,’ March 14, 2023.
- Always confirm with your instructor whether AI-generated content is permitted in your assignment before citing it.
This article was originally published on June 11, 2024, and updated on June 18, 2026.