Turabian Citation Format
The student version of Chicago style. Two variants: notes-bibliography or author-date. Currently 9th edition. Standard for history, philosophy, theology, humanities.
Footnote examples
1. Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (New York: Scribner, 2000), 45.
7. King, On Writing, 78.
8. Ibid., 80.
1. Jane Smith, "A New Theory," Journal of History 42, no. 3 (2024): 145.
1. Jane Smith, "Climate Change Research," Nature, accessed May 1, 2024, https://nature.com/climate.
Bibliography examples
King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner, 2000.
Smith, Jane. "Modern Approaches." In Handbook of History, edited by Bob Brown, 50-75. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2024.
Smith, Jane. "A New Theory." Journal of History 42, no. 3 (2024): 140-160.
Smith, Jane. "Climate Change Research." Nature. Accessed May 1, 2024. https://nature.com/climate.
Notes vs bibliography format differences
| Element | Footnote | Bibliography |
|---|---|---|
| Author | First Last (full name) | Last, First |
| Punctuation | Commas between elements | Periods |
| Page numbers | Specific page (e.g., 45) | Range (e.g., 140-160) |
| Indentation | First line indent | Hanging indent |
| Order | Citation order in document | Alphabetical by author |
Standard page setup for Turabian papers
- 12pt Times New Roman or similar serif font
- Double-spaced body (footnotes single-spaced)
- 1-inch margins on all sides
- Page numbers upper right (skip cover page)
- 0.5-inch first-line paragraph indent
- No extra spacing between paragraphs
- Title page on its own (no page number)
Common mistakes
- Mixing Chicago and Turabian. They're the same rules but different documents. Cite the manual you're actually using.
- First author name reversed in footnote. Footnotes use "First Last"; bibliography uses "Last, First."
- Forgetting access date for websites. Required for Turabian online sources.
- Italicizing article titles. Articles in quotes; books/journals in italics.
- Using Ibid. when not appropriate. Only refers to the IMMEDIATELY preceding note. If anything intervenes, use the short form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Turabian is the student version of the Chicago Manual of Style citation system. Created by Kate Turabian (1937, regularly updated, currently 9th edition 2018). Used in humanities and history departments at most US colleges. Two variants: notes-bibliography (footnotes + biblio) and author-date (in-text citations like APA).
Turabian is essentially a simplified, student-focused version of Chicago. Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is the comprehensive professional reference (1,144 pages); Turabian (9th ed.) is the student manual (496 pages). The citation rules are identical; Turabian focuses on what students need (papers, theses) and skips professional editing concerns. Use Turabian for student papers; cite CMOS for professional editing.
Depends on your discipline. Notes-bibliography (footnotes + bibliography) is standard in history, philosophy, theology, art history, literature. Author-date (in-text citations like APA) is more common in social sciences. Check your professor's syllabus or department style guide. Some classes accept either.
First reference: full citation in footnote format. Subsequent: shortened form (author last name + short title + page). Example first: '1. Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (New York: Scribner, 2000), 45.' Subsequent: '7. King, On Writing, 78.' Or use 'Ibid.' if the immediately preceding note is the same source.
Author Last, First. Title. Place: Publisher, Year. Example: King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner, 2000. Hanging indent. Alphabetical by author last name. Note: in footnotes, full author name ('Stephen King'); in bibliography, last-name-first ('King, Stephen.').
Footnote: First Last, 'Article Title,' Journal Title volume, no. issue (year): page. Example: Jane Smith, 'A New Theory,' Journal of History 42, no. 3 (2024): 145. Bibliography: Smith, Jane. 'A New Theory.' Journal of History 42, no. 3 (2024): 140-160. Title in quotes; journal in italics.
After first full citation, use last name + short title + page: '7. King, On Writing, 78.' Or for the immediately preceding note (no other intervening citations): use 'Ibid.' (now sometimes discouraged in 9th edition; many style guides prefer the short form universally). 'Ibid., 80.' = same source, different page.
First Last, 'Page Title,' Site Name, accessed Month Day, Year, URL. Example: Jane Smith, 'Climate Change Research,' Nature, accessed May 1, 2024, https://nature.com/climate. Include access date — important for online sources.
12pt Times New Roman or similar serif font. Double-spaced (footnotes single-spaced). 1in margins. Page numbers in upper right (skip cover page). Indent first line of paragraphs 0.5in. No extra spacing between paragraphs.