Turabian Style Guide for Research Papers: Notes, Bibliography, and Formatting
You've Mastered Chicago Style—Then Your Professor Says "Use Turabian" and You Freeze
Turabian. It sounds almost like Chicago. You know they're related, but when you open the style guide, the rules feel subtly different. The footnotes look similar. The bibliography looks familiar. But something is off, and you can't put your finger on it. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Turabian is one of the most confusing styles for students because it's essentially Chicago style adapted specifically for student research papers—which means the rules are almost the same, except when they're not.
This guide clears up the confusion. By the end, you'll know exactly what Turabian is, how it differs from Chicago, how to format every source type, and how to automate the whole process so you never waste time on formatting again.
What Is Turabian Style? A Quick Overview
Turabian style is a simplified version of the Chicago Manual of Style, designed specifically for students and researchers writing theses, dissertations, and research papers. It was created by Kate L. Turabian, the University of Chicago's dissertation secretary, and is now in its 9th edition (published 2018).
The key difference is scope: Chicago is a comprehensive publishing guide covering everything from grammar to rights and permissions. Turabian strips it down to just what students need—citation formats, bibliography rules, and paper formatting guidelines.
Like Chicago, Turabian offers two documentation systems: Notes-Bibliography (common in humanities, using footnotes) and Author-Date (common in sciences, using parenthetical citations). Most student papers use Notes-Bibliography.
Turabian vs. Chicago: What's Actually Different?
This is the most common question, so let's settle it upfront:
| Element | Turabian 9th | Chicago 17th |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Student research papers | Professional publishing |
| Title page | Student papers: no title page needed unless required. Just name, course, date on first page. | Title page required for all papers. |
| Margins | 1 inch all sides | At least 1 inch (publisher varies) |
| Font | Times New Roman 12pt or similar readable font | Any readable font, size varies |
| Spacing | Double-spaced body, single-spaced block quotes and notes | Double-spaced body, single-spaced block quotes |
| Bibliography title | "Bibliography" or "References" | "Bibliography" or "References" |
| Citation rules | Identical to Chicago | Identical to Turabian |
The core citation rules are identical. The differences are about paper formatting—margins, fonts, spacing, and whether you need a separate title page. If you already know Chicago, you know Turabian citations. If you only know Turabian, you can use Chicago citations confidently.
Turabian In-Text Citations: Notes-Bibliography System
Footnote Format
Turabian uses superscript numbers in the text that correspond to footnotes at the bottom of the page. The first citation of a source includes full details; subsequent citations use a shortened form.
First footnote template: Author's First Name Last Name, Title of Work (Place of publication: Publisher, Year), Page number.
Example: John Smith, Climate Change and Coastal Ecosystems (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), 45.
Subsequent footnote template: Author's Last Name, Shortened Title, Page number.
Example: Smith, Climate Change, 78.
For journal articles (first footnote): Jane Williams, "Digital Learning Outcomes," Journal of Educational Research 45, no. 3 (2021): 130.
Bibliography Entry Format
Book template: Author's Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year.
Example: Smith, John. Climate Change and Coastal Ecosystems. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020.
Journal article template: Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page range.
Example: Williams, Jane. "Digital Learning Outcomes." Journal of Educational Research 45, no. 3 (2021): 123–145.
Key Differences from APA and MLA
- Turabian uses footnotes (not parenthetical citations like APA/MLA)
- Turabian bibliography entries end with a period (unlike APA reference entries for articles)
- Turabian uses "no." for issue number (MLA uses "no." too, APA uses italics for issue)
- Turabian article titles are in quotation marks; APA uses plain text; MLA uses quotation marks too
Turabian Paper Formatting Rules
Title Page
Turabian does not require a separate title page for most student papers. Instead, place your name, course information, instructor name, and date on the first page. If your instructor requires a title page, it follows the same format as Chicago: title centered one-third down the page, author name centered below, course/institution info at the bottom.
Page Numbers
Page numbers go in the bottom center or top right of each page (check your instructor's preference). The first page of text is numbered page 1. Front matter (title page, table of contents) uses lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii).
Margins and Spacing
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides
- Font: Times New Roman 12pt
- Body text: Double-spaced
- Block quotes: Single-spaced, indented 0.5 inches from the left margin
- Footnotes: Single-spaced within each note, double-spaced between notes
- Bibliography: Single-spaced within each entry, double-spaced between entries
Headings
Turabian does not prescribe a specific heading hierarchy like APA. Use a consistent system throughout your paper. A common approach: centered bold for main sections, flush-left bold for subsections, flush-left bold italic for sub-subsections.
Common Turabian Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
Mistake 1: Confusing footnotes and endnotes. Turabian prefers footnotes (bottom of each page) over endnotes (end of the paper/f chapter). Footnotes are easier for readers.
Mistake 2: Forgetting the shortened footnote. After the first citation of a source, all subsequent citations must use the shortened form (Last Name, Short Title, Page). Using the full citation every time is incorrect.
Mistake 3: Using "Ibid." Turabian 9th edition discourages "Ibid." Use the shortened footnote form instead.
Mistake 4: Incorrect bibliography indentation. Bibliography entries use a hanging indent (0.5 inches), just like APA. The first line is flush left, subsequent lines are indented.
Mistake 5: Mixing up Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date. Pick one system and use it consistently throughout your paper. Never mix footnote citations with parenthetical author-date citations.
How to Automate Turabian Formatting
Manually formatting footnotes, bibliographies, and paper layouts is tedious and error-prone. One wrong period or a missing page number can cost you points on your paper. That's where rule-based automation makes the difference.
Formatly applies Turabian's exact rules to every citation and formatting element—footnotes, bibliography, margins, headings, and page numbers. No more cross-referencing style guides. No more manually adjusting footnote spacing.
And if you're working across multiple styles, Formatly lets you convert between Turabian, Chicago, APA, MLA, and other styles—all within the same document.
For more on how this works, see our APA 7th Edition Guide or Chicago Manual of Style Guide.
Stop Fighting Turabian—Start Writing Your Paper
Turabian doesn't have to be a struggle. The rules are logical, especially if you already know Chicago. And you don't have to memorize every footnote format and bibliography rule.
Upload your paper to Formatly, choose Turabian style, and get a perfectly formatted document with correct footnotes, bibliography, and paper layout in under 30 seconds. Your first document is free.
Try Formatly today and focus on your research, not your formatting.