Turabian Citation Generator
Generate properly formatted Turabian citations in both the Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems. This free tool supports books, journal articles, websites, theses, and interviews, producing footnotes, endnotes, bibliography entries, and parenthetical citations.
Generate Turabian Citation
What Is Turabian Citation Style
Turabian citation style is named after Kate L. Turabian, who served as the dissertation secretary at the University of Chicago for nearly three decades. Her manual, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, was first published in 1937 to provide students with a simplified version of the Chicago Manual of Style. The manual is now in its 9th edition, revised by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, and William T. FitzGerald.
Turabian style is one of the most widely required citation formats in American universities, particularly for undergraduate and graduate coursework in the humanities, social sciences, and some natural sciences. It provides two complete documentation systems, allowing it to serve disciplines with very different citation traditions.
Because Turabian is derived from Chicago style, the citation formatting rules are nearly identical. The key difference is scope: Chicago addresses the needs of professional publishers, editors, and authors across all publishing contexts, while Turabian focuses specifically on the needs of students writing research papers, theses, and dissertations. For most practical citation purposes, a properly formatted Turabian citation will also be a valid Chicago citation.
The Notes-Bibliography System
The Notes-Bibliography (NB) system is the preferred documentation method for humanities disciplines including history, literature, philosophy, and the arts. It uses footnotes or endnotes for in-text references, paired with a comprehensive bibliography at the end of the paper.
How Footnotes Work
When citing a source in the NB system, a superscript number is placed at the end of the relevant sentence or clause. This number corresponds to a note at the bottom of the page (footnote) or at the end of the paper (endnote). The first time a source is cited, the full bibliographic information appears in the note. Subsequent citations of the same source use a shortened form.
Full Note (First Citation)
The note uses standard name order (first name first), not the inverted order used in bibliographies. Parentheses enclose the publication information. A comma separates the closing parenthesis from the page number.
Shortened Note (Subsequent Citations)
The shortened note includes only the author's last name, a shortened version of the title (typically the first few distinctive words), and the page number. This form is used for all subsequent citations of the same source.
Ibid.
When the same source is cited in two consecutive notes, "Ibid." (from the Latin ibidem, meaning "in the same place") may be used in place of the shortened citation. If the page number differs, include it after a comma: "Ibid., 67." Many instructors and journals have moved away from ibid. in favor of shortened citations, so check your specific requirements.
The Bibliography
The bibliography lists every source cited in the notes, arranged alphabetically by the first author's last name. Unlike notes, bibliography entries invert the first author's name (Last, First) and use periods rather than commas as the primary internal punctuation. Each entry uses a hanging indent.
The Author-Date System
The Author-Date system is used in the sciences and social sciences. It replaces footnotes with parenthetical in-text citations and substitutes a reference list for the bibliography.
In-Text Citations
In-text citations include the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses: (Smith 2024). When the author's name appears in the sentence, only the year is parenthetical: Smith (2024) argued that institutional reform requires sustained political will.
For two or three authors, include all names: (Smith and Jones 2023) or (Smith, Jones, and Williams 2022). For four or more authors, use the first author followed by "et al.": (Smith et al. 2021). Page numbers follow the year after a comma: (Smith 2024, 45).
The Reference List
The reference list replaces the bibliography in the Author-Date system. It is arranged alphabetically and includes all sources cited in the text. The formatting resembles the bibliography but places the year immediately after the author's name:
For journal articles:
Formatting by Source Type
Books
| Element | Footnote Format | Bibliography Format |
|---|---|---|
| Single author | First Last, Title (City: Publisher, Year), Page. | Last, First. Title. City: Publisher, Year. |
| Two authors | First Last and First Last, Title (City: Publisher, Year), Page. | Last, First, and First Last. Title. City: Publisher, Year. |
| Editor as author | First Last, ed., Title (City: Publisher, Year), Page. | Last, First, ed. Title. City: Publisher, Year. |
Journal Articles
Journal article titles are enclosed in quotation marks. The journal name is italicized. The volume number is not preceded by "vol." The issue number follows "no." The year is in parentheses, and a colon separates it from the page range.
Websites
Include the URL at the end. Access dates are not required in Turabian 9th edition unless the source is particularly time-sensitive or your instructor requires them. If the site has no individual author, begin with the title or organization name.
Theses and Dissertations
The title of an unpublished thesis or dissertation is in quotation marks, not italics. The type of document (PhD diss., Master's thesis) and the university name appear in the publication information.
Interviews
Personal interviews are typically cited only in the notes, not in the bibliography, because they are not recoverable by other researchers. Published or broadcast interviews follow the formatting for the publication type in which they appeared.
For published interviews, include the interviewer, the publication or program name, and the date.
Turabian vs. Chicago Style
The relationship between Turabian and Chicago is a frequent source of confusion. Turabian was created as a student-oriented adaptation of the Chicago Manual of Style, and the citation formatting rules are virtually identical. However, several practical differences matter.
| Aspect | Turabian | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Students (papers, theses, dissertations) | Professional authors, editors, publishers |
| Current edition | 9th edition (2018) | 17th edition (2017) |
| Scope | Research papers and academic writing | All aspects of publishing |
| Citation formats | Essentially identical to Chicago | The authoritative standard |
| Paper formatting | Includes specific thesis/dissertation guidelines | Focused on published works |
| Accessibility | Shorter, more affordable manual | Comprehensive 1,100+ page reference |
In practice, if your instructor or department requires "Turabian style," you can safely consult either the Turabian manual or the Chicago Manual for citation formatting guidance. The differences lie in the supplementary material about thesis preparation, paper formatting, and research methodology that Turabian includes specifically for students.
Footnotes vs. Endnotes
The Notes-Bibliography system allows the use of either footnotes (at the bottom of each page) or endnotes (collected at the end of the paper or each chapter). The content and formatting of the notes themselves is identical in both cases. The choice between them depends on your department's guidelines, your instructor's preference, or the conventions of your discipline.
Advantages of Footnotes
- Readers can immediately verify sources without leaving the current page
- The proximity of the note to the cited text improves readability for detail-oriented readers
- Many history professors and humanities journals prefer footnotes
Advantages of Endnotes
- Pages have a cleaner appearance without notes at the bottom
- Long notes do not disrupt the visual flow of the text
- Easier to manage in some word processors
- Some thesis formatting guidelines require endnotes for consistency
Regardless of which you choose, the notes must be numbered consecutively throughout the paper using superscript Arabic numerals. The numbering does not restart at each chapter unless specifically required by your department. Each note begins with the corresponding number (not superscript in the note itself) followed by a period and a space.
Thesis and Dissertation Requirements
Turabian style was specifically designed with thesis and dissertation writers in mind. The manual includes detailed guidance on the structural elements and formatting requirements that thesis committees typically expect.
Front Matter
The standard front matter for a Turabian thesis includes a title page, an abstract, a table of contents, and lists of figures and tables if applicable. Optional elements include a dedication page, an acknowledgments page, and a list of abbreviations. Each element has specific formatting rules for margins, spacing, and page numbering.
Page Formatting
Turabian specifies one-inch margins on all sides, double-spaced text with 12-point font (typically Times New Roman or a similar serif font), and half-inch paragraph indentations. Block quotations (excerpts of 100 words or more, or those spanning more than five lines) are single-spaced and indented from the left margin without quotation marks.
Chapter Organization
Each chapter begins on a new page with the chapter number and title. Subheadings follow a consistent hierarchy. Turabian recommends a maximum of three levels of subheadings for most papers, with clear typographic distinctions between levels (such as centered vs. flush-left, bold vs. italic).
Back Matter
The back matter includes the bibliography or reference list, followed by any appendices. The bibliography begins on a new page with the centered title "Bibliography" (NB system) or "References" (Author-Date system). Appendices are lettered (Appendix A, Appendix B) and may contain supplementary data, survey instruments, interview protocols, or other supporting materials.
Common Turabian Mistakes
Confusing Note and Bibliography Formats
The most common Turabian error is mixing up the formatting conventions for notes and bibliography entries. Notes use standard name order (First Last), commas as internal punctuation, and parentheses around publication information. Bibliographies invert the first author's name (Last, First), use periods as primary punctuation, and do not use parentheses around the city and publisher.
Omitting the Bibliography
Some students assume that detailed footnotes eliminate the need for a bibliography. In the Notes-Bibliography system, both elements are required. The notes provide specific page-level references in context, while the bibliography gives readers a comprehensive alphabetical list of all sources consulted.
Incorrect Shortened Notes
Shortened notes should include the author's last name, a shortened title, and the page number. A common mistake is omitting the shortened title and including only the author and page number, which can create confusion when multiple works by the same author are cited.
Wrong Title Formatting
Book and journal titles are italicized. Article, chapter, and webpage titles go in quotation marks. Thesis and dissertation titles also go in quotation marks because they are unpublished works. Applying the wrong formatting to a title is a frequent oversight.
Inconsistent Use of Ibid.
If you use ibid. It must refer to the immediately preceding note and no other. If you insert a different citation between two references to the same source, you cannot use ibid. for the second reference. Use the shortened note form instead.
Missing Commas in Notes
Notes require a comma between the closing parenthesis of the publication information and the page number: (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2018), 45. Omitting this comma is a small but common formatting error.
Paper Formatting Guidelines
Beyond citations, Turabian provides comprehensive guidance on formatting research papers. Adhering to these standards demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail.
Title Page
The title page includes the full title of the paper (centered, about one-third down the page), the author's name, the course name and number, the instructor's name, and the date of submission. All text is centered with appropriate spacing between elements. Do not bold or underline the title.
Headings and Subheadings
Turabian supports up to five levels of headings, though most papers use only two or three. First-level headings are centered and bold. Second-level headings are centered and italic. Third-level headings are flush left and bold. Maintain consistent formatting throughout the paper and avoid orphaned headings at the bottom of a page.
Block Quotations
Quotations of five lines or more (some departments specify 100 words or more) should be presented as block quotations. Indent the entire quotation 0.5 inches from the left margin, do not use quotation marks, and single-space the text. The note number for a block quotation typically appears after the final punctuation mark.
Tables and Figures
Tables should be numbered consecutively (Table 1, Table 2) and include a descriptive title above the table. Figures (charts, graphs, images, maps) are also numbered consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2) with a caption below the figure. Both tables and figures should be placed as close as possible to the text that references them, and every table or figure must be mentioned in the text.