Turabian Style - Learn How to Use With Examples

If you are a student or a researcher who needs to write academic papers, you may have encountered the term “Turabian style”. 

But what is Turabian style, and how do you use it correctly? 

In this blog, we will answer these questions and provide some examples of how to format different sources in Turabian style.

So, let’s dive right in!

What is Turabian Style?

Turabian style is a version of the Chicago style that is specifically designed for students and researchers. 

It was developed by Kate L. Turabian, who published the first edition of A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations in 1937. The latest edition, of the Turabian Manual (9th Ed.), was published in 2018.

Turabian style is based on the Chicago Manual of Style, a comprehensive guide for publishers and editors, but it simplifies and adapts some of the rules and conventions for academic writing.

Turabian style is widely used in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, but it can also be applied to other disciplines. 

Turabian Style Vs. Chicago Style - What’s the Difference? 

Turabian style is not a separate style from the Chicago style, but rather a presentation of Chicago guidelines that prioritizes student needs. 

As such, the Turabian style differs from the Chicago style only in minor ways, such as:

• Formatting advice tailored to student papers, such as margins, spacing, page numbers, headings, etc.
• Greater detail regarding specific citation formats, such as how to cite online sources, multimedia, interviews, etc.
• Simplified rules for capitalization, punctuation, abbreviations, etc.

The main difference between the Turabian and the Chicago Style is the intended audience. 

Chicago style is mainly aimed at publishers and professional writers, while the Turabian style is mainly aimed at students and researchers.

Formatting Rules for Page in Turabian 

Turabian style has some general formatting rules that apply to all papers, regardless of the citation style you choose. These rules include:

Font Style and Size 

Here is what you should remember about the font size and style:

• Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. 
• The font size in the Turabian style should be 12-point 

Line Spacing & Margins

Following are the formatting rules for line spacing in the Turabian style:

• Use double spacing throughout the text. 
• Use single spacing for block quotations, footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, and table titles.
• Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.

Page Number

Page numbers are beneficial in navigating. Here is what you should remember about page numbers. 

• Number the pages consecutively, starting from the first page of the text (not the title page).  
• Place the page number in the top right corner of the page, half an inch from the top, and flush with the right margin.

Heading and Subheadings 

Use headings and subheadings to organize your paper. Use different levels of boldness and capitalization to indicate the hierarchy of the headings. 

Here is how different heading levels should look in the Turabian style:

Title Page 

The title page is the first impression of your paper. Here is how to format it:

• The title of your paper should be clear and concise, and reflect the main topic or question of your paper.
• Your name, the course name and number, the instructor’s name, and the date should be centered at the bottom of the page, with one line of space between each item.
• Do not number the title page, but make sure it is included in the page count of your paper.

Table of Contents

The table of contents is a useful tool for the reader to navigate your paper and find the information they need. 

Here are the rules for formatting the table of contents:

• The table of contents should list the main sections and sub-sections of your paper, along with their page numbers.
• Use headings and subheadings to organize your paper and make it easier for the reader to follow your argument.
• Place the table of contents after the title page, and number it as page ii.
• Use dots or dashes to connect the section titles and the page numbers.

How to Format Different Sources in Turabian Style 

Turabian style offers two citation styles: 

• Notes-Bibliography Style
• Author-Date Style

Each style has different rules for how to format different types of sources, such as books, journal articles, newspaper articles, web pages, etc. 

Notes and Bibliography Style 

In notes and bibliography citation format, you cite your sources in footnotes or endnotes and provide full information for them in a bibliography at the end of your paper.

The first footnote reference of each source provides full information, while subsequent references of the same source are usually shortened to save space.

Here is how should format footnotes in Turabian style:

• Place a superscript number at the end of the sentence that contains the note, and place the corresponding note at the bottom of the page (footnote).
• Number the notes consecutively throughout the paper, using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.).
• Use the same citation style as the rest of your paper for the notes, and include a full citation for the first mention of a source, and a shortened citation for subsequent mentions.

Here is how you can cite different sources in notes and bibliography style:

Citing Books 

To cite a book in notes and bibliography style, use the following format:

Here is an example to help you have a better understanding:

Citing Journal Articles 

To cite a journal article in notes and bibliography style, use the following format:

Here is an example:

Citing Newspaper Articles 

To cite a newspaper article in notes and bibliography style, use the following format:

Here is an example:

Citing Web Pages 

To cite a web page in notes and bibliography style, use the following format:

Here is an example:

Author-Date Style 

In author-date style, in-text citations appear in parentheses in the text, with a reference list at the end listing all your sources in full. 

The citation in the text consists of the author’s last name, the year of publication, and, optionally, the page number.

Citing Books 

To cite a book in author-date style, use the following format:

Citing Journal Articles 

To cite a journal article in author-date style, use the following format:

Citing Newspaper Articles 

To cite a newspaper article in author-date style, use the following format:

Citing Web Pages 

To cite a web page in author-date style, use the following format:

Bibliography or Reference List 

The bibliography or the reference list is a mandatory element. Here are the rules you should remember for this section:

• The bibliography or the reference list provides full information for all the sources you cited in your paper and allows the reader to locate and verify your sources.
• Place the bibliography or the reference list at the end of the paper, on a separate page.
• Arrange the entries alphabetically by the author’s last name, or by the title if there is no author.
• Use a hanging indent for each entry, meaning that the first line of the entry is flush with the left margin, and the subsequent lines are indented half an inch.

So, there you have it!

In this blog, we have explained what the Turabian style is, and how it differs from the Chicago style. 

We have also explained how to format different elements of your paper, such as font, spacing, margins, page numbers, headings, title page, and table of contents.

We hope this blog has helped you understand the basics of Turabian style and how to use it correctly for your academic papers.

Perfect Solution for Citation Problems 

Do you find this information all too complicated? Well, you can save yourself from the hassle with our new and improved citation machine Turabian. 

Our citation generator will automatically create accurate and consistent citations for any source type in notes and bibliography or author-date style.

Note: All information given in this article about the Turabian Style Referencing has been obtained from the official manual, that can be accessed at: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/turabian.html