Turabian and Chicago
Turabian is a guide for student research papers that uses Chicago-style citation systems. This page follows Turabian 9th edition. Check the edition named in your assignment, along with any instructions from your instructor or school.
Turabian 9 book citations include a publication place. Enter it in Place of publication on this page. The Chicago 18 book tool does not require that field. Use the city printed in the book, rather than the location of the store or library where you found it.
Notes and bibliography examples
In the notes system, a raised number in your paper leads to a footnote or endnote. A bibliography usually supplies a separate source list. The fictional book below shows a full note, a short note and a bibliography entry.
A fictional book in Turabian notes style
- Full note
- Nella Quillmere, Lantern Maps of Bellweather Quay (Bellweather: Mossglass Press, 2025), 42.
- Short note
- Quillmere, Lantern Maps, 42.
- Bibliography
- Quillmere, Nella. Lantern Maps of Bellweather Quay. Bellweather: Mossglass Press, 2025.
Author-date examples
In author-date style, the author’s surname and publication year appear in parentheses. A page number can identify the passage used. The matching reference entry supplies the book’s publication details. Choose Author-Date above if this is the system your assignment requires.
The same book in Turabian author-date style
- In-text citation
- (Quillmere 2025, 42)
- Reference entry
- Quillmere, Nella. 2025. Lantern Maps of Bellweather Quay. Bellweather: Mossglass Press.
A few paper-format checks
Use margins of at least one inch on all sides. Your school or instructor’s directions take priority over general formatting guidance.
For a title page, center the text and begin about a third of the way down. Include the information your instructor requests, such as your name, course and date. Do not display a page number on the title page.
Double-space the main text. Indent the first line of each new paragraph half an inch. The citation generator formats references; it does not set your document’s margins, title page or line spacing.
Frequently asked questions
Which edition of Turabian does this tool use?
It uses Turabian 9th edition. Check that this is the edition required by your course.
Is Turabian the same as Chicago?
Turabian teaches Chicago-style citations for student papers. The edition still matters: Turabian 9 includes a publication place in book citations, while Chicago 18 does not require one.
Should I choose notes or author-date?
Use the system named by your instructor. Notes and bibliography uses numbered notes; author-date uses parenthetical citations with a reference list. Ask if your assignment leaves the choice unclear.
Does this tool format my whole paper?
It formats citations and your source list. Set the title page, margins and line spacing in your word processor. Follow your school’s requirements for the document itself.