Whether you are using the Author-Date system, or Notes-Bibliography, Turabian Style provides guidelines on how to set up your paper so that it is well organized, easy to read, and helps you look more professional within your discipline. The style has guidelines that are specifically designed for students of college-level research papers, theses, and dissertations. Still, it is always best to check with each instructor to see what they require for formatting in their assignments.
While it is important to know the information in this guide to correctly format your paper, we have included links to Templates of Turabian Style Author-Date system in Microsoft Word and Google Docs that you can use to get started after checking in with your instructor about their requirements. You should refer back to this guide on our library website to ensure your paper adheres to those guidelines.
Turabian style papers should be on regular-sized white paper with all margins set to 1-inch and paragraphs set to double-spaced. Font type and size are not dictated, but should be legible and consistent throughout the paper.
Some recommended styles and sizes include: 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Calibri, and 11-point Aptos.
All text is double spaced with two exceptions:
In Google Docs: File → Page setup to check that all margins are set at 1". Format → Line & paragraph spacing to select Double Spaced for the document and set Before and After spacing to zero.. Font and font size can be changed in the ribbon menu at the top of the screen.
In Microsoft Word: Layout → Margins → Normal to ensure all margins are set at 1". Paragraph → Spacing → Line spacing dropdown menu, choose Double and set Before and After spacing to zero.. Font and font size can be changed in the ribbon menu at the top of the screen.
You will need the page number added to the right side of the header starting with the first page AFTER the Title Page as page 1. Your word-processing program will then number each subsequent page.
You can choose to put the page numbers on the top right, bottom right, or bottom centered, but whatever you choose, be consistent throughout the paper.
If your instructor requires a Title Page for your paper, it should contain the following elements:
The Title of Your Paper Should Come First:
And a Subtitle if You Have One
Your Name
Course Code/Number: Course Name
Date
Paragraphs should be aligned to the left, the right side left uneven (not justified), and the first line of each new paragraph indented by 0.5". Your word-processing program will automatically move words to the next line - do not manually break up or hyphenate a word at the end of a line.
Once you ensure that the paper is left aligned, you can use the tab key to indent at the start of each new paragraph. Or, you can set up your word processing program to automatically indent at the start of each new paragraph when you hit enter.
Turabian Style allows you to use section headings and subheadings to help you organize your paper.
Section Heads and Subheads should be formatted to be visibly prominent using font-size, location (centered or flush-left) and bold or italic type. Unless your instructor has provided specific guidelines on headings, you may choose your own formatting structure. However, you must remain consistent. Each level should have a reduction in prominence. You should have at least two subheads at any level within a chapter/section - if you do not, you should rethink if you need the subhead at all.
Do not end a section head or subhead with a period. Put more space before a subhead (up to two blank lines before). Add one line spacing, or one double line spacing after a subhead.
Below is a very basic plan for headers and subheads. You can also choose to use the defaults in your word processing program.
Section Headings Are For the Main Parts of Your Paper
Second Level Headings Indicate Subsections
Third Level Subheadings Still Show Some Prominence
Fourth level headings
The reference list should start on a new page using a First Level Section Heading. List references alphabetically. Check with your instructor to see if they want you to alphabetize word-by-word, or letter-by-letter and stick to that system.
If the same author has more than one source that requires a reference, put them in order of oldest to newest (i.e. Smith 2001 before Smith 2002). For each entry after the first, replace the individuals name with a 3-em dash (--------. 2003).
The reference list should be single-spaced and add an extra line space between each reference. The first line should be flush-left and each subsequent line in a reference should be indented (hanging indent).
Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves three purposes:
Whenever you paraphrase* or directly quote* something in your paper that comes from an information source found in print, online, or through a personal communication, you need to cite that source at its point of use in your paper. This is done by using the author, date and sometimes a page number.
The Author-Date method uses parenthetical citations in a paper to indicate the last name of the author, date of publication, and page number(s) (if applicable) of the source being referenced by the writer. Then each of those citations correspond to a full reference located at the end of the paper in a Reference page.
This section goes over how to format your in-text citations.
It is important to add these in-text citations AS YOU WRITE YOUR PAPER so you do not accidentally plagiarize material by forgetting to do it later.
The in-text parenthetical citation may be written as a paraphrase of an original source or directly quoting an original source. Either way, in most instances, the date should immediately follow the author's last name. Always include a page number when quoting directly. A page number is not required when paraphrasing (unless it would significantly help a reader find the concept in a longer, complex source).
To keep your paper from becoming monotonous, you can change the way you present your citations by switching between *Narrative or *Parenthetical citations. See the examples of each below and within the other in-text citation instruction tabs to follow.
When an author's last name is NOT used in the sentence (fully parenthetical)
Recent literature has examined long-run price drifts following initial public offerings (Ritter 1991; Loughran and Ritter 1995), stock splits (Ikenberry et al. 1996), seasoned equity offerings (Loughren and Ritter 1995), and equity repurchases (Ikenberry et al. 1995). (fully parenthetical)
When an author's last name IS USED in the sentence (narrative)
As Edward Tufte (2001, 139) points out, "A graphical element may carry data information and also perform a design function usually left to non-date-ink." (narrative)
When paraphrasing, both the author's last name and the date need to appear together in parentheses in the body of the sentence or at the end of it. If you want to use the narrative form, you can use the author's name (first and last if the it is the first mention, or just the last if it is a subsequent mention) and include the date in parentheses directly after the last name. Turabian style prefers that the date remain in parentheses rather than making it a part of the narrative in order to avoid confusion when looking up a reference. A page number is not required when paraphrasing unless it would significantly help a reader find the concept in a longer, complex source.
Examples:
Mougios (2007) found that CK levels were statistically higher in athletes that played basketball over soccer players. (narrative)
Males consistently had higher upper limits than females (Mougios 2007). (parenthetical)
When quoting directly, be sure to follow this same format, but always add a comma and page number inside the parentheses. While source citations normally come at the end of the direct quote, the information should be placed directly after the author's name if it is used in the narrative.
Examples:
"Our study found middle school children at most risk of regression" (Anderson 2022, 55). (parenthetical)
Simmons (1997, 34) found that "permanent damage could occur within months of first use". (narrative)
For large quotations that are 5 lines (in prose) or 1+ paragraphs long, do not use quotation marks. Instead, start a block quotation on the next line and indent the entire block by .5 inch from the left. Do not further indent the first paragraph - keep it flush left - but if there are subsequent paragraphs in the original text, indent to show the distinction. The block should be single spaced. You can choose whether to use a narrative or parenthetical quotation and adjust the citation elements as needed. Unlike regular direct quotes, the parenthetical citation comes after the final punctuation mark.
Examples:
(parenthetical)
The same rules apply to two and authors as for one. Connect the last two names with "and" both in the narrative and the parenthetical.
Examples:
As Randolf and Keefe (2021) demonstrated in their study... (narrative)
Some scholars called into questions the motives behind the inquiry (Burke, Jenkins, and Fairfield 2012). (parenthetical)
The inconclusive findings may be due to poor research design (Matthews and Burke 2007). (parenthetical)
When quoting directly, be sure to follow this same format, but add a page number after the date or at the end of the quotation.
Examples:
Harding and Massey (1997, 34) hypothesized that "particulate distribution would be uniform". (narrative)
"The introduction of a third control had unexpected results" (Jordan and McGuire 1999, 56). (parenthetical)
For four or more authors, you should list the first author and then et al. both in the parenthetical and in the narrative.
Examples:
Ferguson et al. (2005) argued in favor of... (narrative)
"Higher doses did not influence efficacy" (Ferguson et al. 2005, 124). (parenthetical)
(See the chart below for more examples of formatting in-text citations with one or more authors)
More In-Text Style Examples
| Number of Authors | In-Text Citations Paraphrasing | In-Text Citations for Quoting |
| One Author | (Jones 2022) | (Jones 2022, 231) |
| Two Authors | (Jones and Smith 2014) | (Jones and Smith 2014, 132-33) |
| Three or More Authors | (Walters et al. 2002) | (Walters et al. 2002, 54) |
| Group Author without Abbreviation | (Sunrise Medical Laboratories 2008) | (Sunrise Medical Laboratories 2008, 67) |
|
Group Author with Abbreviation To allow for shorter in-text citations, you may use an organization's abbreviation. *The reference entry must then be alphabetized under that abbreviation rather than the full name. |
University of Vermont = UVM (UVM 2020)
|
University of Vermont = UVM (UVM 2020, 16)
|
When citing multiple works at the same time parenthetically, separate them with semicolons. They can be listed in order of relevance, or by alphabet, depending on your preference or the instructor's direction. If there are multiple works by the same author and date, you may use a second author's name (if there is one) or a shortened title enclosed in commas, to distinguish them.
When citing multiple works at the same time in the narrative, you can place them in any order.
Examples:
None of the studies showed a correlation between speed and distance (Davis 2012; Kirkpatrick and Phillips 2013, 2014; Reynolds et al. 2010). (parenthetical)
Throughout his work, the joyful tone of one poem (Rogers, "When We Gather," 1984) often contrasted sharply with the hopeless context of another (Rogers, "Wasting Time," 1984). (parenthetical)
Sharpton (2013, 2015), Davis (2012), and Reynolds et al. (2010) noted the same symbolic connections between the protagonist and the child... (narrative)
You may come across resources that are missing important pieces of information that would normally go into creating your citation and reference. Here are some things you can do to still correctly cite those items.
No Author?
Skip the author and put the title in as the start of the reference. If the title is long, you can use a shortened version of it for your in-text citation, followed by the date (and page number if it is a direct quote).
No Date?
If no date is provided, you can use n.d. instead for both the citation and reference.
No Publisher?
If a publisher is not listed, you can use n.p. Thoroughly check the material to make sure you didn't miss it in the front or back material.
References that correspond to your in-text citations allow others to find the sources you used to write your paper. It is how they are able to check that your information is accurate. The four main reference elements in order are: Author, Date, Title, and Source. Formatting will depend on the type of information material you are using.
Professional Hint - gather all the information you need for a reference when you first access the source, even if later on you don't use it. It is much harder to go back and find citation information when you are trying to wrap up your paper than it is to store the information now and format it later. Consider using a citation manager (i.e. EndNote, Zotero) to help you keep all that information safely stored.
The next tab contains samples of sources you might use when researching and writing your papers. We've identified for you where to find, in each example, the information elements you need to create your citations and references. They also include examples of references for these types of sources. Additionally, check out this handy Author-Date: Sample Citations Guide, which contains a wide selection of reference source types and how to properly formulate their citations in both your citations and the References Page. As always, contact a librarian for more detailed help with formatting citations.
With the vast variety of online sources available to you, it can be confusing to know how to identify the information elements you need to cite them. To help you out, we've assembled a few examples of articles, eBooks and websites, with arrows drawn in, to show you where you can find the main reference citation elements of Author, Date, Title, and Source.
Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. Title of the Book: And Subtitle. Publisher's Name. https://doi.org/xxxx (if online)
Guidelines to keep in mind:
Multiple Authors/Editors
Hand, Cynthia, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. 2016. My Lady Jane. New York: HarperCollins.
Laraña, Enrique, Hank Johnston, and Joseph R. Gusfield, eds. 1994. New Social Movements: From Ideology to Identity. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Book Read Electronically
Chansky, Dorothy. 2015. Kitchen Sink Realisms: Domestic Labor, Dining, and Drama in American Theatre. Studies in Theatre History and Culture. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. Ebook Central. (if a URL is available so others can access it, it would go here instead of Ebook Central)
Chapter in an Edited Book
Durkheim, Émile. "Rules for the Explanation of Social Facts." In High Points in Anthropology, 2nd ed., edited by Paul Bohannan and Mark Glazer, 234-253. Chicago: McGraw Hill.
Author's Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. "Title of the Article: And Subtitle." Title of the Journal Volume# (Issue#): page#-#. Location of article online.
Guidelines to keep in mind:
Use a comma to separate each author's name. Use ", and" prior to the final author's name.
The title of the Article should be in title case and placed within quotation marks.
The title of the periodical should be in italics and written in title case. The volume number should come right after the title, but do not italicize it. If an issue number is available, place a comma after the volume number, and add "no. #". If the journal uses a month or season, add this in parentheses after the issue number.
The second and subsequent lines are indented, or "hanging" indentation. Do not break URLs or DOIs to make them fit neatly on the page with hanging indentation.
Journal With a URL/DOI
Uy, Tricia, and Christian Dimaano. 2008. “Lessons Learned from ‘The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down’: Student Perspectives on How Cultural Differences Can Lead to Health Disparities.” Health Education Journal 79, no. 1 (February): 73-81. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0017896919862592.
Magazine article with an author (note the comma after the title of the magazine which is not used for Journals)
Warzel, Charlie and Mike Caufield. 2025. "The Internet is Worse Than a Brainwashing Machine." Atlantic, January 6, 2025. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/01/january-6-justification-machine/681215.
Magazine article without an author (cite by the name of the magazine)
New Hampshire Magazine. 2025. "Where to Go Snowshoeing in New Hampshire." January 2, 2025. https://www.nhmagazine.com/where-to-go-snowshoeing-in-new-hampshire/.
Newspapers and News Sites (note the comma after the name of the newspaper)
Rojas, Rick and Isabelle Taft. 2025. "The Uneasy Relationship Between New Orleans and Its Most Famous Street." New York Times, January 5, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/us/bourbon-street-attack-safety-tourism.html.
Author's Last Name, First. Year of publication. "Title of the Page." Title or description of the site, Owner of the site,
publication/time stamp/published/updated/accessed date. URL.
Guidelines to keep in mind:
If the author of a website or webpage is not immediately evident, check the "about us" or acknowledgement sections of the website. If you are still unable to locate an author, use the group/site name as the author.
Be as specific as possible with the date, including month, day and year. If there is no most recent publication date listed, include "Accessed Month, Day, Year" after the author/webpage name. If you know the site/page is designed to have changing content, include "Last modified month day, year" before the URL.
Social media posts can most often be cited in text, providing information on any quotes or picture, and including in parentheses a handle (if there is one i.e. @pontus) and the date of the post.
Blogs can be cited like News articles.
Mentioning website within text of the paper
As of February 1, 2025, YouTube's "About" page states that their mission is to... (no corresponding reference is required).
Webpage on a website with individual author
Aiken, Kristen. 2020. "The Best Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes." HuffPost. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-vegetarian-instant-pot-recipes_l_5e28b509c5b6d6767fce6c99.
Little, Becky. 2019. "Native Americans Weren't Guaranteed the Right to Vote in Every State Until 1962." History Stories, A&E Television Networks. Last modified August 20, 2019. https://www.history.com/news/native-american-voting-rights-citizenship.
Webpage on a website with group author
American Psychological Association. 2020. "Five ways to view coverage of the Coronavirus." Encomium Psychology. August 24, 2020. https://www.encomiumpsychology.com/five-ways-to-view-coverage-of-the-coronavirus.
Note: If the author and site name are the same, do not include the site name in the source element. Use only the URL.
Webpage no author, no date
Saint Anselm College. n.d. "Our Patron Saint." Accessed February 10, 2025. https://www.anselm.edu/about/history-mission/our-patron-saint.
Before using A.I. tools and materials to assist you with your assignments, check with your instructor to be sure they allow the use of such tools.
Just like other sources of information, the use of A.I. created material needs to be acknowledged and cited within your work. If you quote or paraphrase the result of an A.I. tool query such as ChatGPT, you need to include either a parenthetical citation (Author/Date) or note (Notes/Bibliography).
Do NOT include a source in your bibliography or references list UNLESS the A.I. tool has a way to generate a sharable link to the chat conversation. More A.I. tools are including ways to generate sharable links, so check back with Chicago/Turabian often to see if the guidelines on this have changed - Chicago Style A.I. Citation Guidance
1. Author, Title, Publisher, Date, url for tool.
*Note: The URL for the tool is not essential since it cannot take the reader to the exact conversation that was generated, so it can be omitted if desired.
(Note if prompt is included in the text)
1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, September 15, 2025, https://chat.openai.com/chat.
(Note if prompt is NOT included in the text)
1. ChatGPT, response to "Explain how to make laundry soap using common household ingredients," OpenAI, September 15, 2025.
In the conversation box I typed, "Explain how to make laundry soap using common household ingredients," and it described needing to use a grater or food processor to grate a bar of soap into fine flakes (ChatGPT, September 15, 2025).
Turabian Style requires a URL or a DOI in the form of a URL (https://doi.org/xxxx) if the materials cited were consulted online. If a URL/DOI is not available or is inaccessible in a database, then include the name of the database at the end of the reference.
Many databases will provide the DOI for you along with the rest of an article's reference information (title, author, etc.). This is most often located on the first page of the article or in the eBook description.
However, if you cannot find a DOI for your article or book, or if you have a DOI, but don't know what article or book it is for, use the following online DOI Resolver: www.crossref.org. Use the "Search Metadata" box to look up the title of the book/article, or the unidentified DOI. If you are unable to determine the DOI of a work online, you may provide the URL address of the website at the end of the reference. "Retrieved/Accessed from" is no longer used. If the work without a DOI is from an academic database, do not include the URL. Instead leave the reference as you would for the print version.
While DOIs were first introduced in about 2000, they did not become commonly used for another 8-10 years. Therefore, most articles published before 2010 will not have DOIs assigned to them. However, some publishers are starting to assign DOIs to older articles. You should check CrossRef.org to ensure you have the most accurate information.
Citation generators are found in all sorts of places these days. There are "stand alone" options that your instructor may recommend such as EasyBib, BibMe, Owl, or even ChatGPT. Some of these require a subscription to work.
You can also find citation generators in databases such as in EBSCO, ProQuest, and JSTOR.
They are all AI powered programs that are meant to pull the reference elements out of an online source (or you have to enter the information) and then produce a reference that is formatted according to the citation style you select (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
However, these programs notoriously get it WRONG!
They cannot always manipulate formatting such as altering titles that are created with all caps, or changing between Title and Sentence format for article titles and Journal names. Some are using outdated rules from previous style editions.
Notice in the ProQuest example above that the generator included all seven authors, even though Chicago 18th edition now only allows up to six. If there are more than six, then only the first three authors are included followed by "et al."
You can use a citation generator to gather the reference elements for you, but you MUST go back and check that the formatting and order are correct. That's why we have created this Guide to help you ensure your citation formatting is correct.
A useful alternative to citation generators are Citation Managers. These are more robust programs that allow you to import or input the reference information elements for each of your sources. It can then be used in conjunction with your word-processing program to correctly insert in-text citations, footnotes, and create a bibliography page with correctly formatted references at the end of your paper. It is important to always check imported information to ensure it was correctly entered (i.e. not in all caps, or in title case) so that the program can correctly format the citations for you later. Citation Managers do not fix spelling errors and typos!
At Saint Anselm, we have access to both Zotero and EndNote. The staff at the IT Help Desk can load EndNote onto your computer. Zotero is open source software that you can download freely from Zotero.org. Use our Zotero and EndNote guides for more information.