What is Turabian Style vs. Chicago Style?

Your professor for a history or humanities class requests “Chicago/Turabian style.” This causes confusion. Are they different? Is one simpler? Which do you use?

Simple answer: Turabian is not a different style; it is a student guide for *using* Chicago style.

This guide explains what Turabian is, its difference from the *Chicago Manual of Style*, and which system (Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date) to use.

What is Turabian Style?

“Turabian Style” refers to the formatting guidelines in *A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations*. Kate L. Turabian, a dissertation secretary at the University of Chicago, wrote the guide for students.

Turabian *is* Chicago Style

The citation rules come from *The Chicago Manual of Style* (CMOS). The Turabian guide adapts CMOS rules for students, providing specific examples for theses and dissertations, which the main CMOS lacks.

Following Turabian means you are correctly following Chicago. The Turabian 9th edition is based on the CMOS 17th edition.

Turabian vs. Chicago: Key Differences

The differences are not in citation rules, but in audience and formatting. As the University of Chicago explains, Turabian adapts the style for students.

1. Audience: Students vs. Publishers

• *The Chicago Manual of Style* (CMOS) is a 1,000+ page guide for professional publishers. It includes rules on topics students do not need.
• Turabian’s *A Manual for Writers…* is a ~400-page guide for students. It omits publishing rules and focuses on paper formatting and citations.

2. Minor Formatting Differences

Turabian offers minor formatting options for student papers, especially the title page.

In all other areas (footnote format, bibliography entries), they are identical.

The Takeaway

Your professor used “Chicago/Turabian” because the citation style is the same. You should:

1. Follow the Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.).
2. Use Turabian (9th ed.) for student-specific formatting (like the title page).

Our guides teach the Chicago (17th ed.) rules as presented in Turabian 9th ed. for students.

The Two Chicago/Turabian Systems

Chicago and Turabian offer two systems. You must use the one required for your field.

1. Notes-Bibliography (NB) System

This is the common system for the humanities (history, literature, philosophy). It uses:

• Footnotes (or Endnotes): Superscript numbers in the text that point to citations at the bottom of the page or the end of the paper.
• Bibliography: A full, alphabetical list of all sources at the end.

For a complete guide, see our page on the Chicago Notes-Bibliography System.

2. Author-Date System

This system is used by the social sciences (sociology, business, economics). It is similar to APA and uses:

• Parenthetical Citations: Citations in the text, e.g., (Smith 2020, 45).
• Reference List: An alphabetical list of sources at the end, titled “References.”

For a complete guide, see our page on the Chicago Author-Date System.

How to Choose

Your assignment sheet is the authority. Look for ‘Chicago,’ ‘Turabian,’ ‘Notes-Bibliography (NB),’ or ‘Author-Date.’

If the prompt is vague, use your field:

• History, Art History, Literature, Philosophy: Use Notes-Bibliography (NB).
• Economics, Business, Sociology: Use Author-Date.

Email your professor: “Do you prefer Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date?”

If you are a student, use Turabian’s *A Manual for Writers* (9th ed.). It is the definitive guide for applying Chicago style to student work.