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How to Write and Format a Chicago Style Paper [With Examples]

3-minute read

• 18th August 2023

Are you working on a Chicago style project but struggling with the question, “just what is it?!”

Fear not, this post will walk you through Chicago style basics.

What Is Chicago Style?

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) is a comprehensive style guide primarily used by professional writers, publishers, and researchers. It covers various forms of writing, including books, journals, magazines, and other publications. It’s often the go-to style for publishers and editors. CMoS is also known for its emphasis on scholarly writing and is suitable for a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, the arts, and social sciences.

However, there’s an important distinction between Chicago style and Turabian style , which is essentially a simplified version of CMoS used in scholarly writing. Turabian omits some of the complexities and focuses on the needs of academic writers, especially those in the humanities and social sciences.

With either style, it’s essential to consult the relevant edition of the style guide specified by your institution or publication: either The Chicago Manual of Style or A Manual for Writers by Kate L. Turabian (currently in its ninth edition).

How Are Chicago Style Citations Formatted?

CMoS emphasizes two primary documentation systems : the notes and bibliography system (often used in the humanities) and the author–date system (preferred in the sciences and social sciences). When formatting a CMoS/Turabian paper, you’ll need to adhere to the guidelines associated with your chosen documentation system.

Notes and Bibliography System:

●  In this system, you’ll use footnotes or endnotes to cite sources within the text.

●  A corresponding bibliography is included at the end of the paper, listing all sources in alphabetical order.

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●  Citations typically include author names, titles, publication details, and page numbers.

Author–Date System:

●  In the author–date system, you’ll incorporate in-text citations within parentheses.

●  A reference list is included at the end of the document, providing full details for each cited source.

●  Citations include author’s last names, publication year, and page numbers (if applicable).

What Does Turabian Style Formatting Look Like?

A well-structured Turabian Style paper should adhere to the following formatting guidelines :

•   Title page : Include the title of your paper, your name, the course name/number, instructor’s name, and the date on a separate page, starting a third of the page down. Alternatively, write the title on the first page.
•   Margins : Apply one-inch margins on all sides.
• Indentation and spacing : Indent paragraphs and double-space the main text.
• Font : Use a legible 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman).
• Page numbers : Number all pages consecutively in the top right corner, starting with the first page. Alternatively, page numbers may be placed at the bottom center of the page.
• Headings and subheadings : Use headline-style capitalization for headings and subheadings, with different levels distinguished.
• Footnotes or in-text citations: Implement your chosen citation system consistently throughout the paper.
• Bibliography or reference list : Include a comprehensive list of all sources used, following Chicago style citation guidelines for your chosen system.

How Should I Choose Which Chicago Style Documentation to Use?

It’s crucial to find out which specific CMoS system is preferred by your institution, publisher, or field of study. Always consult your assignment guidelines or style manual to determine whether you should use the notes and bibliography system or the author–date system. This choice will significantly impact how you format your citations and references.

Remember that mastering CMoS takes practice. By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to crafting polished, professionally formatted papers that meet the expectations of your academic or professional audience.

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The Complete Guide to Chicago Style

Allison Bressmer

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is a widely used style guide that covers topics like preparing manuscripts for publication, grammar rules, and word usage. It also offers two style options for source citation .

While Chicago Style is more often used for published works than high school or undergraduate class papers, Kate Turabian developed a simplified version of the CMOS’s citation styles, with modifications that address the needs of student writers.

What Does the Chicago Manual of Style Do?

Chicago manual of style general formatting guidelines, how to format an in-text chicago-style citation, guidelines for formatting reference and bibliography pages, why are citations and references necessary.

The purpose of CMOS, or any style guide, is to create a system of standardization across a publication, company, publishing house, or project, etc.

Language and conventions of language, grammar, and word usage are fluid and influenced by social location or other factors, so style manuals provide rules or guidelines to establish consistency.

Additionally, style guides provide easy navigation for readers by creating a clear framework for how sources are cited, documented, and located, should the reader want to investigate that source further.

The CMOS offers these general guidelines for formatting papers:

• Margins should be no less than 1 inch and no more than 1.5 inches around the paper; margins should be consistent throughout.
• The body of the main text should be double spaced .
• Block quotations, notes, bibliography entries, table titles, and figure captions are single spaced .
• Text should be left-justified .
• New paragraphs should be indented by one half inch.
• Font size and style should be legible . While CMOS does not offer a specific font preference, the Turabian guide recommends Times New Roman (12 point) or Calibri (11 point) for student papers.
• Each page of the document should have a header in the top-right corner that includes the page number .

What About a Title Page?

CMOS does not require a title page. However, if the publication you’re writing for requires one, you’ll need to follow their format.

The Turabian guide states that class papers may require either a title on the first page of text or a title page. If you need to include a title page, the recommendations are as follows:

• Center the title one-third of the way down the page.
• The subtitle , if you have one, goes under the title . Put a colon after the title if you have a subtitle.
• Your name , class information , and the date should be included a few lines (3-4 return hits) later, each a separate line.
• All information should be double-spaced .

What About Headings?

In CMOS, consistency is key. There is no set rule for headings and subheadings, other than that they should be consistent throughout the work. Think of them as visual cues.

A reader should be able to recognize that “this font at that size” is a chapter beginning. Or “that font in this size” signals a main subsection of a chapter, and so on.

Other CMOS Style Elements to Know

Because there is variety even within the CMOS, it’s important to remember to check with your instructor or publisher about the specific style methods they follow and to ensure you understand any preferences not specifically stated in the CMOS guidelines.

Here are some common sticking points you may have questions about.

Introduce acronyms the first time you refer to the entity or concept, etc., that they stand for. The first line of this article demonstrates that practice.

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is a widely used style guide . . . .

ProWritingAid's Acronym Report checks this for you, highlighting any un-introduced acronyms in your text, as well as any inconsistent acronyms:

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Use words rather than numerals for numbers under 100. For example, write out twenty-eight instead of 28. There are exceptions to this rule: Use numerals when referring to a specific measurement; for example, 1 inch, and when using decimals. Also, for more technical writing, CMOS advocates spelling out numbers one through nine, but using numerals for any figure with two or more digits.

“Block” a prose quotation of five or more lines. This means the entire quote should be indented, or set off, from the surrounding text. Do not use quotation marks around blocked quotations. Use the same font style and size for the blocked quote as you used for the surrounding text.

Use “headline-style” capitalization for titles mentioned in the text, notes, or bibliography. Headline style means the first words of titles and subtitles, as well as any principal words that follow, are capitalized. Principal words include the first and last words of the title, as well as any words that are not conjunctions, articles, or prepositions. Use italics or quotation marks for titles depending on the works they represent.

Figures and Tables

If you include a figure or table in your work, follow these elements of CMOS:

• Position the figure under the information that discusses that figure.
• Put the caption directly under the image or figure and flush with the left edge of the figure. Use single spacing for the caption.
• Leave at least one blank line between the caption and the continuing text in your document.
• Label the image and ensure that labels are consecutive. For example, Figure 1; Figure 2; Figure 2.1.

CMOS offers two options for in-text citations and their respective reference or bibliography pages: author-date and notes and bibliography .

The Author-Date System

The author-date style is used more commonly in physical and social sciences. With this method, sources are cited in the text, usually with a parenthetical citation that includes the author’s last name and the year the cited work was published.

To find full bibliographic information on the source, the reader can consult the reference list and find the corresponding entry.

This method offers the writer some flexibility in how to integrate citations into their texts.

Examples of Author-Date Style

Let's pretend I ran an experiment on the most popular color of M&Ms among five-year-olds. I conducted the study in 2020 (because what else was there to do during a pandemic?), and you want to include my findings in your paper.

With the author-date format, you could use either of these possibilities:

The study revealed that five-year-olds prefer blue and green M&Ms to brown and yellow ones (Bressmer 2020).

Bressmer (2020) determined that five-year-olds prefer blue and green M&Ms to brown and yellow ones.

If I had worked with one or two others—say, Johnson and Smith—on my study, you would simply add their names to the citation, like this:

• The study revealed that five-year-olds prefer blue and green M&Ms to brown and yellow ones (Bressmer, Johnson, and Smith 2020).

If any additional researchers were involved in the study (making the total four or more names), you would use (Bressmer et al. 2020).

If you need to cite more than one reference in a single in-text citation, use semicolons to separate those references.

• One study revealed that five-year-olds prefer blue and green M&Ms to brown and yellow ones, but a subsequent study indicates that blue is preferred even over green (Bressmer 2020; Phillips 2021).

If I had conducted both of those studies (not Phillips), only a comma would be required between the dates: (Bressmer 2020, 2021).

Author-Date Reference List

If you use the author-date style, you must include a list of references as the last page of your work. Each of your in-text citations must have a corresponding entry on the reference list that includes the full bibliographic information for the source.

The reference list should only include sources you’ve cited in the document.

The Notes and Bibliography System

This system is often preferred by those working in the humanities. It has flexibility and provides an opportunity for commenting on sources, if the writer feels a comment is necessary.

In the notes and bibliography style, writers acknowledge they have used a source by putting a superscript number at the end of the sentence in which that source is referenced. If the reference is a direct quote, then the superscript should immediately follow the quotation. The note number should also follow punctuation, rather than precede it.

Footnotes and Endnotes

Using either footnotes or endnotes , the writer includes a numbered note that corresponds to the in-text superscript number either at the bottom of the page on which the reference is used, in which case the note is called a footnote , or in a compiled list of notes at the end of a chapter, or the entire document, called endnotes .

Footnotes and endnotes include bibliographic information for the cited source. These notes then correspond to entries on the last page of the paper, the bibliography.

Usually, the first time a source is listed as a footnote or endnote , it is appropriate to use a full note, which includes full publication details of the source.

If a source is included in subsequent footnotes or endnotes , it’s common practice to use short notes , which include the author’s last name, title of the work, and page number, if relevant. However, always check with your instructor or publisher and follow their recommendations.

Example of Notes and Bibliography Style

Imagine the sentence below appears in the text of a document in which the writer referenced my M&M study. Note the superscript after the referenced material and the corresponding footnote (full-note form) at the “bottom” of my page. A thin line separates footnotes from the main text, and the footnotes appear in a font of the same or smaller size than the main text.

The study revealed that five-year-olds prefer blue and green M&Ms to brown and yellow ones.1

• Allison Bressmer, “The M&M Attraction Study,” The Journal of Imagined Studies 100, no. 1, (August 2020): 5.

A short-note version would simply include

• Bressmer, “The M&M Attraction Study,” 5.

The Notes-Bibliography Style Bibliography Page

While a reference list is required for papers written with the author-date system, a bibliography is not required for works written with the notes-and-bibliography system, though they are generally preferred. Once again, check with your instructor or publisher.

The bibliography includes sources cited in your paper and may list other sources you referenced in preparing the work but did not specifically cite.

For the most part, format the reference and bibliography pages the same way.

Either list starts on a new, blank page that comes at the end of your document.

• Title the document as References or Bibliography , depending on the CMOS citation system used in the document. Center that title word, but do not underline or put it in quotation marks.
• Leave two blank lines between the title and your first entry.
• Single space the lines of each entry; if the entry has more than one line, use a hanging indent for all subsequent lines (this just means the lines are indented, or “tabbed”).
• Leave one blank line between entries.
• Alphabetize entries by author’s name; if no author, then by the first word of the entry (probably the title of the article/work).

What to Include in Chicago-Style Reference and Bibliography Entries

Other than their titles, the only other difference between the reference and bibliography pages is regarding the placement of the publication date. On a reference list, place the year of publication immediately after the author’s name.

Major Elements

Include the following major elements in reference and bibliography entries and separate the elements with periods:

• Author’s name: last name first, with a comma separating the names. For example, Johnson, Joan.

Reminder: on a reference list , the publication date appears directly after the author’s name.

Title: Italicize titles of books and journals. Use quotation marks for titles of articles, chapters, short stories, or poems.

Publication information: Name of journal (or larger work in which the cited article, chapter, etc., appears), publisher, year of publication.

If additional information about the source is available:

• After the title, include others involved in producing the work (editors, translators, compilers); edition number if the work is not the first edition; volume or series numbers.
• After publication information, include page numbers; URLs, or DOIs (digital object identifiers) of sources accessed through electronic databases.

By acknowledging the author of a source cited in your paper, you do the following:

• Uphold standards of intellectual and academic honesty by acknowledging the authors of the information you’ve borrowed for your paper. It’s never okay to try to pass off someone else’s work or ideas as your own—that is called plagiarism.

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Establish credibility by including the voices and works of others as support for your ideas, arguments, or proposals. When you do this, you validate the credibility of your ideas.

Help your readers by leading them to the source of each of your citations. Should they want to investigate further, your citations will lead to your reference page, which provides the location of your source.

The Chicago Manual of Style offers versatility for writers, allowing them to adapt their citations to the style that suits their work (or their instructor’s or publisher’s request), while ensuring readers can easily identify and locate those cited sources for further investigation.

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Allison Bressmer is a professor of freshman composition and critical reading at a community college and a freelance writer. If she isn’t writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her reading a book or listening to a podcast while happily sipping a semi-sweet iced tea or happy-houring with friends. She lives in New York with her family. Connect at linkedin.com/in/allisonbressmer.

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Chicago Research Paper Formatting

Chicago manual of style (cmos - 17th edition).

• Finding Sources for Your Paper
• Additional Resources
• Sample Papers

You are going to love this! Save this template somewhere safe or e-mail it to yourself. Then resave it immediately with the name of your new document. This will keep your template safe and ready to reuse again for future assignments.

The templates provided will be sufficient for most student Chicago Style papers. For more information on formatting, please check out The Chicago Manual of Style Online Resources for Students page at  https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/help-tools/Resources-for-Students.html . 

• Purdue Owl Author Date Sample Paper Sample paper is downloadable.
• Purdue Owl Notes Bibliography Sample Paper Sample paper is downloadable.
• Turabian: Student Paper-Writing Tip Sheets Official Chicago style, in easy-to-use, printable PDF paper-writing tip sheets for students, teachers, and librarians. Guidelines are per Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (9th ed.) and are fully compatible with The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.).
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The Chicago Manual of Style, explained

The Chicago Manual of Style is an American English style guide published by the University of Chicago Press. The Manual ’s guidelines for publishing, style and usage, and citations and indexes—known as “Chicago style” rules and recommendations—are among the most widely used in the United States, especially in academic and book publishing.

Jump to a section:

• What is The Chicago Manual of Style?

What is the history of The Chicago Manual of Style?

What is turabian style, what makes something definitively chicago style, what is a chicago-style citation is a quick reference available for chicago style, what is the difference between chicago style, ap style, mla style, and apa style in what contexts is chicago style used most often.

• How did The Chicago Manual of Style become a standard reference?

What is The Chicago Manual of Style ?

The Chicago Manual of Style is an American English style and usage guide published continuously by the University of Chicago Press since 1906. Today, it is used widely in many academic disciplines and is considered the standard for US style in book publishing.

The Chicago Manual of Style has become a staple reference for writers and editors, in part because it was one of the first style guides to be published in book form, and the only one from an academic press in North America. (Other style guides are published by professional associations.) Eventually, the Manual became a canonical work synonymous with its home institution, akin to the Oxford English Dictionary .

The Manual is now in its 17th edition, published in 2017. Sometimes referred to by its acronym, CMOS (pronounced like “sea moss”), The Chicago Manual of Style is available both in print and online , for an annual subscription fee. A free Chicago style Q&A and other resources are also available to the public on the CMOS website.

Grammar enthusiasts celebrate “Chicago style” rules, such as whether to put the title of a book in italics (Chicago style says yes, whereas AP style recommends quotation marks), or whether to use a serial comma—also known as an “Oxford” comma (Chicago style: yes; AP style: no). However, the editors at the University of Chicago Press acknowledge that rules are often context-dependent, and sometimes need to be broken. The Manual is thus also respected for its flexibility.

Opening in 1891, the University of Chicago Press was one of the original divisions of the University of Chicago (founded in 1890). The staff at the Press soon decided that maintaining a consistent, professional style would be essential to streamlining the Press’s publishing across many disciplines, and drew up an initial style sheet that was circulated to the university community.

The first iteration of the   Manual as we know it today was published in 1906 as Manual of Style: Being a Compilation of the Typographical Rules in Force at the University of Chicago Press, to Which Are Appended Specimens of Type in Use.

The Manual has been revised numerous times, including a major revision—the 12th edition in 1969—that definitively established the Manual as an industry leader on style matters. The first edition to incorporate “Chicago” in the title was the 13th edition, published in 1982; previous titles had been variations on A Manual of Style . The change reflected the way readers typically referred to the manual.

Over the years, each edition has sought to address contemporary questions from readers that have arisen via the continued evolution of language and technology. For example, the proliferation of computers—including digital publishing techniques facilitated by the internet and social media—have created a host of new style-related questions, many of which are addressed in recent editions.

Historical content adapted from The Chicago Manual of Style Online .

The term “Turabian” or “Turabian style” refers to the style guidelines that serve as a standard reference for college and graduate students writing research papers, providing an introduction to Chicago-style formatting and citation.

The guidelines were first set forth in 1937 by Kate L. Turabian—then the University of Chicago’s graduate school dissertation secretary—who wrote the pamphlet that became A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations . Now in its ninth edition, with multiple contributing writers and editors, Turabian (as it is usually known) continues to emphasize the value of strong research questions, evidence-based arguments, logical structure, and source citation.

The Turabian style guide is published by the University of Chicago Press and closely follows The Chicago Manual of Style , such that the term “Chicago/Turabian” is also used in some instances. The primary differences are the scope of the Turabian guide, which is narrower than that of CMOS , and its target audience of students. More information about the Turabian style guide and its history  is available on The Chicago Manual of Style ’s website.

When people talk about “Chicago style” rules, they are most often referring either to punctuation or source citations. In the case of punctuation, Chicago is the standard for US style in book publishing, whereas Oxford style is generally associated with British style. Some examples of a few notable differences are below:

• Chicago prefers double quotation marks (“like this”); Oxford prefers single (‘like this’).
• In Chicago style, periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks, “like this,” whereas Oxford puts them after, ‘like this’, though there are exceptions (and exceptions are generally made in British style for fiction and journalism).
• Chicago uses em dashes with no space before or after—like this. Usage at Oxford varies, but in British style many publishers prefer spaced en dashes – like this.
• Oxford style is usually associated with the “Oxford comma”—the comma before the conjunction in a series of three or more (like the one before “and” in “apples, oranges, and pears”). But this comma has also always been Chicago style. CMOS refers to it as a “serial comma.”
• On spelling, Chicago prefers the spellings at Merriam-Webster.com; Oxford follows Oxford’s dictionaries, starting with the Oxford English Dictionary .

Source citations involve the use of numbered notes and a bibliography, each styled and punctuated in a specific way, or author-date citations. Chicago’s citation style, like many of its other rules, goes back to the first edition and its focus on academic publishing. For more information about Chicago-style citations, read on.

This section was adapted from content contributed by Russell Harper, the editor of The Chicago Manual of Style’s Online Q&A.

For detailed information about Chicago-style citations and references, visit the CMOS website and Citation Quick Guide . In general, Chicago-style citations use either an author-date format or numbered notes and a bibliography.

Here is an example of an author-date citation, as it would appear in the text of an essay citing a book:

The primary cheeses used in Chicago-style pizza are mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano (Bruno 1983, 4).

Here is a full citation for the same book, as it would appear at the end in a list of works cited:

Bruno, Pasquale, Jr. The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook . New York: McGraw-Hill, 1983.

Here is how the same book would appear as a footnote with a corresponding reference:

Sentence from essay: For best results, stick to high-quality tomatoes, and avoid adding tomato paste to your Chicago-style pizza sauce.¹

Reference at the bottom of the page or end of the text: 1. Pasquale Bruno Jr., The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1983), 3.

Many English style and usage guides exist, and many organizations have their own in-house guides. Some guides are specific to particular fields like law, whereas others have more general applications.

There are many guides in publishing, media, and academia, but four predominate. These are the Associated Press Stylebook (AP style), The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style), the Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook (MLA style), and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA style). AP style is the standard in journalism, while MLA style is popular in classroom instruction and in some academic disciplines. APA style is often used in the social sciences and related academic fields.

Chicago style is comprehensive, and can address most questions relevant to writing, editing, and publishing in any discipline. Intended originally as a guide for publishers of academic books and journals, it is especially popular in the humanities and social sciences. Chicago style is also used widely by students and by publishers of novels and trade books.

Here is an example of the differences between Chicago style and AP style on common questions, such as styling titles in italics or quotations marks, the use of serial or “Oxford” commas, and possessive nouns ending in the letter “s”:

Chicago style: After Harry Styles’s tour in support of his album Fine Line stopped at the United Center, the pop star made sure to pick up some Chicago-style pizza, hot dogs, and popcorn.

AP style: After Harry Styles’ tour in support of his album “Fine Line” stopped at the United Center, the pop star made sure to pick up some Chicago-style pizza, hot dogs and popcorn.

Though either guide’s recommendations might seem prescriptive, English is a fraught language, with many potential gray areas. The editors at the University of Chicago Press (like those at AP) have sought to establish clarity and consistency while at the same time remaining flexible and cognizant of the fact that context may call for individual discretion on style matters.

How did  The Chicago Manual of Style become a standard reference?

The Chicago Manual of Style became a standard reference in part because of its early publication date at a time when university press publishing in the United States was just getting off the ground. Today, the University of Chicago Press is considered the largest academic press in the United States. It is also one of the oldest continuously publishing presses, according to the Association of American University Presses , with Johns Hopkins University Press (founded in 1878) being the oldest.

The University of Chicago Press quickly began to establish itself as a leading American university press, publishing the first edition of the Manual in 1906, before some competing presses, like those at Yale University (1908) and Harvard University (1913), had even been established.

In the United Kingdom, however, Oxford University Press began publishing its own style guide, originally titled Rules for Compositors and Readers at the University Press, Oxford , in 1904 (two years before Chicago). Known informally as “Hart’s Rules,” after the original author, Horace Hart, the Oxford style guide continues to be published today, with the most recent edition titled New Oxford Style Manual (2016).

Oxford University Press and other presses such as Cambridge University Press are older than any North American university press. Oxford traces the founding of its press to the 16th century (as does Cambridge). However, both the University of Chicago and the University of Oxford made their style guides available to the public before competitors early in the 20th century, which helped ensure their influence since then.

University of Chicago faculty, students, and staff can access The Chicago Manual of Style Online from the Library home page .

Editor’s Note: UChicago News follows journalistic convention, meaning that most of our coverage is published in AP style. However, an exception has been made for this piece, which is published in Chicago style in keeping with its subject matter.

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Chicago Style

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Chicago Style Format: A Step-by-Step Manual

The Chicago Manual of Style, a literary authority that has significantly shaped the world of writing and publishing, boasts a legacy that spans well over a century. Since its establishment in 1906, this venerable style guide has played a pivotal role in maintaining the highest standards of writing and publishing across various disciplines. Its enduring influence is nothing short of remarkable, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of academia, journalism, and professional publishing.

Chicago Style Format: Short Description

In this article, our experts, who handle your ' write my paper ' requests, will embark on a journey through the corridors of this iconic guide, delving into its rich history, indispensable guidelines, and the profound impact it continues to exert on the world of written communication. Whether you're a student striving for academic excellence, a seasoned writer crafting prose, or an editor refining manuscripts, the Chicago Manual of Style remains an indispensable companion in your quest for precision and eloquence in language and presentation.

What Is the Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style, often affectionately referred to as 'Chicago,' stands as a formidable pillar of authority in the realm of writing and publishing. First published in 1906 by the University of Chicago Press, this venerable guide is much more than a rulebook; it is an enduring testament to the meticulous artistry of language and presentation.

At its core, the Chicago Manual of Style serves as a comprehensive reference for writers, editors, and publishers, offering guidance on everything from grammar and punctuation to citation styles and manuscript formatting. Its authority extends across an array of disciplines, making it a trusted companion for academics, journalists, historians, and authors alike.

The difference between MLA and APA and Chicago Styles :

While the goal of all major style guides is to ensure clarity, consistency, and credibility in writing, each has its own unique approach.

Chicago is renowned for its flexibility, making it a preferred choice for disciplines like history and the humanities. It utilizes both footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography to cite sources, allowing for detailed referencing and extensive historical context.

In contrast, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly adopted in the fields of literature, arts, and humanities. MLA is known for its straightforward, in-text citation style and Works Cited page.

The American Psychological Association (APA) style, favored in the social sciences, psychology, and education, employs a concise in-text citation system and a references page, which highlights the publication date and emphasizes the currency of research.

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Distinguishing Chicago from Turabian Style

Is Chicago the same as Turabian? It's a question that often leaves students scratching their heads in confusion. Chicago and Turabian are like two branches of the same family tree, both descended from the hallowed halls of the University of Chicago.

Chicago Style format comes in two flavors: notes and bibliography, often favored in humanities, and the author-date system, more prevalent in the sciences. Turabian, created as a student-friendly adaptation of Chicago, primarily employs the notes and bibliography system. Thus, if you're a student or navigating the social sciences and humanities, Turabian might be your go-to choice.

Another key difference lies in the level of detail. Chicago is comprehensive, bordering on exhaustive, making it ideal for complex research projects. Turabian, in contrast, provides clear and concise guidelines suitable for most academic endeavors. While Chicago exudes a sense of scholarly tradition, Turabian is seen as more practical and approachable. Ultimately, your choice between these two styles depends on your academic journey and the expectations of your scholarly audience, akin to selecting the right wine from the same vineyard with distinct flavors.

Basic Guidelines

Chicago Style citation, renowned for its versatility and rigorous standards, provides a structured framework for scholars to create their intellectual canvases. Our expert service, where you have the option to buy essay , delves into the fundamental principles that underpin this renowned style, ensuring your academic work shines with precision and clarity.

Chicago Style Cover Page

The title page, often considered the gateway to your scholarly journey, holds the key to making a striking first impression. While specifics may vary per your instructor's preferences, here are the foundational principles to craft a compelling Chicago cover page:

Understanding the difference between Chicago and Turabian styles is crucial. In Chicago Style, having a title page is typically the norm. However, Turabian provides more flexibility, similar to the choice you have when learning how to write an essay introduction in Turabian.

In Turabian, you can either opt for a title page or simply start your document with the title on the first page before your main content. If your professor requests a title page in Turabian, apply the same rules discussed earlier. Keep in mind that whether you're following Chicago or Turabian, your title page plays a role akin to an introduction in your academic work. Hence, it's essential to format it correctly and adhere to the guidelines.

Whether you're writing a synthesis essay or any other Chicago-style paper, the main body is where scholarly communication and rigorous research intersect, requiring clarity, precision, and adherence to citation standards.

Headings in the Chicago Manual of Style play a pivotal role in guiding readers through the complexities of academic writing. 

Here's a succinct overview:

In-Text Citations and Notes

In Chicago Style format, the judicious use of in-text citations and notes is a hallmark of academic rigor. Here's a helpful guide on how to employ them effectively, even when learning how to write a nursing essay :

Block Quotes

Block quotes, a distinctive feature of the Chicago Manual of Style, serve as a powerful tool for amplifying the wisdom of experts and honoring the sources that enrich your academic work. Here's a succinct guide on how to effectively employ block quotes:

Numbers and Acronyms

In Chicago Style Format, it's generally advisable to express numbers below 100 in words rather than numerals. Therefore, it's preferable to write 'seventy-five' instead of '75.' However, when referring to specific measurements, such as '15 pounds,' you should still use numerals.

Regarding acronyms, it's essential to provide an explanation the first time you introduce them, along with their full expansion in parentheses.

Example: The House Price Index (HPI) reveals...

Subsequently, you can use the acronym alone. Avoid starting sentences with numerals or acronyms. You should either rephrase the sentence to place the numeral or acronym elsewhere or spell out the complete phrase or number. Instead of '200 people answered the question' or 'Two hundred people answered the question,' use 'We received 200 responses.'

Chicago Style Bibliography: Footnotes and Endnotes

In Chicago Style, the use of footnotes and endnotes is a distinctive feature of the Notes and Bibliography system. These notes serve a dual purpose: providing additional information or explanations while also citing sources.

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where a reference or explanation is needed. They are marked with superscript numbers in the text, corresponding to the note at the bottom of the page .

Endnotes in Chicago style, on the other hand, are placed at the end of the document, often before the bibliography section. They follow the same numbering system as footnotes but are collected in one place.

Chicago Style Citations

Prior to embarking on an essay outline , it's crucial to understand the correct usage of Chicago-style citations. Below, you'll find illustrative examples of Chicago Style citations for different types of works and authors, utilizing both the Notes and Bibliography (NB) system and the Author-Date (AD) system:

Books - Single Author:

Notes and Bibliography System:

Author's First Name, Last Name, Book Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.

• Jane Doe, The Art of Writing (Chicago: University Press, 2020), 45.

Author-Date System:

(Author's Last Name Year, Page Number)

Example: (Doe 2020, 45)

Books - Multiple Authors:

Author 1's First Name Last Name and Author 2's First Name Last Name, Book Title (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.

• John Smith and Sarah Johnson, The Craft of Collaboration (New York: Academic Press, 2019), 72.

(Author 1's Last Name and Author 2's Last Name Year, Page Number)

Example: (Smith and Johnson 2019, 72)

Journal Articles:

Author's First Name Last Name, 'Article Title,' Journal Title Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page Range.

• Mary Brown, 'The Role of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Stability,' Ecology 45, no. 2 (2018): 123-135.

(Author's Last Name Year, Page Range)

Example: (Brown 2018, 123-135)

Author's First Name Last Name, 'Title of Webpage,' Name of Website, Publication Date, URL.

• Mark Johnson, 'The Impact of Climate Change,' Climate News, last modified July 10, 2021, https://www.climatenews.com/impact .

(Author's Last Name Year)

Example: (Johnson 2021)

Edited Books:

Author's First Name Last Name, 'Chapter Title,' in Book Title , ed. Editor's First Name Last Name (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Range.

• Sarah Adams, 'Feminism in the 21st Century,' in Women's Voices: Essays on Gender Equality , ed. Emily White (Chicago: Academic Press, 2017), 56-71.

Example: (Adams 2017)

Final Remarks

Mastering the Chicago Style paper is essential for academic excellence. Whether you're navigating citations, formatting your text, or crafting compelling block quotes, attention to detail is key. Chicago Style empowers you to present your ideas with precision and credibility, enhancing your scholarly journey. So, embrace its guidelines, elevate your academic writing, and excel in the world of scholarship.

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Is APA a Turabian Style?

What does a chicago turabian citation look like, what is chicago style format, how do you cite in chicago style.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Go to Index

Author-Date: Sample Citations

Go to Notes and Bibliography: Sample Citations

The following examples illustrate the author-date system. Each example of a reference list entry is accompanied by an example of a corresponding in-text citation. For more details and many more examples, see chapter 15 of The Chicago Manual of Style . For examples of the same citations using the notes and bibliography system, follow the Notes and Bibliography link above.

Reference list entries (in alphabetical order)

Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. 2015. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life . New York: Simon & Schuster.

Smith, Zadie. 2016. Swing Time . New York: Penguin Press.

In-text citations

(Grazer and Fishman 2015, 12)

(Smith 2016, 315–16)

For more examples, see 1 5 . 40 – 45 in The Chicago Manual of Style .

Chapter or other part of an edited book

In the reference list, include the page range for the chapter or part. In the text, cite specific pages.

Reference list entry

Thoreau, Henry David. 2016. “Walking.” In The Making of the American Essay , edited by John D’Agata, 167–95. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press.

In-text citation

(Thoreau 2016, 177–78)

In some cases, you may want to cite the collection as a whole instead.

D’Agata, John, ed. 2016. The Making of the American Essay . Minneapolis: Graywolf Press.

(D’Agata 2016, 177–78)

For more details, see 15.36 and 15.42 in The Chicago Manual of Style .

Translated book

Lahiri, Jhumpa. 2016.  In Other Words . Translated by Ann Goldstein. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

(Lahiri 2016, 146)

For books consulted online, include a URL or the name of the database in the reference list entry. For other types of e-books, name the format. If no fixed page numbers are available, cite a section title or a chapter or other number in the text, if any (or simply omit).

Austen, Jane. 2007. Pride and Prejudice . New York: Penguin Classics. Kindle.

Borel, Brooke. 2016. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ProQuest Ebrary.

Kurland, Philip B., and Ralph Lerner, eds. 1987. The Founders’ Constitution . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/.

Melville, Herman. 1851. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale . New York: Harper & Brothers. http://mel.hofstra.edu/moby-dick-the-whale-proofs.html.

(Austen 2007, chap. 3)

(Borel 2016, 92)

(Kurland and Lerner 1987, chap. 10, doc. 19)

(Melville 1851, 627)

Journal article

In the reference list, include the page range for the whole article. In the text, cite specific page numbers. For articles consulted online, include a URL or the name of the database in the reference list entry. Many journal articles list a DOI (Digital Object Identifier). A DOI forms a permanent URL that begins https://doi.org/. This URL is preferable to the URL that appears in your browser’s address bar.

Keng, Shao-Hsun, Chun-Hung Lin, and Peter F. Orazem. 2017. “Expanding College Access in Taiwan, 1978–2014: Effects on Graduate Quality and Income Inequality.” Journal of Human Capital 11, no. 1 (Spring): 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1086/690235.

LaSalle, Peter. 2017. “Conundrum: A Story about Reading.” New England Review 38 (1): 95–109. Project MUSE.

Satterfield, Susan. 2016. “Livy and the Pax Deum .” Classical Philology 111, no. 2 (April): 165–76.

(Keng, Lin, and Orazem 2017, 9–10)

(LaSalle 2017, 95)

(Satterfield 2016, 170)

Journal articles often list many authors, especially in the sciences. If there are four or more authors, list up to ten in the reference list; in the text, list only the first, followed by et al . (“and others”). For more than ten authors (not shown here), list the first seven in the reference list, followed by et al.

Bay, Rachael A., Noah Rose, Rowan Barrett, Louis Bernatchez, Cameron K. Ghalambor, Jesse R. Lasky, Rachel B. Brem, Stephen R. Palumbi, and Peter Ralph. 2017. “Predicting Responses to Contemporary Environmental Change Using Evolutionary Response Architectures.” American Naturalist 189, no. 5 (May): 463–73. https://doi.org/10.1086/691233.

(Bay et al. 2017, 465)

For more examples, see 1 5 . 46–49 in The Chicago Manual of Style .

News or magazine article

Articles from newspapers or news sites, magazines, blogs, and the like are cited similarly. In the reference list, it can be helpful to repeat the year with sources that are cited also by month and day. Page numbers, if any, can be cited in the text but are omitted from a reference list entry. If you consulted the article online, include a URL or the name of the database.

Manjoo, Farhad. 2017. “Snap Makes a Bet on the Cultural Supremacy of the Camera.” New York Times , March 8, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/technology/snap-makes-a-bet-on-the-cultural-supremacy-of-the-camera.html.

Mead, Rebecca. 2017. “The Prophet of Dystopia.” New Yorker , April 17, 2017.

Pai, Tanya. 2017. “The Squishy, Sugary History of Peeps.” Vox , April 11, 2017. http://www.vox.com/culture/2017/4/11/15209084/peeps-easter.

Pegoraro, Rob. 2007. “Apple’s iPhone Is Sleek, Smart and Simple.” Washington Post , July 5, 2007. LexisNexis Academic.

(Manjoo 2017)

(Mead 2017, 43)

(Pegoraro 2007)

Readers’ comments are cited in the text but omitted from a reference list.

(Eduardo B [Los Angeles], March 9, 2017, comment on Manjoo 2017)

For more examples, see 15 . 49 (newspapers and magazines) and 1 5 . 51 (blogs) in The Chicago Manual of Style .

Book review

Kakutani, Michiko. 2016. “Friendship Takes a Path That Diverges.” Review of Swing Time , by Zadie Smith. New York Times , November 7, 2016.

(Kakutani 2016)

Stamper, Kory. 2017. “From ‘F-Bomb’ to ‘Photobomb,’ How the Dictionary Keeps Up with English.” Interview by Terry Gross. Fresh Air , NPR, April 19, 2017. Audio, 35:25. http://www.npr.org/2017/04/19/524618639/from-f-bomb-to-photobomb-how-the-dictionary-keeps-up-with-english.

(Stamper 2017)

Thesis or dissertation

Rutz, Cynthia Lillian. 2013. “ King Lear and Its Folktale Analogues.” PhD diss., University of Chicago.

(Rutz 2013, 99–100)

Website content

It is often sufficient simply to describe web pages and other website content in the text (“As of May 1, 2017, Yale’s home page listed . . .”). If a more formal citation is needed, it may be styled like the examples below. For a source that does not list a date of publication or revision, use n.d. (for “no date”) in place of the year and include an access date.

Bouman, Katie. 2016. “How to Take a Picture of a Black Hole.” Filmed November 2016 at TEDxBeaconStreet, Brookline, MA. Video, 12:51. https://www.ted.com/talks/katie_bouman_what_does_a_black_hole_look_like.

Google. 2017. “Privacy Policy.” Privacy & Terms. Last modified April 17, 2017. https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.

Yale University. n.d. “About Yale: Yale Facts.” Accessed May 1, 2017. https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

(Bouman 2016)

(Google 2017)

(Yale University, n.d.)

For more examples, see 1 5 . 50–52 in The Chicago Manual of Style . For multimedia, including live performances, see 1 5 . 57 .

Social media content

Citations of content shared through social media can usually be limited to the text (as in the first example below). If a more formal citation is needed, a reference list entry may be appropriate. In place of a title, quote up to the first 160 characters of the post. Comments are cited in reference to the original post.

Conan O’Brien’s tweet was characteristically deadpan: “In honor of Earth Day, I’m recycling my tweets” (@ConanOBrien, April 22, 2015).

Chicago Manual of Style. 2015. “Is the world ready for singular they? We thought so back in 1993.” Facebook, April 17, 2015. https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoManual/posts/10152906193679151.

Souza, Pete (@petesouza). 2016. “President Obama bids farewell to President Xi of China at the conclusion of the Nuclear Security Summit.” Instagram photo, April 1, 2016. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDrmfXTtNCt/.

(Chicago Manual of Style 2015)

(Souza 2016)

(Michele Truty, April 17, 2015, 1:09 p.m., comment on Chicago Manual of Style 2015)

Personal communication

Personal communications, including email and text messages and direct messages sent through social media, are usually cited in the text only; they are rarely included in a reference list.

(Sam Gomez, Facebook message to author, August 1, 2017)

• Essay Writing Guides

How to Title an Essay? Everything an Essay Guru Should Know

As soon as you sit down to compose an academic paper, you may be troubled by how to name your essay so that it reveals the essence of your text and grabs the audience’s attention at first sight. Ideally, that’s what a good title should achieve – informing and engaging. 

So, what’s the secret recipe for an ideal essay title ? How long should an essay title b e to comply with the college rules and formatting standards? 

The answer is not that straightforward, as you need to be inventive when creating an essay title . Some pro tactics will always help you move on and find a good title for an essay on any topic, and your task is to master the art of naming your works like a pro. 

Read on to get an exhaustive answer to the question, “ What is a good title for an essay ?” Your search for the best essay title ends here. Our guide covers the main principles of title formatting, structuring, and selection to make you a naming guru. We’ve also paired theory with practice and have given a series of catchy essay title examples to illustrate the manual. 

A Secret Recipe of a Good Essay Title 

To understand what a good title for an essay looks like, we need to understand its purpose. Wise people say that a reader shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Yet, in fact, that’s what usually happens, and this means that your essay headline will be the first (and sometimes the last) information the reader gets about your intellectual product. 

As a rule, paper titles serve the following goals: 

• Inform the readers what your essay is about. 
• Motivate them to go on reading. 
• Excite their interest in the subject. 
• Catch the readers’ attention to make them read until the end.

Using these features of a good essay title , we may easily arrive at a definition of a winning headline: 

• A good title captures the main topic and essence of the essay. 
• It differentiates your piece from hundreds of texts on a similar topic. 
• It hooks the readers’ attention and urges them to continue. 
• A good title also exemplifies your expertise on the subject. 

Essay Title Composition Rules You Should Know 

Now, let’s proceed to the essay title format , which also can’t be ignored when composing an academic paper. Professors may require students to use a variety of referencing styles, each of which has specific instructions about the essay or research paper title . 

Guidelines for Essay Titles in MLA Format 

How to title an essay in MLA? A good title for an essay in the MLA referencing style should follow these conventions: 

• Use title case for notional words. 
• Place the title at the center and do not underline, bold, or italicize it. 
• Double-space the heading as the rest of your essay’s text. 

Guidelines for Essay Titles in APA Format 

How to title an essay in APA? The APA essay title format requires you to follow these instructions: 

• The APA title is placed on the title page and then repeated on the first page. 
• It should be capitalized (notional words). 
• It should be centered on the page and written in the bold font. 

Guidelines for Essay Titles in Chicago Manual of Style Format 

How to title an essay in Chicago? When you’re writing an academic task in the Chicago style, your good title for an essay should be structured as follows: 

• The title should be placed one-third of the page down from the page’s top. 
• It should be centered and capitalized. 
• No bolding or italicization is required.  

How to Title an Essay: Pro Guidelines 

Before we proceed to title ideas for essays , let’s briefly cover the step-by-step algorithm for arriving at a good title your professor will love. So, how to title an essay correctly by using a simple instruction? 

#1 Complete Your Essay 

A pro tip for crafting a good essay title is not to start your work with it but rather to end it. Try this tactic out, and you will see how simple it is to formulate a good headline after the whole text is ready. 

#2 Sum It Up 

Your road to a creative title starts with a recap of your essay’s content. You should re-read the text and summarize it in a couple of sentences to see what it’s exactly about. 

#3 Determine the Keywords 

You can create a good title by using the key phrases and words that capture the gist of your essay. So, pick 3-5 main words that characterize the content and make up several versions of the title using their combinations. 

#4 Mind the Format 

As we’ve already noted, a good headline should be composed in line with the referencing style you need to follow. So, you should check whether your essay should be in the APA, MLA, or other format and use appropriate guidelines in composition.  

#5 Rephrase 

Once you have the key ideas in one place, experiment with paraphrasing to find your good title . 

Creative Essay Title Examples 

Now, it’s time to cover some of the coolest essay titles that can make your paper stand out of the crowd and attract the professor’s attention with creativity and originality. We’ve compiled a list of examples of good titles for essays of various types so that you have go-to prompts regardless of the homework your tutor gives. 

Argumentative 

How to title an essay that should argue a point? When you write an argumentative essay , titling an essay should include the position you’re planning to argue. That’s why a good essay heading of an argumentative type should contain your stand. Some great essay names for argumentative pieces are: 

• Importance of school uniforms in US public schools. 
• Severity of the greenhouse effect problem in Canada. 

Compare and Contrast 

Creating an essay title for a compare-and-contrast type of paper is a no-brainer, generally speaking. It should name all the subjects you’re planning to compare and may also include the characteristics by which you want to conduct the comparative analysis. Some great paper titles in the comparative format are: 

• Distinctive features of wild animals compared to domesticated ones. 
• Online vs. offline learning. 

Analytical 

How to title an essay with an analytical approach? It requires in-depth analysis of an assigned subject using a variety of academic sources. Thus, a good headline for this piece of work should reflect your analytical standpoint and reveal the essence of your inquiry. Best titles for essays of this kind may look as follows: 

• Therapeutic benefits of CBT for PTSD. 
• Limitations of AI applications in creative professions. 

Persuasive 

Titling an essay in a persuasive format should look convincing and reflective of the stand you’re holding. A great persuasive essay heading may look as follows: 

• The need for more nuanced sex education in public schools. 
• The unmet needs of cyberbullying victims. 

Expository 

How to title an essay in an expository format? This is a form of writing that requires you to describe a specific subject and introduce it to the audience in as much detail as possible. Thus, this essay title format won’t require argumentation or emotional appeals; an expository essay headline should simply name the subject you will deal with. Good titles for essays of this type can be: 

• Socio-economic reforms in Sweden. 
• The peacemaking activities of the UN. 

Use these essay title examples as inspiration to create your own good headline once your next assignment arrives. 

Final Word 

Now you know everything about the principles of writing creative essay titles that impress the readers and have several essay title examples for guidance. If you still have many lingering questions about how to title an essay or what the best essay title should look like, don’t struggle with these academic hardships on your own. 

Come to our service and partner with one of our experienced writers. Each expert in our team knows how to pick a title for an essay , how to select the most suitable essay title format , and what impact great college essay titles produce on your grades. Transform your grades with our pros’ support and guidance, and creating an essay title will never be a challenge for you again.