Complete Guide to Turabian Footnote Formatting

Understanding Turabian Footnote Format

Turabian style uses footnotes or endnotes to document sources, with complete citations appearing in notes rather than parenthetical in-text citations. This note-based system is common in humanities and some social science fields. Proper footnote formatting ensures readers can easily verify your sources.

Basic Footnote Format

The standard Turabian footnote format for the first citation of a source is: Superscript number in text, then full note: Author First Name Last Name, Title, (Publisher: City, Year), page number.

Include the author’s full name, the work title in italics, publication information in parentheses, and the specific page(s) cited.

First Note Format for a Book

A complete first note for a book:

1. John Smith, American History and Politics (Oxford University Press: New York, 2024), 234.

The superscript “1” appears in the text where the note is referenced.

First Note for an Article

For a journal or magazine article:

2. Sarah Johnson, “Climate Change Policy,” Environmental Review 15, no. 2 (2024): 156-170.

Include the journal title in italics, volume, issue, year, and page numbers.

Shortened Note Format

After the first full note, use shortened format:

3. Smith, American History, 245.

The shortened form includes author’s last name, short title in italics, and the page number.

Shortened Note with Ibid.

When citing the immediately preceding source:

4. Ibid., 256.

Use Ibid. if the note directly follows and cites the same source. Include a new page number if different.

Using Ibid. with Different Page

When Ibid. applies but page differs:

5. Ibid., 312.

Only the page number changes; the source remains the same.

Different Source After Ibid.

When returning to a previously cited source:

6. Smith, American History, 267.

Use the shortened note format (not Ibid.) when the previous note cited a different source.

Multiple Author First Note

For sources with multiple authors:

7. James Anderson, Maria Garcia, and Robert Johnson, Global Economics (Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, 2023), 145.

Include all authors’ names for the first citation.

Multiple Author Shortened Note

In the shortened form:

8. Anderson, Garcia, and Johnson, Global Economics, 156.

Or use et al. if there are more than three authors:

9. Anderson et al., Global Economics, 167.

Website Footnote

For sources from websites:

10. John Williams, “Digital Privacy Concerns,” Tech Blog, accessed March 16, 2024, https://techblog.com/privacy.

Include author (if available), title, website name, access date, and URL.

Examples of Different Source Types

Book with Single Author

11. Michelle Brown, Renaissance Art and Culture (Penguin Books: London, 2024), 89.

Edited Collection Chapter

12. David Lee, “Medieval Architecture,” in European History, ed. Susan Martinez (Oxford University Press: New York, 2023), 234-256.

Newspaper Article

13. James Wilson, “Economic Outlook for 2024,” New York Times, March 15, 2024, https://nytimes.com/economics.

Archival Document

14. Thomas Jefferson, Letter to James Madison, March 20, 1801, Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Footnote Placement

Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page where the citation occurs. Endnotes appear at the end of the document or chapter. Both use the same citation format.

Using GenText for Footnote Citations

GenText helps organize Turabian footnotes by providing templates for first full notes and shortened forms. The tool ensures proper formatting of author names, titles, and publication information.

Footnote Numbering

Numbers are placed as superscripts in the text and correspond to the notes:

This is the first cited material.¹ More content here.²

Notes are numbered consecutively throughout the document (or chapter if using chapter-based numbering).

Formatting Considerations

In Turabian footnotes:

• Italicize book and journal titles
• Use quotation marks for article titles
• Include publication location and publisher
• Use lowercase “ibid.” when not at the beginning of a note
• Place punctuation inside quotation marks

Common Footnote Mistakes

• Incomplete first note: Always include all essential publication information in the first full note.
• Inconsistent shortened forms: Use consistent shortened titles throughout.
• Incorrect Ibid. usage: Use Ibid. only for the immediately preceding source with different page.
• Missing page numbers: Include the specific page(s) being cited.

Bibliography Relationship

Each footnoted source should have a corresponding entry in your bibliography. The first note provides complete information; subsequent references use shortened format.

Subsequent Pages

When using the same shortened note on subsequent pages:

15. Smith, American History, 301.

Continue using the shortened format with page numbers throughout the document.

Footnote vs. Endnote

Turabian accepts both footnotes and endnotes with identical formatting. Choose one style and maintain consistency throughout your document.

When to Use Footnotes

Footnotes (rather than parenthetical citations) are used for:

• Humanities disciplines (literature, history, philosophy)
• Books and longer works
• Research requiring detailed source documentation
• Works with extensive bibliographic information
• Academic fields following Chicago/Turabian style

By following Turabian footnote guidelines, you properly document your sources while maintaining readability and providing readers with comprehensive citation information.