Chicago Style (Turabian): Home

Citing your sources means giving credit to the authors whose information you use when writing a paper.  Generally, there will be two parts to this process:  (1) a short notation in the text of your paper called an in-text citation or a footnote (or endnote) and (2) a list at the end of your paper that includes complete information about each source you used.  There are a variety of formats or citation "styles," which outline different, very specific, ways to list the title, author, date, and other information of each source you use in writing your paper.  Chicago Style is one of the styles sometimes used at Martin.  You may also hear the term "Turabian" when Chicago Style is referred to.  The Turabian manual is a simplified explanation of Chicago Style, but the format is essentially the same.  The library has both the Chicago Manual of Style and the Turabian manual.

There are two ways of citing under Chicago style, the "Notes and Bibliography" system and the "Author-Date" system.  (See below for the differences.)  If your instructor requires Chicago style citations, you should use the Notes and Bibliography system unless your instructor tells you otherwise.  

You must cite the source of any idea you borrow, whether you put the idea in your own words ("paraphrase" it), summarize it, or quote it word for word.  Failure to give credit to your sources is called plagiarism and can result in lowered grades or more severe consequences.