Turabian vs Chicago Style: Which Does Your Dissertation Need?

Confused about whether your doctoral dissertation should follow Turabian or Chicago style? Here is everything you need to know to make the right choice and format your dissertation correctly.

One of the most common questions doctoral students ask when beginning their dissertation is whether to follow Turabian or Chicago style. The confusion is understandable — the two style manuals are closely related, share the same citation format, and are often mentioned interchangeably by professors and graduate school guidelines. But they are not identical, and choosing the wrong one — or misunderstanding the difference — can result in formatting errors that delay your dissertation approval.

This article breaks down exactly what Turabian and Chicago style are, how they differ, and how to determine which one your doctoral dissertation requires.

What Is Chicago Style?

Chicago style refers to the formatting and citation guidelines published in The Chicago Manual of Style — currently in its seventeenth edition. It is one of the most widely used style manuals in the United States and is the standard for publishing in humanities disciplines including history, literature, philosophy, and the arts.

Chicago style offers two citation systems:

Notes and Bibliography — uses footnotes or endnotes for citations and a bibliography at the end of the document. This system is most commonly used in history, literature, and the arts.
Author-Date — uses in-text parenthetical citations and a reference list. This system is more common in the social sciences.

Chicago style was designed primarily for published works — books, journal articles, and professional publications. Its guidelines cover everything from manuscript preparation to indexing and cover a much broader range of publishing scenarios than most doctoral students will ever need.

What Is Turabian Style?

Turabian style refers to the guidelines in A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian — currently in its ninth edition. Turabian was a longtime dissertation secretary at the University of Chicago and developed her manual specifically to help students apply Chicago style to academic papers, theses, and dissertations.

In short — Turabian is Chicago style adapted for students. It uses the same two citation systems as Chicago style — Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date — but simplifies and clarifies the guidelines specifically for the context of academic writing at the graduate level.

Turabian includes guidance that Chicago does not — such as how to format a title page, how to handle dissertation-specific elements like the approval page and table of contents, and how to structure chapters and headings in a long academic document. For doctoral students this additional guidance is extremely practical.

The Key Differences Between Turabian and Chicago Style

While Turabian is based on Chicago style the two manuals differ in several important ways:

Audience and purpose: Chicago style is written for publishers and professional writers. Turabian is written specifically for students producing research papers, theses, and dissertations. If you are writing a doctoral dissertation Turabian speaks more directly to your situation.

Dissertation-specific formatting: Turabian includes specific guidance for dissertation front matter — title pages, approval pages, abstracts, dedications, acknowledgements, tables of contents, and lists of figures. Chicago style does not address these elements in detail because they are not relevant to published books and articles.

Heading formatting: Both manuals address heading hierarchy but Turabian provides more specific guidance for structuring chapter headings and subheadings in a long academic document. Many universities use Turabian's heading guidelines as the basis for their own institutional formatting requirements.

Length and complexity: The Chicago Manual of Style is a comprehensive reference work of over 1,000 pages covering far more than most doctoral students will ever need. Turabian is a more focused and accessible manual written specifically for academic writing at the student level.

Citation format: The citation format in Turabian and Chicago style is essentially identical. A footnote citation formatted correctly in Turabian will look the same as one formatted correctly in Chicago style. The difference lies in the surrounding document formatting rather than the citations themselves.

Which Style Manual Does Your Dissertation Need?

The answer to this question is not found in either style manual — it is found in your university's graduate school formatting guidelines.

Here is how to find out:

Go to your university's graduate school website
Download the official dissertation formatting guidelines
Look for the designated style manual — it will typically say something like "this dissertation follows Turabian style" or "citations should conform to Chicago style Notes and Bibliography format"
If the guidelines are unclear contact your graduate school office directly and ask

In most cases universities that require Chicago-based citation formatting will specify Turabian for dissertations rather than the full Chicago Manual of Style. This is because Turabian is more practical for students and includes dissertation-specific guidance that Chicago does not.

What If My University Specifies Chicago Style?

If your graduate school guidelines specify Chicago style rather than Turabian, use the Notes and Bibliography system unless your department specifies otherwise. Follow the Chicago Manual of Style for citations and consult your graduate school guidelines for dissertation-specific formatting elements such as the title page and approval page that Chicago does not address.

In practice the citation formatting will look identical whether you follow Turabian or Chicago style. The main difference will be in how you handle dissertation-specific elements.

What If My University Does Not Specify a Style Manual?

If your graduate school guidelines do not specify a style manual ask your dissertation committee chair directly. Do not assume — different departments within the same university sometimes use different style manuals. Your committee chair's preference takes priority over any general university guideline.

Common Mistakes Students Make with Turabian and Chicago Style

Using an outdated edition: Make sure you are using the most current edition of whichever manual your university requires. Turabian is currently in its ninth edition and Chicago style is in its seventeenth edition. Citation formats and formatting guidelines can change between editions.

Mixing citation systems: Chicago and Turabian both offer Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date citation systems. Never mix the two systems within the same dissertation. Choose one and apply it consistently throughout.

Following online citation generators blindly: Online citation generators are useful tools but they frequently contain errors, use outdated formatting rules, or apply the wrong citation system. Always verify generated citations against your style manual before including them in your dissertation.

Ignoring institutional guidelines: The most common and costly mistake is following a style manual while ignoring your university's specific formatting requirements. Institutional guidelines always override style manual preferences. When the two conflict your graduate school guidelines win every time.

How a Professional Dissertation Editor Can Help

Navigating the differences between Turabian and Chicago style while simultaneously meeting your university's specific institutional requirements is one of the most technically demanding aspects of dissertation preparation. Many doctoral students spend hours checking and rechecking citations, footnotes, and formatting — hours that could be spent on their research and writing.

At Two Dissertation Moms we specialize in doctoral dissertation editing and formatting across Turabian, Chicago, APA, and MLA style manuals. We know the difference between these style manuals inside and out, and we know how to apply them correctly within the context of your institution's specific requirements. Whether you need a complete dissertation formatting review or targeted help with citations and footnotes, we are here to make sure your dissertation meets every requirement before your submission deadline.

FAQ Section:

Q: Is Turabian the same as Chicago style? A: Turabian style is based on Chicago style but is not identical to it. Turabian was developed specifically for students writing research papers, theses, and dissertations and includes guidance for dissertation-specific elements that the Chicago Manual of Style does not address. The citation format in both manuals is essentially the same.

Q: Which style manual should I use for my dissertation — Turabian or Chicago? A: The answer depends on your university's graduate school formatting guidelines. Check your institution's official dissertation formatting requirements and follow whatever style manual they designate. If the guidelines are unclear ask your dissertation committee chair directly.

Q: What is the difference between Turabian Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date? A: Notes and Bibliography uses footnotes or endnotes for citations and a bibliography at the end of the document. Author-Date uses in-text parenthetical citations and a reference list. Most humanities dissertations use Notes and Bibliography while social science dissertations more commonly use Author-Date. Your university or committee chair will specify which system to use.

Q: Can I use an online citation generator for Turabian or Chicago style citations? A: Online citation generators can be useful as a starting point but they frequently contain errors or use outdated formatting rules. Always verify generated citations against the current edition of your style manual before including them in your dissertation.

Q: Do institutional formatting guidelines override Turabian or Chicago style? A: Yes — always. Your university's graduate school formatting guidelines take priority over any style manual. When institutional requirements and style manual guidelines conflict follow your institution's requirements.

Turabian versus Chicago Style: What Is the Difference and Which One Does Your Dissertation Need?