Turabian Footnotes: Complete Guide With Examples (9th Edition)

Turabian footnotes are one of the most recognizable features of the Turabian citation style. They allow readers to see where information came from without interrupting the flow of an academic paper with parenthetical citations.

The 9th edition of A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations includes two citation systems: Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date. Footnotes belong to the Notes-Bibliography system, which is commonly used in history, literature, the arts, and other humanities disciplines.

This guide explains how Turabian footnotes work, when to use them, how to format them, and provides examples for common sources.

What Is a Turabian Footnote?

A Turabian footnote is a numbered note placed at the bottom of the page to identify the source of information used in your paper.

When you quote, paraphrase, or otherwise use information from a source, you place a superscript number in the text. The corresponding numbered footnote appears at the bottom of the same page.

For example:

Historical research depends heavily on the careful evaluation of primary sources.¹

The corresponding footnote might look like this:

John Smith, Research Methods for Historians (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024), 45.

The number in the text and the number in the footnote connect the reader directly to the source.

Turabian's Notes-Bibliography system uses numbered notes and normally includes a bibliography as well.

When Should You Use Turabian Footnotes?

Footnotes are appropriate when your instructor or institution requires the Turabian Notes-Bibliography style.

This system is particularly common for:

History papers
Literature and humanities essays
Art and cultural studies
Religious studies
Philosophy
Theses and dissertations
Other research papers that use extensive source documentation

If your instructor specifically asks for Turabian Author-Date, you generally should not use footnotes as your primary citation system. Author-Date uses parenthetical citations such as (Smith 2024, 45) followed by a reference list.

When you are unsure which system to use, follow your instructor's instructions.

How to Format a Turabian Footnote

A basic Turabian footnote usually contains:

Author's name, Title of Source (Publication information), page number.

For example:

John Smith, Research Methods for Historians (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024), 45.

The exact information changes depending on the type of source.

Some general rules are:

Number notes consecutively throughout the paper.
Use a superscript number in the main text.
Place the corresponding note at the bottom of the page when using footnotes.
Give the specific page number when citing a particular passage.
Use a full note the first time you cite a source.
Use a shortened note for subsequent references to the same source.

Turabian also permits endnotes, which contain the same type of information but are collected at the end of a chapter or paper instead of appearing at the bottom of each page.

Turabian Footnote Examples

The format of a footnote depends on the source you are citing. Here are some of the most common examples.

1. Book

A basic book footnote looks like this:

John Smith, Research Methods for Students (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024), 45.

The author's name appears in normal order in the footnote, followed by the book title, publication information, and the page cited.

2. Book With Two Authors

For a book with two authors:

Jane Williams and Robert Brown, Understanding Modern History (New York: Academic Press, 2023), 78.

Both authors are included in the first footnote.

3. Journal Article

For a journal article, include the author's name, article title, journal title, volume and issue information, publication date, and the specific page cited.

Sarah Johnson, “Historical Memory and Public Identity,” Journal of Modern History 95, no. 2 (2024): 315.

For an online article with a DOI, the DOI can be included as a URL:

Sarah Johnson, “Historical Memory and Public Identity,” Journal of Modern History 95, no. 2 (2024): 315, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.

The official Turabian examples recommend a DOI in URL form when one is available.

4. Website

A website footnote may look like this:

World Health Organization, “Global Health Observatory,” accessed October 8, 2026, https://www.who.int/.

If the website provides a publication or modification date, that information can be used instead of an access date where appropriate.

5. Chapter in an Edited Book

For a chapter written by one author in a book edited by someone else:

Mary Johnson, “The Development of Modern Cities,” in Studies in Urban History, ed. Robert Smith (London: Academic Press, 2023), 112.

The page number refers to the specific page being cited.

6. Newspaper Article

A newspaper article may be cited as:

David Brown, “Universities Expand Digital Research Programs,” New York Times, March 15, 2025.

For online newspaper content, a URL can be included when appropriate.

7. Thesis or Dissertation

A dissertation footnote can look like:

Jane Williams, “Education Policy and Student Achievement” (PhD diss., University of Nairobi, 2025), 67.

The official Turabian examples identify the degree, institution, and year in this type of citation.

8. Ebook

For an ebook without fixed page numbers, use another identifiable location such as a chapter or section when available.

For example:

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (New York: Penguin Classics, 2007), chap. 3, Kindle.

If an online book has stable page numbers, you can cite the relevant page instead.

Full Footnotes vs. Shortened Footnotes

One of the most important things to understand about Turabian footnotes is that you do not necessarily repeat the complete citation every time you use the same source.

First Footnote

The first citation normally provides the full information:

John Smith, Research Methods for Students (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024), 45.

Subsequent Footnote

When you cite the same source again, you can use a shortened form:

Smith, Research Methods, 52.

The shortened note makes it easier for readers to identify the source without repeating all of its publication information.

Turabian's official examples use shortened notes after the first full citation.

What If You Cite the Same Source Several Times?

Continue numbering your notes consecutively.

For example:

John Smith, Research Methods for Students (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024), 45.

Smith, Research Methods, 52.

Smith, Research Methods, 76.

Each note receives a new number even though the source is the same.

Turabian Footnotes and Bibliography: What's the Difference?

Footnotes and bibliographies have different purposes.

A footnote identifies the source of a specific statement, quotation, or idea in your paper. It can also provide the exact page where the information appears.

A bibliography provides a broader list of sources used in the research.

For example, a footnote might be:

John Smith, Research Methods for Students (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024), 45.

The corresponding bibliography entry would be:

Smith, John. Research Methods for Students. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024.

Notice that the author's name is reversed in the bibliography, and the specific page used in the footnote is not included in the book bibliography entry.

The official Chicago/Turabian guidance explains that notes point readers to the specific material used, while bibliography entries provide fuller information about the sources as works.

Do Turabian Footnotes Need a Bibliography?

Not always.

A bibliography is normally used with the Notes-Bibliography system, but whether it is required can depend on the assignment or publication. In some situations, full citations in the notes may make a separate bibliography unnecessary.

However, if your instructor asks for both footnotes and a bibliography, include both.

Your instructor's requirements always take priority over general style guidance.

Common Turabian Footnote Mistakes

Even when the basic idea seems simple, footnotes can become difficult when you are working with many different sources.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid.

1. Forgetting the Superscript Number

The number in the text should correspond to the numbered note.

2. Using the Wrong Page Number

When citing a specific passage, use the page where that information appears.

3. Repeating the Full Citation Every Time

After the first full note, use the appropriate shortened form for subsequent citations.

4. Formatting the Author's Name Incorrectly

Footnotes generally use the author's normal name order:

John Smith

Bibliography entries reverse the name:

Smith, John.

5. Confusing Turabian With APA or MLA

Turabian Notes-Bibliography does not use the same in-text citation system as APA or MLA. A paper requiring Turabian footnotes should not normally contain APA-style parenthetical citations such as (Smith, 2024, p. 45).

6. Forgetting the DOI or URL

For online sources, include the appropriate DOI or URL when required. A DOI in URL form is generally preferred for journal articles when one is available.

7. Ignoring Your Instructor's Requirements

Turabian provides general standards, but instructors, departments, and dissertation offices may have additional requirements. Always check your assignment instructions before finalizing your paper.

How to Create Turabian Footnotes Automatically

Creating every footnote manually can become time-consuming, especially when a paper contains dozens of books, journal articles, websites, and other sources.

A citation generator can help reduce the amount of manual formatting involved.

With CiteHelp, you can enter a source using information such as a title, URL, DOI, or ISBN and generate a citation in the appropriate style. CiteHelp supports Turabian along with other major citation styles and allows users to review and edit the generated citation before using it.

For a Turabian paper, the important step is not simply generating a citation. Check the generated information against the original source and your instructor's requirements before submitting your paper.

This is particularly important when a source has incomplete or incorrect metadata.

Turabian Footnotes Quick Reference

Source	Basic Footnote Pattern
Book	Author, Title (Publisher information), page.
Journal article	Author, “Article Title,” Journal volume, no. issue (date): page.
Website	Author/Organization, “Page Title,” date or access date, URL.
Book chapter	Author, “Chapter Title,” in Book Title, ed. Editor (publication information), page.
Dissertation	Author, “Title” (degree diss., Institution, year), page.
Ebook	Author, Title (publication information), location/format.

The exact format varies by source, so this table should be treated as a quick reference rather than a substitute for the complete Turabian rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Turabian footnotes the same as Chicago footnotes?

They are closely related. Turabian's Notes-Bibliography system follows the same basic citation principles as Chicago's Notes-Bibliography system, but A Manual for Writers is specifically tailored to students and academic research papers, theses, and dissertations.

Does every Turabian paper require footnotes?

No. Turabian has both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems. Footnotes are associated with the Notes-Bibliography system.

Can I use endnotes instead of footnotes?

Yes, when the assignment permits them. Endnotes contain numbered citations like footnotes but are collected in a separate section rather than appearing at the bottom of each page.

Do Turabian footnotes need page numbers?

When you are citing a specific passage from a paginated source, the relevant page number should normally be included in the note. Page numbers are particularly important for quotations and specific information.

Can I use a citation generator for Turabian footnotes?

Yes. A citation tool can save time when creating citations for books, journals, websites, and other sources. However, generated citations should always be checked against the original source and your instructor's requirements.

Final Thoughts

Turabian footnotes may look complicated at first, but the basic process is straightforward: number the source in your text, provide the corresponding note, and use a shortened note when you cite the same source again.

The main challenge is getting the details right for different source types. Once you understand the basic pattern, you can apply it to books, journal articles, websites, dissertations, ebooks, and other academic sources.

If you are creating many citations for a research paper, a Turabian citation generator can make the citation-generation process faster while still allowing you to review and correct the resulting references.

For a broader overview of Turabian rules, see the CiteHelp Turabian Citation Guide. You can also use the CiteHelp citation generator to generate and review citations for your sources.