sample chicago style essay

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

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• 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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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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• Last Updated: Apr 17, 2024 11:25 AM
• URL: https://libguides.polk.edu/chicago

Polk State College is committed to equal access/equal opportunity in its programs, activities, and employment. For additional information, visit polk.edu/compliance .

Chicago Style Guide - 17th Edition

• Chicago Style
• Title Page and Pagination
• Quotations and Signal Phrases
• Bibliography
• Chicago's Citation Parts
• Articles - Online
• Articles - Print
• Blogs and Social Media
• Government Publications
• Elders & Knowledge Keepers
• Other Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Generative AI Tools (e.g., ChatGPT, DALL·E 2)
• Author/Date (Scientific) System
• Need More Help?

Useful Links

• Chicago Manual of Style Online - Quick Guide
• Douglas College Library - Chicago Style Guide (PDF)
• Purdue OWL - Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.)
• SFU Library - Chicago/Turabian (17th ed.) Citation Guide

Avoid Plagiarism

• Camosun Academic Integrity Guide
• Camosun Plagiarism Guide
• Douglas College Learning Centre - Paraphrasing Without Plagiarizing
• Purdue OWL - Avoiding Plagiarism
• SFU Library - Plagiarism Tutorial

Chicago Style Sample Research Paper

Formatting and Sample Paper

The formatting guidelines listed on this page, provide general best practices for formatting your work using the Chicago style. Detailed information about formatting your title page , using quotes and signal phrases , and creating a bibliography , can be found by navigating to various sub-pages of this "Formatting Your Paper" page.

Learning how to correctly format your research paper into Chicago style can seem overwhelming, especially if the style is new to you. One of the best ways to help visualize what your paper needs to look like is by checking out an example of a paper that has already been formatted correctly.

View this  sample Chicago style research paper   ( notes and bibliography/humanities system ) from Purdue OWL for examples on how to format:

• A title page
• Headers and page numbers
• A bibliography

For a sample paper in the Chicago author/date style , visit the "Author/Date (Scientific) System" page in this guide.

Paragraphs and Spacing

The first line of all new paragraphs should begin with an indent . You can use either the tab key or your word processor's indentation tool to make your indentations–just be sure to be consistent and use the same process throughout your paper.

Your paper should be double spaced throughout its main body , with the following exceptions: 

• Block quotations , table titles , and figure captions should be single-spaced . 
• ​An extra line of space should be inserted both before and after a block quotation. 

Entries in the bibliography and footnotes/ endnotes are single spaced within entries , but double-spaced between entries (unless your instructor prefers double-spacing throughout).​

Footnotes and Endnotes

• Notes can be either  footnotes   (placed at the  foot   (bottom) of the same page  as the referenced text) or  endnotes   (listed on a  separate sheet at the end  of the essay, before the bibliography).
• Other than placement in your document, footnotes and endnotes are  structured in exactly the same way .
• Notes are  numbered consecutively  throughout the paper. Most word processing programs (such as MS Word) handle footnotes automatically.
• Follow your instructors’ directions when deciding whether to use footnotes or endnotes.

To insert a footnote in a Microsoft Word document:

• Place the cursor after the text you want to cite.
• Click on the " References "   tab.
• In the " Footnotes " section , click on the " In sert Footnote " button.
• A superscript number 1 will appear after the text you want to cite.
• A superscript number 1 will also appear at the bottom of page.
• At the bottom of the page next to the superscript number, enter the citation information for your resource (see the citation examples in this guide for how to create footnotes).
• Repeat these steps to insert and consecutively number your footnotes.

Some instructors may ask you to use endnotes, instead of footnotes. For information on inserting endnotes, see the  Microsoft Office Tutorial .

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Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) /Turabian Citation Style: Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition Sample Papers

• Chicago/Turabian Citation Style
• Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition Sample Papers
• Researching in History
• Copyright Information
• Basic Research Strategies
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Using the Library's Catalog
• Using the Library's Ebooks
• Contact Information & Feedback

CMS Sample Papers

Cms 17th edition changes, part iii: source citations and indexes.

Note:  In previous editions of the  Manual , source citations were referred to as  documentation .

Chapter 14: Notes and Bibliography

• The use of  ibid.  is now discouraged in favor of shortened citations. ( 14.34 )

Source: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/help-tools/what-s-new.html

• Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition Sample Paper
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Chicago Style Citation Guide: Sample Papers

• Chicago Manual of Style
• Basic Chicago Style Templates
• Articles and Online Sources
• Interviews, Films and TV
• Sound Recordings and Music Scores
• Personal Interviews and Film
• Sound Recording and Musical Composition
• Formatting Your Paper
• Sample Papers
• Citing Images (Chicago)

Chicago Style Options

Chicago Manual of Style offers the option to use footnotes, endnotes or parenthetical in-text citations featuring an author / date format. Footnotes or endnotes allow for citation information to be easily accessible at the bottom of each page (footnotes) or at the end of the paper (endnotes). Notes also allow for supplemental explanatory text to be included in the paper at the place it is most relevant. The notes format is used primarily in the disciplines of the humanities (history, religion, philosophy, art, etc.). The author / date format is used primarily in the disciplines of the physical, natural and social sciences (biology, chemistry, sociology, etc.).

The author / date format is similar to MLA and APA citation styles. The following sample papers present all three formats.

Footnotes / Endnotes sample papers

Footnotes, which are located at the bottom of each page, acknowledge which parts of the paper reference particular sources. Footnotes should match with a superscript number at the end of the sentence referencing the source. Footnotes should begin with 1 and continue numerically throughout the paper. Do not start the order over on each page.

• Footnotes sample paper
• Endnotes sample paper

Author / Date sample paper

Author / date in-text citations are briefly cited in the text, usually in parentheses, by author’s last name and date of publication. The short citations are amplified in a list of references, where full bibliographic information is provided.

• CMOS Author-Date Sample Paper

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Chicago Citation Guide (17th Edition): Sample Paper, Bibliography, & Annotated Bibliography

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• No Author, No Date etc.
• Sample Paper, Bibliography, & Annotated Bibliography
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On this Page

General paper formatting guidelines, quick rules for a chicago bibliography.

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Writing an Evaluative Annotation

Tips on Writing & Formatting an Annotated Bibliography

Sample Paper with Bibliography

• Chicago Sample Paper

This sample paper can be used as a template to set up your assignment. It includes a title page, main body paragraph with footnotes, and a bibliography.

Sample Paper with Appendix

• Chicago Sample Paper Template - with Appendix

If you are adding an appendix to your paper there are a few rules to follow that comply with Chicago guidelines:

• The Appendix appears before the Bibliography
• If you have more than one appendix you would name the first appendix Appendix A, the second Appendix B, etc.
• The appendices should appear in the order that the information is mentioned in your essay
• Each appendix begins on a new page

Sample Annotated Bibliography

This sample annotated bibliography shows you the structure you should use to write a Chicago style annotated bibliography and gives examples of evaluative and summary annotations.

It can be used as a template to set up your assignment.

• End-of-Paper Checklist

Finished your assignment? Use this checklist to be sure you haven't missed any information needed for Chicago style.

Useful Links for Annotated Bibliographies

Overview of purpose and form of annotated bibliographies from the Purdue OWL.

Includes a sample annotation from a Chicago Manual of Style annotated bibliography. From the Purdue OWL.

An example of an MLA annotated bibliography. From the Purdue OWL.

Assemble your paper in the following order:

• Body of paper
• Appendix (if needed)
• Bibliography

Use Times New Roman, Size 12 (unless otherwise instructed).

Margins and Indents

Your margins should be 1 inch on all sides.

Indent new paragraphs by one-half inch.

Double-space the main text of your paper.

Single-space the footnotes and bibliography, but add a blank line between entries.

Start numbering your pages on the  second  page of your paper (don't include the title page).

Put your page numbers in the header of the first page of text (skip the title page), beginning with page number 1. Continue numbering your pages to the end of the bibliography.

Place the footnote number at the end of the sentence in which you have quoted or paraphrased information from another source. The footnote number should be in superscript, and be placed  after  any punctuation.

Put your footnotes in the footer section of the page.

Your research paper ends with a list of all the sources cited in the text of the paper. This is called a bibliography.

See an example in the "Sample Paper with Bibliography" box on this page.

Here are nine quick rules for this list:

• Start a new page for your bibliography (e.g. If your paper is 4 pages long, start your bibliography on page 5).
• Centre the title, Bibliography, at the top of the page and do not bold or underline it. Look for the alignment option in Word. 
• Leave two blank lines between the title and the first entry on your list.
• Single-space the list, but leave one blank line between entries.
• Start the first line of each citation at the left margin; each subsequent line should be indented (also known as a "hanging indent").
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the citation. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first name followed by a period.
• Italicize the titles of full works , such as: books, videos (films and television shows), artwork, images, maps, journals, newspapers, magazines.
• Do not italicize titles of parts of works , such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document. Instead, use quotation marks.

What Is An Annotated Bibliography?

An  annotated bibliography  is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.

Types of Annotations

 A  summary annotation  describes the source by answering the following questions: who wrote the document, what the document discusses, when and where was the document written, why was the document produced, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description. 

 An  evaluative annotation  includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project. The focus is on description and evaluation.

• Cite the source using Chicago style.
• Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the intended audience.
• Explain the author’s expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.
• Compare to other sources on the same topic that you have also cited to show similarities and differences.
• Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source.
• Identify the observations or conclusions of the author. 

Remember: Annotations are original descriptions that you create after reading the document. When researching, you may find journal articles that provide a short summary at the beginning of the text. This article abstract is similar to a summary annotation. You may consult the abstract when creating your evaluative annotation, but never simply copy it as that would be considered plagiarism. 

Tips on Writing & Formatting an Annotated Bibliography

• Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150- 200 words).
• Start with the same format as a regular Bibliography list.
• All lines should be double-spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
• If your list of citations is especially long, you can organize it by topic.
• Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
• Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me)
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