Researchers who are accustomed to APA style need to understand the differences between APA and Turabian's Notes-Bibliography (NB) style when writing academic papers. Below, we explain the key conceptual differences, example paragraph format, citation examples for different sources, and common mistakes students make when transitioning from APA to Turabian.
Key Conceptual Differences: APA vs. Turabian Style
Citation Format
- APA Style uses author-date in-text citations (e.g.,
(Smith, 2020)) within the body of the paper. - Turabian NB Style uses footnotes for citations, with superscript numbers1 appearing in the text and full citation details in the corresponding footnote at the bottom of the page.
- Example:
- APA: "Social media has significantly influenced communication methods (Smith, 2020)."
- Turabian: "Social media has significantly influenced communication methods.1" (Footnote 1 would provide full source details.)
Use of Footnotes
- APA does not use footnotes for source citations; all references appear in the text and the reference list.
- Turabian NB requires footnotes for every citation, numbered sequentially, with complete citation details provided at the bottom of the page.
Reference List vs. Bibliography
- APA References are listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name, following this format:
- Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title. Publisher.
- Turabian Bibliography also follows alphabetical order but differs in formatting:
- Last Name, First Name. Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
- APA capitalizes only the first word and proper nouns in titles, whereas Turabian capitalizes all major words in book and article titles.
Details in Citation Entries
- In APA, the in-text citation includes only the author's name and year, while full publication details appear in the reference list.
- In Turabian, the first footnote citation must include the full details (author’s full name, book title, publication details, and page number). Subsequent citations of the same source can be shortened.
- The bibliography provides full citation details but does not include specific page numbers for direct references, whereas footnotes always specify the page.
Example Paper Paragraph with Footnotes and Bibliography
Below is an example of a short academic paragraph formatted using Turabian Notes-Bibliography style. Footnote numbers appear in the text, with corresponding footnotes providing detailed citations at the bottom. A bibliography follows at the end of the paper.
Example Paragraph (Turabian Style)
Recent studies suggest that social media has profoundly impacted communication habits.1 Another study2 supports this trend. These findings have significant implications for future media usage.
Footnotes (Bottom of the Page)
- John Smith, The Impact of Social Media (New York: TechPress, 2018), 45.
- Jane Doe, "Modern Research Strategies," Journal of Education 12, no. 2 (2020): 134.
Bibliography (End of the Paper)
Doe, Jane. "Modern Research Strategies." Journal of Education 12, no. 2 (2020): 123–140.
Smith, John. The Impact of Social Media. New York: TechPress, 2018.
In this example:
- Footnote 1 cites a book and includes the author’s full name, book title in italics, publication details, and specific page number.
- Footnote 2 cites a journal article and includes the article title in quotation marks, journal name in italics, volume and issue number, year, and specific page number.
- The bibliography lists the full citations in alphabetical order, without specific page numbers for direct citations.
Citation Examples for Different Source Types
Below are citation examples for different types of sources, showing both footnote and bibliography formats.
Book (Single Author)
- Footnote:
- James Wilson, History of Art Education (Chicago: Fine Arts Press, 2015), 22.
- Bibliography:
- Wilson, James. History of Art Education. Chicago: Fine Arts Press, 2015.
Book (Multiple Authors)
- Footnote:
- Alice Green and Michael Blue, Introduction to Economics (Boston: Academic Press, 2018), 105.
- Bibliography:
- Green, Alice, and Michael Blue. Introduction to Economics. Boston: Academic Press, 2018.
Journal Article (Print)
- Footnote:
- David Kim, "Cultural Impacts on Learning," Education Review 25, no. 1 (2019): 45.
- Bibliography:
- Kim, David. "Cultural Impacts on Learning." Education Review 25, no. 1 (2019): 40–50.
Journal Article (Online with DOI)
- Footnote:
- Emily Chen, "Global Finance Trends," Journal of Economics 10, no. 2 (2021): 88, https://doi.org/10.1234/joe.2021.56789.
- Bibliography:
- Chen, Emily. "Global Finance Trends." Journal of Economics 10, no. 2 (2021): 80–100. https://doi.org/10.1234/joe.2021.56789.
Website
- Footnote:
- "History," Example University, accessed July 7, 2021, http://www.example.edu/about/history.
- Bibliography:
- Example University. "History." Accessed July 7, 2021. http://www.example.edu/about/history.
Bible Citation
- Footnote:
- John 3:16 (New International Version).
- Bibliography (if necessary):
- The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.
Common Mistakes When Transitioning from APA to Turabian
-
Mixing APA In-Text Citations with Turabian Footnotes
- Students may mistakenly use APA-style (Author, Year) citations in the text instead of footnotes.
- Correction: Always use superscript numbers and footnotes for source citations.
-
Incorrect Author Name Formatting
- APA uses Last Name, First Initial (e.g., "Smith, J.") in references, while Turabian footnotes use First Name Last Name (e.g., "John Smith").
- Correction: Ensure proper name formatting for each citation type.
-
Misplacing the Publication Year
- APA places the year immediately after the author’s name, while Turabian places it at the end of the citation (e.g., "Chicago: Fine Arts Press, 2015").
- Correction: Adjust year placement according to Turabian rules.
-
Confusing Footnotes and Bibliography Formatting
- Footnotes contain page numbers and use commas, while bibliography entries list full source details without page numbers and use periods.
- Correction: Ensure proper formatting and punctuation differences between footnotes and the bibliography.
-
Incorrect Capitalization of Titles
- APA capitalizes only the first word of a title, but Turabian capitalizes all major words (e.g., "The History of Astronomy" instead of "The history of astronomy").
- Correction: Apply proper capitalization rules.
By following these guidelines and examples, students can successfully transition from APA style to Turabian Notes-Bibliography style, ensuring their academic writing meets the required formatting standards.
