If you used the author-date Chicago/Turabian style while creating your paper instead of the notes-biblio style, you will need to create a reference list rather than a bibliography. The reference list is basically the same as the bibliography; however, you title the page References and you do not need to include all the sources you consulted. You do need to include all the sources that you cited in your paper.
Another difference between the Chicago/Turabian 17 style bibliography and reference list is that you may divide the bibliography into sections first before alphabetizing the entries. The reference list is not sectioned out and is an alphabetical list of your entries.
If you want to, you may include consulted works, but it’s not necessary.
What You Can Omit
If you’re creating a reference list based on the Chicago/Turabian author-date style, you may omit certain sources that are commonly known (dictionaries) or sources such as social media posts.
If you feel an item is important to establishing your research results or if you cite it a lot, you may include it. However, that is your choice. Here is a list of sources you may choose to leave out of your reference list:
- Classical, medieval, and early English literary works
- The Bible
- Well-known reference works, major dictionaries and encyclopedias like World Book
- Some visual and performing arts sources including paintings, sculptures or live performances
- Public documents like the Bill of Rights or the US Constitution
- Social media posts, online forums, mailing lists, anonymous unpublished interviews and personal communications
Always follow your instructor’s guidance while preparing your reference list.
Organizing Your Reference List
Since you’re using the author-date Chicago/Turabian style citations, you will center the title References on the last page. Do not bold, underline or italicize the title.
- Write “References” centered as the title without the quotes.
- Double-space after the title, then begin your entries.
- Use the hanging indent for each entry.
- Space one line between entries.
Alphabetize by the letter-by-letter method and then by date of publication unless your instructor asks you to use the word-by-word method.
The 3-em Dash System
Although the Turabian system suggests using the 3-em dash system to account for multiple authors, the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) 17th edition recommends that authors do not use them.
Why is this, you may ask?
Creating papers electronically can cause formatting issues for content management systems used by online journals. So, some publishers prefer you spell the author names in full. Again, it will be up to your instructor as to whether s/he wishes you to use the 3- em dash or to spell the authors’ names in full. If your paper is being published, always follow the publisher’s requirements.
Using the 3-em Dash
If you have multiple entries by the same author, use the publication date to organize these entries. But, rather than entering the same name over and over, simply use a long dash (3-em dash) in place of the author’s name.
Valencia, Richard R, (1999). Chicano School Failures and Success: Research and Policy Agendas for the 1990s. London: Falmer Press.
———. 2008. Chicano Students and the Courts: The Mexican American Legal Struggle for Educational Equality. New York: New York: New York University Press.
Multiple Authors
If you have works written by multiple authors who are listed in the same order, you may use the 3-em dash. But if those authors are listed in a different order, spell out the authors’ names in full and use the same order as listed in the work.
Hurtado, Adia and Patricia Durin. 2004. Chicana/o Identity in a Changing U.S. Society. Tuscon: University of Arizona Press.
No Author
If there is no author, editor or translator listed, alphabetize by the title. Ignore articles such as A, An or The.
In-Text Citations
As a final check, make sure your in-text citations match up to your reference list entries. Check page numbers and publication dates.
Prepare Your Chicago Reference List With Ease
It is a lot of work to prepare reference lists and bibliographies, but as you become used to the system and follow the examples, it will become second nature to you. You’ll also realize how important it is to prepare your sources as you research and write your paper so you’re not scrambling at the last minute to gather your bibliographic sources together.