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We return a free quote within 3 hours covering full cost and confirmed delivery timeline. Tell us your system (Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date) and edition, and we apply it with precision.
Chicago Style Formatting Service
Professional Chicago & Turabian style formatting service.
Chicago is the standard citation style for history, philosophy, art history, and many social-science theses worldwide. Our Chicago style formatting service applies Chicago Manual of Style 18th edition (current standard, 2024) and CMOS 17 for any university still requiring it — plus Turabian 9th edition, the thesis version of Chicago. Chicago offers two documentation systems, and we format to whichever your department uses: Notes-Bibliography (footnotes and bibliography) or Author-Date (parenthetical citations and reference list). Our PhD-qualified formatters deliver complete Chicago and Turabian compliance so your research reaches the examiner ready for review.
- From $39
- CMOS 18 & Turabian 9
- Both Chicago systems
- Human formatters, no AI
Chicago / Turabian · Thesis Checklist
Documentation systemNotes-Bib / Author-Date
Footnotes / endnotesFull + shortened
BibliographyCMOS 18 order
Block quotations100+ words · indented
Title & front matterTurabian rules
EditionCMOS 18 & 17
Ref managersEndNote · Zotero…
Tables & figuresSource note
CMOS 18 · 2024
Fully compliant with the Chicago Manual of Style 18th edition
We format to the latest CMOS 18 rules by default, still support CMOS 17, and apply Turabian 9th edition for theses and dissertations.
CMOS 18th edition
CMOS 17 supported
Turabian 9th edition
What This Service Is
What is Chicago style formatting, exactly?
Complete Chicago Manual of Style compliance for humanities theses, footnote by footnote.
Dr. Sarah Mitchell, PhD
Senior Editorial Reviewer · ManuscriptLab
CMOS 18 and CMOS 17 supported
Footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, reference list, heading hierarchy, block quotations, tables, and figures — every element formatted per CMOS 18th edition (2024), or CMOS 17 if your university requires the older edition.
Both Chicago systems handled
Notes-Bibliography for history and the humanities, or Author-Date for the social sciences. We format your thesis to whichever system your department requires, including the correct Turabian variation for thesis submission.
Humanities writing conventions
Full first notes with correctly shortened subsequent notes, accurate block-quotation indentation, and correct bibliography punctuation — calibrated for history, theology, art history, and philosophy.
100% human formatting — we never use AI
Chicago footnotes, shortened notes, and two documentation systems demand real expertise, so your thesis is formatted by human PhD formatters — never an AI tool or citation generator. Your writing is never altered, only its Chicago or Turabian formatting, so there's nothing to declare under AI-disclosure policies.
The Two Chicago Systems
Chicago offers two documentation systems.
Unlike APA or MLA, Chicago supports two distinct ways to cite sources — and your department or supervisor decides which your thesis uses. Choosing and applying the right one, end to end, is exactly the expertise this service exists for. We format to whichever system you need, and can convert between them.
System 1
Notes-Bibliography
History · theology · art history · philosophy · literature
- Superscript numbers in the text linked to footnotes or endnotes
- Full first note with author, title, publication details, and page
- Shortened subsequent notes with surname, short title, and page
- Bibliography alphabetised by surname with hanging indent
- Footnotes at page bottom, or endnotes collected per chapter
System 2
Author-Date
Social sciences & many science disciplines
- Parenthetical citations in the text, such as (Smith 2023, 45)
- Year placed after the author name in both text and list
- Reference list alphabetised by surname with hanging indent
- No footnotes required for source citation
- Cleaner reading flow for data-heavy social-science theses
Citation Examples
Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date, side by side.
Real Chicago examples showing how each system handles the same sources — applied consistently throughout your thesis.
Notes-Bib
Footnote & bibliography
First footnote (book)
1. John Smith, Title of Book (Chicago: University Press, 2023), 45.
Direct quotation
2. Smith, Title of Book, 50.
First footnote (journal)
3. John Smith, "Article Title," Journal Name 15, no. 3 (2023): 60.
Bibliography (book)
Smith, John. Title of Book. Chicago: University Press, 2023.
Bibliography (journal)
Smith, John. "Article Title." Journal Name 15, no. 3 (2023): 45-67.
Author-Date
In text & reference list
In text (one author)
The argument holds firm (Smith 2023, 45).
In text (two authors)
Recent work suggests (Smith and Jones 2023, 50)...
In text (three+ authors)
The findings (Smith et al. 2023, 75) show...
Reference list (book)
Smith, John. 2023. Title of Book. Chicago: University Press.
Reference list (journal)
Smith, John. 2023. "Article Title." Journal Name 15 (3): 45-67.
What We Format
Every Chicago element handled with precision.
Chicago covers every referencing aspect of your thesis, from footnotes and endnotes through the bibliography. Below are the core areas we cover in every Chicago formatting order.
Title Page & Front Matter
Chicago and Turabian title page, table of contents, and front matter formatted to your university's template, with correct spacing and pagination.
Footnotes & Endnotes
Notes-Bibliography system with full first notes and correctly shortened subsequent notes, numbered so they renumber automatically after edits.
In-Text Citations
Author-Date parenthetical citations applied consistently — year after author name, page numbers for quotes, et al. for three or more authors.
Bibliography
Chicago bibliography rebuilt to CMOS punctuation and element order — alphabetised, hanging indent, with a blank line between entries.
Reference List
Chicago Author-Date reference list with year directly after the author name, alphabetised, hanging indent, CMOS 18 punctuation throughout.
Block Quotations
Long quotations (roughly 100+ words or 5+ lines) offset 0.5 inch, single-spaced, no quotation marks, with note number or parenthetical citation.
Heading Hierarchy
Chicago heading levels applied as Word or LaTeX styles for consistent visual hierarchy and automatic table-of-contents generation.
Tables & Figures
Tables titled "Table 1" above; figures "Figure 1" with caption below; source note added; cross-referenced from the main text.
Before & after
Messy footnotes in, clean Chicago out.
The most common Chicago mistake is repeating full note details instead of shortening them. Here’s the same source, before and after.
Before — incorrect notes & bibliography
1. John Smith, The Title of the Book, University Press, 2023, p. 45.
2. John Smith, The Title of the Book, University Press, 2023, p. 30.
Bibliography:
Smith, John, The Title of the Book, 2023, University Press.
2. John Smith, The Title of the Book, University Press, 2023, p. 30.
Bibliography:
Smith, John, The Title of the Book, 2023, University Press.
After — correct CMOS 18 Notes-Bibliography
1. John Smith, The Title of the Book (Chicago: University Press, 2023), 45.
2. Smith, Title of the Book, 30.
Bibliography:
Smith, John. The Title of the Book. Chicago: University Press, 2023.
2. Smith, Title of the Book, 30.
Bibliography:
Smith, John. The Title of the Book. Chicago: University Press, 2023.
What changed: the full first note gains correct parentheses and drops "p."; the second note is properly shortened to surname, short title, and page; and the bibliography entry is reordered and repunctuated to CMOS 18 — the exact details examiners check.
- ✓ APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE & Harvard compliance
- ✓ Footnote & endnote standardization
- ✓ Bibliography & reference list reordering
CS
Citation & Style Specialist
Expert in style manual compliance
I ensure every citation, footnote, and bibliography entry precisely adheres to your target style guide rules down to the last comma.
Problems we fix
The Chicago problems that get theses sent back — solved.
These are the exact Chicago and Turabian issues examiners flag most. If any sound familiar, we fix them across your whole thesis.
- "My footnotes and endnotes are a mess."
- We fix Chicago style footnotes and endnotes online — full first notes, correctly shortened subsequent notes, and automatic numbering that stays correct after edits.
- "My supervisor wants Notes-Bibliography, but I used Author-Date."
- We convert Chicago Author-Date to Notes-Bibliography (or the reverse) cleanly — one system applied consistently, no mixed styles left behind.
- "My university updated to CMOS 18 and my draft is on 17."
- We update Chicago 17th to 18th edition — notes, bibliography, and punctuation brought fully up to the current standard.
- "My bibliography punctuation is inconsistent."
- Chicago style bibliography formatting — rebuilt to CMOS element order, hanging indent, and consistent punctuation throughout.
- "I'm doing a thesis and need Turabian, not full Chicago."
- Turabian 9th edition thesis formatting help — the student version of Chicago, with correct title page, margins, and front matter.
- "My block quotes and figure citations are wrong."
- Chicago block quotes and figure citation help — long quotes indented 0.5 inch, figures and tables labelled with correct source notes.
How It Works
How our Chicago service delivers in 3 simple steps.
From your first upload to receiving a fully Chicago formatted thesis. Importantly, no back and forth, no surprise pricing, and no compromise on style compliance.
Upload & Confirm System
Send your thesis and confirm CMOS 18 or 17, your system (Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date), and a Turabian addendum if applicable.
Free Quote in 3 Hours
We send a fixed price with confirmed turnaround, and flag any Chicago challenges in your manuscript before you commit financially.
Chicago Thesis Delivered
Your formatter applies every element, verifies notes against the bibliography, and delivers a Word or LaTeX file plus a submission-ready PDF.
Why Specialised Matters
Why generic Chicago templates fail thesis submission.
Chicago has specific rules that generic templates and online generators do not implement correctly — and they lead to repeated revision requests from examiners.
Generic Chicago Templates
- Notes and Author-Date systems mixed together
- Full footnote details repeated instead of shortened
- Footnote numbering breaks after edits
- Bibliography punctuation in wrong order
- Block quotations indented wrong amount
- Ibid. overused against current CMOS guidance
- Title page not matching Turabian requirements
ManuscriptLab Chicago Service
- One system applied consistently throughout
- Full first notes, shortened subsequent notes
- Automatic note numbering that stays correct
- Bibliography punctuation per CMOS 18 order
- Block quotations correctly indented 0.5 inch
- Shortened notes preferred per current guidance
- Title page matched to Chicago or Turabian rules
Transparent Pricing
Affordable Chicago formatting with no hidden fees.
Standard Chicago formatting with standard delivery, plus an express service for urgent deadlines. Pricing varies by length — request a free quote within 3 hours for your specific cost.
Standard Chicago Formatting
Chicago Formatting
39$ starting, varies by length
3 to 10 working days depending on length
- Complete CMOS 18 compliance
- Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date
- Footnote or citation verification
- Bibliography or reference list rebuild
- Title page & front matter
- Block quotations formatting
- Tables & figures per Chicago
- Word & LaTeX both supported
Express Priority Chicago
Priority Chicago Service
59$ starting, varies by length
2 to 7 working days for urgent deadlines
- Everything in Standard Service
- Priority formatter assignment
- Compressed delivery timeline
- Direct formatter contact
- One revision round included
- CMOS 17 → CMOS 18 conversion included
- Reference-manager library cleanup
- CMOS 18 & 17
- Both Chicago systems
- Free quote in 3 hours
- Turabian 9th edition
- 100% confidential
Client Feedback
What students say about our Chicago work.
Real feedback from students who used ManuscriptLab to format their theses to Chicago Manual of Style standards.
My PhD in history required Chicago Notes-Bibliography across 98,000 words with over 1,200 footnotes. ManuscriptLab kept the numbering perfect, applied full first notes and shortened subsequent notes consistently, and rebuilt my bibliography flawlessly. Delivered in 17 working days and defended successfully.
Theology MA thesis needing Chicago footnotes with complex primary scripture and patristic source citations. ManuscriptLab handled every unusual source type with correct shortened notes, configured automatic numbering in Word, and got the bibliography punctuation exactly right. Examiner praised the presentation.
Art history PhD thesis with hundreds of footnotes referencing exhibitions, catalogues, and archival sources in Chicago style. ManuscriptLab applied the Notes-Bibliography system correctly across complex media, handled the archival citations beautifully, and delivered in 11 working days. Brilliant work.
Political science dissertation required Chicago Author-Date with a large reference list. ManuscriptLab fixed my inconsistent year placement, rebuilt every entry to CMOS 18, and matched the parenthetical citations to the reference list perfectly. The cleanest version of my thesis I had seen.
Philosophy thesis at 32,000 words requiring Turabian formatting based on Chicago. ManuscriptLab applied both the Turabian title page rules and the Notes-Bibliography system, fixed my footnote cross references, and delivered in 8 working days. Worth every dollar for the peace of mind.
FAQs
About our Chicago formatting service.
How quickly can you format my Chicago paper?
Standard delivery is 3–5 working days depending on length; express delivery is 1–2 working days for urgent deadlines. You receive a confirmed delivery time with your free quote within 3 hours.
Do you support both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date styles?
Yes. We format to whichever system your department requires — Notes-Bibliography for history and the humanities, or Author-Date for the social sciences — and we can convert a thesis from Author-Date to Notes-Bibliography or vice versa.
Which Chicago edition do you use, and do you support Turabian?
We format to CMOS 18th edition (2024) by default, and CMOS 17 if your university requires it. We also apply Turabian 9th edition — the thesis and dissertation version of Chicago — and convert theses from CMOS 17 to CMOS 18.
What is the difference between Chicago and Turabian style?
Turabian is a simplified version of the Chicago Manual of Style written specifically for student theses and dissertations. The citation rules are essentially the same; Turabian adds thesis-specific formatting for title pages, margins, and front matter. We apply whichever your university specifies.
Can you fix my Chicago footnotes and endnotes?
Yes. We fix Chicago footnotes and endnotes online: full first notes with correctly shortened subsequent notes, automatic numbering that stays correct after edits, and Ibid. usage per current CMOS guidance.
Can you clean up reference-software errors (EndNote / Zotero / Mendeley)?
Yes. We clean reference-manager libraries, remove duplicates, update DOIs, and apply the correct Chicago or Turabian output style across EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley.
Do you use AI to format my thesis?
No. Your thesis is formatted entirely by human PhD formatters who know Chicago and Turabian — never AI or a citation generator — so your content is untouched and there’s nothing to declare under AI-disclosure policies.
Can you convert my thesis from CMOS 17 to CMOS 18?
Yes. CMOS 17 to CMOS 18 conversion is included in our Express service and available with Standard, updating notes, bibliography, and punctuation to the 18th edition.
Do you guarantee university or publisher compliance?
We format to your university’s or publisher’s exact Chicago/Turabian requirements and offer free re-editing if anything needs adjusting. No ethical service can guarantee a committee’s decision, but we make sure the formatting itself is correct and compliant.
Get your free Chicago quote & sample
Send your thesis and your Chicago requirements. We reply within 3 hours with a fixed quote, a free 500-word sample, and any Chicago issues flagged — no obligation.
Fixed quote in 3 hours · free 500-word sample · 100% human, no AI · 100% confidential
🚀 Submit With Confidence
Your Chicago thesis deserves precision formatting.
Hand your Chicago or Turabian formatting to PhD-qualified formatters who know both systems and the latest CMOS 18 rules — in Word or LaTeX. Free sample and a quote in 3 hours.
- CMOS 18 & 17
- Turabian 9th
- Both Chicago systems
- Human formatters, no AI
- 100% confidential