chicago style.

Kate L. Turabian was our trusted guide and mentor, the absolute authority, the one who knew all there was to know about the strange world of proper term papers… Our writing on term papers might be weak, our research haphazard, our insights sophomoric, but, thanks to Kate L. Turabian, our footnotes could always be absolutely flawless. 

 -  John Marshall, Editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer,

In a tribute to Kate L. Turabian on October 27, 1987[1]

Laura Kate Larimore Turabian was born 117 years ago on this day. What do we know about her? Not much, except that she is the name behind the style manual acclaimed by students and academics everywhere. Adapted from the Chicago writing and citation style, Kate Turabian has paved the course for successful academic writing. Forget MLA. Forget APA. You are no one unless you have a copy of Kate’s bibliographical bible, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations sitting on your shelf.[2]

Now, why is Kate so great? Her story, albeit brief, demonstrates that she was a dedicated and strong woman who didn’t let anything get in her way. [3] Diagnosed with an illness that prevented her from going to college, she took on a job as a typist at an advertising agency (Mad Men, anyone?). Eventually through her husband, she landed a job as a secretary at the University of Chicago. There she found her niche in life…proofreading and revising dissertations. She proved herself to be a brilliant and scrupulous woman, distinguishing herself as the University’s official “dissertation secretary” in 1930. It was at this time when she wrote a pamphlet that quickly became the paradigm of all style guides.

All good academics should at least understand the basics to Kate’s citation style. Screw endnote or whatever bibliographic generator you may have, knowing how to write footnotes and bibliographic entries by heart saves you time and effort. And also gives you a sense of fulfillment and worth. For example, everyone should know how to cite a book, such as Robert Paxton’s revolutionary work on Vichy France:

Paxton, Robert. Vichy France: Old Guard and New Order, 1940-1944. New York: Knopf, 1972.

All things considered, Kate is amazing. She has made students like me understand the importance and virtue of properly citing a paper. Although her rules may seem rigid and demanding, her citation formats allow the full appreciation of other scholars’ works in a neat and orderly fashion. She has saved my life on a number of papers, allowing me to make up in citations for what could be lacking in actual content. If only the rest of society could appreciate the worth of Kate L. Turabian. Imagine what life would be like if someone popular, like Lady Gaga, were to take as keen of interest in Kate as me…

Life would just be that much better. 

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[1] See University of Chicago Press, “Who was Kate Turabian?” Kate L. Turabian: A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/turabian_who.html (accessed February 26, 2010).

[2] For the latest edition, see Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, rev. ed. By Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, 7^th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007).

[3] All biographical information is found at the aforementioned University of Chicago Press website.