A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations Chicago Style for Students and Researchers

Abstract

Students writing research papers, theses, and dissertauons m today's colleges and universities inhabit a world filled with digital technologies that were unimagined in 1937-the year dissertation secretary Kate L. Turabian first assembled a booklet of guidelines for student writers at the University of Chicago. The availability of word-processing software and new digital sources has chan~d the way students conduct research and write up the results. But these technologies have not altered the basic task of the student writer; doing well-designed research and presenting it clearly and accurately while following accepted academic standards for citation, style, and format. Turabian's 1937 booklet reflected guidelines found in an already clas sic resource for writers and editors published by the Umversity of Chi cago Press that would ultimately be known as The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). The Press began distributing Turabian 's booklet in 1947 and first published the work in book form in 1955, under the title A Manual for Writers ofTenn Papers, Theses, and Dissertat1ons. Over time, Turabian's book has become a standard reference for students of all Jeve!s at universities and colleges across the country. Turabian died in 1987 at age ninety-four, a few months after publication of the book's fifth edition. Beginrung with that edition, members of the Press editorial staff have carried out the revis10ns to the chapters on source citation, style, and paper format. For the seventh edition (2007), Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G Golomb, and Joseph M. Williams expanded the focus of the book by add ing extensive new material adapted from their book The Craft of Research, also published by the University of Chicago Press and new in its fourth edition (2016). Among the new topics covered in their chapters were the nature of research, finding and engaging sources, taking notes, devel oping an argument, drafting and revising, and presenting evidence in tables and figures. Following the deaths of this remarkable trio of au thors, whose collective voice will always animate this work, Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald have with this ed1tion assumed the mantle of and the appendix. Severa! recent PhD rec1p1ents from the University of Chicago allowed the use of excerpts from their díssertations in the ap pendix, where they are credited ind1vidually. Within the Press, the proJect was developed under the guidance of editors Mary E. Laur and David Morrow, edttonal director Christie Henry, and editorial assoc1ates Rachel Kelly and Susan Zakin. \,ucy Johnson and Kristin Zodrow offered add1tional research support. Ruth Goring ed1ted the manuscript, June Sawyers proofread the pages, and James Curus prepared the index. Michael Brehm provided the design, while Joseph Claude supervised the production Carol Kasper, Jennifer Ringblom, La Ul en S a las, and Carol Fisher Saller brought the final product to market..