If your class requires Chicago A-D style, use the paper template below.

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Essential Rules for CMOS Paper Format: 

• General format:
  • Use 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, left, and right of every page.
  • Fonts must be readable, for example, Times New Roman.
  • Font size should be no less than 10 pt (12 pt is preferable). 
• The order of the paper is: 
  • Title page
    • Do not number the title page.
    • See the template or the sample paper below for details about the layout of the title page. Pay attention to the spacing!
  • Body of the paper
    • Double-space the body of the paper (single-space reference list entries with one space between them). 
    • Do not leave extra blank lines between paragraphs (this is a setting in Word). 
    • Add page numbers in the header (right side) beginning with 1 on the first page of the text (no number on the title page).
    • In longer papers, add headings if needed, but use consistent formatting and put an extra line space before and after headings. Avoid periods at the end of headings.
  • Appendix (if needed)
    • Label Appendix 1, Appendix 2 OR Appendix A, Appendix B
  • References
    • Start the reference list on a new page. Label the page as References (centered); do not use bold or italics. Put two blank lines between References and the first entry.
    • Single-space the references with one blank line between entries.
    • Use hanging indents set at 0.5 inches (that is the default in Word).
    • The first author's last name is listed first; the other authors' names are not inverted. The last name begins with a capital letter unless an author's last name begins with a lowercase letter. 
    • If you cite sources with the same author and year, list them alphabetically by title and add a, b, c, etc to the year (2023a, 2023b, n.d.-a, n.d.-b). 
    • Include only sources you cited in your paper unless the instructor requires you to include works you consulted but did not cite in the paper.
    • Include all the authors' names in the reference list unless there are more than 10; in that case, list the first seven and "et al." in the reference list citation.

This guide is based on The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) - 17th edition. Part III: Source Citations and Indexes.

The style guide is on reserve in the library. Please ask at the Information Desk to borrow a copy. 

Suggested resources for CMOS assistance: