How do I cite a map in Turabian?

To cite a map in Turabian (9th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for a map in Turabian?

In Turabian, the in-text citation for the example above is Note: U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park

How to Cite a Map in Turabian (9th edition)

Learn how to cite printed maps, atlases, and dynamic maps like Google Maps in Turabian format (9th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Turabian Bibliography Format

Here is the standard Turabian format for citing a map in your bibliography:

U.S. Geological Survey. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Scale 1:125,000. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey, 2018.

Turabian Example for a Map

A complete Turabian reference for a map, formatted by the official Turabian CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Cartwright, Nell. 2015. Historic Library Districts of Boston. Map. Boston: Meridian Cartographic. 1:25,000.

Matching in-text citation: (Cartwright 2015)

Turabian In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

Note: U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park

Narrative

The U.S. Geological Survey map (2018) indicates...

Key Turabian Formatting Rules

Turabian follows Chicago: cite the cartographer, title, scale, place, publisher, and year.
Italicize the title of a separately published map and record the scale.
For an online or Google map, add the URL and an access date if no date is given.
A note lists the same elements separated by commas.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your map.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Turabian (9th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Turabian requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: turabian.csl

Editorial sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a map in Turabian?: To cite a map in Turabian (9th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Turabian format for a map citation?: The Turabian format for a map is: U.S. Geological Survey. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Scale 1:125,000. Reston, VA: U.S. Geological Survey, 2018.
What does the in-text citation look like for a map in Turabian?: In Turabian, the in-text citation for the example above is Note: U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park