How to Cite a Preprint in Turabian (9th edition)
Learn how to cite arXiv, bioRxiv, and other preprint server papers 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 preprint in your bibliography:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Preprint." Preprint, submitted Month Day, Year. Repository Name. https://doi.org/xxxxx.
Turabian Example for a Preprint
A complete Turabian reference for a preprint, formatted by the official Turabian CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Petrov, Ivan, and Akua Osei. 2024. “Reference Accuracy in Large Language Model Output.” In arXiv, Preprint 2403.01234. March 2. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2403.01234.
Matching in-text citation: (Petrov and Osei 2024)
Turabian In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Author 2024)
Narrative
Author (2024) argues in a preprint...
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your preprint.
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a preprint in Turabian?
- To cite a preprint 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 preprint citation?
- The Turabian format for a preprint is: Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Preprint." Preprint, submitted Month Day, Year. Repository Name. https://doi.org/xxxxx.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a preprint in Turabian?
- In Turabian, the in-text citation for the example above is (Author 2024)
Generate This Citation Automatically
Skip the manual formatting. Paste a DOI, URL, or ISBN into CitationEasy and get a perfectly formatted Turabian citation in seconds.
Cite in Turabian Now →Generate this citation
Paste a URL, DOI, ISBN, or the source details and get a finished Turabian citation for a Preprint.
Open the arXiv Citation Generator →Bibliography Studio
Saved citations build a full bibliography in the Studio