1. Research & Citation Support


Research Support Services

Academic Writing Style – School of Theology (Turabian)

📘 Turabian Writing Style Guide (Latest Edition)

Notes–Bibliography Format (Footnotes + Bibliography)

Our university follows the latest edition of Turabian using the Notes–Bibliography system. This format requires footnotes and a bibliography.

1️⃣ General Formatting

  • Paper size: A4
  • Margins: 1 inch (Left margin: 1.2 inch)
  • Font: 12-point (Times New Roman recommended)
  • Body text: Double-spaced
  • Title page & Bibliography: Single-spaced
  • Left-aligned text (Do NOT justify)
  • Indent first line of each paragraph

2️⃣ Title Page

  • University name (CAPITAL LETTERS)
  • Title of paper
  • Student name
  • Registration/Box number
  • Course code and title
  • Lecturer’s name
  • Due date

3️⃣ Footnotes (Required)

Footnotes must be used for:

  • Direct quotations
  • Paraphrased ideas
  • Statistics
  • Summaries
  • Any borrowed idea
1. Timothy Keller, The Reason for God (New York: Riverhead Books, 2008), 56.

4️⃣ Short vs Block Quotations

Short Quote (4 lines or fewer):

  • Use quotation marks
  • Add footnote number

Block Quote (More than 4 lines):

  • Indent entire quote
  • No quotation marks
  • Single-spaced
  • Add footnote at end

5️⃣ Bibliography Page

  • Start on new page
  • Title: Bibliography (centered)
  • Alphabetical order
  • Hanging indent
  • Single-spaced entries
Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God. New York: Riverhead Books, 2008.

6️⃣ Online Sources

Include:

  • Author
  • Title of article/page
  • Website name
  • Date published
  • Full URL
  • Date accessed

7️⃣ Academic Integrity

Plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
You must cite all borrowed words, ideas, and data. Failure to do so may result in academic penalties.

✔ Submission Checklist

  • Correct margins and font
  • Double-spaced body
  • Footnotes properly formatted
  • All sources cited
  • Bibliography included
  • Pages numbered correctly

Need help? Visit the University Library for citation support and research assistance.

Referencing & Citation Support

Research Consultations
  • ▹
    One-on-one research support
  • ▹
    Literature review guidance
  • ▹
    Research strategy development

Publication Guidelines

1️⃣ How to Identify a Peer-Reviewed Journal
  • Check for clear editorial board information
  • Review peer-review policy description
  • Verify publisher credibility
  • Look for indexing in recognized databases
  • Examine previous published articles for quality

2️⃣ Indexes of Peer-Reviewed Journals
  • Scopus
  • Web of Science
  • DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
  • EBSCOhost
  • ProQuest

Always confirm indexing directly from the database website.

3️⃣ Journal Publication Process
  1. Manuscript submission
  2. Initial editorial screening
  3. Peer review process
  4. Revision and resubmission
  5. Acceptance or rejection
  6. Copyediting and publication

This process may take several weeks to months.

4️⃣ Open Access Journals
  • Articles are freely accessible online
  • Some charge Article Processing Charges (APCs)
  • May be fully OA or hybrid journals
  • Verify legitimacy before submission

5️⃣ Predatory Journals
  • Promise very fast publication
  • Lack transparent peer review process
  • Fake impact factors
  • Unclear editorial board information
  • Aggressive email solicitations

Always consult the University Library before submitting your manuscript.

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