Begin with the assignment requirements
The official Turabian main-text tip sheet says teacher, instructor and dissertation-office directions override its general guidance. Record the required family, size and spacing before writing. This prevents a late formatting change from being mistaken for a citation-style correction.
Use a legible, available body family
The tip sheet illustrates 12-point Times New Roman or Calibri and 11-point Arial as examples of widely available readable choices. These are examples for the student-paper context, not a claim that Chicago style is one proprietary typeface.
Set the paragraph structure too
The same official sheet illustrates double-spaced main text, first-line indentation and a ragged right edge. Typeface and paragraph settings work together. Keep an ordinary paragraph, a heading and a longer quotation in the template so the hierarchy is visible.
Keep notes and headings deliberate
A current Chicago Q&A directs students to local guidelines for notes and other elements that may need different type sizes. Use the footnote-size guide for that separate question. Do not replace every element with a copied decorative alphabet to imitate a house style.
Your questions, answered.
Is Chicago style a font family?
No. The phrase here refers to document and citation conventions; font selection is one part of paper formatting.
Which rule wins if my instructor asks for a different size?
The official Turabian tip sheet says the instructor’s or dissertation office’s directions override its general guidance.
Sources & background
Sources supporting this page’s explanations. Practical examples are our editorial suggestions.