“Smart” Apostrophes (CMOS 6.117)
There are two different kinds of apostrophes: smart and straight. To use them correctly, it helps to understand how they work. . . .
Noon and Midnight (CMOS 9.38)
Many of us write or say “12 p.m.” (or “12:00 p.m.”) when we mean noon and “12 a.m.” when we mean midnight. This seems reasonable enough, at least intuitively. . . .
Chicago Style Workout 33: Editing and Proofreading Quiz No. 1
Sharpen Your Pencils! To start off 2019, let’s take an editing and proofreading quiz. This is the first of a series of workouts that will test your editing knowledge and proofreading skills.
Hi Everyone! It’s Me, the New Q&A and Shop Talk Editor
Okay, now that I’ve introduced myself, let’s talk about that headline up there. If you’re like me and edit or proofread for a living, you’ve probably noticed that something about it isn’t quite right. . . .
How Do I Format the Chapter Opening Page in Turabian/Chicago Style?
Most theses and dissertations (and some longer class papers) are divided into two or more numbered chapters. Most chapters carry descriptive titles in addition to the number. Here’s how to format the opening page of a chapter for a Chicago-style paper . . .
Where Are You on Our Grammar-Stickler Sliding Scale?
On a scale of 1 to 10, can you guess how big a stickler you are? (Your friends and colleagues probably can.) Just for fun, measure your peeving profile with this quiz.
CMOS Shop Talk and the “Chicago Style Q&A” Welcome Russell Harper as Editor
The University of Chicago Press is pleased to announce that Russell Harper will become editor of the “Chicago Style Q&A” at CMOS Online and editor of the CMOS Shop Talk blog beginning January 1, 2019. Harper has
How Do I Format Sections and Subheads in Turabian/Chicago Style?
Long chapters in theses, dissertations, and long class papers may be divided into sections, which in turn may be divided into subsections, and so on. Each section may have its own title, also called a subheading or subhead. You may have multiple
A Free Holiday Ornament from CMOS
Around this time of year, we at The Chicago Manual of Style start to envision decorating the world with tiny copies of CMOS. You’re invited to join the merriment with this free miniature edition of
Chicago Style Workout 32:
Grammar, Part 3
Pronouns are small but powerful words that often trip us up. This month’s Chicago style workout, “Grammar, Part 3,” centers on sections 5.27–37 of CMOS 17, which cover the definitions and uses of pronouns.
Ellipses with Periods (CMOS 13.53)
When words are left out of a quotation, an ellipsis of three dots (. . .) takes their place. When this works correctly, the reader can skip over the dots and the sentence . . .