Parentheses can be used almost anywhere, but they are rarely seen in fictional dialogue or in quoted speech of any kind. The problem with parentheses in dialogue is that readers may not know exactly how to interpret them. . . .
This month’s workout, “Word Usage, Part 7,” once again centers on section 5.250 of CMOS 17. This time we’re focusing on words beginning with the letters n as in “nauseous” through p as in “proven.”
Janet Burroway is the author of plays, poems, children’s books, a memoir, and eight novels, most recently Bridge of Sand. Her book Writing Fiction (10th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2019) is the most widely used creative writing text in America. . . .
Most writers and editors learn not to join (or splice) two independent clauses with a comma alone. . . .
If you cite your sources in your thesis or dissertation (or class paper) using numbered notes, you may have the option of using endnotes rather than footnotes. . . .
This month’s workout, “Word Usage, Part 6,” centers on section 5.250 of CMOS 17. This time we’re focusing on words beginning with the letters l as in “literally” and m as in “might.”
There are two different kinds of apostrophes: smart and straight. To use them correctly, it helps to understand how they work. . . .
If you cite your sources in your thesis or dissertation (or class paper) using numbered notes, you will probably also need to include a bibliography. A bibliography is an alphabetical list (by author) of all the sources cited in the notes. . . .
It’s time for another editing and proofreading quiz! This is the second in a series of workouts that will apply your editing knowledge and proofreading skills to Chicago style.
Okay, so you’re an editor or proofreader who knows Chicago style, but now you need to follow AP. Or you’re a student, and you need MLA for one project and Chicago (or Turabian) for the next—and APA after that. . . .