Chicago Style Workout 29: Titles in Running Text
This workout focuses on paragraphs 8.158–69 in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study that section of the Manual before answering the questions.
An Update on Direct Questions without Quotation Marks
At paragraph 6.42, the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style notes that a direct question is sometimes included within a sentence but not enclosed in quotation marks. When such a question comes in the middle of a sentence, it is usually introduced by a comma, and (this is the new part) it
Chicago Style Workout 27: Grammar, Part 1
This workout, the first in a series of four on the subject of grammar, focuses on paragraphs 5.1–29 in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study that section of the Manual before answering the questions.
Brianne Hughes talks about The Cybersecurity Style Guide
CMOS: What’s the story behind coming up with a style guide for cybersecurity? BH: Through freelance work in many genres, I’ve learned that every niche of editing has its own universe of vocabulary.
Chicago Style Workout 25: Numerals Versus Words
This workout focuses on paragraphs 9.2–8 in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study that section of the Manual before answering the questions.
316–7, 316–17, or 316–317? Chicago Style for Number Ranges
Abbreviating number ranges according to The Chicago Manual of Style (per section 9.61 in the 17th ed.) is easy if you can remember these three rules:
Am I Too Old to Copyedit? 3 Questions for Those Who Wonder
How does a professional copyeditor know when it’s time to retire? Freelancers especially may be tempted to sail on past the age at which in-house editors are encouraged to put down the red pencil. But in either case, how long is too long? Here are some questions to consider.
Section 2.12 in the Spotlight
In a typed document, each new paragraph should begin with a first-line indent, applied either with the Tab key or with your word processor’s indentation feature rather than the Space bar. One-half inch is the traditional measure for an indent. Exceptions:
Section 8.1 in the Spotlight
It’s not always obvious whether a word should be capitalized. We know to cap proper names of people, holidays, cities, and countries. But what about words like dad, state, or president? Confusion arises when the same word is capped in one context and lowercased in another:
But Is It Wrong?
One of the primal joys in life is to do good work. When the suit fits, the accounts balance, or the pie crust is flakey, someone takes pride in it.
In editing, it feels good to make corrections, tidy things up, and serve the reader. It feels good to put knowledge into practice. And—admit it—it feels good to spot an error! . . . Problems arise when
