Quick and dirty Chicago Manual of Style
October 17, 2015 11:49 AM Subscribe
I've been asked to edit a manuscript using the Chicago Manual of Style. I have only a glancing familiarity with this style from an editing point of view although as a reader/writer of fiction I know this is the standard in that publishing industry. As someone who mainly edits using (in decreasing order of familiarity) AP style, MLA style, and APA style, is it possible to give myself a crash course in Chicago? If so, what are the main differences I should keep an eye out for and potential quirks of the style I might not anticipate?
I want to say yes to this project, but if I do, I need to do it right, and I don't have time to leisurely familiarize myself with Chicago. I am aware of some differences, and of course there is Google, but I trust the random internet strangers at Ask Me more than I trust other random internet strangers. Also, if saying yes to this sounds like a terrible idea, feel free to tell me that too.
I want to say yes to this project, but if I do, I need to do it right, and I don't have time to leisurely familiarize myself with Chicago. I am aware of some differences, and of course there is Google, but I trust the random internet strangers at Ask Me more than I trust other random internet strangers. Also, if saying yes to this sounds like a terrible idea, feel free to tell me that too.
Oops, also, for any style guide, the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) is an irreplaceable resource.
posted by Miko at 12:07 PM on October 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by Miko at 12:07 PM on October 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
I spent a year working for a U of C Press journal, so I tend to default to Chicago style automatically, despite being in an MLA kind of field. Depending on the discipline, you'll either use footnotes/endnotes or parenthetical citations + works cited, so you'll need to determine which is appropriate for this manuscript. There will be minor differences in bibliographical formatting, such as how you indicate that a book chapter appears in an edited collection (and further differences if you're doing parenthetical citations vs. footnotes), and you will occasionally find yourself using commas where MLA doesn't want any. Seconding the OWL for a convenient reference, such as this handy PDF comparing the major styles.
Incidentally, I can attest that a hardbound CMS is really helpful when your office is invaded by waterbugs coming up from the depths of the basement in Wieboldt Hall.
posted by thomas j wise at 12:30 PM on October 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
Incidentally, I can attest that a hardbound CMS is really helpful when your office is invaded by waterbugs coming up from the depths of the basement in Wieboldt Hall.
posted by thomas j wise at 12:30 PM on October 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
The Chicago Manual of Style's main site has a useful 'quick guide', which might be all you need by way of orientation: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
posted by davemack at 2:01 AM on October 18, 2015
posted by davemack at 2:01 AM on October 18, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks, all! This has been really helpful. I had found the online trial but had somehow completely forgotten about the invaluable Purdue OWL, and the other answers here are helpful as well. This project looks like something I can move ahead on with a reasonable amount of confidence then. (I'm not marking this resolved yet just in case anyone else has any additional quick types of resources, for me or for future people who wander across this topic.)
posted by tiger tiger at 5:17 AM on October 18, 2015
posted by tiger tiger at 5:17 AM on October 18, 2015
The first thing that pops into my mind with the words "quick and dirty Chicago Manual of Style" is the Turabian manual. Way shorter and more digestible than the doorstopper and essentially the same thing.
posted by knuspermanatee at 9:54 AM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by knuspermanatee at 9:54 AM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
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I just had to do this myself. I found that the Chicago Manual of Style online has a free 30 day trial and was incredibly useful. Chicago has so many more small points and nuances than MLA that I was extremely grateful for the guidance of this resource.
Also, by Googling things like "Chicago Style" + "PDF" I found some summary documents put together for classes and as library resources. Those were a good starting point for the main differences, like citation formats.
posted by Miko at 12:06 PM on October 17, 2015 [1 favorite]