Q. I was wondering what your thoughts were concerning using the words “above” and
“below” in the text to refer to different sections (“as
mentioned above”). Our editorial director insists we alter any such uses of the words, but I’ve
had several authors become quite annoyed when we change them. Thanks!
A. Those words are often used to steer readers, and I don’t think readers are puzzled if something referred
to as “below” actually appears at the top of the next page. But if there’s
any chance of confusion (say, in writing for children) or misdirection (say, in referring to images that might get moved during
composition), it’s best to find other words.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. We are editing a scientific book. We have to follow UK spelling. Per the dictionary, sulfur is the US spelling and sulphur is the UK spelling. But in one chapter the author has used sulfur and in another chapter sulphur. Since we are following UK spelling, can we change sulfur to sulphur? Or, per CMOS, since the IUPAC recommended spelling is sulfur irrespective of UK or US spelling, can we change sulphur to sulfur?
Q. For a book manuscript, does one indent the beginning of a new paragraph?
A. Yes, it’s very important. Otherwise, if it follows a paragraph that ends with a full line, it won’t
look like a new paragraph.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I thought at one point it was considered bad taste to include an author’s title on the front cover
of a book (Steve Smith, PhD). But now I am wondering if that is the case. Any input? Is it just an individual decision?
A. It depends. It’s unwarranted in scholarly writing, but if a book is for a mass audience and the degree
gives potential readers an idea of the writer’s qualifications, some publishers will want it stated:
for instance, on a diet book written by a doctor, or a book on orchids written by a botanist. The author and editor should
consult with the publisher’s marketing department to decide what’s best.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. I am editing a festschrift, and the authors have asked to include a dedication to the person whom the festschrift is honoring.
However, there is already a preface that discusses the person being honored (as well as a foreword), and I’m
wondering if this may be overkill.
A. I agree with you. By its nature, the book is dedicated to the honoree. If the authors have special wording they wish to include,
they could incorporate it into the end of the preface after an appropriately laudatory wind-up.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Microsoft Word says that I need to put an apostrophe in the word students in the following sentence. Why? Where is the possessive? “We will be enrolling new students right up to the day school starts.”
A. Grammar-checking software can be relatively clueless. I think Word decided that right is a noun in your sentence, probably because in its unbending mind “up to the day” looks like a prepositional phrase modifying right. (Perhaps right up is a little too colloquial to compute in Word’s dictionary.) So Word thinks you are enrolling the right of new students (students’ right), up to the day school starts. Luckily, you know what you mean.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. In unpublished scholarly works, which are of course double-spaced according to Chicago style, should block quotations be double-spaced also, or should (or can) they be single-spaced?
A. Chicago style for the preparation of a manuscript that will be published is to double-space everything, even notes and block quotations. This style was created in the days when copyeditors needed space between the lines to hand mark typos and other corrections. (It’s not true that quotations never need editing, and notes often require heavy editing.) Even now that manuscripts are edited with tracked changes, the author reviewing the editing on a printout must have room to respond to queries and make her own corrections.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. My author’s manuscript has already been stamped with page numbers and she’d like
to insert a seven-page comment without renumbering the rest of the pages. She’d like to just number
the insertion 116a–116g, or something similar. Do you think this will be acceptable?
A. Yes. Be sure to write on p. 116, “116a–g follow,” and then
on p. 116g write, “117 follows,” and on p. 117 write, “117
follows 116a–g.” Circle your instructions to flag them as nonprinting text.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. In a document of two or more volumes, where should the index go? At the end of each volume or at the end of the last volume?
A. If the volumes contain similar and overlapping content, you will probably want a comprehensive index at the end of the final
volume; if the content is relatively discrete for each volume, that might not be necessary. If the volumes are not published
simultaneously, it is useful to have an index in each volume. You have to decide, too, whether each index will cover only
one volume or previous volumes as well. To prevent confusion, each index should be clearly titled, e.g., “Index
to Volume 1” or “Index to Volumes 1–3.”
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]
Q. Hello—I’m wondering if you might provide a little guidance with respect to book indexing. A colleague of mine has been asked by the author to do indexing for a coffee-table physics book to be published by a major publisher. As she has never done this before, and graphic arts is actually her field, I’ve advised her to defer to a professional, as indexing is actually quite a complex art form. Do you agree? I’m hoping to provide her with some expert advice that can back up her stance.
A. You are so right—good indexing is much more than just listing the names of people and places. If your colleague has a knowledge of physics, she might be able to craft a useful index, but otherwise she will probably just end up listing selected words and page numbers. You might suggest that your colleague check out the website of the American Society for Indexing for an idea of what she would be getting into. If she decides to go for it, I recommend chapter 15 of CMOS as a good “how-to” guide.
[This answer relies on the 18th edition of CMOS (2024) unless otherwise noted.]