It’s that time of the year: We’re copyediting like mad. Colored pencils are flying across pages. Brian’s downing thermosfuls of coffee. Becky’s chain-eating Laffy Taffy because the sugar and constant jaw movement “help her concentrate.” Nicola’s using her eraser so furiously that a small cloud of rubber-scented dust hangs above her desk. Lisa complains that her body is becoming withered and atrophied from lack of sunlight and exercise, but we’ve noticed that her forearm muscles are getting totally ripped from lifting The Chicago Manual of Style so many times.
In the midst of our copyediting blitz, we’re pausing to let you, readers, sample the process. Submit your answers to the Chicago-inspired quiz below by clicking on the post’s title. First five readers to get all of the answers right win their choice of free back issue or CR-branded thermos or slingpack.
In accordance with the 16th edition of the CMOS, answer the following questions.
1. Titles. Choose the correct version of the following sentence.
A. DILBERT is my favorite cartoon.
B. Dilbert is my favorite cartoon.
C. “Dilbert” is my favorite cartoon.
D. Dilbert is my favorite cartoon.
2. Time. True or false: In the following sentence, the a before quarter is optional.
He left the office at a quarter of four.
3. Numbers. How are percentages typically expressed in text (nontechnical)?
A. With both the number and the word percent spelled out: “Fewer than three percent of the employees used public transportation.”
B. With numerals and symbols: “Fewer than 3% of the employees used public transportation.”
C. With numerals and the word percent (spelled out): “Fewer than 3 percent of the employees used public transportation.”
4. Hyphens. Identify the incorrectly hyphenated words or phrases in the sentences below.
He suffered acutely from a tooth-ache.
Her career was a flash in the pan.
He had recently been diagnosed with type A diabetes.
She treasured her mother’s old cook-books.
It was a commonly-held belief.
5. Punctuation and Spacing. True or false: In typeset matter, two spaces should be used between sentences.
