Shifting from MLA to CMS Style of Writing

Comparing MLA and CMS

Similarities & Differences in Modern Language Association and Chicago Manual of Style

A Manual for Writers, 7th ed.

Of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

By Kate L. Turabian

Similarities in Styles

1 in. margins all the way around

Double-spaced throughout (except block quotes, more than 5 lines, in CMS – single-spaced)

Generally 12 pt. New Roman, Times or Courier fonts

Similarities in Styles

“Works cited” – only and all sources cited in the main body of the text should be included there

Hanging indent:Kelly, Brian M. One Step Closer to Christ:

Evangelism as Spiritual Pilgrimage Together. Scotts Valley, CA: 2000.

Italics or bold for emphasis not underline

Differences in Styles

CMS uses footnotes not parenthetical (Author Yr)

When citing online subscription databases (i.e.; EBSCO, Gale Group, Academic Premier, etc.) MLA allows for just the database name, no URL is required – CMS asks for the URL for the main page of the database.

Key Issues in CMS

Citing books in footnote (N) vs. works cited (R):N - Brian Kelly, One Step Closer to Christ: Evangelism as Spiritual Pilgrimage Together (Scotts Valley, CA: 2000), 140.

R – Kelly, Brian. One Step Closer to Christ: Evangelism as Spiritual Pilgrimage Together. Scotts Valley, CA: 2000.

Differences?

Key Issues in CMS

Citing journal articles:N - Nancy L. Green, “The Politics of Exit: Reversing the Immigration Paradigm,” Journal of Modern History 77 (June 2005): 275.

R –Green, Nancy L. “The Politics of Exit: Reversing the Immigration

Paradigm.” Journal of Modern History 77 (June 2005): 263-89.

Differences?

Key Issues in CMS

Citing articles from online sources:

N - Nancy L. Green, “The Politics of Exit: Reversing the Immigration Paradigm,” Journal of Modern History 77 (June 2005), under “Immigration,” http://www.journals.chicago.edu/AJS/journal/issues/v77/0909000900.html (accessed April 23, 2008).

Key Issues in CMS

Citing articles from online sources:

R –Green, Nancy L. “The Politics of Exit: Reversing the Immigration

Paradigm.” Journal of Modern History 77 (June 2005): http://www.journals.chicago.edu/AJS/journal/issues/v77/0909000900.html (accessed April 23, 2008).

Key Issues in CMS

Citing articles from online databases:

N- 5The Digital Karl Barth Library, http://solomon.dkbl.alexanderstreet.com/ (accessed April 23, 2008).

R - The Digital Karl Barth Library. http://solomon.dkbl.alexanderstreet.co m/ (accessed January 8, 2008).

Key Issues in CMS

Citing articles from Steelman Library online databases :

R - Harvey, Diane. “Entertainment Theology: New-Edge Spirituality in a Digital Democracy.” Library Journal 133, no. 6, (April 2008): 88-89 in Business Source Premier, http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost (accessed April 23, 2008).

Key Issues in CMS

Citing articles from a reference work without an author cited:

N - W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Trans. by W.F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich; Rev. and Augmented by F.W. Gingrich and F.W. Danker; 2nd ed.; Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1979), s.v. “Christos.”

Key Issues in CMS

Citing articles from a reference work with an author cited:

N – Gunther Wanke, “Phobos in the Old Testament” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, G. Kittel and G. Gerhard, eds., 10 vols., (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman's Publishing Co., 1974), IX;197-205.

Key Issues in CMS

Common abbreviations:

Ibid. – ibedem, in the same place – used in footnote to ref. an immediate previous citation, if different page then Ibid., 99.

op. cit. – opera citato, in the work cited, to ref. a previous citation of author if only one work of the author is cited, otherwise first word of the work ref. should be used also.

Key Issues in CMS

Common abbreviations:

i.e. - id est, that ise.g. – exempli gratia, for examples.v. (pl. s.vv.) – sub verbo, sub voce, under

the word(s)v. (pl. vv.) – verse, versoCf. – confer, compare

A Manual for Writers, 7th ed.

Of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

By Kate L. Turabian

Got Questions? Cf.:

The Owl at Purdue- Online Writing Lab

Got Questions? Cf.:

Chicago Manual of Style online