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Chicago Style

Chicago Style Explained

The Chicago Manual of Style—also called Chicago Style and CMOS—is used to format academic publications primarily in history and some of the social sciences. It is used by authors at all levels and is published by The University of Chicago Press.

The Chicago Manual of Style includes guidelines for how to:

  • cite and accredit your sources
  • structure your paper (eg. margins, headings, fonts, etc.)
  • format your writing style (eg. how to present ideas, language tone, grammar, etc.)
  • format writing elements (eg. tables, present data, use figures, use photographs, etc.)
  • format notes and a bibliography

Check with your professor before using Chicago Style and ask them what citation method they recommend for your assignment, the notes format or the author-date format.

Quick Reference Guides

Lesley Tutoring Services

Contact Lesley's Center for Academic Achievement for help with formatting Chicago Style, as well as writing papers and other academic challenges.

Services include:
  • online tutoring for students taking courses off-campus or during intensive residencies
  • face-to-face tutoring for students taking courses on-campus.