The Chicago Manual of Style and Saving as a Template in Microsoft Word

# The Chicago Manual of Style and Saving as a Template in Microsoft Word

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), one of the most widely used and respected style guides in the United States, has long been a cornerstone for writers, researchers, and editors across various disciplines. The manual provides comprehensive guidance on grammar, punctuation, syntax, and citation and formatting rules for publishing. Microsoft Word, on the other hand, is a popular word-processing software that millions worldwide use for various writing tasks. In this article, we'll explore how to incorporate the Chicago Manual of Style into Microsoft Word and save it as a template for future use.

## Understanding the Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style is unique in its breadth and depth. It caters to two distinct documentation styles: the Notes-Bibliography System (NB), preferred by writers in literature, history, and the arts, and the Author-Date System, selected in the physical, natural, and social sciences.

The NB system incorporates footnotes or endnotes in the text and a bibliography at the end of the document. The Author-Date system, on the other hand, uses in-text citations and a reference list at the end.

Using CMOS involves several other formatting rules, such as headline-style capitalization, serial commas, and the placement of periods and commas within quotation marks, among other specifics.

## Incorporating CMoS into Microsoft Word

While Microsoft Word has no built-in feature specifically for the Chicago Manual of Style, you can still adjust the software's settings to adhere to CMoS rules. Here's how:

1. **Margins and Spacing**: Under the "Layout" or "Page Layout" tab, set your margins to at least 1 inch on all sides. CMoS also recommends double-spacing for the main text.

2. **Font and Size**: Under the "Home" tab, select a readable font (like Times New Roman) and a size (typically 12pt).

3. **Footnotes/Endnotes**: To insert a footnote, go to the "References" tab, and click "Insert Footnote." Microsoft Word will automatically number these for you in the correct sequence.

4. **Citations**: For in-text citations (Author-Date system), you must manually insert the author's last name and the year of publication within parentheses.

## Saving the Setup as a Template in Microsoft Word

Once you've set up your document according to CMoS, you can save this setup as a template in Microsoft Word. This way, whenever you start a new document, you don't have to adjust the settings again manually. Here's how:

1. After setting up your document, click the "File" tab and choose "Save As."

2. In the Save As dialog box, choose the location to save the template.

3. In the "Save as type" list, click "Word Template (.dotx)."

4. Name your template in the "File name" box, then click "Save."

Now, whenever you want to start a new document with the CMOS setup, you need to open this template. This feature is incredibly time-saving and ensures consistency in your formatting.

In conclusion, while there is no inbuilt Chicago Manual of Style format in Microsoft Word, with a bit of manual setup, you can easily align your document with CMoS guidelines and save this as a template for future use. Remember, a well-formatted document not only adheres to professional writing standards but also enhances readability and comprehension for the reader.