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If you’re a copyeditor or proofreader working in nonfiction, chances are you’re using The Chicago Manual of Style as your go-to guide.
And if you’re not using the online version, you’re missing out on some serious time-saving tools.
I’m not here to convince you to ditch the print book (I love a good desk reference too!), but if you’ve got a CMOS Online subscription and you’re only using it to look up hyphenation rules, you’re leaving a lot on the table.
Here are my favorite CMOS search tips, tricks, and hidden gems to help you use CMOS Online like a pro.
Table of Contents
1. Search Like a Boss
The search function is your best friend—but it works best when you know a few tricks:
- Use quotation marks for exact phrases (e.g. “serial comma” or “compound adjective”).
- Search in plain English—don’t worry about using official CMOS lingo.
2. Explore the Q&A Archive
One of the best features of CMOS Online is the Q&A archive, where real editors ask questions and the CMOS editors answer.
The responses are smart, detailed, and sometimes even a little sassy. You’ll learn a ton—and see how CMOS applies in real-life editing situations.
I’ve found answers to questions I didn’t even know I had.
They even answered one of my queries once! I felt like I was famous.
3. Bookmark Your Most-Used Sections
If you’re constantly flipping to the same sections (I see you, Chapter 6: Punctuation), save direct links in a bookmarks folder. That way you can jump straight to them, no scrolling required.
Some of my personal go-tos:
- 5.212: Omitting “that”
- 7.96: Hyphenation guide
- 12.7: Permissible changes to punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
Trust me—it makes your workflow faster and smoother.
4. Use the Notes and Style Sheets Features
Did you know you can save personal notes in your CMOS account?
You can highlight a section and add your own reminder about a specific client’s preference or style variation. Super handy for recurring clients or tricky projects.
There’s also a Style Sheet tool where you can track custom choices. Great if you’re working on a book with lots of exceptions. This was a recent new find for me.
5. Use It to Learn, Not Just Look Stuff Up
CMOS isn’t just a rulebook—it’s also a teaching tool. If you’ve got a little extra time, try reading through a section you’re less familiar with. You’ll build a deeper understanding of grammar, usage, and style that will make your edits stronger. This is what I did when I was first starting out as an editor, and it helped me expand my knowledge more quickly than if I had waited for the issue to arise.
6. Use the Table of Contents and the Index
The search bar is great—but sometimes the table of contents and index can help you find something faster, especially when you’re not quite sure what to search for.
The index is incredibly detailed and includes subentries.
Use it like you would the back of the print book—only better, because it’s clickable.
Pro tip: If you’re searching for a nuance (like “compound modifiers” vs. “compound adjectives”), the index might surface it faster than the general search.
7. Follow the Hyperlinked Cross-References
CMOS Online is packed with internal links. When a paragraph references another section (e.g. “see 6.39”), just click it.
This makes it much easier to understand rules in context.
You can follow a chain of logic from one section to the next—great for when you’re deep-diving into a tricky issue.
Pro tip: Use “open in new tab” to keep your place while exploring related sections.
8. Try the Quick Guide to Citation Styles
CMOS Online has a Quick Guide for citations that gives you examples in both notes and bibliography and author-date formats.
Perfect for when you need to help a client with:
- Endnotes vs. footnotes
- How to cite a podcast episode
- Getting the punctuation right on a citation
It’s searchable and much faster than flipping through chapter 13 or 14.
9. Save Your Login and Keep It Open
This one sounds obvious, but it’s practical: Log in and keep CMOS open in a pinned tab. The site will log you out after a while, so keeping your login saved and reloading it when needed saves you those “Why isn’t this search working?!” moments.
10. Combine CMOS with Your House Style Sheet
Not exactly a feature of CMOS Online, but a workflow tip: When you’re working on a manuscript and making house style choices (e.g. percent vs. %, serial comma, etc.), link to the specific CMOS section in your style sheet.
That way, if your client asks, “Why did you change that?”—you’ve got a credible source and a direct link to back it up.
Bonus Tip: Stay on Top of Updates
CMOS Online gets updated with new Q&As and occasionally with revisions or clarifications.
Check the What’s New section every now and then.
You might find an updated recommendation or a new Q&A that addresses something you just dealt with.
You can even subscribe to the CMOS Q&A newsletter to get new entries straight to your inbox! I look forward to receiving this newsletter every month because I know I’m going to learn something new and useful.
Final Thoughts on CMOS Search Tips
CMOS Online is one of the most powerful tools in your editing toolkit—but only if you really use it.
Explore. Bookmark. Make notes. And when in doubt, check the Q&A.
Not sure which style guide you should be using? Here’s how you can choose.
