Frequently Asked Questions
General
Q : I've tried searching The Chicago Manual of Style but am unable to find the answer to my question about a style matter. Are your technical support agents able to answer my inquiry?
A : Unfortunately, no. If you cannot find the information that you are looking for in The Chicago Manual of Style, please submit it to the Web site's Q&A feature. Please note that we are unable to answer every question we receive.
Q: I signed up for a 30-day free trial. Will I be signed up for a subscription automatically when the trial expires?
A: No. We do not request credit card information from free trial users and will not automatically begin paid subscriptions for them.
Q: When can I renew my subscription?
A: Individual and small group subscriptions can be renewed beginning 90 days before expiration. You will receive an e-mail notification when your account qualifies for renewal. Renewal links are located on the home page and in My Account.
For information about institutional renewals, please contact cmosbusiness@press.uchicago.edu.
Q: Are there any plans to provide a "style-check" tool in the future?
A: We do not currently have plans to integrate automatic proofreading into our software.
Q: When will the content of The Chicago Manual of Style Online be updated?
A: In order to ensure the accuracy and authoritativeness of the guidelines in The Chicago Manual of Style, the content of the online edition matches the content of the most recent printing of the book exactly. The next substantive update will occur when the sixteenth edition is published.
Q: I'm trying to determine whether I should buy the online edition or the CD-ROM. What are the differences between these two products?
A: Both electronic editions contain the authoritative text of The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition. The online edition will be updated to reflect typographical corrections and minor clarifications made in each impression of the print edition. At this point, the Press does not plan to issue such updates for the CD-ROM.
Both electronic editions are fully searchable and linked. The search function in the online edition, which is powered by Google, returns results from the Style Q&A, the My Manual personalization tools, and the Manual itself. The search function in the CD-ROM covers only the Manual content.
The online edition requires Internet access. The CD-ROM is installed on a specific computer and does not require Internet access.
The online edition is available to individuals, small groups, and institutions by annual subscription, while the CD-ROM is a one-time purchase.
For more information about the CD-ROM, click here.
Technical Support Questions
Q: I can't log in to My Account. Why not?
A: If you are a paid subscriber with an individual account, please make sure that you are entering your user name and password correctly and that the Caps Lock keyboard function is off. If the problem persists, e-mail cmosonline@press.uchicago.edu with a description of your problem.
If you have subscribed as part of a small group, the My Account area is available only to the group administrator, who may use this portion of the site to renew and update group information. All other group members should use the "log in" link, which is located at the top, right-hand corner of the home page, to access the contents of The Chicago Manual of Style.
Institutional subscribers and free trial users are unable to access My Account.
Q: When I try to log in, I receive the following error message: "You have reached the maximum number of allowed sessions (1) for this account." What does this mean?
A: This error can occur when more than one person is trying to log in with the same account at the same time, or, more frequently, when users close their Web browsers without explicitly logging out of the site and then attempt to log in again soon afterward. This can be avoided by clicking on the "log out" link in the upper right-hand corner of our site before closing your Web browser.
Q: Why do I have access to My Account but not the protected content of the Web site?
A: If you are a group administrator, please note that the administrator log-in information is used only to log in to the My Account page. All users, including the group administrator, must use the group log-in information to access the content of The Chicago Manual of Style. If your group uses the My Manual personalization features, the administrator must occupy a spot on the member list and create an individual user name and password to access the contents of the Manual.
Q: I'm using Internet Explorer in Mac OS. Why are all the columns and tables funny?
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Q: I am logged out of the site after less than thirty minutes of inactivity. Why?
A: This may occur when your Web browser's security settings are high. Please make sure that your browser's settings are "medium," and that you allow cookies from our site.
Payment Questions
Q: Are there any discounts available for subscribers who also own print copies of The Chicago Manual of Style?
A: We do not currently offer any discounts to owners of the print edition.
Q: Do you provide discounts for nonprofit/academic/government organizations?
A: Yes, we do offer discounted institutional subscription rates for such organizations. These rates are based on an organization's FTE (full-time equivalency) count. Please e-mail cmosbusiness@press.uchicago.edu for details.
Q: My organization is tax-exempt. In order to not be charged tax for this product, what do I need to provide?
A: Because The Chicago Manual of Style Online is an electronic product, no tax is charged for subscription purchases within the United States.
Q: Can you invoice my organization for my individual subscription?
A: Yes. In order to establish an individual subscription and have an invoice sent to your organization, please e-mail cmosonline@press.uchicago.edu.
Q: Can I pay for my individual subscription with a personal check?
A: Yes. E-mail cmosonline@press.uchicago.edu to set up your account.
Q: Do you take American Express?
A: Yes, we accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover credit cards. We are unable to accept debit cards or check cards at this time.
Q: Where can I send a purchase order?
A: Purchase orders may be sent to the following address:
The University of Chicago Press
The Chicago Manual of Style Online
1427 E. 60th Street, Dept. CMOS
Chicago, IL 60637
They may also be faxed to (773) 702-9756, ATTN: CMOS.
Group Subscription Questions
Q: Is it possible to increase the number of members in a group subscription?
A: Yes. Your group administrator can change the number of members in your group in the My Account area of the Web site.
Q: Can I change my member list if an employee no longer needs to use the Manual?
A: Yes. The group administrator can log in to My Account and edit the list of group members under Create or Update Group Member Information. From the Group Account screen, the administrator can also change the billing address on the account, update administrator contact information, or renew the subscription.
Institutional Subscription Questions
Q: Can we provide off-campus access for library users though our proxy server?
A: Yes, so long as only authorized users have access to your server.
Q: How can subscribing libraries track usage statistics?
A: Monthly usage reports are available upon request. Please send requests to cmosbusiness@press.uchicago.edu.
Q: Do you provide free trials for institutions?
A: We do not provide institution-wide trial periods. However, any interested individual at your institution is encouraged to sign up for a free trial by clicking here.