Footnotes / Ibid / op. cit. / Chicago

laylazami
Hi
I use the Chicago 16th edition note for my footnotes. I have two issues:
1. some of my documents show "ibid", other docs show "ebenda", i guess it has to do with language settings. I want "ibid" because I write in english.
2. how can I get a "opus citandi" when I quote a source that already appeared earlier in the document? I hope I don't have to do that manually because it is a very long doc.
Thanks!
  • adamsmith
    1) You can set the language in the Document Preferences in the word processor add-on
    2) Chicago explicitly says not to use op cit., to the Chicago style doesn't use it. It's generally possible in Zotero/CSL, but modifying the Chicago style is a bit involved. Do you really want to, though? In any style outside legal writing I'm seeing a move away from using op cit., certainly when you're writing in English.

    (Here the unusually strongly worded CMoS 14.31in full:
    Op. cit. (opere citato, “in the work cited”) and loc. cit. (loco citato, “in the place cited”), used with an author’s last name and standing in place of a previously cited title, are rightly falling into disuse. Consider a reader’s frustration on meeting, for example, “Wells, op. cit., 10” in note 95 and having to search back to note 2 for the full source or, worse still, finding that two works by Wells have been cited. Chicago disallows both op. cit. and loc. cit. and instead uses the short-title form described in 14.28.
    )
  • erazlogo
    Chicago 17th edition is getting rid of ibid. also.
  • laylazami
    @ adamsmith: thank you! good to know, and it makes sense. but does this mean I have to manually shorten the titles for each reference or does Zotero offer a way to do that? I typed in all my titles in the regular "title" box in Zotero, so I don't see how Zotero would know.
    @ erazlogo: thanks, what do they replace ibid with?
  • adamsmith
    Zotero uses whatever is in the short title field for short titles on abbreviated citations. It also removes other components of the citation, as per CMoS. If you import items automatically, Zotero automatically creates the short title by splitting the title up to the first relevant punctuation mark (:?! I believe).
  • erazlogo
    Chicago 17 will use the other alternative: Last name, "Short Title," page no. For other changes see this post. We can now refer to "the internet" in lowercase :)

    http://cmosshoptalk.com/2017/03/28/announcing-the-chicago-manual-of-style-17th-edition/
  • adamsmith
    Thanks Elena -- this is great news, I hadn't seen those.
  • laylazami
    Thank you! I use chicago 16th though.
    For now, Zotero does not split the titles, i guess it does not recognize the punctuation mark. any clue on that? i hope i don't have to do it manually..
    urgent help would be appreciated.
    thank you
    ps does Zotero offer Chicago 17th?
  • adamsmith
    If you don't have anything in the short title field, you'll have to add that manually, sorry. I'm guessing you entered the items manually?

    Chicago 17th hasn't been published. Once it has, we'll likely add it within a couple of months.
  • laylazami
    oh ok i understand thanks Adam. can you tell me what the short title field is called in the German version of Zotero?
    the field directly under the title is called "Zusammenfassung" but that actually means "abstract".
  • laylazami
    oh sorry I found it its way below "Kurztitel". never paid attention to that well now i know better. i think it will still be quicker to add it manually in Zotero and refresh.
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