diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index d1ab610ca..04e80af73 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ spelled as make variables: `list(stan_threads = TRUE)` comes back as
 * Every `cpp_options` entry must now be named, with a make variable name. An
 unnamed entry gets an error saying where it belongs: `list(NAME = value)` for a
 plain assignment, `cmdstan_make_local()` for `+=` and the other makefile
-operators. Previously unnamed entries reached `make` but nothing else saw them.
+operators. Previously unnamed entries reached make but nothing else saw them.
 (#1250)
 * `cpp_options = list(stan_threads = FALSE)` now turns threading off, even when
 `make/local` turns it on, and the same holds for `FALSE` on any option.
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@ error that points at the right argument. (#1258)
 `STANCFLAGS`. (#1258)
 * Named `stanc_options` values such as `list(canonicalize = "deprecations")` and
 numeric ones such as `list("max-line-length" = 78)` now work. Previously the
-named values reached `stanc` shell-quoted, which it rejected, and the numeric
+named values reached stanc shell-quoted, which it rejected, and the numeric
 ones were dropped. (#1227, #1233)
-* A `stanc` error now stops the build immediately and shows `stanc`'s message.
+* A stanc error now stops the build immediately and shows stanc's message.
 Previously it surfaced several steps later. (#1227)
 * An include path that does not exist is now reported by its absolute path.
 (#1227)
 * `$include_paths()` now returns absolute paths, resolved when the model is
-created. Previously a relative include path was resolved on every `stanc` call,
+created. Previously a relative include path was resolved on every stanc call,
 so changing the working directory could point `#include` at the wrong directory.
 (#1229)
 * `#include` directories with spaces in their paths now work. (#820, #1230)
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ not created and keeps saved metric files after the fitted model is
 garbage-collected. (#1021)
 * `cmdstan_model()` no longer fails when `MAKEFLAGS` turns on directory
 printing. (#1163)
-* Quoted values in `make/local`'s `STANCFLAGS` now reach `stanc` as one
+* Quoted values in `make/local`'s `STANCFLAGS` now reach stanc as one
 argument. Previously they were split on whitespace. (#1232)
 * `laplace()` no longer overwrites the internally generated optimizer CSV when
 `mode = NULL` and `output_basename` is supplied. The internally generated
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ was always 1. (#1187)
 * `$lp_approx()` and `$mle()` now return numeric vectors whatever the
 `cmdstanr_draws_format` option is set to. (#1190)
 * A Stan file name with several spaces, or quotes, now gives a valid model name
-for `stanc`. Previously only the first space was replaced and the quotes ended
+for stanc. Previously only the first space was replaced and the quotes ended
 up in the generated C++. (#1200)
 * `$draws()` on a pathfinder fit now orders the diagnostic columns the same way
 as the other methods. (#1205)
diff --git a/R/args.R b/R/args.R
index 7e09491d3..c322629f6 100644
--- a/R/args.R
+++ b/R/args.R
@@ -841,10 +841,10 @@ validate_optimize_args <- function(self) {
     # check that arg is positive or NULL and that algorithm='lbfgs' or 'bfgs' is
     # explicitly specified (error if not or if 'newton')
     if (!is.null(self[[arg]]) && is.null(self$algorithm)) {
-      stop("Please specify 'algorithm' in order to use '", arg, "'.", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("Please specify `algorithm` in order to use `", arg, "`.", call. = FALSE)
     }
     if (!is.null(self[[arg]]) && isTRUE(self$algorithm == "newton")) {
-      stop("'", arg, "' can't be used when algorithm is 'newton'.", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("`", arg, "` can't be used when algorithm is `\"newton\"`.", call. = FALSE)
     }
     checkmate::assert_number(self[[arg]], .var.name = arg, lower = 0, null.ok = TRUE)
   }
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ validate_optimize_args <- function(self) {
   # history_size only available for lbfgs
   if (!is.null(self$history_size)) {
     if (!isTRUE(self$algorithm == "lbfgs")) {
-      stop("'history_size' is only allowed if 'algorithm' is specified as 'lbfgs'.", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("`history_size` is only allowed if `algorithm` is specified as `\"lbfgs\"`.", call. = FALSE)
     } else {
       checkmate::assert_integerish(self$history_size, lower = 1, len = 1, null.ok = FALSE)
       self$history_size <- as.integer(self$history_size)
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ validate_laplace_args <- function(self) {
   checkmate::assert_flag(self$jacobian, null.ok = FALSE)
   if (self$mode_object$metadata()$jacobian != self$jacobian) {
     stop(
-      "'jacobian' argument to optimize and laplace must match!\n",
+      "`jacobian` argument to optimize and laplace must match!\n",
       "laplace was called with jacobian=", self$jacobian, "\n",
       "optimize was run with jacobian=", as.logical(self$mode_object$metadata()$jacobian),
       call. = FALSE
@@ -1171,13 +1171,13 @@ process_init.list <- function(init, num_procs, model_variables = NULL,
                               warn_partial = getOption("cmdstanr_warn_inits", TRUE),
                               ...) {
   if (!all(sapply(init, function(x) is.list(x) && !is.data.frame(x)))) {
-    stop("If 'init' is a list it must be a list of lists.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("If `init` is a list it must be a list of lists.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   if (length(init) != num_procs) {
-    stop("'init' has the wrong length. See documentation of 'init' argument.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("`init` has the wrong length. See documentation of `init` argument.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   if (any(sapply(init, function(x) length(x) == 0))) {
-    stop("'init' contains empty lists.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("`init` contains empty lists.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   if (!is.null(model_variables)) {
     missing_parameter_values <- list()
@@ -1215,9 +1215,9 @@ process_init.list <- function(init, num_procs, model_variables = NULL,
   }
   if (any(grepl("\\[", names(unlist(init))))) {
     stop(
-      "'init' contains entries with parameter names that include square-brackets, which is not permitted. ",
+      "`init` contains entries with parameter names that include square-brackets, which is not permitted. ",
       "To supply inits for a vector, matrix or array of parameters, ",
-      "create a single entry with the parameter's name in the 'init' list ",
+      "create a single entry with the parameter's name in the `init` list ",
       "and specify initial values for the entire parameter container.",
       call. = FALSE)
   }
@@ -1249,8 +1249,8 @@ process_init.function <- function(init, num_procs, model_variables = NULL,
   has_chain_id <- !is.null(args)
   if (has_chain_id) {
     if (!identical(names(args), "chain_id")) {
-      stop("If 'init' is a function it must have zero arguments ",
-           "or only argument 'chain_id'.", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("If `init` is a function it must have zero arguments ",
+           "or only argument `chain_id`.", call. = FALSE)
     }
   }
 
@@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ process_init.function <- function(init, num_procs, model_variables = NULL,
   for (i in seq_len(num_procs)) {
     init_list[[i]] <- if (has_chain_id) init(i) else init()
     if (!is.list(init_list[[i]]) || is.data.frame(init_list[[i]])) {
-      stop("If 'init' is a function it must return a single list.", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("If `init` is a function it must return a single list.", call. = FALSE)
     }
   }
   process_init(init_list, num_procs, model_variables, warn_partial)
@@ -1521,14 +1521,14 @@ validate_init <- function(init, num_procs) {
     return(invisible(TRUE))
   }
   if (!is.numeric(init) && !is.character(init)) {
-    stop("Invalid 'init' specification. See documentation of 'init' argument.",
+    stop("Invalid `init` specification. See documentation of `init` argument.",
          call. = FALSE)
   } else if (is.numeric(init) && (length(init) > 1 || init < 0)) {
-    stop("If 'init' is numeric it must be a single real number >= 0.",
+    stop("If `init` is numeric it must be a single real number >= 0.",
          call. = FALSE)
   } else if (is.character(init)) {
     if (length(init) != 1 && length(init) != num_procs) {
-      stop("If 'init' is specified as a character vector, its length must be ",
+      stop("If `init` is specified as a character vector, its length must be ",
            "1 or equal to the number of chains or Pathfinder paths.",
            call. = FALSE)
     }
@@ -1567,7 +1567,7 @@ validate_seed <- function(seed, num_procs) {
   }
   checkmate::assert_integerish(seed, lower = 0)
   if (length(seed) > 1 && length(seed) != num_procs) {
-    stop("If 'seed' is specified it must be a single integer or one per chain.",
+    stop("If `seed` is specified it must be a single integer or one per chain.",
          call. = FALSE)
   }
   invisible(TRUE)
diff --git a/R/build.R b/R/build.R
index 51dbb03ce..0eb0d3a29 100644
--- a/R/build.R
+++ b/R/build.R
@@ -253,7 +253,10 @@ install_executable <- function(from, to, record) {
         error_on_status = FALSE
       )
       if (is.na(chmod$status) || chmod$status != 0) {
-        stop("Could not make the compiled executable executable.", call. = FALSE)
+        stop(
+          "Could not set the execute bit on the compiled executable.",
+          call. = FALSE
+        )
       }
     }
     write_build_record(record, candidate)
@@ -355,7 +358,7 @@ inspect_executable <- function(exe_file) {
   features <- reported_features_from_exe(exe_file)
   if (is.null(features[["stan_version"]])) {
     stop(
-      "Running '", exe_file, "' with the argument 'info' did not report a ",
+      "Running '", exe_file, "' with the argument `info` did not report a ",
       "Stan version, so it is either not a CmdStan executable or cannot be ",
       "run.",
       call. = FALSE
diff --git a/R/build_record.R b/R/build_record.R
index 47501fae4..15f5b6caa 100644
--- a/R/build_record.R
+++ b/R/build_record.R
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ validate_build_record <- function(record) {
     option_name <- names(cpp_options)[[i]]
     field <- paste0("configuration.cpp_options.", option_name)
     if (!grepl(paste0("^", make_variable_name_pattern, "$"), option_name)) {
-      stop_build_record_field(field, "must be named for a Make variable")
+      stop_build_record_field(field, "must be named for a make variable")
     }
     assert_record_shape(cpp_options[[i]], "string", field)
   }
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ validate_build_record <- function(record) {
 #' The one place a record is built. The fields go in the schema's order so the
 #' written JSON reads that way too.
 #'
-#' @param configuration The options the build used: `cpp_options` as the Make
+#' @param configuration The options the build used: `cpp_options` as the make
 #'   assignments `parsed_cpp_options()` returns, one per name; `stanc_options`,
 #'   `stanc_options_added` and `stanc_options_from_make` as the argument
 #'   vectors stanc receives; `stanc_name`; and `include_paths` as searched.
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ assess_build <- function(expected, current) {
 #' When the build record is available, there are four more fields:
 #'
 #' * `configuration`: A list of the options the model was created with.
-#'   * `cpp_options`: the list of options in their Make spelling, as
+#'   * `cpp_options`: the list of options in their make spelling, as
 #'   `$cpp_options()` reports them. For example, `list(stan_threads = TRUE)`
 #'   comes back as `list(STAN_THREADS = "true")`.
 #'   * `stanc_options`: the flags as given to stanc, in order.
@@ -694,14 +694,14 @@ assess_build <- function(expected, current) {
 #'   included files. When none were provided but the Stan program has includes
 #'   this is set to the program's own directory.
 #'
-#' * `dependencies`: A list describing the files the build read. Contains sublists
-#' `stan_file`, `included_files`, `user_header` and `make_local`. `user_header`
-#' and `make_local` are `NULL` when the build had none. `included_files` holds
-#' one entry per file. Each entry has two fields: `built_from`, the path the
-#' file had when the build ran, and `exists`, whether that path exists now. A
-#' path that no longer exists is not necessarily a problem. For example, an \R
-#' package may build its models at install time in a temporary directory that
-#' is gone by the time the model is used.
+#' * `dependencies`: A list describing the files the build read. Contains
+#' sublists `stan_file`, `included_files`, `user_header` and `make_local`.
+#' `user_header` and `make_local` are `NULL` when the build had none.
+#' `included_files` holds one entry per file. Each entry has two fields:
+#' `built_from`, the path the file had when the build ran, and `exists`, whether
+#' that path exists now. A path that no longer exists is not necessarily a
+#' problem. For example, an \R package may build its models at install time in a
+#' temporary directory that is gone by the time the model is used.
 #'
 #' * `cmdstan`: A list containing the `path` and `version` of the CmdStan
 #' installation that built the executable, and whether that path still `exists`.
@@ -710,13 +710,13 @@ assess_build <- function(expected, current) {
 #' release-candidate suffix whereas `reported_features$stan_version` comes from
 #' the Stan library headers the executable was compiled against and will not).
 #'
-#' * `untracked_dependencies`: A list of files the build depended on that CmdStanR
-#' cannot follow, so a change to them does not automatically trigger a rebuild.
-#' An empty list means nothing of the kind was found. Each file is reported as
-#' a sublist with two fields: `kind`, which is `"make_local_include"` when
-#' `make/local` includes another makefile or `"user_header_include"` when the
-#' user header includes other headers, and `detected_in`, the file the include
-#' was found in.
+#' * `untracked_dependencies`: A list of files the build depended on that
+#' CmdStanR cannot follow, so a change to them does not automatically trigger a
+#' rebuild. An empty list means nothing of the kind was found. Each file is
+#' reported as a sublist with two fields: `kind`, which is
+#' `"make_local_include"` when `make/local` includes another makefile or
+#' `"user_header_include"` when the user header includes other headers, and
+#' `detected_in`, the file the include was found in.
 #'
 #' The result leaves out some of what the record holds: the file hashes the
 #' rebuild check compares, the stanc flags CmdStanR added itself, the model
diff --git a/R/cpp_options.R b/R/cpp_options.R
index cb2154778..15a6f9da6 100644
--- a/R/cpp_options.R
+++ b/R/cpp_options.R
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #'
 #' @param cpp_options The user's `cpp_options`, as
 #'   `assert_valid_cpp_options()` returned them.
-#' @return A named list with one value per Make variable.
+#' @return A named list with one value per make variable.
 #' @noRd
 parsed_cpp_options <- function(cpp_options) {
   assignments <- structure(list(), names = character())
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ make_variable_name_pattern <- "[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*"
 
 #' Check the `cpp_options` the user supplied and return them
 #'
-#' Every entry must be named and every name must be a Make variable name. The
+#' Every entry must be named and every name must be a make variable name. The
 #' names are uppercased here so that one spelling reaches everything downstream.
 #' The user header and the stanc flags have their own arguments, so setting them
 #' here is an error. A TBB directory has to be a literal path, since the build
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ assert_valid_cpp_options <- function(cpp_options) {
     }
     if (!grepl(paste0("^", make_variable_name_pattern, "$"), option_names[[i]])) {
       stop(
-        "`cpp_options` names must be Make variable names, made of letters, ",
+        "`cpp_options` names must be make variable names, made of letters, ",
         "digits and underscores and not starting with a digit. `",
         option_names[[i]], "` is not one.",
         call. = FALSE
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ unnamed_cpp_option_message <- function(value) {
   if (grepl("^(-B|--always-make)$", entry)) {
     return(sprintf(
       paste0(
-        "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. ",
+        "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. ",
         "`%s` rebuilds everything; pass `force_recompile = TRUE` instead."
       ),
       entry
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ unnamed_cpp_option_message <- function(value) {
     path <- sub(makefile_flag_pattern, "\\1", entry)
     return(sprintf(
       paste0(
-        "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. ",
+        "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. ",
         "To read another makefile add `include %s` to `make/local`, for example ",
         "`cmdstan_make_local(cpp_options = list(%s))`."
       ),
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ unnamed_cpp_option_message <- function(value) {
   }
   if (startsWith(entry, "-")) {
     return(paste0(
-      "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. ",
+      "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. ",
       "Set them in `make/local` with `cmdstan_make_local()`, ",
       "for example `MAKEFLAGS += -j4`."
     ))
@@ -240,9 +240,9 @@ assert_valid_threads <- function(threads, features, multiple_chains = FALSE) {
   threaded <- isTRUE(features[["stan_threads"]])
   if (!is.null(threads) && threads > 1 && !threaded) {
     stop(
-      "'", threads_arg, "' is set but the executable does not report ",
+      "`", threads_arg, "` is set but the executable does not report ",
       "threading as enabled.\nRecompile the model with ",
-      "'cpp_options = list(stan_threads = TRUE)'.",
+      "`cpp_options = list(stan_threads = TRUE)`.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
   }
@@ -258,9 +258,9 @@ assert_valid_threads <- function(threads, features, multiple_chains = FALSE) {
 assert_valid_opencl <- function(opencl_ids, features) {
   if (!is.null(opencl_ids) && !isTRUE(features[["stan_opencl"]])) {
     stop(
-      "'opencl_ids' is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as ",
+      "`opencl_ids` is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as ",
       "enabled.\nRecompile the model with ",
-      "'cpp_options = list(stan_opencl = TRUE)'.",
+      "`cpp_options = list(stan_opencl = TRUE)`.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
   }
diff --git a/R/data.R b/R/data.R
index 35669f4c3..3eb181af5 100644
--- a/R/data.R
+++ b/R/data.R
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
 #'
 write_stan_json <- function(data, file, always_decimal = FALSE) {
   if (!is.list(data)) {
-    stop("'data' must be a list.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("`data` must be a list.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   if (!is.character(file) || !nzchar(file)) {
     stop("The supplied filename is invalid!", call. = FALSE)
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ write_stan_json <- function(data, file, always_decimal = FALSE) {
   if (length(data) > 0 &&
       (length(data_names) == 0 ||
        length(data_names) != sum(nzchar(data_names)))) {
-    stop("All elements in 'data' list must have names.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("All elements in `data` list must have names.", call. = FALSE)
 
   }
   if (anyDuplicated(data_names) != 0) {
-    stop("Duplicate names not allowed in 'data'.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("Duplicate names not allowed in `data`.", call. = FALSE)
   }
 
   for (var_name in data_names) {
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ process_data <- function(data, model_variables = NULL) {
     path <- tempfile(pattern = "standata-", fileext = ".json")
     write_stan_json(data = data, file = path, always_decimal = !is.null(model_variables))
   } else {
-    stop("'data' should be a path or a named list.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("`data` should be a path or a named list.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   path
 }
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ process_fitted_params <- function(fitted_params) {
     paths <- draws_to_csv(posterior::as_draws_array(fitted_params))
   } else {
     stop(
-      "'fitted_params' must be a list of paths to CSV files, ",
+      "`fitted_params` must be a list of paths to CSV files, ",
       "a CmdStanMCMC, CmdStanMLE, CmdStanLaplace, CmdStanVB, or ",
       "CmdStanPathfinder object, ",
       "a posterior::draws_array or a posterior::draws_matrix.", call. = FALSE)
diff --git a/R/fit.R b/R/fit.R
index 2233c39cc..00a44dac7 100644
--- a/R/fit.R
+++ b/R/fit.R
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ CmdStanFit <- R6::R6Class(
       base::print(out, row.names = FALSE)
       if (max_rows < total_rows) {
         cat("\n # showing", max_rows, "of", total_rows,
-            "rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)\n")
+            "rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)\n")
       }
       invisible(self)
     },
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ save_object <- function(file, format = c("rds", "qs2"), ...) {
     saveRDS(self, file = file, ...)
   } else {
     if (!requireNamespace("qs2", quietly = TRUE)) {
-      stop("The 'qs2' package is required for format = \"qs2\".", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("The qs2 package is required for `format = \"qs2\"`.", call. = FALSE)
     }
     qs2::qs_save(self, file = file, ...)
   }
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ draws <- function(variables = NULL, inc_warmup = FALSE, format = getOption("cmds
     stop("Fitting failed. Unable to retrieve the draws.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   if (inc_warmup) {
-    warning("'inc_warmup' is ignored except when used with CmdStanMCMC objects.",
+    warning("`inc_warmup` is ignored except when used with CmdStanMCMC objects.",
             call. = FALSE)
   }
   if (is.null(private$draws_)) {
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ unconstrain_draws <- function(files = NULL, draws = NULL,
       }
     } else if (!is.null(draws)) {
       if (inc_warmup) {
-        message("'inc_warmup' cannot be used with a draws object. Ignoring.")
+        message("`inc_warmup` cannot be used with a draws object. Ignoring.")
       }
     }
   } else {
@@ -1371,7 +1371,7 @@ CmdStanFit$set("public", name = "profiles", value = profiles)
 code <- function() {
   stan_code <- self$runset$stan_code()
   if (is.null(stan_code)) {
-    warning("'$code()' will return NULL because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
+    warning("`$code()` will return NULL because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   stan_code
 }
@@ -1675,7 +1675,7 @@ CmdStanMCMC <- R6::R6Class(
 loo <- function(variables = "log_lik", r_eff = FALSE, moment_match = FALSE, ...) {
   require_suggested_package("loo")
   if (length(variables) != 1) {
-    stop("Only a single variable name is allowed for the 'variables' argument.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("Only a single variable name is allowed for the `variables` argument.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   LLarray <- self$draws(variables, format = "draws_array")
   if (is.logical(r_eff)) {
@@ -2500,7 +2500,7 @@ CmdStanGQ <- R6::R6Class(
         stop("Generating quantities for all MCMC chains failed. Unable to retrieve the generated quantities.", call. = FALSE)
       }
       if (inc_warmup) {
-        warning("'inc_warmup' is ignored except when used with CmdStanMCMC objects.",
+        warning("`inc_warmup` is ignored except when used with CmdStanMCMC objects.",
                 call. = FALSE)
       }
       format <- assert_valid_draws_format(format)
diff --git a/R/install.R b/R/install.R
index c1103cbfa..62d1e46d6 100644
--- a/R/install.R
+++ b/R/install.R
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ cmdstan_make_local <- function(dir = cmdstan_path(),
 check_cmdstan_toolchain <- function(fix = FALSE, quiet = FALSE) {
   if (isTRUE(fix)) {
     warning(
-      "The 'fix' argument is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release.",
+      "The `fix` argument is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
   }
@@ -770,14 +770,16 @@ build_example <- function(dir, cores, quiet, timeout) {
 build_status_ok <- function(process_log, quiet = FALSE) {
   if (process_log$timeout) {
     if (quiet) {
-      end_warning <-
-        " and running again with 'quiet=FALSE' to see full installation output."
+      end_warning <- paste0(
+        " and running again with `quiet = FALSE` to see full ",
+        "installation output."
+      )
     } else {
       end_warning <- "."
     }
     warning(
       "The build process timed out. ",
-      "Try increasing the value of the 'timeout' argument",
+      "Try increasing the value of the `timeout` argument",
       end_warning,
       call. = FALSE
     )
@@ -786,8 +788,10 @@ build_status_ok <- function(process_log, quiet = FALSE) {
 
   if (is.na(process_log$status) || process_log$status != 0) {
     if (quiet) {
-      end_warning <-
-        " and/or try again with 'quiet=FALSE' to see full installation output."
+      end_warning <- paste0(
+        " and/or try again with `quiet = FALSE` to see full ",
+        "installation output."
+      )
     } else {
       end_warning <- "."
     }
@@ -856,16 +860,16 @@ check_unix_make <- function() {
   if (!nzchar(make_path)) {
     if (os_is_macos()) {
       stop(
-        "The 'make' tool was not found. ",
-        "Please install the command line tools for Mac with 'xcode-select --install' ",
+        "The make tool was not found. ",
+        "Please install the command line tools for Mac with `xcode-select --install` ",
         "or install Xcode from the app store. ",
         "Then restart R and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain().",
         call. = FALSE
       )
     } else {
       stop(
-        "The 'make' tool was not found. ",
-        "Please install 'make', restart R, and then run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain().",
+        "The make tool was not found. ",
+        "Please install make, restart R, and then run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain().",
         call. = FALSE
       )
     }
@@ -880,7 +884,7 @@ check_unix_cpp_compiler <- function() {
     if (os_is_macos()) {
       stop(
         "A suitable C++ compiler was not found. ",
-        "Please install the command line tools for Mac with 'xcode-select --install' ",
+        "Please install the command line tools for Mac with `xcode-select --install` ",
         "or install Xcode from the app store. ",
         "Then restart R and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain().",
         call. = FALSE
@@ -888,7 +892,7 @@ check_unix_cpp_compiler <- function() {
     } else {
       stop(
         "A C++ compiler was not found. ",
-        "Please install the 'clang++' or 'g++' compiler, restart R, ",
+        "Please install the clang++ or g++ compiler, restart R, ",
         "and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain().",
         call. = FALSE
       )
diff --git a/R/model.R b/R/model.R
index ae7fe451a..4d05830fc 100644
--- a/R/model.R
+++ b/R/model.R
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 #'   model (`stan_threads`, `stan_mpi`, `stan_opencl`, etc.), written as
 #'   `list(NAME = value)`. Each entry is an assignment you could make in the
 #'   `make/local` file, so `list(CXXFLAGS = "-O3")` rather than `"-O3"`.
-#'   Every entry must be named with a `Make` variable name, in any casing.
+#'   Every entry must be named with a make variable name, in any casing.
 #'   Setting an option to `FALSE` or `NULL` passes an empty assignment such as
 #'   `STAN_THREADS=`. That empties the variable for this build, which turns a
 #'   switch off, and overrides whatever `make/local` sets. See
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 #'   when compiling the model. A flag is given by name without the leading
 #'   hyphens, as `list("O1")` or `list(O1 = TRUE)`, and an option that takes a
 #'   value as `list(option = "value")`. See [stan_build_info()] for an example
-#'   and the [`stanc` chapter of the CmdStan User's
+#'   and the [stanc chapter of the CmdStan User's
 #'   Guide](https://mc-stan.org/docs/cmdstan-guide/stanc.html) for the
 #'   available options. Options that CmdStanR sets from its own arguments
 #'   cannot be passed here: `include-paths` (use `include_paths`),
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ cmdstan_model <- function(stan_file = NULL,
   if (is.null(exe_file) && is.null(stan_file)) {
     stop(
       "Unable to create a `CmdStanModel` object. ",
-      "Both 'stan_file' and 'exe_file' are undefined.",
+      "Both `stan_file` and `exe_file` are undefined.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
   }
@@ -482,14 +482,14 @@ CmdStanModel <- R6::R6Class(
     },
     code = function() {
       if (length(private$stan_code_) == 0) {
-        warning("'$code()' will return NULL because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
+        warning("`$code()` will return NULL because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
         return(NULL)
       }
       private$stan_code_
     },
     print = function(line_numbers = getOption("cmdstanr_print_line_numbers", FALSE)) {
       if (length(private$stan_code_) == 0) {
-        stop("'$print()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
+        stop("`$print()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
       }
       lines <- self$code()
       if (line_numbers) {
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ CmdStanModel <- R6::R6Class(
     },
     hpp_file = function() {
       if (!self$has_stan_file()) {
-        stop("'$hpp_file()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
+        stop("`$hpp_file()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
       }
       private$hpp_file_
     },
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ CmdStanModel <- R6::R6Class(
 #' * `$cmdstan_version()` returns the version of CmdStan that built the
 #'   executable, as a string.
 #' * `$cpp_options()` returns a named list of C++ options, with names in their
-#'   `make` spelling.
+#'   make spelling.
 #' * `$user_header()` returns the absolute path to the user header as a string,
 #'   or `NULL` if the model has no user header.
 #' * `$hpp_file()` returns the path to the `.hpp` file holding the C++ code
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ NULL
 variables <- function() {
   if (length(self$stan_file()) == 0) {
     stop(
-      "'$variables()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' ",
+      "`$variables()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` ",
       "was not created with a Stan file.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ check_syntax <- function(pedantic = FALSE,
                          stanc_options = list(),
                          quiet = FALSE) {
   if (length(self$stan_file()) == 0) {
-    stop("'$check_syntax()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("`$check_syntax()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   assert_stan_file_exists(self$stan_file())
   check_syntax_stan_file(
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ check_syntax_stan_file <- function(stan_file,
 #'   should 'canonicalize' the Stan model, removing things like deprecated syntax.
 #'   Default is `FALSE`. If `TRUE`, all canonicalizations are run. You can also
 #'   supply a list of strings which represent options. In that case the options
-#'   are passed to `stanc`. See the
+#'   are passed to stanc. See the
 #'   [User's guide section](https://mc-stan.org/docs/stan-users-guide/stanc-pretty-printing.html#canonicalizing)
 #'   for available canonicalization options.
 #' @param backup (logical) If `TRUE`, create a backup before writing to the
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ format <- function(overwrite_file = FALSE,
                    quiet = FALSE) {
   if (length(self$stan_file()) == 0) {
     stop(
-      "'$format()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel'",
+      "`$format()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel`",
       " was not created with a Stan file.", call. = FALSE
     )
   }
@@ -1476,7 +1476,7 @@ laplace <- function(data = NULL,
                     save_cmdstan_config = getOption("cmdstanr_save_config", FALSE)) {
   private$assert_current()
   if (!is.null(mode) && !is.null(opt_args)) {
-    stop("Cannot specify both 'opt_args' and 'mode' arguments.", call. = FALSE)
+    stop("Cannot specify both `opt_args` and `mode` arguments.", call. = FALSE)
   }
   procs <- CmdStanProcs$new(
     num_procs = 1,
@@ -1491,7 +1491,7 @@ laplace <- function(data = NULL,
       cmdstan_mode <- mode
     } else {
       if (!(is.character(mode) && length(mode) == 1)) {
-        stop("If not NULL or a CmdStanMLE object then 'mode' must be a path to a CSV file.", call. = FALSE)
+        stop("If not NULL or a CmdStanMLE object then `mode` must be a path to a CSV file.", call. = FALSE)
       }
       cmdstan_mode <- as_cmdstan_fit(mode)
     }
@@ -1517,7 +1517,7 @@ laplace <- function(data = NULL,
     if (cmdstan_mode$return_codes() != 0) {
       stop(
         "Optimization failed.\n",
-        "Consider supplying the 'mode' argument or additional optimizer args.",
+        "Consider supplying the `mode` argument or additional optimizer args.",
         call. = FALSE
       )
     }
@@ -1811,10 +1811,10 @@ pathfinder <- function(data = NULL,
   private$assert_current()
   if (!is.null(num_threads)) {
     if (!is.null(threads)) {
-      stop("Cannot specify both 'threads' and deprecated 'num_threads'.", call. = FALSE)
+      stop("Cannot specify both `threads` and deprecated `num_threads`.", call. = FALSE)
     }
     warning(
-      "'num_threads' is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release. Please use 'threads' instead.",
+      "`num_threads` is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release. Please use `threads` instead.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
     threads <- num_threads
@@ -2191,14 +2191,14 @@ CmdStanModel$set("public", name = "cmdstan_defaults", value = cmdstan_defaults)
 #'   now, so it also works on a model whose executable was replaced or whose
 #'   build record is gone.
 #'
-#'   This method is different than the `$cpp_options()` method, which answers a
+#'   This method is different from the `$cpp_options()` method, which answers a
 #'   narrower question: the C++ options this model object was created with.
 #'   `$build_info()` describes the executable itself, including what it reports
-#'   about its own build when run. The difference is clear when considering a
-#'   model created with `cmdstan_model(exe_file = )` from just an executable
-#'   with no build record: `$cpp_options()` is empty, since no options were
-#'   given, but `$build_info()` still reports whether the executable was built
-#'   with threading, OpenCL and so on.
+#'   about its own build when run. Take a model created with
+#'   `cmdstan_model(exe_file = )` from an executable with no build record:
+#'   `$cpp_options()` is empty, since no options were given, but `$build_info()`
+#'   still reports whether the executable was built with threading, OpenCL and
+#'   so on.
 #'
 #' @return See [stan_build_info()].
 #'
@@ -2304,7 +2304,7 @@ assert_stan_file_exists <- function(stan_file) {
 #' @param stan_file The model's Stan file, for the error when the binary
 #'   will not run.
 #' @param tbb_dir The record's `tbb_dir`, or `NULL` without a usable record.
-#' @return A named list with cmdstanr-style argument names and default
+#' @return A named list with CmdStanR-style argument names and default
 #'   values.
 parse_cmdstan_args <- function(model_binary, method, stan_file, tbb_dir) {
   withr::with_path(
diff --git a/R/path.R b/R/path.R
index 84bb1c2c0..3cfc6e3a0 100644
--- a/R/path.R
+++ b/R/path.R
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ cmdstan_path <- function() {
   path
 }
 
-#' The selected installation, checked right before a program runs out of it
+#' The selected installation, rechecked right before make or stanc runs from it
 #'
 #' `cmdstan_path()` returns the path cached when it was set, so an
 #' installation deleted since then would otherwise surface as a failure to
@@ -119,9 +119,10 @@ checked_cmdstan_path <- function() {
   path
 }
 
-#' The selected installation's version as its makefile says now, since the
-#' version `cmdstan_version()` caches goes stale when a checkout is rebuilt
-#' in place. A missing installation keeps the cached version.
+#' The selected installation's version, read from its makefile now
+#'
+#' `cmdstan_version()` caches the version, which goes stale when a checkout is
+#' rebuilt in place. A missing installation keeps the cached version.
 #' @noRd
 current_cmdstan_version <- function() {
   path <- cmdstan_path()
@@ -223,7 +224,7 @@ resolve_cmdstan_path_from_env <- function() {
   if (!dir.exists(path)) {
     warning(
       "CmdStan path not set. Can't find directory specified by environment ",
-      "variable 'CMDSTAN'.",
+      "variable `CMDSTAN`.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
     return(NA_character_)
@@ -237,7 +238,7 @@ resolve_cmdstan_path_from_env <- function() {
   if (is.null(path)) {
     warning(
       "CmdStan path not set. No CmdStan installation found in the path ",
-      "specified by the environment variable 'CMDSTAN'.",
+      "specified by the environment variable `CMDSTAN`.",
       call. = FALSE
     )
     return(NA_character_)
diff --git a/R/run.R b/R/run.R
index 19f838ac4..a6b42c2ed 100644
--- a/R/run.R
+++ b/R/run.R
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ CmdStanRun <- R6::R6Class(
       if (!length(private$latent_dynamics_files_)) {
         stop(
           "No latent dynamics files found. ",
-          "Set 'save_latent_dynamics=TRUE' when fitting the model.",
+          "Set `save_latent_dynamics = TRUE` when fitting the model.",
           call. = FALSE
         )
       }
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ CmdStanRun <- R6::R6Class(
       current_files <- self$metric_files(include_failed = TRUE) # used so we get error if 0 files
       if (!length(current_files)) {
         stop(
-          "No metric files found. Make sure to set 'save_metric=TRUE' when fitting the model.",
+          "No metric files found. Make sure to set `save_metric = TRUE` when fitting the model.",
           call. = FALSE
         )
       }
@@ -465,18 +465,16 @@ check_target_exe <- function(exe) {
 
 #' Turn a failed launch of the model executable into a readable error
 #'
-#' Called when processx could not start the executable, which happens when
-#' the file has lost its execute bit, for example after being unzipped from
-#' R, or was built for another platform, and when the executable started
-#' but could not answer `help-all`, for example because a library it was
-#' linked against is gone. Nothing checks for either ahead of time, so the
-#' launch is where they first show up. processx's own error gives a
-#' relative path like `./bernoulli` and an errno. This one names the
-#' executable, keeps the system's reason (for example "Permission denied")
-#' or the executable's own output, and says how to rebuild it, or that
-#' there is no Stan file to rebuild it from. When the TBB the build linked
-#' against is no longer there it says so, since that's one likely cause
-#' and reinstalling it is the other way out.
+#' Called when processx could not start the executable (it lost its execute bit,
+#' for example after being unzipped from R, or was built for another platform)
+#' and when it started but could not answer `help-all` (a library it was linked
+#' against is gone). Nothing checks for either ahead of time, so the launch is
+#' where they first show up. processx's own error gives a relative path like
+#' `./bernoulli` and an errno. This one names the executable, keeps the system's
+#' reason (for example "Permission denied") or the executable's own output, and
+#' says how to rebuild it, or that there is no Stan file to rebuild it from.
+#' When the TBB the build linked against is no longer there it says so, since
+#' that's one likely cause and reinstalling it is the other way out.
 #'
 #' @param exe_file Path to the executable.
 #' @param stan_file The model's Stan file, empty for a model created from an
diff --git a/R/stanc.R b/R/stanc.R
index c9fada8bf..0046639cf 100644
--- a/R/stanc.R
+++ b/R/stanc.R
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ assert_valid_stanc_options <- function(stanc_options) {
     if (startsWith(name, "--")) {
       stop("No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (", name, "). ",
            "Use options without leading hyphens, for example ",
-           "`stanc_options = list('warn-uninitialized')`",
+           "`stanc_options = list(\"warn-uninitialized\")`",
            call. = FALSE)
     }
     # The flag is the part before the first `=`, wherever the name occurs.
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ derived_stanc_option_message <- function(flag) {
     ),
     "allow-undefined" = paste0(
       "`allow-undefined` cannot be set through `stanc_options`. ",
-      "Builds turn it on when a `user_header` is supplied, and ",
+      "It is on whenever a `user_header` is supplied, and ",
       "`$check_syntax()`, `$format()` and `$variables()` always use it."
     ),
     "use-opencl" = paste0(
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ stanc_option_supplied <- function(stanc_options, flag) {
   FALSE
 }
 
-#' Turn a `stanc_options` list into `stanc` command line arguments
+#' Turn a `stanc_options` list into stanc command line arguments
 #'
 #' @param stanc_options (list) Named or unnamed stanc options. Logical values
 #'   mark boolean flags and any other value is passed as `--name=value`.
 #' @param quote_values (logical) Quote the arguments for the `STANCFLAGS`
-#'   string handed to Make, which expands it through a shell? Arguments for
-#'   direct `stanc` calls are passed to processx as separate elements and must
+#'   string handed to make, which expands it through a shell? Arguments for
+#'   direct stanc calls are passed to processx as separate elements and must
 #'   be left unquoted (#1227).
 #' @return A character vector of arguments, one per element.
 #' @noRd
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ drop_overridden_stancflags <- function(local_flags, call_args) {
 
 #' Build stanc include-path arguments
 #'
-#' Make receives include paths through `STANCFLAGS`, expands the value and hands
-#' it to the shell, so `make_shell_quote()` quotes each path for both (#1230)
+#' Include paths go to make through `STANCFLAGS`, which make expands and hands
+#' to the shell, so `make_shell_quote()` quotes each path for both (#1230)
 #' inside a single `--include-paths=` flag. Direct calls through processx
 #' instead need the flag and comma-separated paths as separate, unquoted
 #' arguments.
@@ -199,10 +199,10 @@ drop_overridden_stancflags <- function(local_flags, call_args) {
 #' @param include_paths A character vector of directories containing files used
 #'   in Stan `#include` directives, or `NULL`.
 #' @param direct_call A logical indicating whether the arguments will be passed
-#'   directly to stanc through processx instead of through Make.
+#'   directly to stanc through processx instead of through make.
 #'
 #' @return `NULL` if `include_paths` is `NULL`; otherwise, a single
-#'   `--include-paths=` argument for Make or two arguments for a direct call.
+#'   `--include-paths=` argument for make or two arguments for a direct call.
 #' @noRd
 include_paths_stanc3_args <- function(include_paths = NULL, direct_call = FALSE) {
   stancflags <- NULL
@@ -224,18 +224,18 @@ include_paths_stanc3_args <- function(include_paths = NULL, direct_call = FALSE)
   stancflags
 }
 
-#' Ask Make for `STANCFLAGS`, one argument per line
+#' Ask make for `STANCFLAGS`, one argument per line
 #'
-#' CmdStan's `print-%` rule echoes a variable through the shell, which strips the
-#' quotes, so `make print-STANCFLAGS` returns `--filename-in-msg='/my dir'` as
-#' two words (#1232). This rule hands `$(STANCFLAGS)` to the shell the way the
-#' stanc recipe does and prints what the shell delivers, so the result holds
+#' CmdStan's `print-%` rule echoes a variable through the shell, which strips
+#' the quotes, so `make print-STANCFLAGS` returns `--filename-in-msg='/my dir'`
+#' as two words (#1232). This rule hands `$(STANCFLAGS)` to the shell the way
+#' the stanc recipe does and prints what the shell delivers, so the result holds
 #' exactly the arguments stanc gets from make. Each line carries a prefix that
 #' tells it apart from other make output. The rule lives in a temporary makefile
 #' rather than an `--eval` argument because users may have a make too old for
-#' `--eval`; the one Apple ships with macOS is. The fragment's first line removes
-#' the fragment from `MAKEFILE_LIST` so a value that reads the list sees the same
-#' makefiles the real build does.
+#' `--eval`; the one Apple ships with macOS is. The fragment's first line
+#' removes the fragment from `MAKEFILE_LIST` so a value that reads the list sees
+#' the same makefiles the real build does.
 #'
 #' @param cmdstan_path (string) The CmdStan directory.
 #' @param make_args (character) Command-line variable assignments (`NAME=value`)
diff --git a/R/utils.R b/R/utils.R
index 941f3e2f6..0add1353f 100644
--- a/R/utils.R
+++ b/R/utils.R
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ warn_if_ignored_msys_toolchain_env <- function() {
     return(invisible(NULL))
   }
   warning(
-    "Environment variable 'CMDSTANR_USE_MSYS_TOOLCHAIN' is deprecated and ignored. ",
+    "Environment variable `CMDSTANR_USE_MSYS_TOOLCHAIN` is deprecated and ignored. ",
     "CmdStanR now requires CmdStan v", cmdstan_min_version(), " or newer.\n",
     "If you need legacy MSYS toolchain support, use an older CmdStanR release.",
     call. = FALSE
@@ -755,11 +755,12 @@ parse_make_print_flag <- function(flag_name, stdout) {
   sub(pattern, "", trimws(lines[matches]), perl = TRUE)
 }
 
-#' Quote words for a `STANCFLAGS` value handed to Make
+#' Quote words for a `STANCFLAGS` value handed to make
 #'
-#' Make expands the value and the shell splits it, so this doubles `$` for Make
-#' and single-quotes any word holding a character the shell could interpret
-#' (#1230). A word made only of characters neither touches stays as it is.
+#' Since make expands the value and the shell then splits it, this doubles `$`
+#' for make and single-quotes any word holding a character the shell could
+#' interpret (#1230). A word made only of characters neither touches stays as
+#' it is.
 #'
 #' @param x (character) Words, one per element.
 #' @return `x` with each element quoted as needed.
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
index decc6cec6..0cc5c1f63 100644
--- a/R/zzz.R
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ startup_messages <- function() {
     if (!is.null(deprecated_no_ver_check_option) ||
         !is.na(deprecated_no_ver_check_env)) {
       warning(
-        "The 'CMDSTANR_NO_VER_CHECK' option and environment variable are ",
+        "The `CMDSTANR_NO_VER_CHECK` option and environment variable are ",
         "deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future ",
-        "release. Use lowercase 'cmdstanr_no_ver_check' instead.",
+        "release. Use lowercase `cmdstanr_no_ver_check` instead.",
         call. = FALSE
       )
     }
diff --git a/man/cmdstan_model.Rd b/man/cmdstan_model.Rd
index 4757889d6..2a164922a 100644
--- a/man/cmdstan_model.Rd
+++ b/man/cmdstan_model.Rd
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ to compile with the Stan model.}
 model (\code{stan_threads}, \code{stan_mpi}, \code{stan_opencl}, etc.), written as
 \code{list(NAME = value)}. Each entry is an assignment you could make in the
 \code{make/local} file, so \code{list(CXXFLAGS = "-O3")} rather than \code{"-O3"}.
-Every entry must be named with a \code{Make} variable name, in any casing.
+Every entry must be named with a make variable name, in any casing.
 Setting an option to \code{FALSE} or \code{NULL} passes an empty assignment such as
 \verb{STAN_THREADS=}. That empties the variable for this build, which turns a
 switch off, and overrides whatever \code{make/local} sets. See
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ for using threading.}
 when compiling the model. A flag is given by name without the leading
 hyphens, as \code{list("O1")} or \code{list(O1 = TRUE)}, and an option that takes a
 value as \code{list(option = "value")}. See \code{\link[=stan_build_info]{stan_build_info()}} for an example
-and the \href{https://mc-stan.org/docs/cmdstan-guide/stanc.html}{\code{stanc} chapter of the CmdStan User's Guide} for the
+and the \href{https://mc-stan.org/docs/cmdstan-guide/stanc.html}{stanc chapter of the CmdStan User's Guide} for the
 available options. Options that CmdStanR sets from its own arguments
 cannot be passed here: \code{include-paths} (use \code{include_paths}),
 \code{warn-pedantic} (\code{pedantic}), \code{allow-undefined} (\code{user_header}),
diff --git a/man/model-method-build_info.Rd b/man/model-method-build_info.Rd
index 8613a135f..67d16c565 100644
--- a/man/model-method-build_info.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-build_info.Rd
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ what the result holds. The method reports on the executable as it is
 now, so it also works on a model whose executable was replaced or whose
 build record is gone.
 
-This method is different than the \verb{$cpp_options()} method, which answers a
+This method is different from the \verb{$cpp_options()} method, which answers a
 narrower question: the C++ options this model object was created with.
 \verb{$build_info()} describes the executable itself, including what it reports
-about its own build when run. The difference is clear when considering a
-model created with \code{cmdstan_model(exe_file = )} from just an executable
-with no build record: \verb{$cpp_options()} is empty, since no options were
-given, but \verb{$build_info()} still reports whether the executable was built
-with threading, OpenCL and so on.
+about its own build when run. Take a model created with
+\code{cmdstan_model(exe_file = )} from an executable with no build record:
+\verb{$cpp_options()} is empty, since no options were given, but \verb{$build_info()}
+still reports whether the executable was built with threading, OpenCL and
+so on.
 }
 \examples{
 \dontrun{
diff --git a/man/model-method-model-info.Rd b/man/model-method-model-info.Rd
index e988c8579..7aa40dae8 100644
--- a/man/model-method-model-info.Rd
+++ b/man/model-method-model-info.Rd
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ executable path is set.
 \item \verb{$cmdstan_version()} returns the version of CmdStan that built the
 executable, as a string.
 \item \verb{$cpp_options()} returns a named list of C++ options, with names in their
-\code{make} spelling.
+make spelling.
 \item \verb{$user_header()} returns the absolute path to the user header as a string,
 or \code{NULL} if the model has no user header.
 \item \verb{$hpp_file()} returns the path to the \code{.hpp} file holding the C++ code
diff --git a/man/stan_build_info.Rd b/man/stan_build_info.Rd
index 050f6ea02..8cf726676 100644
--- a/man/stan_build_info.Rd
+++ b/man/stan_build_info.Rd
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ When the build record is available, there are four more fields:
 \itemize{
 \item \code{configuration}: A list of the options the model was created with.
 \itemize{
-\item \code{cpp_options}: the list of options in their Make spelling, as
+\item \code{cpp_options}: the list of options in their make spelling, as
 \verb{$cpp_options()} reports them. For example, \code{list(stan_threads = TRUE)}
 comes back as \code{list(STAN_THREADS = "true")}.
 \item \code{stanc_options}: the flags as given to stanc, in order.
@@ -53,27 +53,27 @@ repeated here since \code{stanc_options} takes precedence.
 included files. When none were provided but the Stan program has includes
 this is set to the program's own directory.
 }
-\item \code{dependencies}: A list describing the files the build read. Contains sublists
-\code{stan_file}, \code{included_files}, \code{user_header} and \code{make_local}. \code{user_header}
-and \code{make_local} are \code{NULL} when the build had none. \code{included_files} holds
-one entry per file. Each entry has two fields: \code{built_from}, the path the
-file had when the build ran, and \code{exists}, whether that path exists now. A
-path that no longer exists is not necessarily a problem. For example, an \R
-package may build its models at install time in a temporary directory that
-is gone by the time the model is used.
+\item \code{dependencies}: A list describing the files the build read. Contains
+sublists \code{stan_file}, \code{included_files}, \code{user_header} and \code{make_local}.
+\code{user_header} and \code{make_local} are \code{NULL} when the build had none.
+\code{included_files} holds one entry per file. Each entry has two fields:
+\code{built_from}, the path the file had when the build ran, and \code{exists}, whether
+that path exists now. A path that no longer exists is not necessarily a
+problem. For example, an \R package may build its models at install time in a
+temporary directory that is gone by the time the model is used.
 \item \code{cmdstan}: A list containing the \code{path} and \code{version} of the CmdStan
 installation that built the executable, and whether that path still \code{exists}.
 This version and \code{reported_features$stan_version} will typically agree except
 when using a release candidate (\code{cmdstan$version} will have a
 release-candidate suffix whereas \code{reported_features$stan_version} comes from
 the Stan library headers the executable was compiled against and will not).
-\item \code{untracked_dependencies}: A list of files the build depended on that CmdStanR
-cannot follow, so a change to them does not automatically trigger a rebuild.
-An empty list means nothing of the kind was found. Each file is reported as
-a sublist with two fields: \code{kind}, which is \code{"make_local_include"} when
-\code{make/local} includes another makefile or \code{"user_header_include"} when the
-user header includes other headers, and \code{detected_in}, the file the include
-was found in.
+\item \code{untracked_dependencies}: A list of files the build depended on that
+CmdStanR cannot follow, so a change to them does not automatically trigger a
+rebuild. An empty list means nothing of the kind was found. Each file is
+reported as a sublist with two fields: \code{kind}, which is
+\code{"make_local_include"} when \code{make/local} includes another makefile or
+\code{"user_header_include"} when the user header includes other headers, and
+\code{detected_in}, the file the include was found in.
 }
 
 The result leaves out some of what the record holds: the file hashes the
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-gq.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-gq.md
index 77e09252f..7230fb3a7 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-gq.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-gq.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
       y_rep[9]
       y_rep[10]
       
-      # showing 10 of 11 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 10 of 11 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       variable mean median sd mad q5 q95
       y_rep[1]
       
-      # showing 1 of 11 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 1 of 11 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
       y_rep[9]
       y_rep[10]
       
-      # showing 10 of 11 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 10 of 11 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
       y_rep[1]
       y_rep[2]
       
-      # showing 2 of 11 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 2 of 11 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
       y_rep[1]
       y_rep[2]
       
-      # showing 2 of 10 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 2 of 10 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-laplace.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-laplace.md
index 4effe964d..3bdb292e5 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-laplace.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-laplace.md
@@ -19,5 +19,5 @@
       variable mean median sd mad q5 q95
       lp__
       
-      # showing 1 of 6 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 1 of 6 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mcmc.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mcmc.md
index f648f94cb..11e932fc4 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mcmc.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mcmc.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
       variable mean median sd mad q5 q95 rhat ess_bulk ess_tail
       lp__
       
-      # showing 1 of 5 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 1 of 5 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
       theta_raw[6]
       theta_raw[7]
       
-      # showing 10 of 19 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 10 of 19 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
       lp__
       mu
       
-      # showing 2 of 19 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 2 of 19 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
       theta[1]
       theta[2]
       
-      # showing 2 of 8 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 2 of 8 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -131,5 +131,5 @@
       fit_mcmc$save_metric_files()
     Condition
       Error:
-      ! No metric files found. Make sure to set 'save_metric=TRUE' when fitting the model.
+      ! No metric files found. Make sure to set `save_metric = TRUE` when fitting the model.
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mle.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mle.md
index 2e5b14e6e..4bf685fcd 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mle.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-mle.md
@@ -18,5 +18,5 @@
       variable estimate
       lp__
       
-      # showing 1 of 5 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 1 of 5 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-vb.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-vb.md
index cfd3a7039..c0cefb75c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-vb.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/fit-vb.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       variable mean median sd mad q5 q95
       lp__
       
-      # showing 1 of 6 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 1 of 6 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
       theta_raw[5]
       theta_raw[6]
       
-      # showing 10 of 20 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 10 of 20 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
 ---
 
@@ -84,5 +84,5 @@
       tau
       lp__
       
-      # showing 10 of 11 rows (change via 'max_rows' argument or 'cmdstanr_max_rows' option)
+      # showing 10 of 11 rows (change via `max_rows` argument or `cmdstanr_max_rows` option)
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/install.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/install.md
index 1297ba0d1..782c7e607 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/install.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/install.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       check_cmdstan_toolchain(fix = TRUE, quiet = TRUE)
     Condition
       Warning:
-      The 'fix' argument is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release.
+      The `fix` argument is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release.
 
 # toolchain_PATH_env_var() rejects unsafe toolchain paths
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/threads.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/threads.md
index 433a91ffd..792862fd0 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/threads.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/threads.md
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@
       invisible(do.call(mod$pathfinder, pathfinder_args))
     Condition
       Warning:
-      'num_threads' is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release. Please use 'threads' instead.
+      `num_threads` is deprecated as of CmdStanR 1.0.0 and will be removed in a future release. Please use `threads` instead.
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-build-info.R b/tests/testthat/test-build-info.R
index c238063f1..a27dc8ec2 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-build-info.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-build-info.R
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ test_that("stan_build_info() errors on unusable paths and unidentifiable executa
   expect_error(
     stan_build_info(failed_exe),
     paste0(
-      "Running '", resolve_path(failed_exe), "' with the argument 'info' did ",
+      "Running '", resolve_path(failed_exe), "' with the argument `info` did ",
       "not report a ",
       "Stan version, so it is either not a CmdStan executable or cannot be ",
       "run."
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ test_that("stan_build_info() errors on unusable paths and unidentifiable executa
   expect_error(
     stan_build_info(no_version_exe),
     paste0(
-      "Running '", resolve_path(no_version_exe), "' with the argument 'info' ",
+      "Running '", resolve_path(no_version_exe), "' with the argument `info` ",
       "did not report a Stan version, so it is either not a CmdStan ",
       "executable or cannot be run."
     ),
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-cpp-options.R b/tests/testthat/test-cpp-options.R
index 563641f68..80f052c74 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-cpp-options.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-cpp-options.R
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options sends makefile syntax to make/local", {
     expect_error(
       assert_valid_cpp_options(list(entry)),
       paste0(
-        "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. Set them in ",
+        "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. Set them in ",
         "`make/local` with `cmdstan_make_local()`, for example ",
         "`MAKEFLAGS += -j4`."
       ),
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options rejects -B and --always-make", {
     expect_error(
       assert_valid_cpp_options(list(entry)),
       paste0(
-        "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. `", entry,
+        "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. `", entry,
         "` rebuilds everything; pass `force_recompile = TRUE` instead."
       ),
       fixed = TRUE
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options sends -f entries to make/local's include", {
     expect_error(
       assert_valid_cpp_options(list(entry)),
       paste0(
-        "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. To read another ",
+        "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. To read another ",
         "makefile add `include other.mk` to `make/local`, for example ",
         "`cmdstan_make_local(cpp_options = list(\"include other.mk\"))`."
       ),
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options sends -f entries to make/local's include", {
   expect_error(
     assert_valid_cpp_options(list("-f")),
     paste0(
-      "Make flags cannot be passed through `cpp_options`. Set them in ",
+      "`cpp_options` cannot pass flags to make. Set them in ",
       "`make/local` with `cmdstan_make_local()`, for example ",
       "`MAKEFLAGS += -j4`."
     ),
@@ -193,12 +193,12 @@ test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options sends -f entries to make/local's include", {
   )
 })
 
-test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options requires Make variable names", {
+test_that("assert_valid_cpp_options requires make variable names", {
   for (options in list(list("CXXFLAGS+" = "-x"), list("2FOO" = 1))) {
     expect_error(
       assert_valid_cpp_options(options),
       paste0(
-        "`cpp_options` names must be Make variable names, made of letters, ",
+        "`cpp_options` names must be make variable names, made of letters, ",
         "digits and underscores and not starting with a digit. `",
         names(options), "` is not one."
       ),
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ test_that("a thread request needs threading reported on", {
   )
   expect_error(
     assert_valid_threads(2L, off, multiple_chains = TRUE),
-    "'threads_per_chain'", fixed = TRUE
+    "`threads_per_chain`", fixed = TRUE
   )
 
   for (features in list(on, off, unknown)) {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-data.R b/tests/testthat/test-data.R
index 2392a53d4..a1a0df46b 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-data.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-data.R
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ test_that("process_fitted_params() works with basic input types", {
 
 test_that("process_fitted_params() errors with bad args", {
   error_msg <- paste0(
-    "'fitted_params' must be a list of paths to CSV files, a CmdStanMCMC, ",
+    "`fitted_params` must be a list of paths to CSV files, a CmdStanMCMC, ",
     "CmdStanMLE, CmdStanLaplace, CmdStanVB, or CmdStanPathfinder object, ",
     "a posterior::draws_array or a posterior::draws_matrix."
   )
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R b/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R
index d5a65bc9f..ec132c64a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-fit-shared.R
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ test_that("saving diagnostic csv output works", {
     if (!(method %in% c("sample", "variational"))) {
       expect_error(
         fit$save_latent_dynamics_files(),
-        "No latent dynamics files found. Set 'save_latent_dynamics=TRUE' when fitting the model",
+        "No latent dynamics files found. Set `save_latent_dynamics = TRUE` when fitting the model",
         fixed = TRUE
       )
       next
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ test_that("draws() method returns a 'draws' object", {
     if (method != "sample") {
       expect_warning(
         fit$draws(inc_warmup = TRUE),
-        "'inc_warmup' is ignored except when used with CmdStanMCMC objects"
+        "`inc_warmup` is ignored except when used with CmdStanMCMC objects"
       )
     }
   }
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ test_that("code() warns if model not created with Stan file", {
   )
   expect_warning(
     expect_null(fit_exe$code()),
-    "'$code()' will return NULL because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file",
+    "`$code()` will return NULL because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-install.R b/tests/testthat/test-install.R
index 177eb8e88..8efb45440 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-install.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-install.R
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ test_that("install_cmdstan() errors if it times out", {
     expect_message(
       install_cmdstan(dir = dir, timeout = 1, quiet = TRUE, overwrite = dir_exists,
                       cores = CORES, wsl = os_is_wsl()),
-      if (dir_exists) "* Removing the existing installation" else "* * Installing CmdStan from https://github.com",
+      if (dir_exists) "* Removing the existing installation" else paste0("* Installing CmdStan v", ver, " in"),
       fixed = TRUE
     ),
-    "increasing the value of the 'timeout' argument and running again with 'quiet=FALSE'",
+    "increasing the value of the `timeout` argument and running again with `quiet = FALSE`",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   dir_exists <- dir.exists(file.path(dir, paste0("cmdstan-",ver)))
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ test_that("install_cmdstan() errors if it times out", {
     expect_message(
       install_cmdstan(dir = dir, timeout = 1, quiet = FALSE, overwrite = dir_exists,
                       cores = CORES, wsl = os_is_wsl()),
-      if (dir_exists) "* Removing the existing installation" else "* * Installing CmdStan from https://github.com",
+      if (dir_exists) "* Removing the existing installation" else paste0("* Installing CmdStan v", ver, " in"),
       fixed = TRUE
     ),
-    "Try increasing the value of the 'timeout' argument.",
+    "Try increasing the value of the `timeout` argument.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
@@ -124,11 +124,11 @@ test_that("toolchain checks on Unix work", {
   skip_if(os_is_windows())
   withr::local_envvar(c("PATH" = ""))
   if (os_is_macos()) {
-    err_msg_cpp <- "A suitable C++ compiler was not found. Please install the command line tools for Mac with 'xcode-select --install' or install Xcode from the app store. Then restart R and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
-    err_msg_make <- "The 'make' tool was not found. Please install the command line tools for Mac with 'xcode-select --install' or install Xcode from the app store. Then restart R and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
+    err_msg_cpp <- "A suitable C++ compiler was not found. Please install the command line tools for Mac with `xcode-select --install` or install Xcode from the app store. Then restart R and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
+    err_msg_make <- "The make tool was not found. Please install the command line tools for Mac with `xcode-select --install` or install Xcode from the app store. Then restart R and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
   } else {
-    err_msg_cpp <- "A C++ compiler was not found. Please install the 'clang++' or 'g++' compiler, restart R, and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
-    err_msg_make <- "The 'make' tool was not found. Please install 'make', restart R, and then run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
+    err_msg_cpp <- "A C++ compiler was not found. Please install the clang++ or g++ compiler, restart R, and run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
+    err_msg_make <- "The make tool was not found. Please install make, restart R, and then run cmdstanr::check_cmdstan_toolchain()."
   }
   expect_error(
     check_unix_cpp_compiler(),
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-json.R b/tests/testthat/test-json.R
index 36527f54f..ca748334e 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-json.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-json.R
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ test_that("write_stan_json errors if NULL variables", {
 test_that("write_stan_json() errors if data is not a list", {
   expect_error(
     write_stan_json(1:10),
-    "'data' must be a list"
+    "`data` must be a list"
   )
 })
 
@@ -266,17 +266,17 @@ test_that("write_stan_json() errors if data frame has columns of invalid type",
 test_that("write_stan_json() errors if bad names", {
   expect_error(
     write_stan_json(list(x = 1, y = 2, x = 3), file = tempfile()),
-    "Duplicate names not allowed in 'data'"
+    "Duplicate names not allowed in `data`"
   )
 
   expect_error(
     write_stan_json(list(1, 2), tempfile()),
-    "All elements in 'data' list must have names"
+    "All elements in `data` list must have names"
   )
 
   expect_error(
     write_stan_json(list(a = 1, 2), tempfile()),
-    "All elements in 'data' list must have names"
+    "All elements in `data` list must have names"
   )
 })
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-code-print.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-code-print.R
index 341be7bbd..be4418165 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-code-print.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-code-print.R
@@ -64,12 +64,12 @@ test_that("code() warns and print() errors if only exe and no Stan file", {
   mod_exe <- cmdstan_model(exe_file = mod$exe_file())
   expect_warning(
     expect_null(mod_exe$code()),
-    "'$code()' will return NULL because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file",
+    "`$code()` will return NULL because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$print(),
-    "'$print()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$print()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ test_that("check_syntax() errors if only exe and no Stan file", {
   mod_exe <- cmdstan_model(exe_file = mod$exe_file())
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$check_syntax(),
-    "'$check_syntax()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$check_syntax()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-compile.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-compile.R
index c66f870a9..d48e67443 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-compile.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-compile.R
@@ -282,17 +282,17 @@ test_that("compiling stops on hyphens in stanc_options", {
   stan_file <- testing_stan_file("bernoulli")
   expect_error(
     cmdstan_model(stan_file, stanc_options = hyphens),
-    "No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (--allow-undefined). Use options without leading hyphens, for example `stanc_options = list('warn-uninitialized')`",
+    "No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (--allow-undefined). Use options without leading hyphens, for example `stanc_options = list(\"warn-uninitialized\")`",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     cmdstan_model(stan_file, stanc_options = hyphens2),
-    "No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (--allow-undefined). Use options without leading hyphens, for example `stanc_options = list('warn-uninitialized')`",
+    "No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (--allow-undefined). Use options without leading hyphens, for example `stanc_options = list(\"warn-uninitialized\")`",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     cmdstan_model(stan_file, stanc_options = hyphens3),
-    "No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (--o). Use options without leading hyphens, for example `stanc_options = list('warn-uninitialized')`",
+    "No leading hyphens allowed in stanc options (--o). Use options without leading hyphens, for example `stanc_options = list(\"warn-uninitialized\")`",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ test_that("compiling stops on stanc options cmdstanr sets itself", {
   fragments <- list(
     "include-paths" = "Pass the directories with the `include_paths` argument.",
     "warn-pedantic" = "Use `pedantic = TRUE`.",
-    "allow-undefined" = "Builds turn it on when a `user_header` is supplied",
+    "allow-undefined" = "It is on whenever a `user_header` is supplied",
     "use-opencl" = "Use `cpp_options = list(stan_opencl = TRUE)`, which turns it on.",
     "name" = "The model name comes from the name of the Stan file."
   )
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ test_that("check_syntax() works", {
   )
   expect_error(
     mod_ok$check_syntax(stanc_options = list("allow-undefined")),
-    "Builds turn it on when a `user_header` is supplied",
+    "It is on whenever a `user_header` is supplied",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ test_that("check_syntax() works", {
   mod_exe <- cmdstan_model(exe_file = mod_removed_stan_file$exe_file())
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$check_syntax(),
-    "'$check_syntax()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$check_syntax()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 
@@ -739,17 +739,17 @@ test_that("a model created only with exe_file refuses what needs a Stan file", {
   mod_exe <- cmdstan_model(exe_file = mod$exe_file())
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$check_syntax(),
-    "'$check_syntax()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$check_syntax()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$variables(),
-    "'$variables()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$variables()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$hpp_file(),
-    "'$hpp_file()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$hpp_file()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ test_that("a model created only with exe_file refuses what needs a Stan file", {
 test_that("cmdstan_model errors with no args ", {
   expect_error(
     cmdstan_model(),
-    "Unable to create a `CmdStanModel` object. Both 'stan_file' and 'exe_file' are undefined.",
+    "Unable to create a `CmdStanModel` object. Both `stan_file` and `exe_file` are undefined.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ test_that("format() works", {
   mod_exe <- cmdstan_model(exe_file = mod_removed_stan_file$exe_file())
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$format(),
-    "'$format()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$format()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-init.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-init.R
index c82d79761..a7db0266a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-init.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-init.R
@@ -50,13 +50,13 @@ test_that("sample method works with valid numeric init values", {
 test_that("fitting methods throw errors for invalid init arguments", {
   expect_error(
     mod$sample(data = data_list, chains = 2, init = -10, seed = 123),
-    "If 'init' is numeric it must be a single real number >= 0",
+    "If `init` is numeric it must be a single real number >= 0",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 
   expect_error(
     mod$sample(data = data_list, init = data.frame(x = 10)),
-    "Invalid 'init' specification",
+    "Invalid `init` specification",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 
@@ -137,13 +137,13 @@ test_that("error if init list is specified incorrectly", {
   init_list <- list(alpha = 1, beta = c(1,1))
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_list),
-    "If 'init' is a list it must be a list of lists"
+    "If `init` is a list it must be a list of lists"
   )
 
   init_list <- list(init_list)
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_list),
-    "'init' has the wrong length"
+    "`init` has the wrong length"
   )
 
   init_list <- list(
@@ -152,13 +152,13 @@ test_that("error if init list is specified incorrectly", {
   )
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$optimize(data = data_list_logistic, init = init_list, seed = 123),
-    "'init' has the wrong length"
+    "`init` has the wrong length"
   )
 
   init_list <- list(list(), list())
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_list),
-    "'init' contains empty lists."
+    "`init` contains empty lists."
   )
 
   init_list <- list()
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ test_that("error if init list is specified incorrectly", {
   init_list[[2]] = init_list[[1]]
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_list),
-    "'init' contains entries with parameter names that include square-brackets, which is not permitted."
+    "`init` contains entries with parameter names that include square-brackets, which is not permitted."
   )
 
 })
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ test_that("init function return value is validated for each init", {
   }
   expect_error(
     process_init(init_fun, num_procs = 2),
-    "If 'init' is a function it must return a single list"
+    "If `init` is a function it must return a single list"
   )
 })
 
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ test_that("error if init function specified incorrectly", {
   init_fun <- function(a, b) list(a, b)
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_fun),
-    "If 'init' is a function it must have zero arguments or only argument 'chain_id'"
+    "If `init` is a function it must have zero arguments or only argument `chain_id`"
   )
 
   init_fun <- function() {
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ test_that("error if init function specified incorrectly", {
   }
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_fun),
-    "If 'init' is a function it must return a single list"
+    "If `init` is a function it must return a single list"
   )
 
   init_fun <- function() {
@@ -277,13 +277,13 @@ test_that("error if init function specified incorrectly", {
   }
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 2, init = init_fun),
-    "If 'init' is a function it must return a single list"
+    "If `init` is a function it must return a single list"
   )
 
   init_fun <- function() list()
   expect_error(
     mod_logistic$sample(data = data_list_logistic, chains = 1, init = init_fun),
-    "'init' contains empty lists."
+    "`init` contains empty lists."
   )
 })
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-laplace.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-laplace.R
index 213f36b73..064b0d015 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-laplace.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-laplace.R
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ test_that("laplace() errors if jacobian arg doesn't match what optimize used", {
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$laplace(data = data_list, mode = fit, jacobian = TRUE),
-    "'jacobian' argument to optimize and laplace must match"
+    "`jacobian` argument to optimize and laplace must match"
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$laplace(data = data_list, mode = fit, jacobian = TRUE),
@@ -141,11 +141,11 @@ test_that("laplace() errors with bad combinations of arguments", {
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$laplace(data = data_list, mode = mod, opt_args = list(iter = 10)),
-    "Cannot specify both 'opt_args' and 'mode' arguments."
+    "Cannot specify both `opt_args` and `mode` arguments."
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$laplace(data = data_list, mode = rnorm(10)),
-    "If not NULL or a CmdStanMLE object then 'mode' must be a path to a CSV file"
+    "If not NULL or a CmdStanMLE object then `mode` must be a path to a CSV file"
   )
 })
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-methods.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-methods.R
index 94b6b4f93..533f99bd7 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-methods.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-methods.R
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ test_that("unconstrain_draws returns correct values", {
   expect_equal(as.numeric(x_draws), as.numeric(unconstrained_draws))
 
   expect_message(fit$unconstrain_draws(draws = fit$draws(), inc_warmup = TRUE),
-                 "'inc_warmup' cannot be used with a draws object. Ignoring.")
+                 "`inc_warmup` cannot be used with a draws object. Ignoring.")
 
   # With a lower-bounded constraint, the parameter draws should be the
   # exponentiation of the unconstrained draws
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-optimize.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-optimize.R
index 658052c01..ff6183a33 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-optimize.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-optimize.R
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ test_that("optimize() errors with bad combination of arguments", {
   # for all similar args because of how it's implemented)
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = data_list, algorithm = "newton", tol_grad = 0.1),
-    "'tol_grad' can't be used when algorithm is 'newton'"
+    "`tol_grad` can't be used when algorithm is `\"newton\"`"
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = data_list, algorithm = "bfgs", tol_obj = -10),
@@ -81,17 +81,17 @@ test_that("optimize() errors with bad combination of arguments", {
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = data_list, init_alpha = 0.1),
-    "Please specify 'algorithm' in order to use 'init_alpha'"
+    "Please specify `algorithm` in order to use `init_alpha`"
   )
 
   # history size only allowed with lbfgs and must be positive integer
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = data_list, history_size = 1),
-    "'history_size' is only allowed if 'algorithm' is specified as 'lbfgs'"
+    "`history_size` is only allowed if `algorithm` is specified as `\"lbfgs\"`"
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = data_list, algorithm = "bfgs", history_size = 1),
-    "'history_size' is only allowed if 'algorithm' is specified as 'lbfgs'"
+    "`history_size` is only allowed if `algorithm` is specified as `\"lbfgs\"`"
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = data_list, algorithm = "lbfgs", history_size = 1.5),
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-model-variables.R b/tests/testthat/test-model-variables.R
index 62d24aff7..5efa6c6fe 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-model-variables.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-model-variables.R
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ test_that("$variables() errors when the model was not created from a Stan file",
   mod_exe <- cmdstan_model(exe_file = mod$exe_file())
   expect_error(
     mod_exe$variables(),
-    "'$variables()' cannot be used because the 'CmdStanModel' was not created with a Stan file.",
+    "`$variables()` cannot be used because the `CmdStanModel` was not created with a Stan file.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-opencl.R b/tests/testthat/test-opencl.R
index 582e11fcd..7516882e6 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-opencl.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-opencl.R
@@ -6,24 +6,24 @@ test_that("all methods error when opencl_ids is used with non OpenCL model", {
   mod <- cmdstan_model(stan_file = stan_file, force_recompile = TRUE)
   expect_error(
     mod$sample(data = testing_data("bernoulli"), opencl_ids = c(0, 0), chains = 1),
-    "'opencl_ids' is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
+    "`opencl_ids` is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$optimize(data = testing_data("bernoulli"), opencl_ids = c(0, 0)),
-    "'opencl_ids' is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
+    "`opencl_ids` is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_error(
     mod$variational(data = testing_data("bernoulli"), opencl_ids = c(0, 0)),
-    "'opencl_ids' is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
+    "`opencl_ids` is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   stan_file_gq <- testing_stan_file("bernoulli_ppc")
   mod_gq <- cmdstan_model(stan_file = stan_file_gq, force_recompile = TRUE)
   expect_error(
     mod_gq$generate_quantities(fitted_params = fit, data = testing_data("bernoulli"), opencl_ids = c(0, 0)),
-    "'opencl_ids' is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
+    "`opencl_ids` is set but the executable does not report OpenCL as enabled.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
 })
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-path.R b/tests/testthat/test-path.R
index bae7c3f95..f623fab33 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-path.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-path.R
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ test_that("Existing CMDSTAN env path with no install resets cached state", {
   withr::local_envvar(c(CMDSTAN = empty_parent))
   expect_warning(
     cmdstanr_initialize(),
-    "CmdStan path not set. No CmdStan installation found in the path specified by the environment variable 'CMDSTAN'.",
+    "CmdStan path not set. No CmdStan installation found in the path specified by the environment variable `CMDSTAN`.",
     fixed = TRUE
   )
   expect_null(.cmdstanr$PATH)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-threads.R b/tests/testthat/test-threads.R
index 062356d83..f2761ca8f 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-threads.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-threads.R
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ test_that("threading works with pathfinder()", {
   pathfinder_args$num_threads <- 2
   expect_error(
     do.call(mod$pathfinder, pathfinder_args),
-    "Cannot specify both 'threads' and deprecated 'num_threads'"
+    "Cannot specify both `threads` and deprecated `num_threads`"
   )
   pathfinder_args$threads <- NULL
   pathfinder_args$show_messages <- FALSE
diff --git a/vignettes/cmdstanr-internals.Rmd b/vignettes/cmdstanr-internals.Rmd
index ef4b7b11e..5de30c55e 100644
--- a/vignettes/cmdstanr-internals.Rmd
+++ b/vignettes/cmdstanr-internals.Rmd
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ in the Stan User's Guide.
 
 Pedantic mode is available when compiling the model or when using the separate
 `$check_syntax()` method of a `CmdStanModel` object. Internally this corresponds
-to setting the `stanc` (Stan transpiler) option `warn-pedantic`. Here we
+to setting the stanc (Stan transpiler) option `warn-pedantic`. Here we
 demonstrate pedantic mode with a Stan program that is syntactically correct but
 is missing a lower bound and a prior for a parameter.
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ model {
 ")
 ```
 
-To turn on pedantic mode when compiling set `pedantic=TRUE` in the call to
+To turn on pedantic mode, set `pedantic = TRUE` in the call to
 `cmdstan_model()`.
 
 ```{r pedantic-compile, collapse = TRUE}
@@ -246,11 +246,11 @@ mod <- cmdstan_model(stan_file, dir = "path/to/directory/for/executable")
 
 ### The build record
 
-Starting with v1.0, to help it determine whether a rebuild is necessary CmdStanR
-writes a hidden JSON file next to the executable that records how the executable
-was built: the Stan file and the files it includes, the options passed to
-`stanc` and `make`, the CmdStan installation, and a hash of the executable
-itself. The file is named after the executable, so `bernoulli` is described by
+Starting with v1.0, CmdStanR writes a hidden JSON file next to the executable so
+it can tell whether a rebuild is needed. The file records how the executable was
+built: the Stan file and the files it includes, the options passed to stanc and
+make, the CmdStan installation, and a hash of the executable itself. The file is
+named after the executable, so `bernoulli` is described by
 `.bernoulli.cmdstanr.json`.
 
 ```{r build-record}
@@ -267,8 +267,8 @@ reports only what the executable says about itself.
 ```{r build-info}
 mod$build_info()
 
-# demonstrating stan_build_info even though here we have the model object 
-# so we can use mod$build_info()
+# demonstrating stan_build_info even though we can use mod$build_info()
+# since we have the model object available
 stan_build_info(mod$exe_file())
 ```
 
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ doesn't hide the file from git). You can ignore all record files using
 If the directory is inside an R package, we recommend adding a matching regular
 expression to `.Rbuildignore`, such as `\..*\.cmdstanr\.json$`.
 
-In general, if you move the executable somewhere move the build record with it.
+If you move the executable, move the build record with it.
 If a build step copies the executable somewhere else, such as a CI artifact, a
 container image or a shared build directory, copy the record with it.
 
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ changing them does not automatically trigger a rebuild and you should manually
 force recompilation:
 
 - the C++ toolchain
-- environment variables the compiler or `make` reads
+- environment variables the compiler or make reads
 - CmdStan or the Stan Math library modified in place
 - a makefile that `make/local` includes
 - headers that a `user_header` includes