An abbreviation is a short form of a word or phrase that is usually made by deleting certain letters. In the following sentence, everything underlined is an abbreviation: Show
Dr. Jones, who’s currently undertaking research on DNA, can’t attend the WHO conference being held in the US in Oct. 2016. Not all of the abbreviations used in this example have the same look and feel. This is because while Dr. and Oct. are general abbreviations, who’s and can’t are contractions and DNA, WHO, and US are acronyms. In academic writing, contractions should be avoided, but acronyms are commonly used. Table of contents
ContractionsContractions are mostly used to simplify common pronoun/verb combinations. Deleted letters are replaced by an apostrophe. ContractionsCommon pronoun/verb combinationsI’mI amisn’tis notlet’slet usshe’sshe isyou’veyou haveHowever, contractions are generally considered too informal for academic writing. In this context, always write out the full words instead.
AcronymsAcronyms are usually formed using the first letter (or letters) of each word in a phrase. When they are read, some are pronounced as if they are words (such as OPEC); others are read as letters (such as the UK). AcronymFull termBeneluxBelgium, the Netherlands, and LuxembourgFAQFrequently asked questionITInformation technologyMBAMaster of Business AdministrationSWOTStrengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threatsPluralize acronyms by adding “s” without an apostrophe.
Introducing acronymsIntroduce every acronym before using it in the text. The first time you use the term, put the acronym in parentheses after the full term. Thereafter, you can stick to using the acronym. Note that when introducing an acronym, the full term should only be capitalized if it is a proper noun (e.g. the name of an organization).
Do not introduce an acronym unless you will use it a minimum of three or four times. If it only appears once or twice, write out the full term. If you use a lot of acronyms in the document, you can also introduce them in a list of abbreviations. There are some extremely common acronyms that do not need to be introduced. However, the list is small. Some examples of acronyms that don’t need to be spelled out include: CategoryAcronymsCountriesPRC, UAE, UK, USA, USSROrganizationsNASA, NATO, UNESCO, UNICEFScience and technologyAIDS, AM/FM, CD, DVD, HDMI, HIV, laser, PC, radar, TV, USBTimeBC/AD, BCE/CE, time zonesLatin abbreviationse.g., i.e., et al.Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.Try for freeLatin abbreviationsThere are some Latin abbreviations that are common in academic writing. AbbreviationMeaningUsageExamplee.g. (exempli gratia)for exampleUsed to give examples in parenthesesMany species of primates (e.g., orangutans) are endangered.i.e. (id est)that isUsed to clarify, specify or restate something in parenthesesMany endangered species (i.e., species that are very likely to become extinct) are primates.etc. (et cetera)and so onUsed at the end of a list in parentheses to indicate more unstated items on the listThere are many species of primates that are endangered (gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, etc.).et al. (et alia)and other peopleUsed after the first author when citing publications with multiple authorsConsumers experience greater risk with online purchases (Writers et al., 2016, p. 47).ibid. (ibidem)in the same placeUsed in footnote and endnote citations when citing the same source and page twice in a row1. Porter, 63-64.2. Ibid. Make sure not to confuse “e.g.” and “i.e.”. In general, it’s best to avoid using these abbreviations in the main text, especially in US English. Instead, put them inside parentheses followed by a comma, or write out full words.
Punctuating abbreviationsPeriods should always be used with Latin abbreviations, but not with contractions or acronyms. For general abbreviations, there are differences in punctuation between US and UK English. USUKMost title abbreviations take a period (e.g. Doctor to Dr., Mister to Mr., Honorable to Hon., Drive to Dr.)Title abbreviations take a period only if the abbreviation does not end on the last letter of the full word (e.g. Doctor to Dr, Mister to Mr, but Honourable to Hon., Drive to Dr.)Abbreviations in legal textsAbbreviations (including acronyms) are heavily used in legal writing. The conventions must be strictly followed, but they vary between countries and universities. If you are writing on a legal topic, you should adhere to the relevant style. Abbreviations in APAIf you are following the APA style guidelines, there are some specific guidelines for certain types of abbreviation. MeasurementsOnly abbreviate statistical terms (such as SD and M) and units of measurement (such as kg and min) if you are also using a number.
PunctuationUse periods if you are abbreviating a Latin term (such as g., a.m., and etc.) or referring to something related to your references (such as ed. or p.). Use periods when US serves as an adjective, but not when it refers to the country.
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Cite this article Is this article helpful?519 68 You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote...Sarah VinzSarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch. What is the first step in creating an acronym?Acronyms are usually formed using the first letter (or letters) of each word in a phrase.
What is acronym process?The acromion process extends from the spine of the scapula towards the front of the body. It functions to stabilize the shoulder joint and is attached by ligaments to the clavicle and coracoid process of the scapula. The deltoid muscle also attaches to the acromion process, which allows a person to abduct their arms.
What does the first acronym stand for?FIRST. For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
What is an acronym within an acronym called?recursive acronym (plural recursive acronyms) An acronym in which a word (often the first) of the phrase represented by the acronym is the acronym itself. quotations ▼
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