Abbreviations

 

What is an abbreviation?

          An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase used mainly in writing to represent the complete form.

 

Why we use abbreviations:

 

When and how to use abbreviations:

 

*There is no clear rule about when to use a period with abbreviations (U.S.A. or USA).  The best idea is to just stay consistent throughout your entire paper.  If you use periods for one abbreviated word, do so for all the other abbreviated words.

 

·        Abbreviations for Academic Degrees and Titles:

Use abbreviations for academic degrees and for the following common titles when used with a person’s name:

 Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Jr., and Sr.. 

Other titles, such as governor, colonel, professor, and reverend, are spelled out.

Example:  The doctor asked Ms. Huss, Professor James, and Colonel Smith to present the portrait of St. Thomas to Judge Wilson on the occasion of her receiving a Ph.D. in religious studies.

 

·        Abbreviation for Agencies, Institutions, and Other Entities:

Use abbreviations for agencies, groups, people, places, or objects that are commonly know by capitalized initials.

Examples:                                                                  

FBI          UCLA        DNA molecules     CD-ROM

If you wish to use a specialized abbreviation that may be unclear to your audience, write out the term in full the first time it occurs and place in parentheses the abbreviation that you will use from then on.

Example: The Modern Language Association (MLA) recently issued new guidelines for citing electronic sources.

This example indicates that the writer will from then on use the abbreviation MLA.

 

·        Abbreviations for Terms Used with Numbers:

Use abbreviations for terms commonly used with numbers, especially times, dates, amounts, and other units of measure.

Examples:

            1000C.E.                     $16.29

            500B.C.                       No.12 in a series

            3:30P.M.

Note that you should use abbreviations for units of measure only when they appear with numbers; never use abbreviations by themselves.

Wrong: Jane will meet Todd sometime in the A.M.

Correct: Jane will meet Todd sometime in the morning.

 

·        Abbreviations for Common Latin Terms:

Use abbreviations for common Latin terms used in footnotes, bibliographies, or parenthetical comments.  In the main text, spell out the English equivalents.

                        Examples:

                                    e.g.    for example

                                    i.e.     that is

                                    c.f.    compare

This rule applies also to etc. (et cetera, meaning ‘and so fourth”).  Avoid using etc. in formal writing.  Instead, use the English and so forth or and soon.  Never write and etc., because et is Latin for ‘and.”

                        Weak: During my year in Paris I went to concerts, festivals, movies, etc.

Revised: During my year in Paris I saw many cultural events, including five rock concerts, three festivals, and ten foreign films.

 

·        Plurals of Abbreviations:

                   Do not use an apostrophe when forming the plural of an abbreviation.

                        Faulty: I have misplaced three of my CD’s.

                        Revised: I have misplaced three of my CDs.

 

Common misconceptions of abbreviations:

By now we are sure that you have encountered with a few troubleshoot questions about abbreviations.  As a matter of fact, this topic has many specific and detailed misconceptions, but here is a list that hopefully will help you out during those sticky times.

 

·        Acronyms vs. Abbreviations:

Although they look familiar, acronyms and abbreviations are different. Taking the first initials of a phrase or compounded-word and using those initials to form a word that stands for something is known as an acronym.

How to know which one is which?

By the pronunciation of the word. If you read the word letter-by-letter, then it’s an abbreviation. If you read the word fluently, then it’s an acronym. Examples of acronyms: NATO, AIDS, LASER

Examples of abbreviations: FBI and HIV

How to know when to use them with articles?

One of the most often asked questions about grammar has to do with the choice of articles (a, an, the) to precede an abbreviation or acronym. Again, it depends on how you say the word. Lets try the following examples: do we say an FBI agent or a FBI agent? The answer is an FBI agent because we pronounce the word with an “eff-sound." We see a UFO, because although it begins with a “U”, we pronounce the “U” as if it were spelled “yoo.”

 

·        Units of measure:

Generally, you would use these only in technical writing. Nevertheless, always leave a space between the number and the abbreviation, and do not put an s after such abbreviation even when the plural is indicated. Also, do not put a period with such abbreviations except for in. (inches) because it might be confused with the preposition in.

Examples: 15 kg, 4 in., 2 lb

When the term of measurement is used as a modifier, put a hyphen between the number and the abbreviation.

Examples: a 15-ft board, a 5-lb line.

 

·        Long, common phrases:

Abbreviations such as IQ (Intelligence Quotient), rpm (revolutions per minute), mph (miles per hour) and mpg (miles per gallon) are acceptable even in formal academic text and may be used without periods. It depends on the writer’s style.

 

·        Place and time:

For time: either lower or upper case can be used with A.M., a.m., P.M., p.m.

For place in time: use B.C. (before Christ) after the date, and A.C. (after Christ) before the date.

For both cases, many stylebooks recommend SMALL CAPS for all appearances because this effect allows the abbreviation to blend smoothly with the rest of the text. As for the periods, there is no clear rule about when to use them, so it’s all up to the writer.

Note: it is considered bad form to use these abbreviations without a specific number attached to them: “We will do the assignment in the a.m.”

 

·        Common Latin terms:

For these abbreviations, such as i.e. (that is), e.g. (for example), etc. (and so forth), and et ali (and others), you do not italicize or underline them. The most common mistake is when the abbreviation i.e. (that is) is mistaken with other abbreviations. The i.e. is generally used to introduce matter that is explanatory as opposed to being the name of an example of list of examples.

How to know when to use it?

If you can say “for example” as a substitute for the abbreviation, you want to use e.g., and not i.e.

 

·        Plurals in abbreviations:

Another common mistake is that very often a writer uses an apostrophe after the abbreviation. This is not allowed; so don’t put an apostrophe after an abbreviation, no matter how plural it is.

Faulty: All the laser’s pointed out to the tree.

Revised: All the lasers pointed out to the tree.

 

 Exercises:

The following ten sentences are here for practice.  The answers can be found at the bottom of this page.

 

  1. The Federal Bureau of Investigation handles upper-level crimes.
  2. Mister Jones is my role model.
  3. Prof. Smith gives too much homework.
  4. MLA format is commonly used by many schools.
  5. I have misplaced two of my CD’s.
  6. Doctor Baker is our family doctor.
  7. I am good friends with Reverend Mark Smith.
  8. The Hon. Kyle Ferguson will lead the trial today.
  9. I like steak & eggs.
  10. Charles Williams, Junior is the son of Charles Williams, Senior

 

 

 If you have any questions on abbreviations, please contact Kelly, Maria, or Scott.  If we are unable to answer you questions, you can visit some of the websites below that contain more information on abbreviations.

 

*Abbreviation help

*Abbreviation help 2

*List of abbreviations

 

 

Answers:

 

  1. The F B I handles upper-level crimes.  (Commonly known agencies or institutions)
  2. Mr. Jones is my role model.  (Common title such as mister is abbreviated when with name)
  3. Professor Smith gives too much homework.  (Professor must be spelled out)
  4. Modern Language Association (MLA) format is commonly used by many schools.  (When using a term that may be unfamiliar to audience, write out in full form once first for reader to check back with)
  5. I’ve misplaced two of my CDs. (Never use an apostrophe to make plural of abbreviation)
  6. Dr. Baker is our family doctor.  (Doctor is abbreviated when with name and acting as title)
  7. I am a good friend with Rev. Mark Smith.  (Reverend is abbreviated with name, unless preceded by the word “the”)
  8. The Honorable Kyle Ferguson will lead the trial today.  (Honorable works same as Reverend, when preceded by “the”, must spell out)
  9. I like steak and eggs.  (& is never supposed to replace “and” to shorten)
  10. Charles Williams, Jr. is the son of Charles Williams, Sr. (Junior and Senior should be abbreviated with name)

 

Bibliography:

 

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson.  The Allyn and

Bacon Guide to Writing third ed. Pgs.811-813.  Pearson  Education, 2003.

“Abbreviations.”  Capital Community College October 26th, 2003

<http:// webster.commnet.edu/grammar/abbreviations.htm>