{"id":365,"date":"2014-07-25T20:09:59","date_gmt":"2014-07-25T20:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/writershandbook\/?post_type=chapter&p=365"},"modified":"2017-01-02T20:13:04","modified_gmt":"2017-01-02T20:13:04","slug":"19-3-abbreviating-words-and-using-acronyms","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-styleguide\/chapter\/19-3-abbreviating-words-and-using-acronyms\/","title":{"raw":"19.3 Abbreviating Words and Using Acronyms","rendered":"19.3 Abbreviating Words and Using Acronyms"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
\r\n

19.3<\/span> Abbreviating Words and Using Acronyms<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n

Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Be familiar with common abbreviations.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Understand when to use and not to use abbreviations.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Recognize common symbols when you see them and learn to use them.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAbbreviations<\/span><\/span> are shortened forms of words that are used for convenience or to manage space. In its purest form, an abbreviation includes initial letters of a word followed by a period, such as \u201cin.\u201d for \u201cinches.\u201d However, many abbreviations skip over letters, such as \u201cyd.\u201d for \u201cyard,\u201d and are still written with a period. Some multiword terms are abbreviated by using the first letter of each word and are called acronyms<\/span><\/span> rather than abbreviations. An example of an acronym is \u201cFBI\u201d for \u201cFederal Bureau of Investigation.\u201d\r\n\r\nSome abbreviations or acronyms require a period (etc.), but quite a few never take periods (IBM or FBI). You simply have to learn these differences through the experience of seeing specific examples in print.\r\n\r\nYou need to know two main things about abbreviations: when to use them and how to write them appropriately. The following sections will clarify these two points.\r\n
    \r\n

    Common Abbreviations for Titles with Names<\/h2>\r\nTitles that are used with names are often abbreviated\u2014in fact, they are almost always abbreviated. You should spell out religious, academic, and government titles in academic writing, but otherwise, use the standard abbreviations.\r\n
    \r\n

    Common Abbreviations<\/h3>\r\nUse these standard abbreviations before names:<\/strong> Mrs. Jones, Mr. Hernandez, Ms. Fieldston, Sen. Brown, Rev. Arles, Gen. Bradford, Dr. Borray, Rep. Anderson, Prof. Cruz, St. Francis, Sgt. Appleby\r\n\r\nUse these standard abbreviations after names:<\/strong> Alex Jones, DDS; Arnold Wilson, PhD; George A. Ortiz, Jr.; George A. Ortiz, Sr.; Hannah Borray, MD; Phil Horace, BA; Millie Mance, MA; Gloria Wills, MBA; Fred Flores, CPA\r\n\r\nDo not use an abbreviation both before and after a name:<\/strong> Write Dr. Joseph Pfeiffer or Joseph Pfeiffer, MD, but do not<\/em> write Dr. Joseph Pfieffer, MD.\r\n\r\nSpell out these titles in academic writing:<\/strong> Professor Robert Jones, Reverend Martin Luther King, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Senator John Smith\r\n\r\nDo not use these title abbreviations if not attached to a name:<\/strong> Do not use any of these abbreviations on their own without a name. Instead spell the titles out, as in \u201cI\u2019m going to see the doctor after my meeting with my professor.\u201d\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n
    \r\n

    Commonly Used Stand-Alone Abbreviations and Acronyms<\/h2>\r\nMany abbreviations and acronyms are widely used as stand-alone words. A small sampling of these abbreviations and acronyms is listed in the following tables.\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Word<\/th>\r\nAbbreviation<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    Avenue<\/td>\r\nAve.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Boulevard<\/td>\r\nBlvd.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    chapter<\/td>\r\nch.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    company<\/td>\r\nco.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Incorporated<\/td>\r\nInc.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    January<\/td>\r\nJan.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Katherine<\/td>\r\nKathy<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    maximum<\/td>\r\nmax.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    miscellaneous<\/td>\r\nmisc.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    months<\/td>\r\nmos.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    North<\/td>\r\nN.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Ohio<\/td>\r\nOH<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    package<\/td>\r\npkg.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    page<\/td>\r\np.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    pages<\/td>\r\npp.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    paid<\/td>\r\npd.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Robert<\/td>\r\nBob<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    September<\/td>\r\nSept.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Southwest<\/td>\r\nSW<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Tuesday<\/td>\r\nTues.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    University<\/td>\r\nUniv.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Phrase<\/th>\r\nAcronym<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    Alcoholics Anonymous<\/td>\r\nAA<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Bachelor of Arts<\/td>\r\nBA<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Central Intelligence Agency<\/td>\r\nCIA<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    digital video disk<\/td>\r\nDVD<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Environmental Protection Association<\/td>\r\nEPA<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Food and Drug Administration<\/td>\r\nFDA<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Internal Revenue Service<\/td>\r\nIRS<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Parent-Teacher Association<\/td>\r\nPTA<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    World Wide Web<\/td>\r\nwww<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Abbreviations with Numbers<\/h2>\r\nSome abbreviations are used almost exclusively to describe or clarify numbers. These abbreviations should not be used as stand-alone abbreviations. In other words, you can use the dollar-sign abbreviation to write \u201c$5.00\u201d but not to write \u201cI earned several $ last night.\u201d Some of these abbreviations can be used within text, such as BC, p.m., and CST. Measurement abbreviations, however, should be used only in tables, graphs, and figures and should be spelled out within continuous text. Some of these abbreviations will be addressed as symbols later in this section.\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Abbreviation<\/th>\r\nPurpose\/Meaning<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    300 BC<\/td>\r\nBefore Christ<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    300 BCE<\/td>\r\nBefore the Christian Era or Before the Common Era<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    1900 AD<\/td>\r\nAnno Domini (in the year of the lord)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    34 m<\/td>\r\nmeters<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    28 in.<\/td>\r\ninches<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    5\u00a2<\/td>\r\ncents<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    6:00 p.m.<\/td>\r\npost meridiem (after noon)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    1:00 a.m.<\/td>\r\nante meridiem (before noon)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    15 cm<\/td>\r\ncentimeters<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    No. 8<\/td>\r\nnumber<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    85 lbs.<\/td>\r\npounds<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    #5<\/td>\r\nnumber<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    11:30 a.m. EST<\/td>\r\nEastern Standard Time<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    4 hr. 10 min. 30 sec.<\/td>\r\nhours, minutes, and seconds<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    4 + 3<\/td>\r\nplus<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    \u00bd = .5<\/td>\r\nequals<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    7 ft.<\/td>\r\nfeet<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    7n < 21<\/td>\r\nis less than<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    432 \u2260 430<\/td>\r\ndoes not equal<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    44 cu. in.<\/td>\r\ncubic inches<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Abbreviations in Academic Writing<\/h2>\r\nAcademic citations include their own set of common abbreviations. They vary somewhat depending on the citation style you\u2019re using, so always follow your specific style guidelines. Some typical academic citation abbreviations are provided here. (For much more on documentation, see Chapter 22 \"Appendix B: A Guide to Research and Documentation.\")\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Abbreviation<\/th>\r\nPurpose\/Meaning<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    anon.<\/td>\r\nanonymous<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    b.<\/td>\r\nborn<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    c. or ca.<\/td>\r\ncirca; about (used with dates)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    ch. or chap.<\/td>\r\nchapter<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    d.<\/td>\r\ndied<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    ed., eds.<\/td>\r\neditor, editors<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    et al.<\/td>\r\net alia (Latin: \u201cand others\u201d)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    illus.<\/td>\r\nillustrated<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    n.d.<\/td>\r\nno date available<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    n.p.<\/td>\r\nno publisher information available<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    p., pp.<\/td>\r\npage, pages<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    vol., vols.<\/td>\r\nvolume, volumes<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Topic- or Profession-Specific and Incident-Specific Abbreviations<\/h2>\r\nIf you are writing for an audience that is familiar with a specific vocabulary that incorporates abbreviations\u2014for example, readers with a strong military base\u2014you can use those abbreviations freely. But be aware when you are writing for readers who do not share that common knowledge base that you will have to spell out abbreviations.\r\n\r\nIncident-specific abbreviations are created for use in one specific situation and thus require obvious references so the audience can understand their meaning. For example, say you are writing a story about a teacher named Mr. Nieweldowskilty. If you refer to him by his full name once and then note that students call him Mr. Niews for short and then refer to him as Mr. Niews the rest of the time, your audience can easily understand that Mr. Niews is short for Mr. Nieweldowskilty. But if you write a second story about him, you cannot assume that readers will know the abbreviated name, Mr. Niews.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Recognizing and Using Symbols<\/h2>\r\nSymbols are actually a form of abbreviating and are used widely in mathematics, on maps, and in some other situations. Here\u2019s a small sample:\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    75%<\/strong><\/td>\r\nPercent sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    #<\/strong>5<\/td>\r\nNumber sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    4 +<\/strong> 3<\/td>\r\nPlus sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    @<\/strong><\/td>\r\nAt sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    $<\/strong>5.00<\/td>\r\nDollar sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    5\u00a2<\/strong><\/td>\r\nCents sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    \u00bd =<\/strong> .5<\/td>\r\nEquals sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    432 \u2260<\/strong> 430<\/td>\r\nNot equal to sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    ><\/strong><\/td>\r\nGreater than<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    7n \u2264<\/strong> 21<\/td>\r\nLess than or equal sign<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    \u00a9<\/strong><\/td>\r\nCopyright<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    98.6\u00ba<\/strong><\/td>\r\nDegrees<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Key Takeaways<\/h3>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • You should become familiar with common abbreviations so you can use them in casual situations and in tables and figures.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • As a rule, do not use abbreviations in formal writing except within citations.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Keep your audience in mind when you decide whether to use abbreviations.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Many symbols are used in mathematics, on maps, and in other situations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n

      Exercises<\/h3>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Write a short poem using as many abbreviations as possible.<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. Make a copy of a scholarly paper. Highlight all the abbreviations.<\/li>\r\n \t
      3. Make a list of twenty abbreviations or symbols that are not included in the lists in this section.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n ","rendered":"

         <\/p>\n

        \n

        19.3<\/span> Abbreviating Words and Using Acronyms<\/h2>\n
        \n

        Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n
          \n
        1. Be familiar with common abbreviations.<\/li>\n
        2. Understand when to use and not to use abbreviations.<\/li>\n
        3. Recognize common symbols when you see them and learn to use them.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

          Abbreviations<\/span><\/span> are shortened forms of words that are used for convenience or to manage space. In its purest form, an abbreviation includes initial letters of a word followed by a period, such as \u201cin.\u201d for \u201cinches.\u201d However, many abbreviations skip over letters, such as \u201cyd.\u201d for \u201cyard,\u201d and are still written with a period. Some multiword terms are abbreviated by using the first letter of each word and are called acronyms<\/span><\/span> rather than abbreviations. An example of an acronym is \u201cFBI\u201d for \u201cFederal Bureau of Investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n

          Some abbreviations or acronyms require a period (etc.), but quite a few never take periods (IBM or FBI). You simply have to learn these differences through the experience of seeing specific examples in print.<\/p>\n

          You need to know two main things about abbreviations: when to use them and how to write them appropriately. The following sections will clarify these two points.<\/p>\n

          \n

          Common Abbreviations for Titles with Names<\/h2>\n

          Titles that are used with names are often abbreviated\u2014in fact, they are almost always abbreviated. You should spell out religious, academic, and government titles in academic writing, but otherwise, use the standard abbreviations.<\/p>\n

          \n

          Common Abbreviations<\/h3>\n

          Use these standard abbreviations before names:<\/strong> Mrs. Jones, Mr. Hernandez, Ms. Fieldston, Sen. Brown, Rev. Arles, Gen. Bradford, Dr. Borray, Rep. Anderson, Prof. Cruz, St. Francis, Sgt. Appleby<\/p>\n

          Use these standard abbreviations after names:<\/strong> Alex Jones, DDS; Arnold Wilson, PhD; George A. Ortiz, Jr.; George A. Ortiz, Sr.; Hannah Borray, MD; Phil Horace, BA; Millie Mance, MA; Gloria Wills, MBA; Fred Flores, CPA<\/p>\n

          Do not use an abbreviation both before and after a name:<\/strong> Write Dr. Joseph Pfeiffer or Joseph Pfeiffer, MD, but do not<\/em> write Dr. Joseph Pfieffer, MD.<\/p>\n

          Spell out these titles in academic writing:<\/strong> Professor Robert Jones, Reverend Martin Luther King, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Senator John Smith<\/p>\n

          Do not use these title abbreviations if not attached to a name:<\/strong> Do not use any of these abbreviations on their own without a name. Instead spell the titles out, as in \u201cI\u2019m going to see the doctor after my meeting with my professor.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \n

          Commonly Used Stand-Alone Abbreviations and Acronyms<\/h2>\n

          Many abbreviations and acronyms are widely used as stand-alone words. A small sampling of these abbreviations and acronyms is listed in the following tables.<\/p>\n

          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          Word<\/th>\nAbbreviation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
          Avenue<\/td>\nAve.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Boulevard<\/td>\nBlvd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          chapter<\/td>\nch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          company<\/td>\nco.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Incorporated<\/td>\nInc.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          January<\/td>\nJan.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Katherine<\/td>\nKathy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          maximum<\/td>\nmax.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          miscellaneous<\/td>\nmisc.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          months<\/td>\nmos.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          North<\/td>\nN.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Ohio<\/td>\nOH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          package<\/td>\npkg.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          page<\/td>\np.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          pages<\/td>\npp.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          paid<\/td>\npd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Robert<\/td>\nBob<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          September<\/td>\nSept.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Southwest<\/td>\nSW<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Tuesday<\/td>\nTues.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          University<\/td>\nUniv.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          Phrase<\/th>\nAcronym<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
          Alcoholics Anonymous<\/td>\nAA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Bachelor of Arts<\/td>\nBA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Central Intelligence Agency<\/td>\nCIA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          digital video disk<\/td>\nDVD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Environmental Protection Association<\/td>\nEPA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Food and Drug Administration<\/td>\nFDA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Internal Revenue Service<\/td>\nIRS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Parent-Teacher Association<\/td>\nPTA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          World Wide Web<\/td>\nwww<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
          \n

          Abbreviations with Numbers<\/h2>\n

          Some abbreviations are used almost exclusively to describe or clarify numbers. These abbreviations should not be used as stand-alone abbreviations. In other words, you can use the dollar-sign abbreviation to write \u201c$5.00\u201d but not to write \u201cI earned several $ last night.\u201d Some of these abbreviations can be used within text, such as BC, p.m., and CST. Measurement abbreviations, however, should be used only in tables, graphs, and figures and should be spelled out within continuous text. Some of these abbreviations will be addressed as symbols later in this section.<\/p>\n

          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          Abbreviation<\/th>\nPurpose\/Meaning<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
          300 BC<\/td>\nBefore Christ<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          300 BCE<\/td>\nBefore the Christian Era or Before the Common Era<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          1900 AD<\/td>\nAnno Domini (in the year of the lord)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          34 m<\/td>\nmeters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          28 in.<\/td>\ninches<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          5\u00a2<\/td>\ncents<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          6:00 p.m.<\/td>\npost meridiem (after noon)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          1:00 a.m.<\/td>\nante meridiem (before noon)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          15 cm<\/td>\ncentimeters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          No. 8<\/td>\nnumber<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          85 lbs.<\/td>\npounds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          #5<\/td>\nnumber<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          11:30 a.m. EST<\/td>\nEastern Standard Time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          4 hr. 10 min. 30 sec.<\/td>\nhours, minutes, and seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          4 + 3<\/td>\nplus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          \u00bd = .5<\/td>\nequals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          7 ft.<\/td>\nfeet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          7n < 21<\/td>\nis less than<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          432 \u2260 430<\/td>\ndoes not equal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          44 cu. in.<\/td>\ncubic inches<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
          \n

          Abbreviations in Academic Writing<\/h2>\n

          Academic citations include their own set of common abbreviations. They vary somewhat depending on the citation style you\u2019re using, so always follow your specific style guidelines. Some typical academic citation abbreviations are provided here. (For much more on documentation, see Chapter 22 “Appendix B: A Guide to Research and Documentation.”)<\/p>\n

          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          Abbreviation<\/th>\nPurpose\/Meaning<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
          anon.<\/td>\nanonymous<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          b.<\/td>\nborn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          c. or ca.<\/td>\ncirca; about (used with dates)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          ch. or chap.<\/td>\nchapter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          d.<\/td>\ndied<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          ed., eds.<\/td>\neditor, editors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          et al.<\/td>\net alia (Latin: \u201cand others\u201d)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          illus.<\/td>\nillustrated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          n.d.<\/td>\nno date available<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          n.p.<\/td>\nno publisher information available<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          p., pp.<\/td>\npage, pages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          vol., vols.<\/td>\nvolume, volumes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
          \n

          Topic- or Profession-Specific and Incident-Specific Abbreviations<\/h2>\n

          If you are writing for an audience that is familiar with a specific vocabulary that incorporates abbreviations\u2014for example, readers with a strong military base\u2014you can use those abbreviations freely. But be aware when you are writing for readers who do not share that common knowledge base that you will have to spell out abbreviations.<\/p>\n

          Incident-specific abbreviations are created for use in one specific situation and thus require obvious references so the audience can understand their meaning. For example, say you are writing a story about a teacher named Mr. Nieweldowskilty. If you refer to him by his full name once and then note that students call him Mr. Niews for short and then refer to him as Mr. Niews the rest of the time, your audience can easily understand that Mr. Niews is short for Mr. Nieweldowskilty. But if you write a second story about him, you cannot assume that readers will know the abbreviated name, Mr. Niews.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

          \n

          Recognizing and Using Symbols<\/h2>\n

          Symbols are actually a form of abbreviating and are used widely in mathematics, on maps, and in some other situations. Here\u2019s a small sample:<\/p>\n

          \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          75%<\/strong><\/td>\nPercent sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          #<\/strong>5<\/td>\nNumber sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          4 +<\/strong> 3<\/td>\nPlus sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          @<\/strong><\/td>\nAt sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          $<\/strong>5.00<\/td>\nDollar sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          5\u00a2<\/strong><\/td>\nCents sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          \u00bd =<\/strong> .5<\/td>\nEquals sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          432 \u2260<\/strong> 430<\/td>\nNot equal to sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          ><\/strong><\/td>\nGreater than<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          7n \u2264<\/strong> 21<\/td>\nLess than or equal sign<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          \u00a9<\/strong><\/td>\nCopyright<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          98.6\u00ba<\/strong><\/td>\nDegrees<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
          \n

          Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n