how to use acronyms in an essay

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How to Use Acronyms in Academic Writing

5-minute read
24th February 2015

In academic writing, you may need to use acronyms and initialisms. However, these are easy to misuse, especially when introducing them in an essay. So, how exactly do you use acronyms and initialisms in academic writing? And how to do you avoid using them incorrectly ? Let’s take a look.

What Is an Acronym?

Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the first letters of the words in a phrase or an organisation’s name:

Acronyms are pronounced as one word (e.g. UNICEF).
Each letter in an initialism is pronounced separately (e.g. BBC).

We use these abbreviations instead of the full terminology to save space or avoid repetition. For example, ‘UNESCO’ is much shorter than ‘United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’.

People sometimes think there is no need to introduce a well-known acronym or initialism. However, since many have more than one meaning, this can be confusing (as the World Wildlife Fund and the World Wrestling Federation ably demonstrated for many years).

Likewise, even if you are familiar with an acronym, other people might not be, especially if it is specific to your topic. As such, you should make the effort to define acronyms clearly when you introduce them in an essay.

How to Introduce Acronyms and Initialisms

When writing an essay, you should assume that your audience will not understand the abbreviations you use unless you have been told otherwise.

The first time you use one, write out the full terminology with the acronym/initialism in parentheses afterwards, like so:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was first established…

You can then continue to refer to it as ‘UNESCO’ throughout your essay.

The one exception here is when the acronym/initialism is more common than the actual name. Most people know the package delivery company United Parcel Service, for example, as UPS.

In cases like this, you can sometimes give the shortened version first and full terminology in parentheses:

The delivery company UPS (United Parcel Service) is known for…

After introducing the term like this, you can use the shortened version throughout the rest of your essay.

Capitalising Acronyms and Initialisms

Initialisms (i.e. abbreviations that are pronounced letter by letter) are almost always written in all caps (e.g. BBC, FBI, WWF). There are some exceptions to this, such as when ‘Transport for London’ is abbreviated to ‘TfL’. In most cases, though, you will need to capitalise each letter in an initialism.

This varies a bit more for acronyms (i.e. abbreviations pronounced as a single word). Some British English style guides recommend only capitalising the first letter of these terms (e.g. Unesco or Unicef). If you are using a style guide, it is thus worth checking it for advice on how to write acronyms. Otherwise, this is simply a matter of preference (just make sure to use a consistent capitalisation style throughout your writing).

In addition, there are a few common words that began as acronyms . These include ‘radar’ (short for ‘ radio detection and ranging ‘) and ‘laser’ (short for ‘ light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’ ). However, most people don’t even realise that these words were originally abbreviations, and they are always written with lowercase letters.

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Make Sure to Check the First Instance of the Acronym!

Many people edit and re-structure their essays at the last minute. In doing so, they may accidentally use an acronym somewhere before they defined it in the first draft, making it harder to understand.

To prevent this, though, you can use the ‘find’ function in MS Word:

Open the search bar in MS Word (e.g. hit Ctrl + F in Word for Windows).
Type the initialism you want to check into the search bar.
Find the first use in the document.

If the first use of each abbreviation comes with the full terminology, all is well. If not, find the place you defined it and move the full terminology.

Creating a List of Abbreviations

If your work contains a large number of acronyms, you may want to create a list of abbreviations. Typically, this is a list at the start of a document that defines all the initialisms, acronyms, and other abbreviations.

The reader can then check this list if they need to know the meaning of an abbreviation. This can be especially useful in longer documents, as it saves the reader having to find where the abbreviation is first used and defined.

Punctuating Abbreviations

Most acronyms and abbreviations are written without punctuation, as shown in the examples above. However, it is common to use full stops in lowercase abbreviations, such as ‘a.m.’, ‘p.m.’, ‘e.g.’, and ‘i.e.’ And some style guides (mostly those that focus on American English) recommend using a full stop between letters in short initialisms, such as ‘U.S.A.’ and ‘U.K.’

Unless you’re using a style guide that suggests adding periods to certain abbreviations, this is usually a matter of preference. But make sure to apply a consistent style! For example, either of the following would be acceptable:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the USA now. ✔

He was born in the U.K., but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✔

But mixing these punctuation styles would be incorrect:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✘

Make sure to think about how to punctuate abbreviations in your own writing.

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The rules for using acronyms can vary slightly. As such, if you are using a style guide, you should check what it says about abbreviations and acronyms.

Whichever style you’re using, though, our expert editors can help! Make sure your writing is always error free by getting it checked with Proofed. Upload a free trial document today to find out more.

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Acronyms and Abbreviations in Academic Writing: A Quick Guide

Abbreviations, acronyms, and Latin expressions can all be found in academic and scientific articles. But as a writer, it can be puzzling to know exactly when and how to use abbreviations and acronyms in formal academic publications. Let’s learn what types of abbreviations there are, what the different style manuals have to say about them, and when you should and shouldn’t include them in your scientific paper.

Table of Content:

What is an abbreviation, using abbreviations properly, how can i use abbreviations in academic writing, how can i avoid making abbreviation mistakes.

An abbreviation is a word that has been shortened from its original longer form. There are several different types of abbreviations.

Acronyms. An acronym is an abbreviation made from the first letter of each word in a name or phrase. Acronyms are pronounced like a word. NASA, which is short for N ational A eronautics and S pace A dministration and pronounced “Nah-suh,” is one well-known acronym. UNICEF, which stands for U nited N ations I nternational C hildren’s E mergency F und and is pronounced “you-nuh-seff,” is another example.

Initialisms. An initialism is similar to an acronym because it is an abbreviation that uses the first letter of each word in a name or phrase. Unlike acronyms, however, the letters of an initialism are pronounced individually. FBI, which is short for F ederal B ureau of I nvestigations, is an initialism. UK (United Kingdom) and USA (United States of America) are also initialisms.

Contractions. A contraction is when two words are combined for ease with an apostrophe. Common examples of contractions include don’t (do not), aren’t (are not), and let’s (let us).

Latin abbreviations. Latin abbreviations are commonly used in academia and law. Common latin abbreviations used in English writing are etc . (et cetera, “and so on”), e.g . (exempli gratia, “for example”), i.e . (id est, “in other words”), and et al . (et alii, “and others”).

Titles, measurements, and dates. Titles ( Dr . for Doctor, Rev . for Reverend), measurement units ( cm for centimeter, kg for kilogram), and days ( Feb . for February, Fri . for Friday) can all be abbreviated.

Before you begin using abbreviations in academic writing, there are a few rules you need to know. There are three main things to keep in mind when using abbreviations in an academic or scientific paper. These are spacing, capitalization, and punctuation . It is important to note that, like many other aspects of writing, the rules are sometimes different in the US and UK variations of English.

Spacing . For measurement units, there should be a space between the number and the unit. The unit is written after the number.

Correct : Mumbai had received 11 mm of rain by 6 pm . Incorrect : Mumbai had received 11mm of rain by 6pm .

Capitalization . Initialisms and acronyms should be written in all capital letters.

Correct : The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) seized Jimin’s $4.7 million dollar apartment for failure to pay premiums. Incorrect : The NHIS (National Health Insurance Service) seized Jimin’s $4.7 million dollar apartment for failure to pay premiums.

Note that if you are abbreviating a phrase that is not a proper noun (name of an institution, organization, etc.), then that phrase should not be capitalized when it is written prior to the abbreviation. For example, if you were introducing BP as an abbreviation for blood pressure, you would write “blood pressure (BP),” not “Blood Pressure (BP).”

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Punctuation . Generally, periods are used with latin abbreviations as well as dates . In US English, titles are followed by a period (Dr.), while in UK English, the period is omitted (Dr). Initialisms and acronyms generally don’t use periods (we write USSR rather than U.S.S.R.). Contractions use an apostrophe.

Now that you know how to use abbreviations, you may be wondering if and when you can use abbreviations in academic writing. You definitely can use abbreviations in academic writing if you keep the following rules in mind!

Spell out the full phrase or term the first time you use it in your paper and include the abbreviation in parentheses. You can use the abbreviation each time after that.
Don’t abbreviate everything . It is fine to abbreviate technical terms or phrases used repeatedly throughout your writing, but only if you use them more than a few times ! The Chicago Manual of Style advises abbreviating a term when it is used five or more times , while the APA only asks that you use an abbreviation if the term is used three or more times. The AMA guidelines suggest that words that are short and easy to write should not be abbreviated at all.
Provide a list of abbreviations for your reader. Especially if you are writing a thesis, an academic article or a monograph, including a list of abbreviations used at the beginning will give your reader an easy reference.
Avoid abbreviations in your paper abstract. While abbreviations are perfectly acceptable in the text of your paper, they should be avoided in your abstract as much as possible.
Avoid contractions. Contractions in English are considered informal, and should therefore generally be avoided in academic writing.
Minimize the use of latin abbreviations . It is fine to include parenthetical i.e . and e.g. here and there, but in general, it is preferred to simply write out “for example” or “in other words.” Researchers should specifically note that ending sentences with etc. in academic writing is frowned upon, and frequent use of this term is perceived as lazy writing.
Know how to make initialisms and acronyms plural . You can pluralize abbreviations by adding a lowercase “s” at the end . CEOs, RNs, and NEATs are all examples of correct plural abbreviations.
Be consistent! Inconsistent abbreviations can confuse the reader and make your paper appear poorly written. If you abbreviate a word, make sure you use the same abbreviation throughout the text.

In addition to following the tips and tricks above, you should always consult the relevant style manual when you are writing your academic or scientific paper to minimize any abbreviation errors. Another option is to use an AI grammar checker like Trinka. Trinka not only checks for grammar and spelling errors , it can also highlight inconsistent abbreviation use and makes sure that your paper adheres to a specific citation style. Abbreviations are a great way to make your paper more readable or adhere to a limited word count, so don’t be afraid to incorporate them into your academic writing today.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations (the shortened form of a word or phrase) and acronyms (words formed from the initial letters of a phrase) are commonly used in technical writing. In some fields, including chemistry, medicine, computer science, and geographic information systems, acronyms are used so frequently that the reader can feel lost in an alphabet soup. However, the proper use of these devices enhances the reading process, fostering fluid readability and efficient comprehension.

Some style manuals devote entire chapters to the subject of abbreviations and acronyms, and your college library no doubt contains volumes that you can consult when needed. Here, I provide just a few principles you can apply in using abbreviations and acronyms, and in the next section I offer a table of some of the forms most commonly used by student writers.

Abbreviations

Typically, abbreviate social titles (Ms., Mr.) and professional titles (Dr., Rev.).
In resumes and cover letters, avoid abbreviations representing titles of degrees (e.g., write out rather than abbreviate "Bachelor of Science").
Follow most abbreviations with a period, except those representing units of measure ("Mar." for March; "mm" for millimeter). See the table that follows for further guidance.
Typically, do not abbreviate geographic names and countries in text (i.e., write "Saint Cloud" rather than "St. Cloud"; write "United States" rather than "U.S."). However, these names are usually abbreviated when presented in "tight text" where space can be at a premium, as in tables and figures.
Use the ampersand symbol (&) in company names if the companies themselves do so in their literature, but avoid using the symbol as a narrative substitute for the word "and" in your text.
In text, spell out addresses (Third Avenue; the Chrysler Building) but abbreviate city addresses that are part of street names (Central Street SW).
Try to avoid opening a sentence with an abbreviation; instead, write the word out.
When presenting a references page, follow the conventions of abbreviation employed by a journal in your field. To preserve space, many journals commonly use abbreviations, without periods, in their references pages (e.g., "J" for Journal; "Am" for "American").

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a rapidly expanding field. GIS technology . . .

Unless they appear at the end of a sentence, do not follow acronyms with a period.
Generally, acronyms can be pluralized with the addition of a lowercase "s" ("three URLs"); acronyms can be made possessive with an apostrophe followed by a lowercase "s" ("the DOD’s mandate").
As subjects, acronyms should be treated as singulars, even when they stand for plurals; therefore, they require a singular verb ("NIOSH is committed to . . .").
Be sure to learn and correctly use acronyms associated with professional organizations or certifications within your field (e.g., ASME for American Society of Mechanical Engineers; PE for Professional Engineer).
With few exceptions, present acronyms in full capital letters (FORTRAN; NIOSH). Some acronyms, such as "scuba" and "radar," are so commonly used that they are not capitalized. Consult the table that follows in the next section to help determine which commonly used acronyms do not appear in all capital letters.
When an acronym must be preceded by "a" or "an" in a sentence, discern which word to use based on sound rather than the acronym’s meaning. If a soft vowel sound opens the acronym, use "an," even if the acronym stands for words that open with a hard sound (i.e., "a special boat unit," but "an SBU"). If the acronym opens with a hard sound, use "a" ("a KC-135 tanker").

Table of Commonly used Abbreviations and Acronyms

Use this table to check the proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation of commonly used abbreviations and acronyms. For a much more detailed listing of abbreviations and acronyms, you can check in the back pages of many dictionaries, or consult the Chicago Manual of Style (also available online to subscribers) or the free online version of the United States Government Printing Office Style Manual .

For comprehensive online acronyms dictionaries, especially for technical fields such as chemistry and medicine, I recommend these sites:

Online acronyms dictionary

Searchable acronyms database, sorted by discipline

Writing academically: Abbreviations

Academic style
Personal pronouns
Contractions

Abbreviations

Signposting
Paragraph structure
Using sources in your writing

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Abbreviations and acronyms are shortened forms of words or phrases. Generally, abbreviations are not acceptable in academic writing (with some exceptions, see below) and acronyms are (providing they are used as shown below).

As academic writing is formal in style, most abbreviations should be avoided. Even the common ones shown below:

Some common ones to avoid

Avoid e.g. and i.e. , instead use for example and for instance .

Avoid etc . There isn't really an alternative, so rewrite the sentence.

Avoid dept , govt . Use department , government .

Avoid NB , instead use note that .

Avoid vs or v , instead use versus or against (except in Law reports or cases)

Some acceptable abbreviations

Titles such as Mr. Dr. Prof. are acceptable when using them in conjunction with the individual's name i.e. Dr. Smith.

Some Latin phrases

et al. (short form of et alia - and others is acceptable when giving in text citations with multiple authors. The full stop should always be included afterwards to acknowledge the abbreviation. It does not need to be italicised as it is in common usage.

ibid. (short form of ibidim - in the same place) is acceptable if using footnote references to indicate that a reference is the same as the previous one. Again, always include the full stop to acknowledge the abbreviation. It is the convention to italicise this as it is less commonly used.

sic (short form of sic erat scriptum - thus it was written). This is used to indicate there was an error in something you are quoting (either an interviewee or an author) and it is not a misquote. It is added in square brackets but is neither italicised nor followed by a full stop i.e.

"it'd be great if unis [sic] could develop a person's self-knowledge"

Acronyms are acceptable, but use the name in full on its first use in a particular document (e.g. an assignment), no matter how well known the acronym is. For example, on its first use in an essay you might refer to "the World Health Organisation (WHO)" - it would be fine to simply refer to "the WHO" for the remainder of the essay.

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Writing Tips

HtUA in AW (or How to Use Acronyms in Academic Writing)

5-minute read
15th January 2016

Acronyms are common in academic writing , as they ensure concision and readability . The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, for instance, is much longer than ‘UNICEF’.

However, although acronyms are useful in academic writing, it’s important to use them properly so that your reader can understand what they mean. As such, there are a few guidelines you should follow.

What Are Acronyms and Initialisms?

Acronyms and initialisms are both abbreviations made up from the first letter of each word in a phrase (as with ‘UNICEF’ above). The only difference is that acronyms are pronounced as a single word (e.g. UNICEF), while we pronounce each letter in an initialism separately (e.g. FBI).

For the rest of this article, we will use ‘acronym’ to refer to both types of abbreviation (partly because this is quite common, but also to save repetition).

The Rules for Introducing Acronyms

The most important rule for using acronyms is to introduce them properly. The first time you use an acronym, provide full terminology followed by the abbreviation in parentheses:

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there are several options available…

After you have introduced it, you can simply use the shortened version:

A further report from the FBI indicated that…

As above, you should also make sure to use the correct article when using acronyms. When referring to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for example, we use ‘the’ before ‘FBI’. This is more common with initialisms than acronyms.

Things are more complicated when using the indefinite article (‘a’ or ‘an’), as the correct choice depends on how the term is pronounced. For instance, while we would say ‘a National Broadcasting Corporation employee’, we would also say ‘an NBC employee’ because the ‘N’ in ‘NBC’ is pronounced ‘en’.

However, in ‘a NATO plan’, we use ‘a’ because we pronounce ‘NATO’ as ‘Nay-to’. If you’re unsure about the correct article to use in any situation, try reading the sentence out loud to see how it sounds.

Exceptions to the Rules

As with any set of rules, there are exceptions when it comes to acronyms. The main one is that the normal convention of introducing an acronym in parentheses does not apply when the abbreviation is more common than the phrase for which it stands.

Examples here include the delivery company UPS and the BBC, both of which many people know by their initialisms rather than their full names (i.e. United Parcel Service and British Broadcasting Corporation).

If referring to these organisations in your writing, you could therefore use the acronym first and give the full name in parentheses:

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The management structure at UPS (United Parcel Service) is interesting for several reasons.

Other exceptions include acronyms that are now so familiar they have fallen into common use, like ‘TV’ for ‘television’ or ‘laser’ (which originally stood for ‘light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’). In these cases, there is no need to use the full terminology.

Capitalising Acronyms and Initialisms

This varies a bit more for acronyms (i.e. abbreviations pronounced as a single word). Some Australian English style guides recommend only capitalising the first letter of these terms (e.g. Unesco or Unicef). If you are using a style guide, it is thus worth checking it for advice on how to write acronyms. Otherwise, this is simply a matter of preference (just make sure to use a consistent capitalisation style throughout your writing).

Punctuating Abbreviations

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the USA now. ✔

He was born in the U.K., but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✔

But mixing these punctuation styles would be incorrect:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✘

Make sure to think about how to punctuate abbreviations in your own writing.

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The rules for using acronyms can vary slightly. As such, if you are using a style guide, you should check what it says about abbreviations and acronyms.

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here .

In APA, abbreviations should be limited to instances when a) the abbreviation is standard and will not interfere with the reader’s understanding and b) if space and repetition can be greatly avoided through abbreviation. You should not overuse abbreviations (writing is easier to understand when words are written out); you should also not underuse abbreviations (in general, if you use an abbreviation, it should appear at least three times in your paper, because fewer uses mean it is more likely your reader will forget what the abbreviation refers to).

There are a few common trends in abbreviating that you should follow when using APA, though there are always exceptions to these rules. When abbreviating a term, use the full term the first time you use it, followed immediately by the abbreviation in parentheses.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), abbreviations are best used only when they allow for clear communication with the audience.

Exceptions: Standard abbreviations like units of measurement and states do not need to be written out. APA also allows abbreviations that appear as words in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary to be used without explanation (IQ, HIV, RNA, CIA, UNESCO).

Do not use periods or spaces in abbreviations of all capital letters, unless it is a proper name or refers to participants using identity-concealing labels:

Exceptions: Use a period when abbreviating the United States as an adjective (U.S. Air Force or U.S. President)

Use a period if the abbreviation is a Latin abbreviation or a reference abbreviation:

Do not use periods when abbreviating measurements:

Exception: Use a period when abbreviating inch (in.) to avoid confusion.

Units of measurement and statistical abbreviations should only be abbreviated when accompanied by numerical values:

Only certain units of time should be abbreviated.

Do not abbreviate:

Do abbreviate:

To form the plural of abbreviations, add s alone without apostrophe or italicization.

Exception: To avoid confusion, do not add s to pluralize units of measurement (i.e., use "12 m" to signify "twelve meters," not "12 ms").

Abbreviations in Citations

Citations should be as condensed as possible, so you should know the basic rules of abbreviation endorsed by the APA to provide your readers with reference information.

Always abbreviate the first and middle names of authors, editors, etc.

Use the following abbreviations within citations (take note of capitalization):

Walsh University

Q. How do I use acronyms in an APA paper?

104 About the Library
59 About Walsh University
12 Archives
30 Business Resources
25 Checking out Items
204 Citing Sources
49 Copyright
53 Finding articles
34 Microsoft Office
10 Miscellaneous
3 Nurse Theorists
3 Nursing Theory
3 Practice Tests
184 Research
42 Tech Questions
32 Technology Tools
10 Textbooks
93 Using Databases
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Answered By: Katie Hutchison Last Updated: Nov 29, 2016 Views: 24436

Write out the entire phrase the first time you use it, followed by the acronym in parenthesis.

Example: Katie joined the American Library Association (ALA) in 2010. ALA has many events...

Use only the acronym throughout your paper after the first reference unless there are multiple pages between the first reference and subsequent references. If there is the possibility that your reader may not remember what the acronym stands for then you may choose to write out the entire phrase again.

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Comments (8)

Are acronyms capitalized in the journal title of an APA reference citation? by Marcheline on Aug 30, 2017
@Marcheline - Yes. by Katie Hutchison on Aug 30, 2017
Thank you Katie. I don't think I properly asked the question. In an APA-style citation, are acronyms in a journal title spelled out like, "American library association" for ALA? Also for program studies, is "LIS" kept as is in the journal title for "library information studies", or spelled out like I just did? by Marcheline on Aug 30, 2017
@Marcheline - I would spell it out. For example, a citation should say "Journal of the American Medical Association" not JAMA. by Katie Hutchison on Aug 31, 2017
Ok, thank you so much, Katie. I'm having such a hard time finding a concise answer to this extremely specific question. Not even my professor was sure. So then this looks right to you?: Oguz, F., Chu, C. M., & Chow, A. S. (2015). Studying online: Motivations and experiences in American library association-accredited library information science programs. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 56(3), 213-231. by Marcheline on Aug 31, 2017
@Marcheline - yes, just make sure you italicize the journal name and the volume number. by Katie Hutchison on Sep 03, 2017
Assume the acronym has been defined; what is the rule for using "the" before it when representing the proper name of a business? (1) When arriving at TRT, turn left. (2) When arriving at the TRT, turn left. I have always believed it best to speak the sentence aloud to determine whether to use "the" before the acronym. Am I thinking about this incorrectly? by JCAustin on Jul 20, 2018
@JCAustin - APA does not comment on this. Your idea of speaking the sentence aloud to determine if a "the" is necessary sounds fine with me. You could always check with your professor to see if he or she has a preference. by Katie Hutchison on Jul 25, 2018

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Other APA Guidelines: Abbreviations

Basics of abbreviations.

Using abbreviations can be an effective way to avoid repeating lengthy, technical terms throughout a piece of writing, but they should be used sparingly to prevent your text from becoming difficult to read.

Many abbreviations take the form of acronyms or initialisms, which are abbreviations consisting of the first letter of each word in a phrase. Examples are National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and Better Business Bureau (BBB). Note that the abbreviation uses all capital letters, and there are no periods between the letters.

To use an abbreviation, write out the term or phrase on first use, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. See these examples:

The patient had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in March of the previous year. Walden students need to know how to cite information using the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.

Using an Abbreviation in a Draft

After introducing the abbreviation, use the abbreviation by itself, without parentheses, throughout the rest of the document.

The patient had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in March of 2014. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2015), people with TBI often have difficulty with memory and concentration, physical symptoms such as headaches, emotional symptoms such as sadness and irritability, and difficulty falling asleep. Although the patient explained that she experienced frequent headaches and difficulty concentrating, she had not been regularly taking any medication for her TBI symptoms when she visited the clinic 6 months after her diagnosis.

Note: When introducing an abbreviation within a narrative citation, use a comma between the abbreviation and the year.

Making an Abbreviation Plural

Simply add an “s” to an abbreviation to make it plural. (Do not add an apostrophe.)

I work with five other RNs during a typical shift.

Note: RN is a commonly used acronym found in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary , so it does not need to be introduced. See the “Exceptions to the Rules” section below for more information about commonly used abbreviations.

Exceptions to the Rules

There are a few exceptions to the basic rules:

If you use the phrase three times or fewer, it should be written out every time. However, a standard abbreviation for a term familiar in its abbreviated form is clearer and more concise, even if it is used fewer than three times.
Commonly used acronyms and abbreviations may not need to be written out. If an abbreviation appears as a word in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary , then it does not need to be written it out on first use. Examples include words such as IQ, REM, and HIV.
Other than abbreviations prescribed by APA in reference list elements (e.g., “ed.” for “edition,” “n.d.” for “no date,” etc.), do not use abbreviations in the references list. For example, a source authored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would not be abbreviated as CDC in the references list.
If using an abbreviation for a unit of measure with a numerical value, you do not need to write the term out on first use. For example, instead of writing “12 grams;” you can simply use “12 g.” If, however, you use a unit of measure without a numerical value, write the term out (e.g., “several grams”).
Abbreviations for time, common Latin terms, and statistical abbreviations also follow specific rules. See APA 7, Sections 6.28, 6.29, and 6.44 for more information.

United States and U.S.

In APA style, "United States" should always be spelled out when it is used as a noun or location.

Example: In the United States, 67% reported this experience.

United States can be abbreviated as "U.S." when it is used as an adjective.

Examples: U.S. population and U.S. Census Bureau.

Abbreviations Video

APA Formatting & Style: Abbreviations (video transcript)

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Abbreviations

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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Abbreviations

How to Use Abbreviations

Here are the generally accepted guidelines for using abbreviations in formal texts:

Abbreviate a term only if doing so improves clarity and readability.
Provide the full form of an abbreviation at first use.
Avoid starting a sentence with an abbreviation.
Use all capital letters for initialisms and acronyms ( USA , UK , EU , CEO , GPS ) except abbreviated Latin terms ( e.g. , i.e. , etc. , p.m. ) and scientific and technical abbreviations ( ppm , mph , ml , kg ). Capitalize contractions of titles and proper nouns ( Mr. , Dr. , Rev. , Gen. , Jan. ).
Don’t use periods in abbreviations with two or more capital letters (except scientific abbreviations and abbreviated SI units).
Form the plural of an abbreviation by adding s or es without an apostrophe ( DVD s , CMS es , Dr s . Who and Strange ).
Use a or an before an abbreviation depending on how it is pronounced ( a US senator , an ATM , an MBA degree )

We discuss these and certain exceptions in detail below, with examples.

How to use abbreviations: Rules and examples. Explain at first use, except if the term is better known in its abbreviated form (CEO, PhD, FAQ, URL, i.e.) or is listed as a noun in the dictionary (TV, DNA, IQ, GPS, HTML). Don't use an abbreviation to start a sentence, unless it is an acronym, which is an abbreviation pronounced as a word ("NATO officials met in Brussels today") or is a contraction ("Dr. Strange will see you now"). Use "a"/"an" depending on pronunciation (an ATM but a UFO, a PhD but an MBA). .

When to abbreviate a term

An abbreviation as we know is the shortened form of a term. It is usually formed using the first letters of the words of a multi-word term, but it may simply be the short form of a single word. Abbreviations can help you avoid repeating long phrases in a document, thus making it more easily scannable and readable. But abbreviate a term only if it appears multiple times in a text (at least three to five times, depending on the length of the document).

Poor: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was set up in 1958. It is responsible for the United States’ civilian space program. Since its inception, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has led the Apollo missions and launched the Skylab space station. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration also supports the International Space Station.
Better: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was set up in 1958. It is responsible for the United States’ civilian space program. Since its inception, NASA has led the Apollo missions and launched the Skylab space station. NASA also supports the International Space Station.

Also use abbreviations for terms that are known better by their abbreviated rather than full forms—for example, PDF , HTML , ATM , CEO .

Don’t try to abbreviate every single term in a document. Too many abbreviations can render a text unreadable.

Poor: NASA is the US CSP . Since its inception, it has led the AMs and launched the SSS . NASA also supports the ISS . Better: NASA is the United States’ civilian space program. It has led the Apollo missions and launched the Skylab space station. NASA also supports the International Space Station.

When to avoid abbreviations

Abbreviations can be quite useful when space is limited, but you should confine the use of nonstandard abbreviations to tables, graphs, and figures, except in scientific and technical writing.

Avoid using nonstandard abbreviations in headings; you want the reader to be able to easily skim the document or just its table of contents. Also avoid using abbreviations in captions of figures and tables, which are considered reproducible in other texts and thus standalone.

Providing the full form

In general, explain an abbreviation by providing its full form at first use in a document.

In urban areas, a small green space ( SGS ) can become a habitat for local species of birds.
NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organization ) is a military alliance of 30 countries.
The GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation ) is one of the toughest privacy laws in the world.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration , better known as NASA , has released its latest climate assessment.
Nongovernmental organizations , or NGOs , fill this gap.

In academic papers and business reports, provide a glossary or list of abbreviations after the table of contents to help the general reader.

Don’t capitalize the words in the full form of an abbreviation unless it is a proper noun.

CPR: c ardio p ulmonary r esuscitation
TIN: t ax i dentification n umber
FBI: F ederal B ureau of I nvestigation
UK: U nited K ingdom

If a term usually appears in its abbreviated rather than complete form, the abbreviation need not be explained: for example, USA , MBA , PhD , PDF , BC / AD , BCE / CE , FAQ , URL , Mr. , Dr. , rpm , i.e.

You also don’t need to provide the full form of an abbreviation listed as a noun rather than an abbreviation in standard dictionaries like Merriam-Webster . Such terms that are now known better by their abbreviated forms include DNA , IQ , URL , HTML , PDF , hi-fi , TV , and (unfortunately) COVID .

Avoid redundancies like “SSN number.” Since SSN stands for “social security number ,” the word number after the abbreviation is redundant.

Use of capital letters

Abbreviations that are formed using the initial letters of the words of a term (initialisms or acronyms) generally comprise all capital letters.

FAQ ( f requently a sked q uestion)
PC ( p ersonal c omputer)
NAFTA ( N orth A merican F ree T rade A greement)
BA ( B achelor of A rts)
BC ( b efore C hrist)

Contractions usually appear in lowercase letters, but those that appear before a name as titles or are part of a proper noun are capitalized (the first letter of the contraction is then a capital letter).

abbr. (abbreviation)
vol. (volume)
ed. (editor/edited)
Dr. (Doctor)
Gen. (General)
Prof. (Professor)
estd. (established)
Inc. (Incorporated)

Technical and scientific abbreviations comprising the initial letters of a term may contain lowercase letters. Abbreviated units of measurement are also not capitalized.

rpm (revolutions per minute)
bhp (brake horsepower)
mph (miles per hour)
km (kilometer)
GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine)

Latin abbreviations are also generally lowercased.

e.g. ( exempli gratia or “for the sake of example”)
i.e. ( id est or “that is”)
ibid. ( ibidem or “in the same place”)
etc. ( et cetera or “and the rest”)
et al. ( et alii or “and others”)

In academic and other formal writing, avoid using abbreviations such as e.g. and i.e. in running text. Confine their use to parentheses, figures, tables, and citations.

Use of periods

In general, abbreviations with at least two capital letters contain no period.

Abbreviations that end in lowercase letters often contain periods.

If an abbreviation ending in a period appears at the end of a sentence, don’t add another period after it.

Incorrect: Our flight is at 3 a.m.. Correct: Our flight is at 3 a.m.

However, periods are omitted in scientific and technical abbreviations, abbreviated SI units, and abbreviations containing the preposition per .

Contractions and other shortened forms that end in a lowercase letter usually take a period.

In British usage, a period (or full stop) is used only if the shortened form comprises the first few letters or the first syllable of the word, but not otherwise. Thus, the contraction Dr (for D octo r ) does not take a period, but one does appear after Jan. (for Jan uary ).

Use of a / an and the

Use a or an before an abbreviation depending upon how it is pronounced. If it starts with a consonant sound, use a ; otherwise, use an .

a D VD player
an I Q test
a U N resolution pronounced “a y oo-en resolution”
an N BA game pronounced “an e n-bee-ay” game
an H R professional

With acronyms (abbreviations pronounced as words), the article the is omitted, even when it would be used with the full form.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a cartel of 13 countries. but The OPEC is a cartel of 13 countries.

But with initialisms (in which the individual letters are pronounced), use the with the abbreviation if it is used with the full form.

The United Kingdom is an island nation that is part of Europe. or The UK is an island nation that is part of Europe.

At the start of a sentence

In formal writing, avoid starting a sentence with an abbreviation. Use the full form instead, or rephrase.

Poor: UN representatives met in Brussels today. Better: United Nations representatives met in Brussels today.
Poor: UFDs save lives. Better: Unidentified floating devices save lives.
Poor: UK health officials are now recommending a booster dose. Better: Health officials in the UK are now recommending a booster dose.

Because acronyms and contractions are read aloud as words, they are acceptable at the beginning of a sentence.

Correct: NATO officials met with Kuwaiti diplomats in Brussels today.
Correct: Dr. Green has ordered additional tests.
Correct: Mr. Mittens is a most respectable cat.

Acronyms are abbreviations pronounced as words. Thus, NATO and NASA are acronyms, while USA and UK are merely initialisms.

If using the full form makes the sentence awkward, use the abbreviated form—for example, to refer to company names.

Correct: UBS / The Union Bank of Switzerland opened a new office today in London.
Correct: HSBC / The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation operates in many countries in Asia.

Plural forms

To form the plural of an abbreviation, simply add s (an apostrophe is unnecessary).

Abbreviations that already end in S can be pluralized either by adding another s or by adding es .

SMS s or SMS es
CMS s or CMS es

To form the plural of a contraction, add s and place a period after.

Vols. 1–5
Remiramen Femy and Minerva Dash, eds.
Drs. Femy and Dash

The plurals of Mr. and Ms. are Messrs. and Mss. (or Mses. ), seen only in formal usage. For more examples, see this article on how to form plurals of acronyms and other abbreviations .

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If an abbreviation (like HTML and DNA ) is listed as a noun in the dictionary, it need not be explained. Contractions like Dr. are generally used as such. But an abbreviation that isn’t well known (like MTN ) needs to be explained to the reader.

Abbreviations that start with a consonant sound when read aloud ( a y oo-kay passport ) take the article a instead of an .

Although abbreviations are not generally used to start a sentence in formal writing, contractions (like Dr. ) and acronyms (abbreviations pronounced as a word, like NATO ) are acceptable in this position.

To form the plural of an abbreviation, add an s without an apostrophe.

Use standard abbreviations that are easily recognizable in your field, but avoid abbreviating a large number of terms as this can make text confusing for readers. In nontechnical writing, restrict the use of abbreviations to tables and figures.

5 Quick Tips for Using Abbreviations and Acronyms in Academic Writing

Whether you’re working on a thesis or a research paper, abbreviations and acronyms are difficult to avoid in academic writing, which is why it’s important that you know how to use them properly. Here’s a quick primer.

1. Spell the word or phrase in full at first mention

When you first use the term that you will be abbreviating, you should usually spell out the actual word or phrase in full and follow that with the abbreviation/acronym in brackets.

For example: “We then conducted an analysis of variance (ANOVA).”

This ensures that your reader understands what your abbreviation means. While some abbreviations may seem common or obvious, different disciplines may use the same shorthand for different phrases. For example, “CAD” could refer to computer-aided design, coronary artery disease, Canadian dollar, current account deficit… You get the point! Abbreviations or acronyms that are extremely common for your audience may not need to be defined, but it’s best to check your style guidelines on this—and if you’re unsure, err on the side of caution and provide the full version at first mention.

2. Make sure abbreviations appear more than once

If you find that you have only used a specific abbreviation once in the entire paper, you should use the full version of the word or phrase instead and delete the abbreviation. This is because the purpose of abbreviations and acronyms is to make the writing more concise and aid comprehension, so—bearing in mind that it’s good practice to spell the abbreviated word or phrase in full at first mention—if it is only used once the abbreviation is redundant.

3. Use abbreviations consistently

Once you have introduced an abbreviation, it should be used consistently throughout the rest of the piece—that is, every time the word or phrase appears following its introduction. This means that once you have defined the abbreviation, you should stick to the same format and not switch back to the full word or a different abbreviation elsewhere in the paper. There are some exceptions to this rule; for example, the original text should be retained in direct quotations and references, and you may wish to use the full version in tables, figures, and section headings, depending on whether your style guide permits or even prescribes this.

4. Don’t go overboard

Abbreviations are a great way to keep writing concise. They can help you meet a tight word count, and enable the reader to focus on important information without getting bogged down by cumbersome phrases (for example, it’s much easier to process “RMSEA” than “root mean square error of approximation”!). However, a good writer will be prudent in their use of abbreviations; if a paper contains too many, that can be distracting and confusing in itself. Bear in mind also that similar constructions should be avoided. For example, if both “CAD” and “CDA” appear in your paper, it may be better to modify one of the abbreviations, or use the full version for one of the terms and do away with that abbreviation altogether.

5. Let us help!

Practice common sense, stick to the rules above, and, as always, feel free to have us check your work prior to submission to make sure your abbreviations are working with your paper rather than against it. Among our usual checks, we’ll ensure abbreviations are appropriate and consistent, and in line with your style guidelines.

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10 Tips for Using Abbreviations Correctly

How and When to Use Abbreviations in Formal Writing

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Writing Essays
Writing Research Papers
English Grammar
Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

"Provided they are not obscure to the reader, abbreviations communicate more with fewer letters. Writers have only to ensure that the abbreviations they use are too well known to need any introduction, or that they are introduced and explained on their first appearance."

—From "The Cambridge Guide to English Usage" by Pam Peters

Despite what you may have heard in school, abbreviations , acronyms, and initialisms are commonly used in formal writing (though you'll find them more frequently in business and the sciences than in the humanities). Exactly how they should be used depends on your audience, the country you're living in (British and American conventions differ), and the particular style guide you're following.

Using Indefinite Articles Before Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms: The choice between "a" and "an" is determined by the sound of the first letter in the abbreviation. Use "a" before a consonant sound (for example, "a CBC documentary" or "a U.S. official"). Use "an" before a vowel sound ("an ABC documentary" or "an MRI").
Placing a Period at the End of an Abbreviation: In American usage, an abbreviation that includes the first and last letters of a single word (Doctor, for example) is usually followed by a period (Dr.), while In British usage, the period (or full stop) is usually omitted (Dr).
Abbreviating the Titles of Doctors: For medical doctors, write either Dr. Jan Jones or Jan Jones, M.D. (Don't write Dr. Jan Jones, M.D.) For nonmedical doctors, write Dr. Sam Smith or Sam Smith, Ph.D. (Don't write Dr. Sam Smith, Ph.D.)
Using Common Abbreviations: Certain abbreviations are never spelled out: a.m., p.m., B.C. (or B.C.E.), A.D. (or C.E.). Unless your style guide says otherwise, use lower case or small capitals for a.m. and p.m. Use capital letters or small caps for B.C. and A.D. (the periods are optional). Traditionally, B.C. comes after the year and A.D. comes before it, but nowadays the abbreviation commonly follows the year in both instances.
Abbreviating Months and Days: If the month is preceded or followed by a numeral (14 Aug. or Aug. 14), abbreviate months as follows: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Aug., Sep. (or Sept.), Oct., Nov., Dec. Don't abbreviate May, June, or July. As a general rule, don't abbreviate the month if it appears alone or with just the year—and don't abbreviate the days of the week unless they appear in charts, tables, or slides.
Using the Abbreviation Etc.: The Latin abbreviation etc. (short for et cetera) means "and others." Never write "and etc." Do not use etc. at the end of a list introduced by "such as" or "including."
Placing a Period After Each Letter in an Acronym or an Initialism: Though there are exceptions, as a general rule omit the periods: NATO, DVD, IBM.
Punctuating an Abbreviation at the End of a Sentence: Use a single period when an abbreviation appears at the end of a sentence. The single period does double duty—marking the abbreviation and closing the sentence.
Avoid RAS Syndrome: RAS syndrome is a humorous initialism for "Redundant Acronym (or Abbreviation) Syndrome syndrome." Avoid redundant expressions such as ATM machine and BBC corporation.
Avoid Alphabet Soup: Alphabet soup (a.k.a. initialese) is a metaphor for using an overabundance of abbreviations and acronyms. If you're unsure whether the meaning of an abbreviation is familiar to your readers, write out the entire word.
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Were, We're, and Where: How to Choose the Right Word
Abbreviations and Acronyms for English Learners
What Is an Abbreviation?
Differences Between an Initialism and an Acronym
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Guidelines for Using Capital Letters
Definition and Examples of Periods: Full Stop
10 Words to Avoid in Formal Writing
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The Most Common French Acronyms and Abbreviations
What's the Preferred Way to Write the Abbreviation for United States?
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The Latin Abbreviation A.D.
Zuppa di Alfabeto: Italian Abbreviations and Acronyms
A Guide to Using Apostrophes Correctly

Acronyms and Initialisms

#scribendiinc

When and when not to use acronyms and initialisms

There is a time and place for everything and using initialisms and acronyms is no exception. The whole point of using these forms of abbreviation in your business writing is to make your writing clearer. However, if you misuse or abuse initialisms and/or acronyms, you'll accomplish just the opposite, turning your memos and manuals into a confusing brew.

What is an initialism?

Essentially, initialisms are shorter forms of words or phrases that can come in handy when you need to repeat the same word or phrase a number of times throughout the same piece of writing. They are pronounced as a series of letters. For example, "World Trade Organization" is often written as "WTO." You can see how writing the three-letter initialism can save you a lot of time and keep your business document from sounding repetitive.

What is an acronym?

An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of a name or phrase. It is pronounced as if it were a word. Examples of common acronyms include "SARS" (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and "UNICEF" (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)—imagine having to write that out each time in a 10-page document on the organization's initiative to improve educational opportunities for young girls in Africa!

Important things to consider before using an initialism or acronym

Outline what the initialism or acronym means.

Short forms aren't always the best way to avoid redundancies . So, if you're going to use initialisms and/or acronyms in your business writing, remember: The first time you use an initialism or acronym in your document, the words should be written out with the short form placed in parentheses immediately after. This way, it's clear to the readers exactly what the letters mean. Here's an example:

A New World Order (NWO) came into effect after 9/11.

Be consistent

Readers will then be aware that any future reference to the "NWO" in your document really refers to the New World Order. After you've established an initialism or acronym in your paper, you must consistently use the short form in place of the words.

Stick to one definition of the initialism or acronym

Always clarify in your own mind the exact definition of each acronym you use. If you define SEM as "scanning electron microscopy" (which is a process), your acronym should refer only to the process throughout your paper. For example, the following sentence would be incorrect if included in the same paper:

We used an SEM in our experiments.

If you've already defined SEM as standing for the process, you cannot use SEM to refer to the item (i.e., a scanning electron microscope, which you use to perform the process of scanning electron microscopy), even though the first letters of each word are the same. In short, the same initialism or acronym can only refer to one thing in a document.

Don't forget about using articles

Remember that many initialisms or acronyms still require articles (i.e., "a," "an," or "the"). Let's use the New World Order again:

Incorrect: NWO has emerged in the 21st century.

Correct: An NWO has emerged in the 21st century.

Remember that NWO stands for a noun "New World Order," and nouns require articles before them.

If you're confused about whether to use "a" or "an" in front of an initialism or acronym that begins with a consonant, remember to speak the abbreviated form aloud. If the first letter of the initialism or acronym makes a vowel sound (regardless of whether or not the first letter is actually a vowel), you should use "an." The acronym "NWO" is a perfect example. While "N" is a consonant, it makes the short e sound (i.e., a vowel sound) when you say it. Consequently, "an" should be used.

Check to see if there is already an established initialism or acronym for your phrase

It's also important to remember that while you can sometimes make up initialisms or acronyms, there are many words/phrases that require abbreviating that are already established and universal. There are a number of online dictionaries you can use to search for commonly used initialisms and acronyms.

Initialisms and acronyms in academic writing

If you're using initialisms and/or acronyms in academic writing , remember that some scientific journals require you to introduce initialisms and acronyms once in the abstract of your article and then again upon the first use in the body of the article. Should you be unsure about how to use initialisms or acronyms when writing an academic article, please refer to your journal's specific requirements.

Too many initialisms and acronyms can turn your business writing into alphabet soup

Please remember that acronyms should only be used for words or phrases that are repeated a number of times throughout your document. If you use too many initialisms and acronyms, readers will become confused. Here's an example of extreme initialism/acronym usage in a press release :

In the US, the notion of an NWO became popular after the terrorist attacks on the WTC. However, officials in NATO and the WTO rarely refer to an NWO in proceedings relating to the GATT, and it can be said that the MVTO, the MFN clause, and SROs have little to do with an NWO.

As you can see, too many initialisms and acronyms can make your writing more difficult to understand. If numerous acronyms are necessary, we recommend including a glossary of initialisms/acronyms; your readers may then refer to it if they become confused.

TTYL—Save your casual initialisms and for text messages

Finally, while you may often be rotfl with your bff about the Chem hw that you need to get done asap , please remember that initialisms and acronyms used in instant messaging are rarely, if ever, appropriate for business or professional writing.

While using initialisms and acronyms correctly may help readers understand your work more easily, the incorrect use of initialisms and acronyms could turn your work into a mess. When in doubt, submit your work to our business editors for a fast, professional opinion.

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Special Publication: Writing Guide for Public Documents
January 2012

Good Grammar Makes for Good Writing: Remembering the Basics

Abbreviations/acronyms.

Ghana’s Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) is responsible for implementing the MCC compact. According to a MiDA spokesperson, the roads project in Ghana was completed on time and on budget. MiDA is updating beneficiaries of the outcomes.

She has worked at UNESCO, WWF, the World Bank, OPEC, AfDB, and the IMF. She also spent three years at the City Agricultural Monitoring Project (CAMP).
He met with representatives from the World Bank and the IMF at the United Nations, where they discussed IMF- and U.N.-led initiatives and MCC-funded projects.

Bibliography/Endnotes

MCC occasionally promotes academic or white papers on development topics. These papers cite facts, figures and important statements. To properly cite material or data used from other sources, writers can consult the many available style guides, including the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style.

Capitalization

She worked in the Northern Zone of El Salvador, but enjoyed traveling south to the urban areas.

courtesy titles

Do not use.

Paul Applegarth was MCC's first CEO. Applegarth served in the position from 2003 to 2005.

Foreign Words

Stoves emit a toxic brew of pollution in traditional ger homes, circular felt dwellings popular in Mongolia’s capital.

Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia.

Moummer al-Kadhafi,
Muammer Qadhafi,
Moammer Gadhafi

World Food Programme, not World Food Program

Joe Smith benefits from MCC's agriculture program in Moldova. Because of new irrigation, Smith can grow an additional 10 hectares of wheat.

Abdulhaq has worked as a translator with the U.S. military in Afghanistan for three years. Abdulhaq, who has only one name like many Afghans, has worked with Army and Marine units.

In 2013, Park Geun-hye was elected president of South Korea. Park is the first woman to hold the office.

More than 20 percent of the farmers increased their incomes.
More than 9 percent of farmers raised higher-value crops.
two-thirds, four-fifths, one-half
Over two-thirds of the compact investment is obligated.

Burkina Faso signed its compact in July 2008.

Possessives

women’s rights

girls’ schools
beneficiaries’ stories
measles’effects
United States’ generosity

compact’s goals

eyewitness’s account
eyewitness’ story

publication and policy titles

Italicize and capitalize the name of the publication or policy only if it is the official title.

Punctuation

Brackets, [ ].

Avoid brackets. Use parentheses instead or recast the sentence.

This is true: No amount of development assistance will end global poverty unless the engine of private sector, market-led growth is ignited as well.

MCC has one mission: global poverty reduction through growth.

Colons go outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation itself.

She said, “The compensation package helped me start a new business,” and her son nodded.

The flag is red, white and blue.

MCC partner countries are strengthening policy performance, investing in their own development solutions, deepening capacity and transparency, and delivering the results their citizens demand.

MCC’s CEO said, “We are pursuing greater private sector engagement.”

Be consistent in the use of hyphens, but do not overuse them
Hyphens are joiners.
Use a hyphen to link words, compound adjectives or to mark the division of single words at the end of a line. Follow a hyphen with a space only in constructions such as pre- and post-manufacturing waste.
well-known NGO
that NGO is well known
full-time commitment
first-quarter disbursements
private sector growth
easily remembered objectives
highly sophisticated irrigation equipment

The impact evaluation estimates 10- to 20-year benefits.

pages 46–52
Civil War–era
male–female
This difficult component of the compact—an unprecedented undertaking—requires the majority of staff time and resources.
MCC’s core principles—policy performance, country ownership, results, transparency—set a new standard in aid effectiveness.

Question Marks, ?

Who wrote “Gone With the Wind”?
The staffer asked, “Who handles private sector engagement?”

Semicolons, ;

Congressional Democrats labeled the Republican proposal with names like Ducking, Dodging and Destroying; the Slash, Burn and Pander Act; and The Bill Which Tap Dances Around the Question of Revenue and Lifting the Debt Ceiling.

She said, “The compensation package helped me start a new business”; many of her neighbors started businesses as well.

As per GPO, AP and Chicago style manuals, always use a single space after a period, exclamation mark and question mark at the end of a sentence in public documents.

Titles/Offices

The prime minister toured MCC projects in her country.
John Doe, the current president, plans to run again.
She met with President-elect Obama.
She met with former President George W. Bush.

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How to structure paragraphs using the PEEL method

Sophia Gardner

Sep 1, 2023

You may have heard of the acronym PEEL for essays, but what exactly does it mean? And how can it help you? We’re here to explain it all, plus give you some tips on how to nail your next essay.

There’s certainly an art to writing essays. If you haven’t written one for a while, or if you would like to hone your academic writing skills, the PEEL paragraph method is an easy way to get your point across in a clear and concise way, that is easily digestible to the reader.

So, what exactly is PEEL ?

The PEEL paragraph method is a technique used in writing to help structure paragraphs in a way that presents a single clear and focused argument, which links back to the essay topic or thesis statement.

It’s good practice to dedicate each paragraph to one aspect of your argument, and the PEEL structure simplifies this for you.

It allows you to create a paragraph that is easy and accessible for others to understand. Remember, when you’re writing something, it’s not just you who is reading it - you need to consider the reader and how they are going to be digesting this new information.

What does PEEL stand for?

P = Point: start your paragraph with a clear topic sentence that establishes what your paragraph is going to be about. Your point should support your essay argument or thesis statement.

E = Evidence/Example: here you should use a piece of evidence or an example that helps to reaffirm your initial point and develop the argument.

E = Explain: next you need to explain exactly how your evidence/example supports your point, giving further information to ensure that your reader understands its relevance.

L = Link: to finish the paragraph off, you need to link the point you’ve just made back to your essay question, topic, or thesis.

Download a free PEEL paragraph planner below. 👇

Studiosity English specialist Ellen, says says students often underestimate the importance of a well-structured paragraph.

PEEL in practice

Here’s an example of what you might include in a PEEL structured paragraph:

Topic: Should infants be given iPads? Thesis/argument: Infants should not be given iPads.

Point : Infants should not be given iPads, because studies show children under two can face developmental delays if they are exposed to too much screen time.

Evidence/Example: A recent paediatric study showed that infants who are exposed to too much screen time may experience delays in speech development.

Explanation: The reason infants are facing these delays is because screen time is replacing other key developmental activities.

Link: The evidence suggests that infants who have a lot of screen time experience negative consequences in their speech development, and therefore they should not be exposed to iPads at such a young age.

Once you’ve written your PEEL paragraph, do a checklist to ensure you have covered off all four elements of the PEEL structure. Your point should be a clear introduction to the argument you are making in this paragraph; your example or evidence should be strong and relevant (ask yourself, have you chosen the best example?); your explanation should be demonstrate why your evidence is important and how it conveys meaning; and your link should summarise the point you’ve just made and link back to the broader essay argument or topic.

Keep your paragraphs clear, focused, and not too long. If you find your paragraphs are getting lengthy, take a look at how you could split them into multiple paragraphs, and ensure you’re creating a new paragraph for each new idea you introduce to the essay.

Finally, it’s important to always proofread your paragraph. Read it once, twice, and then read it again. Check your paragraph for spelling, grammar, language and sentence flow. A good way to do this is to read it aloud to yourself, and if it sounds clunky or unclear, consider rewriting it.

That’s it! We hope this helps explain the PEEL method and how it can help you with your next essay. 😊

You might also like: Proofreading vs editing: what's the difference? How to get easy marks in an exam 5 study hacks that actually work

Topics: English , Writing , Grammar

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How to Write a Classification Essay

Books & Ebooks
What is an Classification Essay?
Choosing a Topic
How to Navigate Galileo
The Writing Process
Copyright & Fair Use/Plagiarism

Evaluating sources video

The C.R.A.A.P Test by Wintec City Library

Evaluate sources

When looking for accurate, reliable, credible sources use the Acronym CRAAP to help you decide if the information you are given is right for your research:

Check out the following handouts and links for further assistance:

CRAAP Test Worksheet

CRAAP handout- Evaluating Resources

Checklist For evaluating sources

A teaching resource created by the MLA Style Center. Checklist for determining if sites are reliable.

Evaluating sources

When doing research, it is important to find information that is reliable, accurate, and appropriate for your assignment. Some assignments may require you to use or limit certain sources such as:

primary or secondary sources,
specific types of periodicals, and/or
Internet sources.

In all cases, you should evaluate the information before you use it in your assignments.

Types of Sources

When doing research the following types of sources will be available:

Primary Sources: These sources are records of events or evidence during the time period of an event. First hand accounts. examples: government documents, Diaries, autobiographies.
Secondary Sources: These sources offer an analysis or retailing of an event. Information after the fact or event. Textbooks, Literary analysis, edited work
Tertiary Sources: These are sources that index, abstract, organize, compile, or digest other sources. Examples: dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs
Types of Sources Various types of resources available for your research assignment or paper.

How to Evaluate sites

Evaluating sources involves recognizing that not all information you read is valid or credible especially when using online resources. The following links will give you a general breakdown of sources and the process of conducting research

Evaluating Internet Information- USG Online Learning Library
Bare Bones 101: A Basic Tutorial on Searching the Web
Strategies for conducting Research

Information on conducting research by Pressbooks

Primary Source Analysis Tool for Students

Google Search Tips

Google Search

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How to Remove Annoying News Widgets From Windows 11

Windows 11, by default, shows you a bunch of "news" articles when you click the widget icon, the thing on the left-hand side of the taskbar that usually shows you the weather. This block of news articles was, until recently, next to impossible to disable. I am not exaggerating when I say the news articles selected seemed designed to disrupt anything resembling digital calm—it's consistently some of the worst rage bait you can find on the internet, as though the 2000s-era MSN homepage had a baby with 4chan.

I wrote about how to hide this crap a few years ago, but my process didn't work for everyone. Since then a close friend of mine almost returned her brand new Microsoft Surface because of this nonsense, which on that device shows up constantly even if you disable the taskbar icon. (She stumbled on my article but it didn't help, and she ultimately used a registry hack to disable the feature entirely.)

None of those workarounds are necessary anymore. You can now use the Windows 11 widget area without seeing any garbage news headlines. Here's how.

How to Hide the News in Windows 11

Open the Widgets Board on your device (try not to read the horrible headlines—they'll be gone soon). Click the gear icon in the top-right corner.

Image may contain Elon Musk Adult Person People Face Head and Text

This will open the settings. Click the Show or hide feeds option.

Image may contain Elon Musk Text Electronics Mobile Phone Phone Computer Hardware Hardware Person Face and Head

By Carlton Reid

Apple’s Photo Bug Exposes the Myth of ‘Deleted’

By Lauren Goode

Everything Microsoft Announced at Today’s Surface Event

By Brenda Stolyar

How to Remove Your Personal Info From Google’s Search Results

By Reece Rogers

From here you can turn off the Microsoft Start option.

Image may contain Text Computer Hardware Electronics Hardware Monitor and Screen

And that's it! It’s not at all obvious from the name, but the Microsoft Start feed is the one that populates the Widgets Board with news. You can now use the Widgets Board without having to question your faith in the human race. Everything here is now at least someone relevant to your life, and you can even remove the widgets that you don't like.

It seems like Microsoft is planning to allow third parties to make feeds that can replace the news feeds. There's a link in the interface to a section of the Microsoft Store that will supposedly offer more "feeds," though clicking it right now brings you to a page with only one offering: Microsoft Edge. I think I'll just leave this off for now.

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Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/un-food-agency-warns-that-the-new-u-s-sea-route-for-gaza-aid-may-fail-unless-israel-improves-conditions

UN food agency warns that the new U.S. sea route for Gaza aid may fail unless Israel improves conditions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.N. World Food Program said Tuesday the new U.S. $320 million pier project for delivering aid to Gaza may fail unless Israel starts providing the conditions the humanitarian groups need to operate safely, after a chaotic launch ended with much of the aid looted and one Palestinian man dead.

Deliveries from the pier were stopped Sunday after Saturday’s aid convoy was unable to reach warehouses within Gaza as intended, the WFP said. The first 10 trucks had entered through the pier on Friday.

The U.N. agency is now reevaluating logistics and security measures and looking for alternate routes within Gaza, said spokesperson Abeer Etefa. The WFP is working with the U.S. Agency for International Development to coordinate delivery of food from the new U.S. route.

None of the 11 aid trucks that left the newly installed dock on a Gaza beach made it to a warehouse as intended Saturday, another WFP spokesperson, Steve Taravella, told The Associated Press . He said they were commandeered by what became a crowd of people gathered nearby.

READ MORE: Palestinians mark the Nakba, the original ‘catastrophe’ of mass expulsion

“Without sufficient supplies entering Gaza, these issues will continue to surface. Community acceptance and trust that this is not a one-off event are essential for this operation’s success,” Taravella said in an email. “We have raised this issue with the relevant parties and reiterated our request for alternative roads to facilitate aid delivery. Unless we receive the necessary clearance and coordination to use additional routes, this operation may not be successful.”

The WFP also said Wednesday it has suspended food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah due to a supply lack and insecurity.

President Joe Biden ordered the U.S. military’s construction of the pier and dock for deliveries of food, high-nutrition treatments and other vital supplies. Israeli restrictions on shipments of food and aid through land borders and overall fighting have put all 2.3 million residents of Gaza in a severe food crisis since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.

The U.S. and Israeli militaries oversaw the first shipments to the new U.S. pier.

READ MORE: Pro-Palestinian campus protests are evolving. Here’s what to watch

Authorities have offered few firm details of what transpired Saturday. However, Associated Press video shows Israeli armored vehicles on a beach road, then aid trucks moving down the road. Civilians watching from the roadside gradually start to clamber on top of the aid trucks, throwing aid down to people below. Numbers of people then appear to overrun the aid trucks and their goods.

At one point, members of the crowd are shown carting a motionless man with a chest wound through the crowd. A local morgue later confirmed to the AP the man had been killed by a rifle shot. At another point, shots crackled, and some of the men in the crowd are shown apparently ducking behind aid boxes for cover.

It was not clear who fired the shots.

Asked about the shooting, the Israeli army told the AP, using the acronym for the Israel Defense Forces: “The IDF is currently focused on eliminating the threat from the terrorist organization Hamas.”

Magdy reported from Cairo.

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International Criminal Court seeks war crimes charges for Israeli and Hamas leaders

World May 20

Understanding what GEICO Stands For: a Deep Dive into its History and Services

This essay about GEICO explains the origins and meaning behind its acronym, Government Employees Insurance Company. Founded in 1936 to serve government employees, GEICO expanded its market in the 1970s to include the general public, becoming the second-largest auto insurer in the United States. The piece highlights GEICO’s innovative use of technology to streamline operations and reduce costs, which allowed for lower premiums and contributed to its growth. The essay also discusses GEICO’s significant cultural impact through memorable marketing and its challenges in balancing business growth with customer satisfaction. The company’s focus on technological advancements and customer service is poised to maintain its industry leadership.

How it works

GEICO is one of those acronyms that pops up frequently in American culture, primarily due to its massive presence in the insurance industry and memorable advertising campaigns featuring a cheeky gecko. But beyond the commercials and the catchy name, what does GEICO actually stand for? Let’s take a closer look at the origins and evolution of this iconic brand.

GEICO stands for Government Employees Insurance Company. The name reflects its original target audience—government employees—when it was founded in 1936 by Leo Goodwin Sr.

and his wife Lillian Goodwin. Their business strategy was based on the assumption that government employees, as a group, would be less risky to insure compared to the general public. This niche approach allowed GEICO to offer lower premiums, which was a significant factor in the company’s early growth and success.

The story of GEICO is not just about an insurance company; it’s about how a business evolves with the changing landscapes of society and technology. Initially, GEICO was direct-marketed only to federal employees and certain categories of enlisted military officers. However, by the mid-1970s, it had expanded its market to insure the general public, reflecting a strategic shift that would lead to tremendous growth. This was a pivotal decision that helped GEICO to become the second-largest auto insurer in the United States.

What sets GEICO apart in the insurance industry is its early adoption of computer technology for policy sales and claims handling. This tech-forward approach began in the 1980s and was way ahead of its time, predating the internet boom. By leveraging technology, GEICO was able to streamline operations and reduce costs, savings that were passed on to customers in the form of lower premiums. The company’s dedication to innovation continues today with a robust online service platform and mobile app, allowing customers to manage their policies with unprecedented ease.

Culturally, GEICO has made a significant impact with its marketing strategies. Its advertisements often feature humorous sketches that make insurance topics more relatable and engaging to a broad audience. The GEICO Gecko, one of the most recognizable mascots in America, embodies the company’s friendly and accessible approach. These marketing efforts are not just about selling insurance; they’re about creating a brand that people can feel good about interacting with.

However, despite its consumer-friendly image, GEICO has faced its share of challenges and controversies, especially concerning its handling of claims and customer service issues. Like many large corporations, the company has been criticized for practices that some perceive as prioritizing profits over customer care. These criticisms highlight the complexities of balancing business growth with customer satisfaction in the competitive insurance landscape.

Looking to the future, GEICO seems to be continually adapting to the new demands of the digital age. The company’s investments in technology and online services indicate a clear strategy to maintain its leadership in the insurance industry. As consumers increasingly look for convenience and speed in their service interactions, GEICO’s ongoing innovations may well set the standards for the industry.

In conclusion, GEICO’s story is a fascinating case study of a company that started with a specific market niche and grew to dominate the broader insurance industry through strategic expansion and technological innovation. The acronym “Government Employees Insurance Company” reflects a legacy of tailored service that has, over the decades, transformed into a hallmark of reliability and customer engagement for millions of Americans. Understanding the origins and development of GEICO gives us insights not just into a company, but into the ways businesses evolve and adapt in an ever-changing world.

Cite this page

Understanding What GEICO Stands For: A Deep Dive into Its History and Services. (2024, May 21). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-what-geico-stands-for-a-deep-dive-into-its-history-and-services/

"Understanding What GEICO Stands For: A Deep Dive into Its History and Services." PapersOwl.com , 21 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-what-geico-stands-for-a-deep-dive-into-its-history-and-services/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Understanding What GEICO Stands For: A Deep Dive into Its History and Services . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-what-geico-stands-for-a-deep-dive-into-its-history-and-services/ [Accessed: 22 May. 2024]

"Understanding What GEICO Stands For: A Deep Dive into Its History and Services." PapersOwl.com, May 21, 2024. Accessed May 22, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-what-geico-stands-for-a-deep-dive-into-its-history-and-services/

"Understanding What GEICO Stands For: A Deep Dive into Its History and Services," PapersOwl.com , 21-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/understanding-what-geico-stands-for-a-deep-dive-into-its-history-and-services/. [Accessed: 22-May-2024]

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Biden says there is ‘no equivalence between Israel and Hamas.’

Biden says israeli military assault in gaza is ‘not genocide’, at a celebration of jewish heritage month, president biden pledged support to israel and condemned a decision by the prosecutor for the international criminal court to seek arrest warrants for top israeli officials..

We stand with Israel to take out Sinwar and the rest of the butchers of Hamas. We want Hamas defeated. We’ll work with Israel to make that happen. And consistent with Jewish values and compassion, kindness and dignity and human life, my team also is providing critical humanitarian assistance to help innocent Palestinian civilians who are suffering greatly because of the war Hamas, Hamas has unleashed. [clapping] Its heartbreaking. Let me be clear. We reject the I.C.C.’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. [cheering] Whatever these warrants may imply, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas, and it’s clear Israel wants to do all it can to ensure civilian protection. But let me be clear. Contrary to allegations against Israel made by the International Court of Justice, what’s happening is not genocide. We reject that. [cheering]

By Michael D. Shear

reporting from Washington

President Biden said flatly on Monday that Israel’s military assault in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks “is not genocide.” “We reject that,” he said, telling an audience of Jewish leaders and activists that Americans “stand with Israel.”

Speaking at a celebration of Jewish Heritage Month in the Rose Garden at the White House, Mr. Biden condemned a decision by the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court to seek arrest warrants for top Israeli officials for crimes against humanity, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when he requested warrants for three Hamas leaders on the same accusation on Monday.

“Let me be clear, we reject the I.C.C.’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders,” Mr. Biden said, adding to a series of denunciations of the prosecutor’s actions from U.S. officials throughout the day. “Whatever these warrants may imply, there’s no equivalence between Israel and Hamas.”

American officials have said for months that Mr. Biden’s administration rejects the accusation that members of the Israeli military or the country’s political leaders are conducting a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Gazan authorities say at least 35,000 people have been killed during Israel’s bombing campaign and ground offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7. Israeli officials deny their forces have purposely targeted civilians, arguing Hamas purposely hides its forces among noncombatants. They also deny Israel has restricted aid to Gaza with the intent of starving people.

Just hours before Mr. Biden’s comments, John Kirby, a national security spokesman for the White House, rejected the implication from the I.C.C. move.

“I.D.F. soldiers are not waking up in the morning, putting their boots on the ground, with direct orders to go kill innocent civilians in Gaza,” Mr. Kirby said, using the abbreviation for the Israel Defense Forces.

But Mr. Biden has rarely been as blunt as he was on Monday, prompted in part by the I.C.C.’s chief prosecutor’s request that the court approve arrest warrants for Mr. Netanyahu and the Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as for Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s leader within Gaza; Muhammad Deif, Hamas’s military leader; and Ismail Haniyeh, the movement’s Qatar-based political leader.

The prosecutor, Karim Khan, did not directly raise accusations of genocide in his request for the warrants, but they have been leveled against Israel by aid organizations and activists, including by many college students in the United States during weeks of protests, some of which turned violent, at campuses around the country.

Mr. Biden and his aides have repeatedly said they believe the deaths in Gaza are a tragedy and have said Israeli forces need to be more precise in their conduct of military operations to avoid civilian deaths as they prosecute the war against Hamas.

In his remarks on Monday evening, Mr. Biden said that his administration was “providing critical humanitarian assistance to help innocent Palestinian civilians who are suffering greatly because of the war Hamas — Hamas — has unleashed. It’s heartbreaking.”

Mr. Biden’s comments came as he vowed to do everything in his power to help win the release of the hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas. Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, American parents of one of the hostages, Hersh Goldberg, were in the audience.

“I pledge to both of you and I mean it — and I know you know, Mom, I mean it — that I will not rest until we bring your loved one home,” Mr. Biden said. “We got to bring him home.”

Michael D. Shear is a White House correspondent for The New York Times, covering President Biden and his administration. He has reported on politics for more than 30 years. More about Michael D. Shear

IMAGES

Common acronyms and abbreviations in English
How To Write Acronyms In A Paper
Acronyms: What Are They and What Do They Mean • 7ESL
How To Write Acronyms In Essay
Common acronyms and abbreviations in English
How Do You Write An Acronym In An Essay: A Quick Guide

VIDEO

Part 1
Common used acronyms in English # #vocabulary # #learnenglish # #english #englishlearning
Common Acronyms in chart || #music #beach #edm #english
Fingerspelling 1 Teacher's Guide Lesson 1 Acronyms
Part 2
Happy teacher's day

COMMENTS

Using Acronyms in Academic Writing
However, some style guides recommend using a period between letters in short initialisms, such as "U.S.A." and "U.K.". It is also common to use periods in lowercase abbreviations, such as "a.m.," "p.m.," "e.g.," and "i.e.". Unless you're using a style guide that suggests adding periods to certain abbreviations, this is ...
Using Abbreviations and Acronyms in Academic Writing
Introducing acronyms. Introduce 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).
Using Abbreviations in Academic Writing
Avoid contractions like won't, can't, they're, it's. The first time you mention a phrase that can be abbreviated, spell it out in full and provide the abbreviation in parentheses. Use only the abbreviation thereafter. Only abbreviate phrases that occur three or more times in your paper. Avoid abbreviations in titles, headings, the ...
How to Use Acronyms in Academic Writing
Most acronyms and abbreviations are written without punctuation, as shown in the examples above. However, it is common to use full stops in lowercase abbreviations, such as 'a.m.', 'p.m.', 'e.g.', and 'i.e.'. And some style guides (mostly those that focus on American English) recommend using a full stop between letters in short ...
Acronyms and Abbreviations in Academic Writing: A Quick Guide
Acronyms are pronounced like a word. NASA, which is short for N ational A eronautics and S pace A dministration and pronounced "Nah-suh," is one well-known acronym. UNICEF, which stands for U nited N ations I nternational C hildren's E mergency F und and is pronounced "you-nuh-seff," is another example. Initialisms.
List of Abbreviations
Best practices for abbreviations and acronyms. There are a few rules to keep in mind about using abbreviations in academic writing. Here are a few tips. Acronyms are formed using the first letter of each word in a phrase. The first time you use an acronym, write the phrase in full and place the acronym in parentheses immediately after it.
PDF 7th Edition Abbreviations Guide
On first use, write out the full term (or group author name) and follow with the abbreviation. ° For a term in the narrative, put the abbreviation in parentheses after the term: response time (RT) ° For a term in parentheses, put the abbreviation in brackets after the term: (response time [RT])
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Abbreviations and Acronyms. Abbreviations (the shortened form of a word or phrase) and acronyms (words formed from the initial letters of a phrase) are commonly used in technical writing. In some fields, including chemistry, medicine, computer science, and geographic information systems, acronyms are used so frequently that the reader can feel ...
Writing academically: Abbreviations
Acronyms. Acronyms are acceptable, but use the name in full on its first use in a particular document (e.g. an assignment), no matter how well known the acronym is. For example, on its first use in an essay you might refer to "the World Health Organisation (WHO)" - it would be fine to simply refer to "the WHO" for the remainder of the essay.
HtUA in AW (or How to Use Acronyms in Academic Writing)
Punctuating Abbreviations. Most acronyms and abbreviations are written without punctuation, as shown in the examples above. However, it is common to use full stops in lowercase abbreviations, such as 'a.m.', 'p.m.', 'e.g.', and 'i.e.'. And some style guides (mostly those that focus on American English) recommend using a full ...
APA Style 6th Edition Blog: Abbreviations
Just as with numbers, don't include an apostrophe when pluralizing abbreviations. For example, when pluralizing an acronym, such as "CV" for "curriculum vitae," all you need to do is add an s to the end, as in "CVs.". This rule also applies to standalone letters, as in "The students all received As.".
APA Abbreviations
Units of measurement and statistical abbreviations should only be abbreviated when accompanied by numerical values: 15 mg, 250 mi, M = 5.7. measured in milligrams, several miles after the exit, the means were determined. Only certain units of time should be abbreviated. Do not abbreviate: day, week, month, year. Do abbreviate: hr, min, ms, ns, s.
How do I use acronyms in an APA paper?
Nov 29, 2016 24384. Write out the entire phrase the first time you use it, followed by the acronym in parenthesis. Example: Katie joined the American Library Association (ALA) in 2010. ALA has many events... Use only the acronym throughout your paper after the first reference unless there are multiple pages between the first reference and ...
Academic Guides: Other APA Guidelines: Abbreviations
Other than abbreviations prescribed by APA in reference list elements (e.g., "ed." for "edition," "n.d." for "no date," etc.), do not use abbreviations in the references list. For example, a source authored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would not be abbreviated as CDC in the references list.
How to Use Abbreviations
Form the plural of an abbreviation by adding s or es without an apostrophe ( DVD s, CMS es, Dr s. Who and Strange ). Use a or an before an abbreviation depending on how it is pronounced ( a US senator, an ATM, an MBA degree) We discuss these and certain exceptions in detail below, with examples.
5 Quick Tips for Using Abbreviations and Acronyms in Academic Writing
Here's a quick primer. 1. Spell the word or phrase in full at first mention. When you first use the term that you will be abbreviating, you should usually spell out the actual word or phrase in full and follow that with the abbreviation/acronym in brackets. For example: "We then conducted an analysis of variance (ANOVA).".
How to indicate that a word / acronym X will refer to Y in academic
In legal texts, they use hereafter or hereinafter: Tomatoes, hereafter called "Toms", are red. This is false, as some Toms are green. I like Toms. But this is not recommended in academic writing. You could simply use in this paper and explain what you're going to do: Tomatoes, which will be referred to as "Toms" in this paper, are red. This is ...
Guidelines for Using Abbreviations in Formal Writing
10 Tips for Using Abbreviations Correctly . Using Indefinite Articles Before Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms: The choice between "a" and "an" is determined by the sound of the first letter in the abbreviation.Use "a" before a consonant sound (for example, "a CBC documentary" or "a U.S. official"). Use "an" before a vowel sound ("an ABC documentary" or "an MRI").
Acronyms and Initialisms
If the first letter of the initialism or acronym makes a vowel sound (regardless of whether or not the first letter is actually a vowel), you should use "an." The acronym "NWO" is a perfect example. While "N" is a consonant, it makes the short e sound (i.e., a vowel sound) when you say it. Consequently, "an" should be used.
Good Grammar Makes for Good Writing: Remembering the Basics
Avoid brackets. Use parentheses instead or recast the sentence. Colons, : The most frequent use of a colon is at the end of a sentence to introduce and to separate lists, tabulations and text. Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complex sentence. Example.
How to structure paragraphs using the PEEL method
P = Point: start your paragraph with a clear topic sentence that establishes what your paragraph is going to be about. Your point should support your essay argument or thesis statement. E = Evidence/Example: here you should use a piece of evidence or an example that helps to reaffirm your initial point and develop the argument. E = Explain ...
Is 'a.k.a.' an acceptable abbreviation to use in academic writing?
If you're using it "literally" (i.e. - to specify an alternative name used naturally by [at least some] other people for the thing you're talking about) then it should be fine in most formal contexts. Except where the alternative designation itself is inherently informal (e.g. G W Bush aka "Dubya"), where it's a matter of whether mentioning the alternative name is appropriate, rather than aka.
Conducting Research
Some assignments may require you to use or limit certain sources such as: primary or secondary sources, specific types of periodicals, and/or; Internet sources. In all cases, you should evaluate the information before you use it in your assignments.
How to Remove Annoying News Widgets From Windows 11
Windows 11, by default, shows you a bunch of "news" articles when you click the widget icon, the thing on the left-hand side of the taskbar that usually shows you the weather. This block of news ...
UN food agency warns that the new U.S. sea route for Gaza aid may fail
The U.N. World Food Program is warning that the new U.S. pier project for delivering aid to Gaza may fail unless Israel starts providing the conditions the humanitarian groups need to operate.
When doctors can't take real breaks from work, the health care ...
What's a typical vacation activity for doctors? Work. A new study finds that most physicians do work on a typical day off. In this essay, a family doctor considers why that is and why it matters.
Understanding What GEICO Stands For: A Deep Dive into Its History and
Essay Example: GEICO is one of those acronyms that pops up frequently in American culture, primarily due to its massive presence in the insurance industry and memorable advertising campaigns featuring a cheeky gecko. But beyond the commercials and the catchy name, what does GEICO actually stand.
Biden says there is 'no equivalence between Israel and Hamas.'
President Biden said flatly on Monday that Israel's military assault in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks "is not genocide." "We reject that," he said, telling an audience ...