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Questions tagged [acronyms]

This tag should be used for questions about the usage of acronyms in writing, such as how acronyms should be used in academic writing or whether they have a place in fiction.

This tag should be used for questions about the usage of acronyms in writing, such as how acronyms should be used in or whether they have a place in .

22 questions
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7 answers

Should I use acronyms in dialogues before telling the readers what it stands for in fiction?

There are occasions where you basically just start a chapter with a short descriptive passage and go straight to dialogues, so in those situations I am not sure how to deal with acronyms in dialogues. As Mike settled down for work, he noticed a…
user36239
14
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5 answers

Acronyms in Technical Writing

I can't find a standard, is the most common use to have the abbreviation followed by the defintion? Example NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Rachel
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11
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2 answers

An organization writes its acronym in lower-case - do I have to, too?

I'm writing an article that includes reference to an organization - let's say National Ecological Council of Concerned Citizens - which, instead of NECOCC, uses the acronym necocc, i.e. lower-case and italics. It looks silly (we're different),…
user13119
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9
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3 answers

Is it legal to name a character in a story after a disguised trademark?

I'm writing a sci-fi book series. As a true nerd, I want to use some characters to "do homage" to famous scientists, acronyms for experimental methods, and (here's the question) trademarked instruments. All would be disguised somewhat; i.e., they…
dmm
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7
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4 answers

Should I translate foreign names of companies, organisations, political parties etc?

Is it okay to keep foreign names of companies, organisations, etc even if they have official English translations? Example 1: A now defunct limited company in Sweden "Norrbottens Järnverk AB" has an official translation (North-Bothnian Steelworks,…
Freja
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5
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5 answers

Is there a better way to introduce acronyms through a dialogue?

Is there a better way to introduce acronyms through a dialogue? One way of doing it, is to mention what the acronym stands for at the beginning and then use the acronym afterward, but that's a bit weird and unnatural, because people won't say…
user36239
5
votes
5 answers

Is it good style to use Latin phrases in English scientific literature?

I don't know how much and deep actual school kids in the US get in touch with Latin. In Europe you can choose it in many high schools and the use of it is common in mainstream media. For some areas of studies it seems to be a prerequisite. In US…
Hauser
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4
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2 answers

How do you introduce acronyms in a comic book?

How do you introduce acronyms in a comic book? For example, CIA means Central Intelligence Agency, but no one will say "Central Intelligence Agency", they will say "CIA". Likewise, the characters when they speak, they will say "CIA" so how do you…
user36239
4
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1 answer

Should I re-introduce acronyms in important section and write them out in the section's title?

I am writing a paper about a super machine (SM). In the introduction section I am briefly introducing the concept and also the acronym. Then, later in the text, I have a full section which explains SM in detail. Should I spell out SM in this…
Funkwecker
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4
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3 answers

How can I write acronyms in fiction?

I'm wondering whether I can use acronyms without the period between each letter in fiction writing. Adding the period seems kind of clunky and stops the flow of the sentence a little but I don't want to remove it if it's a mistake to. E.g. would the…
MoniqueH
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3
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How do you transcribe a dialogue when abbreviations are used?

How do you transcribe a dialogue when abbreviations are used? For example, when people uses acronyms like FBI or abbreviations like a.m., do we just write them as we write them when they're in a dialogue? I am thinking FBI is FBI even if it's in a…
user36239
3
votes
2 answers

Is it correct to use acronyms in a bio or should I omit it?

In writing a bio in a technical context, like an author blurb in a publication, should I use acronyms or spell them out? Always? Depending on the context? For example: Degrees: BS, MS, PhD, MCC Certifications: PMP (Project Management…
Eduardo Hernández
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3
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1 answer

Spaces within abbreviations, acronyms, and initials

I have come across examples supporting both spaced as well as non-spaced examples and that's what confuses me. I want to understand what the standard practice is as endorsed by any of the major style guides. For example, consider the following…
TheLearner
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2 answers

Where to put acronym/abbreviation explanation?

I'm writing my thesis, and I use some acronyms in it. For example "MDBs" = "Multilateral Development Banks". Usually, I write "Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)" the first time I cite it and then use "MDBs". Now I have the case where the first…
CarLaTeX
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2
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What should appear in the List of Acronyms?

In a scientific publication (e.g., textbook, report, or thesis), it is a best practice to spell out the acronym at the very first occurrence in the text. For the following occurrences, the reader is assumed to know what an acronym stands for, or he…
Orion
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