Monday, 10 March 2025

Acronym advice


I like the Associated Press’s style guide advice on acronyms:
Do not follow an organisation’s full name with an abbreviation or acronym in parentheses or set off by dashes. If an abbreviation or acronym would not be clear on second reference without this arrangement, do not use it.

Names not commonly before the public should not be reduced to acronyms solely to save a few words.
Good writing must be clear. Too much writing is too often crammed with acronyms for too little space saving, leaving writing filled with ‘jargon monoxide’ or worse. If the acronym is well known—NASA, FBI, CIA—then leave it. Otherwise, write it in full. 

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