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_8 ABBREVIATIONS, NUMBERSThe use of abbreviations and digits has generally beenconsidered acceptable in informal or colloquial writing,and much less acceptable in formal or scholarly writing.In fact, the more formal or elevated writing becomes, theless acceptable are abbreviations, acronyms, digits, orshortened forms of any sort. Such a rule can be overlyapplied, to the point that writing becomes tedious andmore laborious to read. Here are some rules of thumbthat might help:• In the same way that a writer should never use a pronounwithout being sure that the reader knows the nounit refers to, a writer should never use an abbreviation oracronym without being sure that its meaning is clear tothe reader.•If the use of a shortened form is customary, such as theuse of digits in May 15, 1993, or 1447 WilshireBoulevard, avoid the longer form.• The use of abbreviations and numbers is often a matterof style, and can be appropriate in some contexts andnot acceptable in others. In business, advertising, andjournalism, shortened forms are very popular, becausethey allow the writers to communicate quickly and efficiently.In school work, writing is more formal and prescribed.(The MLA Style Manual and The ChicagoManual of Style are the leading sources of informationabout academic conventions in the humanities, thePublication Manual of the American Psychological*" Association in the social sciences, and the CBE StyleManual in the sciences.)8AAbbreviations1. Abbreviations of titles with proper names and ofwords used with dates or numerals are appropriate inboth formal and informal writing.Titles before NameDr. William WestmorelandRev. William WighrmanMr. Joseph VerdiGen. Norman SchwarzkopfMs. Adrienne WilsonTitles after NameWillard C. Fenlon, Ph.D.David Sowin, M.D.Harriet Murray, D.D.Howard Hardesty, Sr.Edmund G. Lear, Esq.Use abbreviations like Dr., Sen., Rev., Hon., Prof., andRep. only when they are written before a proper name;otherwise, spell them out.INCORRECT:The Sen. is visiting the student council tomorrow,REVISED:Trie senator is visiting the student counciltomorrow.CORRECT:Most students at Danbury College voted for Sen.Miller.8BIn the same manner, B.C., A.D., A.M., P.M., no., and $can only be used with specific dates or numerals:77 B.C.; A.D. 1248; 4:45 A.M. [or a.m.); 11:00P.M. (or p.m.); No. 45 (or no. 45); $5.50(Note that B.C. ["before Christ"] always followsthe year while A.D. ["anno Domini" or "year ofthe Lord"] precedes the year.)INCORRECT:Can you remember the No. of the batter who hitthat home run yesterday in the p.m.?REVISED:Can you remember the number of the batter whohit that home run yesterday afternoon?CORRECT:It was No. 44 who hit the home run at 5:50 p.m.2. In general, avoid the use of Latin abbreviations exceptin documentation of sources.Even the common use of etc. (et cetera, "and so forth"),e.g. (exempli gratia, "for example"), and i.e. (id est, "thatis") is less clear than the straightforward English equivalent.Etc. is overused; it has little meaning unless thereader clearly and immediately understands the extensionof ideas or examples it suggests.CLEAR:Grains and nuts—wheat, corn, peanuts, etc.good sources of Vitamin E.-are(Few readers would have any difficulty mentally cataloguingsome other grains and nuts.)UNCLEAR:When we finally reached the ancient hotel, wetoured, listened to lectures, etc.(Most readers would have no clear idea of what otheractivities belong on this list.)3. Initial abbreviations and acronyms (MIT, UCLA,UNICEF, NRA, AIDS, ACT) are acceptable in mostcollege wrtiting as long as you are sure your writerswill understand them.If you feel an acronym may be unfamiliar, you shouldspell it out at first, using the acronym in parentheses.Then you can use the abbreviation in confidence.CORRECT:The Fund for Instructional Improvement (Fff) hassupported many innovative teaching projects InCalifornia. FN grants, in fact, helped to beginthe development of distance learning,Numbers1. Spell out numbers that can be expressed in one or twowords. Use digits for numbers of more than twowords,13