Complete Guide to Abbreviations

Guidelines

These guidelines follow the standard practices for abbreviating in business writing. The guidelines contain information about the following types of abbreviations:

• 6.A. Spell out first names; don’t abbreviate
• 6.B. Abbreviations of titles
• 6.C. Abbreviations of group names and organizations
• 6.D. Abbreviations of time designations
• 6.E. Abbreviations in addresses
• 6.F. Abbreviations of weights and measures
• 6.G. Abbreviations of commonly used expressions

Guideline 6.A.

Spell out first names; don’t abbreviate

Example

Correct

William Taft
George Washington
Charles Atwater

Incorrect

Wm. Taft
Geo. Washington
Chas. Atwater

Guideline 6.B.

Abbreviations of titles

• Spell out titles when they appear with the last name only.
• Titles may be abbreviated when both the first and last names appear together.
• Abbreviate academic degrees and professional designations following names.
• Do not abbreviate a position title in a letter address.

Example

Correct

Senator Proxmire or Sen. William Proxmire
General Powell or Gen. Colin Powell
Attorney Bryant or Atty. Greg Bryant
Mr. Franklin Pierce, Treasurer

Barrister Implements
378 East Belmont Avenue
Fresno, CA 93701-1603

Incorrect

Sen. Proxmire
Gen. Powell
Atty. Bryant

Mr. Franklin Pierce, Treas.
Barrister Implements
378 East Belmont Avenue
Fresno, CA 93701-1603

Guideline 6.C.

Abbreviations of group names and organizations

Write abbreviations without periods for agency names, broadcasting companies, unions, and other similar groups.

Example

Correct

AAA
FBI
IRS
AMA
NAACP

Incorrect

A.A.A.
F.B.I.
I.R.S.
A.M.A.
N.A.A.C.P.

Guideline 6.D.

Abbreviation of time designations

1. Abbreviate time designations with periods.
2. Abbreviate standard time zones without periods.
3. Do not abbreviate days and months except in limited spaces such as tables or business forms.

Example

Correct

A.D.
a.m.
EST
B.C.
p.m.
Their Grand Opening was held on Monday, August 19, 1999.

Incorrect

AD
am
E.S.T.
BC
PM
Their Grand Opening was held on Mon., Aug. 19, 1999.

Guideline 6.E.

Abbreviations in addresses

• Spell out street addresses (Chicago Manual of Style).
• With ZIP codes, use state abbreviations in all capital letters without periods. Do not use the two-letter state abbreviations without zip codes.

The AP Stylebook suggests that you may use abbreviations for compass points (N., E., S., W.) when the compass point follows an address number (house at 743 N. 40th Street), but not when the address number is missing (house on North 40th Street).

Spell out “Street” in addresses.

Example

Correct

2310 Lee Avenue, NW
on South Main Street (or at 200 S. Main Street: AP Stylebook)
San Diego, California or San Diego, CA 92101-7006

Incorrect

2310 Lee Ave., Northwest
on S. Main St.
San Diego, CA

Guideline 6.F.

Abbreviations of weights and measures

Weights and measures may be abbreviated in technical writing and on business forms, but not in text.

Example

Correct

The amount used was 3 ounces.
Total loss was 368 gallons.
The underwriter weighed 268 pounds.

Incorrect

The amount used was 3 oz.
Total loss was 368 gals.
The underwriter weighed 268 lbs.

Guideline 6.G.

Abbreviations of commonly used expressions

Commonly used expressions may be abbreviated in text in informal and standard business writing (but not formal business writing).

Example

Correct

ASAP
as soon as possible
RSVP
répondez s’il vous plaît
CEO
chief executive officer
SASE
self-addressed stamped envelope

Other commonly used expressions may be abbreviated, but only in business forms, tables, and statistics.

Common words such as “info” or “subj.”

Do not abbreviate words such as “info” or “subj” in business writing.

Abbreviated words in company names.

You may abbreviate a word such as “Brothers” in a company name if the company has the abbreviation in its name in all of its legal documents.

Example

Correct

acct.
account
km/h
kilometers per hour
att.
attachment
mph
miles per hour
doz.
dozen

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