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Follow most abbreviations with a period, except those representing units of measure ("Mar." for March "mm" for millimeter).In resumes and cover letters, avoid abbreviations representing titles of degrees (e.g., write out rather than abbreviate "Bachelor of Science").Typically, abbreviate social titles (Ms., Mr.) and professional titles (Dr., Rev.).
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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. 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. However, the proper use of these devices enhances the reading process, fostering fluid readability and efficient comprehension. 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. 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.
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