Style Guide: Abbreviations

Durham Tech Communication and Style Guide

1. Abbreviations	Printable Version
In general, abbreviate only when you must because abbreviations can easily create confusion. Of course, abbreviations are often necessary and helpful in tables, charts, and signs or when you repeat a name frequently.
	1.1 Academic degrees and honors
	The following list includes many frequently used abbreviations for academic degrees. Note that no space is needed between letters and periods. (Note: Inconsistencies are due to preferred use by specific career fields, etc.) If a publication has a mix of these then use the college’s style which is to have no periods.
	A.A.	Associate in Arts
	ABOC	American Board of Opticianry
	ADN	Associate Degree in Nursing
	A.S.	Associate in Science
	A.A.S.	Associate in Applied Science
	B.A.	Bachelor of Arts
	BSN	Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing
	B.S.	Bachelor of Science
	CDA	Certified Dental Assistant
	CDO	Certified Dispensing Optician
	CDT	Certified Dental Technician
	CNA	Certified Nurse Assistant
	CNMW	Certified Nurse Midwife (R.N. with advanced training)
	CNOR	Certified Nurse Operating Room
	CO	Certified Optician
	COTA	Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
	COTA/L	Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant/Licensed
	C.Ph.T.	Certified Pharmacy Technician
	CRT	Certified Respiratory Therapist
	CRTT	Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician
	CST	Certified Surgical Technologist
	DDS	Doctor of Dental Surgery
	DMD	Doctor of Medical Dentistry
	Ed.D.	Doctor of Education
	J.D.	Juris Doctor (Doctor of Law)
	LDO	Licensed Dispensing Optician (what we actually are in NC)
	LO	Licensed Optician (what we tend to use in NC)
	LPN	Licensed Practical Nurse
	M.A.	Master of Arts
	M.B.A.	Master of Business Administration
	M.D.	Medicinae Doctor (Doctor of Medicine)
	M.Ed.	Master of Education
	M.S.	Master of Science
	MSN	Master’s Degree in Nursing
	NP	Nurse Practitioner (R.N. with advanced training)
	OTR	Occupational Therapist Registered
	OTR/L	Occupational Therapist Registered/Licensed
	Pharm.D.	Doctor of Pharmacy
	Ph.D.	Philosophiae Doctor (Doctor of Philosophy)
	R.A.	Restorative Aide
	RDH	Registered Dental Hygienist
	R.N.	Registered Nurse
	R.Ph.	Registered Pharmacist
	RRT	Registered Respiratory Therapist
	ST	Surgical Technologist
	The word degree should not follow an abbreviation of the degree.
	Correct:	He has a B.A. in history.
	Incorrect:	He has a B.A. degree in history
	When referring to an academic degree in more general or shortened terms, capital letters are not needed.
	Correct:	She has a doctorate in philosophy.
	Correct:	She holds a master’s in the subject.
	Correct:	She holds an associate’s degree.
	Incorrect:	She has a Doctorate in philosophy.
	An apostrophe and s are needed when shortening degrees to master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s.; When using the following honors, lowercase and italicize each word:
	cum laude magna cum laude summa cum laude
	1.3 Months
	In text, spell out the months of the year. In charts, tables, lists, research data, or schedules, you may abbreviate the months as follows if you include the dates: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Never abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July. (Note: These months must be abbreviated in the schedule in order to meet format requirements.) When a period of time is identified in text by the month and year, no internal comma is necessary. When a period of time is identified in charts by the month and year, an internal comma is necessary.
	Text Example: The workshop will be held in May 1994. Chart Example: May, 1994
	1.4 Names with Jr., Sr., and III
	The abbreviations Jr., Sr., and III are used ONLY when a person’s full name is given. Only the abbreviations Jr. and Sr. are set off by commas. Note that no comma is placed before or after III.
	Examples:	Mr. James Jefferson, Jr., was once governor. Dexter Harrison III spoke at the commencement.
	Exception: Phail Wynn, Jr. Student Services Center (Dr. Wynn chose for no comma to be used after Jr. in the title of his building.)
	The abbreviation Esq. (for Esquire) and other titles such as Mr., Mrs., and Dr. should not appear with any other title or with abbreviations indicating scholastic degrees.
	Correct:	Ford Maddux, A.B., Ph.D.
	Incorrect:	Mr. Ford Maddux, A.B., Ph.D.
	Correct:	George Gray, M.D.
	Incorrect:	Dr. George Gray, M.D.
	Incorrect:	President Dr. Bill Ingram
	Correct:	John L. Smith, Esq. James A. Jones, Jr., Esq.
	Incorrect:	Mr. John L. Smith, Esq. John L. Smith Esq., A.M.
	1.5 Abbreviated titles preceding name
	Unless preceded by the, abbreviate honorable, reverend, and monsignor when followed by the first name, initials, or title. Note “the Honorable” is used for any elected official presently serving or has served in the past.
	Correct:	Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. the Reverend Dr. King Rev. Dr. King the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. the Honorable Elihu Root Hon. Elihu Root the Honorable Mr. Root
	1.6 Abbreviations of legislative titles
	Use Rep., Reps., Sen., and Sens. before names, and follow with party affiliation. When not followed by a name, lowercase and spell out.
	Correct:	Sen. Kay Hagan, D-NC The senator spoke to the students.
	1.7 Abbreviations of state names
	When abbreviating state names, use postal-style abbreviations. A list is available here: https://www.usps.com/send/official-abbreviations.htm. Please note there are no periods in postal-style abbreviations. Exception: In press releases, follow Associated Press-style abbreviations.
	Correct:	NC AL NY
	Incorrect:	N.C. A.L. N.Y.
	When abbreviating names and states, no space should appear between the initials.
	Correct:	NC AT&T L.L. Bean UPS
	Incorrect:	N.C. A T & T L. L. Bean U P S
	In text, you may abbreviate a state name if it is preceded by the name of a city. In this case, use commas before and after the state name abbreviation. If no city is listed, do not abbreviate the state name. In The Insider or on the college's website, include the state only if it is outside of North Carolina.
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Durham Tech Communication and Style Guide

1. Abbreviations

In general, abbreviate only when you must because abbreviations can easily create confusion. Of course, abbreviations are often necessary and helpful in tables, charts, and signs or when you repeat a name frequently.

The following list includes many frequently used abbreviations for academic degrees. Note that no space is needed between letters and periods. (Note: Inconsistencies are due to preferred use by specific career fields, etc.) If a publication has a mix of these then use the college’s style which is to have no periods.

A.A.

Associate in Arts

ABOC

American Board of Opticianry

ADN

Associate Degree in Nursing

A.S.

Associate in Science

A.A.S.

Associate in Applied Science

B.A.

Bachelor of Arts

BSN

Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing

B.S.

Bachelor of Science

CDA

Certified Dental Assistant

CDO

Certified Dispensing Optician

CDT

Certified Dental Technician

CNA

Certified Nurse Assistant

CNMW

Certified Nurse Midwife (R.N. with advanced training)

CNOR

Certified Nurse Operating Room

Certified Optician

COTA

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

COTA/L

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant/Licensed

C.Ph.T.

Certified Pharmacy Technician

CRT

Certified Respiratory Therapist

CRTT

Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician

CST

Certified Surgical Technologist

DDS

Doctor of Dental Surgery

DMD

Doctor of Medical Dentistry

Ed.D.

Doctor of Education

J.D.

Juris Doctor (Doctor of Law)

LDO

Licensed Dispensing Optician (what we actually are in NC)

Licensed Optician (what we tend to use in NC)

LPN

Licensed Practical Nurse

M.A.

Master of Arts

M.B.A.

Master of Business Administration

M.D.

Medicinae Doctor (Doctor of Medicine)

M.Ed.

Master of Education

M.S.

Master of Science

MSN

Master’s Degree in Nursing

Nurse Practitioner (R.N. with advanced training)

OTR

Occupational Therapist Registered

OTR/L

Occupational Therapist Registered/Licensed

Pharm.D.

Doctor of Pharmacy

Ph.D.

Philosophiae Doctor (Doctor of Philosophy)

R.A.

Restorative Aide

RDH

Registered Dental Hygienist

R.N.

Registered Nurse

R.Ph.

Registered Pharmacist

RRT

Registered Respiratory Therapist

Surgical Technologist

The word degree should not follow an abbreviation of the degree.

Correct:

He has a B.A. in history.

Incorrect:

He has a B.A. degree in history

When referring to an academic degree in more general or shortened terms, capital letters are not needed.

Correct:

She has a doctorate in philosophy.

Correct:

She holds a master’s in the subject.

Correct:

She holds an associate’s degree.

Incorrect:

She has a Doctorate in philosophy.

An apostrophe and s are needed when shortening degrees to master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s.;

When using the following honors, lowercase and italicize each word:

cum laude
magna cum laude
summa cum laude

In text, spell out the months of the year.

In charts, tables, lists, research data, or schedules, you may abbreviate the months as follows if you include the dates: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Never abbreviate March, April, May, June, or July. (Note: These months must be abbreviated in the schedule in order to meet format requirements.)

When a period of time is identified in text by the month and year, no internal comma is necessary.
When a period of time is identified in charts by the month and year, an internal comma is necessary.

Text Example: The workshop will be held in May 1994.
Chart Example: May, 1994

The abbreviations Jr., Sr., and III are used ONLY when a person’s full name is given. Only the abbreviations Jr. and Sr. are set off by commas. Note that no comma is placed before or after III.

Examples:

Mr. James Jefferson, Jr., was once governor.
Dexter Harrison III spoke at the commencement.

Exception: Phail Wynn, Jr. Student Services Center (Dr. Wynn chose for no comma to be used after Jr. in the title of his building.)

The abbreviation Esq. (for Esquire) and other titles such as Mr., Mrs., and Dr. should not appear with any other title or with abbreviations indicating scholastic degrees.

Correct:

Ford Maddux, A.B., Ph.D.

Incorrect:

Mr. Ford Maddux, A.B., Ph.D.

Correct:

George Gray, M.D.

Incorrect:

Dr. George Gray, M.D.

Incorrect:

President Dr. Bill Ingram

Correct:

John L. Smith, Esq.
James A. Jones, Jr., Esq.

Incorrect:

Mr. John L. Smith, Esq.
John L. Smith Esq., A.M.

Unless preceded by the, abbreviate honorable, reverend, and monsignor when followed by the first name, initials, or title. Note “the Honorable” is used for any elected official presently serving or has served in the past.

Correct:

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
the Reverend Dr. King
Rev. Dr. King
the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
the Honorable Elihu Root
Hon. Elihu Root
the Honorable Mr. Root

1.6 Abbreviations of legislative titles

Use Rep., Reps., Sen., and Sens. before names, and follow with party affiliation. When not followed by a name, lowercase and spell out.

Correct:

Sen. Kay Hagan, D-NC
The senator spoke to the students.

When abbreviating state names, use postal-style abbreviations. A list is available here: https://www.usps.com/send/official-abbreviations.htm. Please note there are no periods in postal-style abbreviations. Exception: In press releases, follow Associated Press-style abbreviations.

Correct:

NC
AL
NY

Incorrect:

N.C.
A.L.
N.Y.

When abbreviating names and states, no space should appear between the initials.

Correct:

NC
AT&T
L.L. Bean
UPS

Incorrect:

N.C.
A T & T
L. L. Bean
U P S

In text, you may abbreviate a state name if it is preceded by the name of a city. In this case, use commas before and after the state name abbreviation. If no city is listed, do not abbreviate the state name. In The Insider or on the college's website, include the state only if it is outside of North Carolina.

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Durham Technical Community College
1637 Lawson Street
Durham, NC 27703
919-536-7200