Abbreviations
13 rules
No Spaces Between Letters of an Abbreviation (Except Name Initials)
Do not use spaces between the letters of an abbreviation. The exception is initials for a person's first and middle names, which are spaced.
Capitalization of Abbreviations and Acronyms
Use a standard dictionary to determine the correct capitalization of an abbreviation. When the letters stand for a proper name, capitalize the abbreviation. Capitalize acronyms (abbreviations pronounced as words) unless the dictionary shows them otherwise. Some acronyms have become ordinary words and are transcribed in lowercase as regular dictionary entries.
Abbreviations That Do Not Take Periods
Do not use periods in abbreviations for: government agencies, abbreviations with more letters than words they represent, radio or TV call letters, IOU and SOS, letters standing for hypothetical people or entities, airport designations, or common well-known abbreviations (with a few exceptions). In general, the trend is away from using periods in abbreviations.
Abbreviations That Require Periods
Use periods with: initials for a person's name (with spaces between them), the abbreviation U.S. when said as an abbreviation, city abbreviations when said as abbreviations, A.M. and P.M., and B.C./A.D./B.C.E./A.C.E.
Periods and Lowercase for i.e. and e.g.
Use periods and lowercase letters for i.e. (meaning 'that is') and e.g. (meaning 'for example'). These abbreviations are always surrounded by some kind of punctuation.
Word Reduced to Letters — Uppercase, No Periods, No Spaces
When a word is reduced to its letters as an abbreviation, use uppercase letters with no periods and no spaces. If the abbreviation is used as a verb, use an apostrophe before the suffix: -'d for past tense, -'s for present tense, and -'ing for the participle form.
Abbreviating and Capitalizing Titles with Names
Abbreviate and use a period with Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Dr. as titles before a name. Miss is not an abbreviation and takes no period. Write out and capitalize Honorable and Reverend before a name. Write out and capitalize other titles (Sergeant, Senator, Counsel, Officer) before names and in direct address; do not capitalize them when used in context without a name. The word 'the' before Honorable or Reverend may or may not be capitalized — capitalized is more formal.
Abbreviating Geographic Words in Proper Names (Saint, Mount, Port, Point, Fort)
Abbreviate the word 'saint' as St. with a period when it is used as a title before a name. The feminine form is Ste. Write out the words mount, port, point, and fort as part of a proper name — do not abbreviate them.
Transcribe Spoken Words as Words, Not Abbreviations or Symbols
In general, do not reduce a spoken word to an abbreviation or a symbol in a transcript (except for titles). When a word is said, transcribe it as a word. The only symbols used in reporting are the dollar sign ($) before a figure and the at sign (@) for email addresses. If a shortened form of a word is said and is recognizable, transcribe it as said without a period. This applies to company incorporation terms — transcribe 'Incorporated' or 'Inc.' as spoken. Use the full name of a state, not the two-letter postal abbreviation. Write out the word 'okay' in full.
X Ray (Noun) vs. x-ray (Verb and Adjective)
Use the form 'X ray' (two words, capital X) as a noun. Use the form 'x-ray' (hyphenated, lowercase) as a verb and as an adjective.
Period After a Letter Used to Represent Someone's Real Last Name
If a letter is used to represent someone's last name and the letter chosen is the actual first letter of the name, use a period after the letter (Mrs. M., Patient R.). If the letter does not represent the real name — for example, when used as a placeholder like Mr. X or Motorist A — do not use the period after the letter.
Ampersand (&) Used Only in Firm Names That Prefer It
The ampersand (&) is an abbreviation for the word 'and.' Use it only in firm or company names that themselves prefer the ampersand. In all other contexts — even when the speaker says 'and' between names — write out the word 'and.'
Time Zone Abbreviations Only When Spoken as Abbreviations
Standard time and daylight saving time have abbreviations often used in schedules: EST, CST, MST, PST, EDT, CDT, MDT, PDT. The court reporter will use these only if they are said as abbreviations. The abbreviations are written without periods. If abbreviations are not used, spell the words out, using a capital on the word of location only (Pacific daylight time, Mountain standard time).