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1. Introduction

2. Substantive Writing
3. Mechanics of Writing
3.1 Abbreviations and Names
3.2 Illustrations: Captions and Legends
3.3 Notes and Bibliographies
3.4 Numbers and Dates
3.5 Punctuation
3.6 Spelling and Special Terms
 
4. Editorial Process
 
5. Editorial Support
 
6. Collection Framework
6.1 About the Collection
6.2 Acknowledgments
6.3 Building the Digital Collection
6.4 Cataloging the Collection
6.5 Copyright and Other Restrictions
6.6 Related Resources
6.7 Scope and Content Note
6.8 Selected Bibliography
6.9 Special Presentations
6.10 Other Components
 
7. Learning Page
 
8. Today in History
 
9. Glossary

3.1 Abbreviations and Names

General Guidelines for Abbreviations

  • To the greatest extent possible, abbreviations should be kept out of running text, except in technical matter or as noted below. An exception is Building the Digital Collection, which is viewed as a technical section of the framework.

  • General abbreviations, such as etc., e.g. , and i.e. are preferably confined to parenthetical references.

  • Purely scholarly abbreviations such as ibid., cf., and s.v. are preferably used only in notes and other forms of scholarly apparatus.

Chicago 14.1-57 contains a comprehensive overview of all uses of abbreviations. Webster's Tenth Collegiate Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary are also excellent resources for abbreviations from all fields.

Abbreviations in NDLP Documents

Instances where abbreviations are most likely to appear include:

Acronyms (Chicago 14.15):

  • Names of agencies and organizations may be abbreviated after one spelled-out use (e.g., Historic American Buildings Survey [HABS]).

  • If the acronym is widely pronounced as though it were a word, the article is determined by the pronunciation of the word (e.g., an NDLP collection).

For more on acronyms and abbreviations with special NDLP application, see Spelling and Special Terms.

Names and Titles (Chicago 14.4-14):

  • Abbreviations should not be used in personal names unless they appear thus in signatures (e.g., Benj. Franklin) or in quoted text.

  • Civil or military titles used with the surname alone should be spelled out (e.g., General Washington); with full names, the titles may be abbreviated (e.g., Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum). See Chicago 14.5.

  • Always abbreviate Mr., Mrs., Messrs., Ms., M., MM., Mme, Mlle, and Dr.

Personal names with Saint (Chicago 14.16) are usually spelled out in text (e.g., Saint Patrick).

Names of Places and States (Chicago 14.17):

  • The names of states, territories, and possessions of the United States should always be given in full when standing alone. When they follow the name of a city or some other geographical term, they should be spelled out.

  • The names of states, territories, and possessions of the United States may be abbreviated if they appear in lists, tabular matter, and mailing addresses. This also applies to the way places of publication appear in notes and bibliographies. For all these cases, use the forms given in Chicago 14.17-20.

Constitutions and Bylaws ( Chicago 14.56):

  • In quoting from constitutions, bylaws, and the like, the words section and article are spelled out the first time they are used and abbreviated thereafter. Capital letters are traditionally used for these words:

    • SECTION 1. The name of the association . . .

    • SEC. 2. The object of the association . . .

    • ARTICLE 234. It shall be the duty of . . .

    • ART. 235. It shall be the duty of . . .

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September 1999