Do acronyms make you cringe too? Not everyone is an expert at decoding a string of letters that leave most readers mystified. The number of acronyms you master is not an indication of your expertise. Quite the opposite!
Chances are, an overuse of LOL, ROFLOL, ROTFLMAOWPIMP and LSHMBH will put your readers to sleep; they won’t make it past the first three lines.
Honestly, I think it borders on arrogance to assume your readers have given up on communication with real words and sentences. They shouldn’t need an acronym dictionary to decipher your gobbledygook.
WHEN IS IT OK TO USE ACRONYMS?
Acronyms aren’t always bad. In technical or academic writing, you often need to refer to long terms repeatedly. That’s why most publishers have clear rules: the first time a term appears, spell it out in full, followed by the acronym in brackets—like this: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). After that, just use the acronym.
Personal writing isn’t bound by these rules, but before you bombard your readers with a secret code, pause and think. No matter how familiar you are with your subject, your goal is to engage your audience. A sentence like “The advantage of the LH was clear from the RT data, which reflected high FP and FN rates for the RH,” won’t cut the mustard.
So, next time you write a blog, article, report or thesis, keep these rules in mind if you want to keep your readers hooked:
- Less is more
- Abuse leads to confusion
- Know your audience
- Put the reader first
- In formal writing, follow the rules.
And last but not least, remember: PCMCIA—People Can’t Master Computer Industry Acronyms.