How to Abbreviate a Name & Degree

Abbreviating names and degrees correctly is necessary.

Names and degrees are often abbreviated in writing, and it is helpful to know the exact rules. There are different rules for abbreviating names and degrees depending on which style manual you use, but there are some general guidelines you can follow. There are also lists online if you need to look up an abbreviation, or if you are unsure of how to abbreviate a particular degree. It is easy to learn how to abbreviate names and degrees with a few useful reminders.

Instructions

1. Abbreviate a title, such as "Mrs." or "Dr." before a name. Always place a period at the end of the title. The title "Miss" is not an abbreviation and, therefore, no period follows that title. In formal writing, titles are not used.

2. Add a title following a name. If you are writing a name that is a junior, for instance, you would add "Jr." following the name. Do not place a comma between the name and the title.

3. Place the degree following the name. Use a comma to separate the name from the degree. There is some debate over whether there should be periods in the degree, such as M.A. or MA. This is one example where you should refer to the style guide of the format you are writing in for the exact rule. For example, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association recommends leaving out the periods; however, other reference manuals -- such as the Associated Press Stylebook or the Chicago Manual of Style -- state you should include the period when abbreviations are necessary.

4. Avoid using titles with degrees. For instance, you would not say "Dr. Christopher Whitmeyer, M.D." It would either be "Dr. Christopher Whitmeyer" or "Christopher Whitmeyer, M.D."

5. Write out the full name of a group, rather than using an acronym, the first time you use it. Follow the full name with its standard abbreviation in parenthesis. After this initial reference, you can refer to the group by its acronym throughout the remainder of the article. For instance, you would write out "National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)" the first time you refer to the organization. For the rest of the article, you would refer to the group as NAMI.

References

• Guide to Grammar and Writing: Abbreviations
• Writer's Style Guide: Abbreviations