Style note: Acronyms and initialisms

Over time, an abbreviation can become so familiar that people may not recall the phrase that it stands for. Think of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) or sonar (sound navigation and ranging).

When using an unfamiliar abbreviation (such as NASW for National Association of Social Workers) throughout a paper, write the full name followed by the abbreviation in parentheses at the first mention. Then use the abbreviation throughout the rest of the paper. If you use the term only once in the paper, there is no harm in giving the abbreviation in parentheses to familiarize your readers with it.

Overuse of abbreviations tends to make writing difficult or unpleasant to read. Know your audience, and use abbreviations only when they will help your readers and not interfere with reading.