Spell out, explain and illustrate acronyms
How do you handle acronyms in writing?
To communicate clearly:
1. Spell out the acronym. That’s what Alex Blumberg did in the This American Life program “The Giant Pool of Money”:
2. Explain the acronym. Here’s Blumberg again:
3. Illustrate the acronym. Now Blumberg interviews a guest:
…
[Blumberg]: Would you have loaned you the money? [Nathan]: I wouldn’t have loaned me the money. And nobody that I know would have loaned me the money.I know guys who are criminals who wouldn’t loan me that, and they break your kneecaps. I don’t know why the bank did it. I’m serious … $540,000 to a person with bad credit.
Easy as 1-2-3.
Just spell out, explain and illustrate your acronym. That’s the proper use of acronyms in writing.
What words will resonate with your readers?
Jargon. Buzzwords. Acronyms. They’re things that make your reader go “huh?” And we need to get them out of our message.
Learn how to translate the language of your organization into the language of your readers at Rev Up Readability — our tight-writing workshop starting Feb. 22.There, you’ll learn how to define terms the reader-friendly way (Hint: It’s not the way you learned in Journalism 101.) How to steal techniques from Warren Buffett to make complex technical information easier to understand — and more fun to read. Plus: you’ll boost social media reach and influence, media coverage and your organization’s authority.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.
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