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What’s the proper use of acronyms in writing?

Spell out, explain and illustrate acronyms

How do you handle acronyms in writing?

Proper use of acronyms
Meet NINA How do you define a NINA (No Income, No Assets) loan? By taking a tip from Alex Blumberg. Image by Kris Land

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”:

The thing that got me interested in all this was something called a NINA loan. [A] NINA loan stands for No Income, No Assets …

2. Explain the acronym. Here’s Blumberg again:

… as in, someone will lend you a bunch of money without first checking if you have any income or any assets.

3. Illustrate the acronym. Now Blumberg interviews a guest:

[ Blumberg]: For example, a guy I met named Clarence Nathan. He worked three part-time, not very steady jobs, and made a total of roughly $45,000 a year. He got himself into trouble and needed money, so he took out a loan against his house. A big one.

[Clarence Nathan]: Call it $540,000 for round figures.

…

[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.

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