But academic writing uses other Latin abbreviations too. In this post, we take a look at some common types of abbreviation and how to use them. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. A common and standard section in a dissertation is the definition of terms. This is a key part as it helps the reader to understand the key terminology and concepts particularly if you have used unusual terms or terms that are not widely known. No plagiarism, guaranteed! There are three important things to note about appendices: Thus, for example, if you have included a questionnaire as part of your methodology and primary data collection, you should analyse the results from the questionnaire within the main body of your work but could include a blank copy of the questionnaire within an appendix. And yes, WEIRD is genuinely an acronym used in the social sciences. If you have used many highly specialized terms that your reader is unfamiliar with, it may be a good idea to include a glossary. A contraction omits letters to combine two words (e.g. Thereafter within the text, you will merely write BBC (you do not need to put it in brackets). The page on which each one is defined or first used is also given. In the UK, we use a full stop when an abbreviation only includes the first part of a word (e.g. Most dissertations will not need sub-sections of more than two degrees (for example, sections 3, 3.1, and 3.1.2) and use of more than one degree should be very carefully considered. For example, you may write: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) announced that some programming would be undertaken from their Manchester studios (BBC, 2009). Company Registration No: 4964706. %PDF-1.3 So now we just wait for the US to switch to the metric system…(Photo: Aslak Raanes/flickr). Abbreviations in Academic Writing (6 Top Tips). Registered Data Controller No: Z1821391. #6 List of abbreviations. These come in many forms, most with important roles in academic writing (not least ensuring brevity).. If you do not decide to use such a tool, remember that you will need to format the table in a clear and consistent manner and that page numbers may need to be updated frequently as you edit, proofread, and polish the dissertation. List of abbreviations The following table describes the significance of various abbreviations and acronyms used throughout the thesis. Reference this. stream BBC is also short for Big British Castle. This is where you can set out frequently used abbreviations, acronyms or initialisms in your work, giving your reader a handy guide whenever an unfamiliar term is used. You can use these to prevent repetition of longer terms. These come in many forms, most with important roles in academic writing (not least ensuring brevity). So, if you only mention an organisation once there is no need to abbreviate it. Be careful, though – the list will only include items that you have marked using the “Insert Caption…” tool. Other common abbreviations include titles, measurements and dates: Whether to put a full stop after an abbreviation can be confusing, as rules vary. The following is a fictitious sentence but illustrates the point: “The BBC and CNN announced that the USA, UK and NATO, along with the UN, had found WMDs in OPEC countries”. There is a fine line between too many abbreviations within a dissertation and too few. In the Word menu bar, click on “References”. Most dissertations include a list of abbreviations. Be aware, however, of the following points. If all this Latin sounds confusing, blame the Romans. Conversely, if you mention it several times on every page an abbreviation is useful (as it aids flow and also assists your word count). List of most popular Dissertation terms updated in September 2020 However, if you have only one document, then simply entitle it Appendix. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! They should not be used as a way to ‘get around’ the word count (if something is important put it in the main body of your text). Step 1. ‘Dec.’ as short for ‘December’). Whether or not you need to include any or all of these elements will depend upon the nature of your subject matter and the conventions that your university applies. Other examples include ‘etc.’ (short for et cetera) and ‘N.B.’ (short for nota bene). ‘Appendix’ is the singular form, and ‘appendices’ the plural. 831 words (3 pages) Dissertation Help Guide, 2nd Jun 2020 %��������� If an abbreviation uses the first and last letter of the word, no full stop is needed (e.g. But people from WEIRD societies only represent 12 percent of the global population. The key is knowing which abbreviations are used in your subject area, especially in disciplines like law where Latin terms are very common. Required fields are marked *. ‘Mr’ as short for ‘Mister’). All work is written to order. There is a fine line between too many abbreviations within a dissertation and too few. Your email address will not be published. Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations made from the first letter of each word in a phrase: UNICEF = United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. The list of Writing abbreviations in Dissertation. The reader may forget what an acronym stands for and therefore if you have not mentioned it for some time they may need a reminder. Abbreviations or acronyms should be used only for terms which will be repeatedly used within your dissertation. Copyright © 2003 - 2020 - All Answers Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales. Appendices should only be used to include data that is important to your study but is not absolutely vital to it. In this post, we take a look at some common types of abbreviation and how to use them.. 1. Try to avoid excessively long tables of contents; a 15,000- word dissertation does not need a four-page table of contents. First, within the main body of your text, you need to define the acronym in full upon its first use, thus introducing it. Generally, you should define acronyms and initialisms on their first use by giving the abbreviation in parentheses after the full terminology: The study was criticised for focusing on Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic (WEIRD) societies. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> The most suitable spot is always be right below the table of contents in your dissertation paper. List of Abbreviations. Home Abbreviations in Academic Writing (6 Top Tips). Place your cursor at the point where you wish to insert the tables and figures list. ‘do not’ = ‘don’t’). This component of your dissertation is most easily written with the tool available within Microsoft Word (or in similar software packages). Place your cursor where you want to create the list. Generate lists automatically. Many Latin abbreviations are part of everyday English, such as ‘e.g.’ and ‘i.e.’. Once you have added all of your captions, let Word automatically generate the figure and table lists for you. Nonstandard acronyms that are used in some places to abbreviate the names of certain white matter structures are not in this list. If you have not used the tool previously, take five minutes to do an online tutorial on the Microsoft website so that you save time in the long run by avoiding common mistakes. ‘Acronym overload’ within sentences exhausts and frustrates the reader (and marker). It is important therefore that you first check your course handbook. Your email address will not be published. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! So alternatively, you could write: “The BBC and CNN announced that the United States, United Kingdom and NATO, in conjunction with United Nations inspectors, had found ‘weapons of mass destruction’ in countries within OPEC”. Accordingly, you should title different documents within the appendices as Appendix One, Appendix Two, and so on, and the collection thereof as the section titled Appendices. In the US, full stops are added after all abbreviations except metric units of measurement. You might have seen ‘et al.’ (‘and others’), ‘ibid.’ (‘in the same place’) and ‘op cit.’ (‘in the work cited’) used for referencing sources. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Good practice suggests therefore that you should ‘reintroduce’ the acronym when you first use it within each chapter or every several thousand words. These are common in everyday speech, but they are typically considered too informal for academic writing. Dissertation Help Guide Australian Research Centre for Medical Engineering Abbreviations in Academic Writing (6 Top Tips) Abbreviations are shortened words or phrases. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your All Answers purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. If you use abbreviations extensively in your thesis or dissertation, you must include a list of abbreviations and their corresponding definitions following these guidelines: Include the heading “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS” in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the page. Similarly, if your work has been on the US Constitution and the extent to which ‘free speech’ is absolute, you will discuss the issues in the main body of your text but could include a copy of the Constitution in an appendix. A glossary is usually unnecessary in an undergraduate or Master’s dissertation but would include brief definitions of technical words or phrases. VAT Registration No: 842417633. Step 2 - Insert the List of Figures and Tables in Dissertation. Abbreviations are shortened words or phrases. Browse the list of 119 Dissertation abbreviations with their meanings and definitions. How To Provide A Definition Of Key Terms In A Dissertation. Do not create a plethora of sub-sections that may contain as little as one sentence. So, if you only mention an organisation once there is no need to abbreviate it. If you have used many abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetical list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meaning. Titles (e.g. x�Z�r�H��+�v� �%�`;�;�'ڽ*b�>@ $bL2��O̷�e��_���*a2dE8@`V��|�T��~��[��,/�V(]k�Z��r�҉����m��?9�sY(��l���NL=g�y9��Q�~���Z��0�$]\[���u�/��Ļ��B��_�q� -?,E �}�:���$�W�|f܍B�[[K2��cc�Y��V긊$fDE�������] �i�?ge���yZvq�\�W���.���*+�ri�e]���a�ȉ|(H�ї���Ϗ7��b Y 7s�N�D�}]l6Ň,���X�U|���b���Lv�U��ՏW�7��&�>'q�4?��sw�.+�%�TRHϥ��ni�o�+�R�臊�Ӷ�/S�cQ�mh��Y��f]��f"��חeV:���H,���FaAO�y��:K��C���y:S��{��s����WҲ?��okH�'oƛ�0bn��4�ɣ*�&x�`���|1���o�X�G6�>. 4 0 obj #7 Glossary. Check with your supervisor if you are unsure. Lists of abbreviations are more commonly found in scientific dissertations (for example, biology or engineering), and rarely within subject areas such as history, English, or politics. Doctor) are normally abbreviated when used before a name (e.g. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. *You can also browse our support articles here >, take five minutes to do an online tutorial on the Microsoft website. Abbreviations or acronyms should be used only for terms which will be repeatedly used within your dissertation. ‘ibid.’ (‘in the same place’) and ‘op cit.’ (‘in the work cited’). (Photo: David Benbennick/wikimedia).