List of Abbreviations for Dissertation

Where to Add List of Abbreviations?

Abbreviations’ list should be placed at the start of the dissertation and right after the table of contents. The list of abbreviations should also be a part of the table of contents. If you aren’t using many abbreviations, there is no need to include a whole list. Underneath, we will guide you on how to define abbreviations within the text.

Example of Acronyms

I met the regional sales manager (RSM) of 5 different multi-national companies (MNCs). I conducted in-depth interviews with the RSM, through which I came to know that every MNC  has a different strategy for its product marketing.

Some exceptions don’t apply to this rule, such as when acronyms like AI, URL, FIFA, etc. are involved. You can still write the full acronym if unsure.

Point to remember: In research, it is not considered right to create your own abbreviations and/or acronyms. You can only abbreviate terms that have officially been abbreviated in books, journals, and other published materials. 

For instance, you cannot abbreviate ‘women leaders in private sectors’ to ‘WLiPS’. Unless such an abbreviation actually exists, this would be unethical in the context of research.

APA Style of Adding Abbreviations

• The full term should be mentioned first, like World Health Organisation, and then the abbreviation in parentheses (WHO) when mentioning the term for the first time in the study.
• A term should be used at least three times in the study to include in the list of abbreviations, and make sure to add no periods when adding acronyms like FBI, not F.B.I. 
• Group authors’ names or terms like American Psychological Association (APA) can be abbreviated in text, like the body paragraphs of an essay, but not in the list of references.

Common Practices to Follow

• An alphabetically organised list of abbreviations is required to add before the table of contents.

• Avoid abbreviations in titles or headings unless they are very common terms like IQ, DNA, PM, etc.

• Don’t add ‘s’ while mentioning the unit of measurement, like 90 m for 90 meters; adding an additional ‘s’ will make it 90 milliseconds.

APA Style Abbreviations for Time

APA Style Abbreviations for Latin Terms

• Table of Contents
• Figures and tables
• Glossary

Point to note: You might come across some types of research or thesis where the abbreviations’ column is placed in front of an ‘explanation’ column. The latter is simply another way of ‘defining’ the acronyms/abbreviations, or rather, giving their full forms. 

Tips for Adding Abbreviations & Acronyms

Here are some general rules or practices to keep in mind while mentioning abbreviations or acronyms in your study.  

• Always write the full form of acronyms when adding them, like National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), once in the whole text when using it for the first time, and then just refer to it using an acronym.

For example, we have introduced our students to the objectives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in the first class. So that they can work on finding programs related to UNESCO for their research projects.

• You can use the same instructions for abbreviations as well, like QA for Quality Assurance. First, describe the whole term, and then move on with the abbreviation only in the preceding content throughout the study.

For example, Students of behavioural psychology are always in need of processed data to use in the Process Behaviour Chart (PBC). They are just required to fill in the collected details in the PBC chart and deduce results from it.

Key Takeaway: Avoid adding the full form of very common abbreviations or acronyms like USA, UK, EU, DNA, WTO, etc, because they are widely understandable without explanation.

Frequently Asked Questions