Image of the word SARS, on a dark background, with the letters formed from gold pills and capsules.

Using abbreviations

Non-native academic writers at all levels, from undergraduates to researchers, often find the manner of placing and presenting in-text abbreviations of regularly used terms such as European Union (EU), radio frequency Identification (RFID), printed circuit board (PCB), etc., somewhat challenging. Consequently, several questions arise:

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Citing authors

When citing authors in academic papers in-text citations vary, with some systems employing numbering while others state the authors’ names and dates of publication. For those employing the Harvard Referencing System the reader is able to view the names of some or all of the cited authors’ names, and the date of the publication, without…

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Proofreading strategies

Once your written document has been completed, the final task that remains is to use your proofreading strategies to check the text for errors, inconsistencies and style. This process is crucial to ensure that your text engages the reader and captures their attention, because if proofreading strategies are overlooked or dismissed then you run the…