Frequent abbreviations (a shortened form of a word) and acronyms (using the first letters of several words) are distracting to the reader, so should be avoided. They are more acceptable in technical material (such as the rule book) that is intended for a swimming-savvy audience. They should be avoided in marketing and promotional materials intended for people who may not be familiar with swimming terminology. If you use an abbreviation, spell it out on first use, and then use the abbreviation thereafter. Do not define the abbreviation in parentheses after first use; you are underestimating your readers’ intelligence if you assume they cannot figure out, for example, that USMS stands for United States Masters Swimming.

State names

Abbreviate all state names except for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah when used with cities: Nashville, Tenn. Well-known cities, such as Chicago and Los Angeles, do not require a state name. Acceptable abbreviations are:

Do not use postal abbreviations except with a mailing address: 838 Summerly Dr., Nashville, TN 37209. Acceptable postal abbreviations are:

United States

Spell out as a noun (We live in the United States) and abbreviate as U.S. when used as an adjective (We paid in U.S. currency).

Fort

Do not abbreviate in names of cities and military bases: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Knox.

Mount

Do not abbreviate in names of mountains or cities: Mount Rainier, Mount Vernon, Ky.

Inc.

Abbreviate Incorporated in a company name and do not set off with commas: Satchmo Publishing Inc.

Initials

If a person uses two initials instead of a first name, use periods and do not put a space between the initials: J.R. Ewing.

Jr., Sr.

Use the abbreviations with full names and do not set off with commas: Gary Hall Jr.

Months

Abbreviate January, February, August, September, October, November and December when used with a specific date: Oct. 13, 1956. Spell out when used alone or with only a year: The convention is usually in September. She was born in October 1956.

Percent

Do not use the % symbol except in tables (and only if space is an issue).

a.m./p.m.

Use a.m. and p.m. (lowercase, with periods) to indicate morning and afternoon. Do not use the redundant 7:00 a.m. in the morning.