Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of acronyms and
abbreviations from a report?

For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far the best
approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full text. The time
saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of acronyms and
abbreviations from a report?

Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military with other
dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.

Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and illiterate
(ie Microsoft and the military."

However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a burden or
waste of time. I would much rather write and say "DIRSSP" (Dur Sip) than
Directory Strategic Systems Progams. Which is a term used scads of times
each day in my work. I also work with manuals that would literally be 25%
larger if every technical acronym was spelled out each time. I agree that
seeing an acronym that you don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as
much as seeing them all banished in accordance with your views.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far
the best approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full
text. The time saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely
illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of
acronyms and abbreviations from a report?

Not just an opinion. It is easily measured, and has been frequently. We're
talking about writing, not speech, and specifically acronyms and
abbreviations that need explaining.

It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the reader
"Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler. And indeed, the
saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the extra effort for you to spell
it out is minimal, and a great deal less than the extra effort to maintain
and cross-reference an accurate glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to
your glossary, so you've now introduced a significant source of error and
ambiguity.

There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal) resulting
from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.



"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military with other
dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.

Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and illiterate
(ie Microsoft and the military."

However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a burden or
waste of time. I would much rather write and say "DIRSSP" (Dur Sip) than
Directory Strategic Systems Progams. Which is a term used scads of times
each day in my work. I also work with manuals that would literally be 25%
larger if every technical acronym was spelled out each time. I agree that
seeing an acronym that you don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as
much as seeing them all banished in accordance with your views.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far
the best approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full
text. The time saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely
illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of
acronyms and abbreviations from a report?

Jezebel,

While you have passion, you are still only offering opinions. I will not
be surprised if you offer links to exhaustive studies explaining your
position. But it is still just a position or as I prefer to call it, an
opinion. It is refreashing to see that you have backed off your absolute.
Likely for you might be unlikely for others. While I agree with you that
acronyms can be over used, I am not ready to bannish them entirely.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
Not just an opinion. It is easily measured, and has been frequently.
We're talking about writing, not speech, and specifically acronyms and
abbreviations that need explaining.

It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the
reader "Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler.
And indeed, the saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the extra
effort for you to spell it out is minimal, and a great deal less than
the extra effort to maintain and cross-reference an accurate
glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to your glossary, so you've
now introduced a significant source of error and ambiguity.

There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal)
resulting from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.



"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military with
other dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.

Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and
illiterate (ie Microsoft and the military."

However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a
burden or waste of time. I would much rather write and say "DIRSSP"
(Dur Sip) than Directory Strategic Systems Progams. Which is a term
used scads of times each day in my work. I also work with manuals
that would literally be 25% larger if every technical acronym was
spelled out each time. I agree that seeing an acronym that you
don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as much as seeing them
all banished in accordance with your views.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far
the best approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full
text. The time saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely
illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of
acronyms and abbreviations from a report?

You have a strange notion of opinion. Measurements and empricial studies are
rather more than that. But each to theirown. I note that you don't even try
to justify your own opinions on the matter. Guess you prefer to go on
writing the FMs that no-one will R.




"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Jezebel,

While you have passion, you are still only offering opinions. I will not
be surprised if you offer links to exhaustive studies explaining your
position. But it is still just a position or as I prefer to call it, an
opinion. It is refreashing to see that you have backed off your absolute.
Likely for you might be unlikely for others. While I agree with you that
acronyms can be over used, I am not ready to bannish them entirely.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
Not just an opinion. It is easily measured, and has been frequently.
We're talking about writing, not speech, and specifically acronyms and
abbreviations that need explaining.

It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the
reader "Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler.
And indeed, the saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the extra
effort for you to spell it out is minimal, and a great deal less than
the extra effort to maintain and cross-reference an accurate
glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to your glossary, so you've
now introduced a significant source of error and ambiguity.

There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal)
resulting from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.



"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military with
other dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.

Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and
illiterate (ie Microsoft and the military."

However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a
burden or waste of time. I would much rather write and say "DIRSSP"
(Dur Sip) than Directory Strategic Systems Progams. Which is a term
used scads of times each day in my work. I also work with manuals
that would literally be 25% larger if every technical acronym was
spelled out each time. I agree that seeing an acronym that you
don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as much as seeing them
all banished in accordance with your views.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far
the best approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full
text. The time saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely
illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of
acronyms and abbreviations from a report?

Jezebel,

I did try to justify my opinion. I mentioned technical manuals and
directives hundreds of pages in length that would be much longer (and more
expensive to produce) if every acronym where spelled out. IMU Inertial
Measurement Unit, FCEP Flight Conrol Electronics Package, FSMD First Stage
Motor Dome, FCET Follow on Commander's Evaluation Test. The quantity of
acyronyms in some techinical fields can boggle the mind, but it is the
spoken and written language in the field. Like any langauge, once you learn
the terms the fog is cleared and it becomes intelligeable.

My opinion stated again, is that while acronyms can be over used, they still
have some merit.

I reviewed a few of your recent post on Google. I have noticed a few
departures from your position of always spelling it out fully:

i.e. Isn't that from Latin "id est" with meaning: that is (to say).
e.g. Aagain from Latin "exempli gratia" with meaning: for example; for the
sake of example.

Stange notions? Since you don't like acronyms nobody else should use them
either. Or worse still, those that do are illiterate or incompetent.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
You have a strange notion of opinion. Measurements and empricial
studies are rather more than that. But each to theirown. I note that
you don't even try to justify your own opinions on the matter. Guess
you prefer to go on writing the FMs that no-one will R.




"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Jezebel,

While you have passion, you are still only offering opinions. I
will not be surprised if you offer links to exhaustive studies
explaining your position. But it is still just a position or as I
prefer to call it, an opinion. It is refreashing to see that you
have backed off your absolute. Likely for you might be unlikely for
others. While I agree with you that acronyms can be over used, I am
not ready to bannish them entirely.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
Not just an opinion. It is easily measured, and has been frequently.
We're talking about writing, not speech, and specifically acronyms
and abbreviations that need explaining.

It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the
reader "Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler.
And indeed, the saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the extra
effort for you to spell it out is minimal, and a great deal less
than the extra effort to maintain and cross-reference an accurate
glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to your glossary, so you've
now introduced a significant source of error and ambiguity.

There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal)
resulting from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.



"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military
with other dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.

Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and
illiterate (ie Microsoft and the military."

However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a
burden or waste of time. I would much rather write and say
"DIRSSP" (Dur Sip) than Directory Strategic Systems Progams.
Which is a term used scads of times each day in my work. I also
work with manuals
that would literally be 25% larger if every technical acronym was
spelled out each time. I agree that seeing an acronym that you
don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as much as seeing them
all banished in accordance with your views.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by far
the best approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the full
text. The time saving of acronyms and abbreviations is entirely
illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of
acronyms and abbreviations from a report?

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 14:29:01 -0800, Nancyz
wrote:

Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of acronyms and
abbreviations from a report?

Hi Nancy,

If you define an acronym as a "word" consisting of three or more upper
case letters, you can find them with a wildcard search (see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/UsingWildcards.htm) using the Find
expression

[A-Z]@

Making a list of them would take a macro, which would be more or less
complicated depending on how automated you want to make it -- for
example, whether you want the list alphabetized and duplicates
removed.

Abbreviations are a whole different story. Trying to define an
abbreviation in terms of mechanical rules is a hard problem.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org

Jezebel,

I sheath my sword. Would you consider taking this joust offline?
Considering your position on the scale, you can reach me by e-mail if you
desire.

Cheers, friend.
--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Greg Maxey wrote:
Jezebel,

I did try to justify my opinion. I mentioned technical manuals and
directives hundreds of pages in length that would be much longer (and
more expensive to produce) if every acronym where spelled out. IMU
Inertial Measurement Unit, FCEP Flight Conrol Electronics Package,
FSMD First Stage Motor Dome, FCET Follow on Commander's Evaluation
Test. The quantity of acyronyms in some techinical fields can boggle
the mind, but it is the spoken and written language in the field. Like any
langauge, once you learn the terms the fog is cleared and it
becomes intelligeable.
My opinion stated again, is that while acronyms can be over used,
they still have some merit.

I reviewed a few of your recent post on Google. I have noticed a few
departures from your position of always spelling it out fully:

i.e. Isn't that from Latin "id est" with meaning: that is (to say).
e.g. Aagain from Latin "exempli gratia" with meaning: for example;
for the sake of example.

Stange notions? Since you don't like acronyms nobody else should use
them either. Or worse still, those that do are illiterate or
incompetent.

Jezebel wrote:
You have a strange notion of opinion. Measurements and empricial
studies are rather more than that. But each to theirown. I note that
you don't even try to justify your own opinions on the matter. Guess
you prefer to go on writing the FMs that no-one will R.




"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Jezebel,

While you have passion, you are still only offering opinions. I
will not be surprised if you offer links to exhaustive studies
explaining your position. But it is still just a position or as I
prefer to call it, an opinion. It is refreashing to see that you
have backed off your absolute. Likely for you might be unlikely for
others. While I agree with you that acronyms can be over used, I am
not ready to bannish them entirely.

--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
Not just an opinion. It is easily measured, and has been
frequently. We're talking about writing, not speech, and
specifically acronyms and abbreviations that need explaining.

It might be easier for you, as writer, to use DIRSSP, but for the
reader "Directory Strategic Systems Progams" is obviously simpler.
And indeed, the saving for you is likely a fiction anyway: the
extra effort for you to spell it out is minimal, and a great deal
less than the extra effort to maintain and cross-reference an accurate
glossary. Worse, most people won't refer to your glossary, so
you've now introduced a significant source of error and ambiguity.

There's a whole website somewhere of sanfus (some of them fatal)
resulting from people guessing wrongly what an acronym meant.



"Greg Maxey" wrote in message
...
Isn't this just an opinion? I know that you group the military
with other dull tools, dim bulbs, etc.

Your words - "They are device relied on by the incompetent and
illiterate (ie Microsoft and the military."

However, I don't consider acronyms in speech or written text a
burden or waste of time. I would much rather write and say
"DIRSSP" (Dur Sip) than Directory Strategic Systems Progams.
Which is a term used scads of times each day in my work. I also
work with manuals
that would literally be 25% larger if every technical acronym was
spelled out each time. I agree that seeing an acronym that you
don't recognize is frustrating, but hardly as much as seeing them
all banished in accordance with your views.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
A Peer in Peer to Peer Support

Jezebel wrote:
For total least effort on the part of you and your readers, by
far the best approach is to eliminate them: replace them with the
full text. The time saving of acronyms and abbreviations is
entirely illusory.


"Nancyz" wrote in message
...
Is there any quick and easy way to find and create a list of
acronyms and abbreviations from a report?