Frequently Used and Misused Latin Abbreviations | Tips on How to Get Your Research Published
Although Latin abbreviations appear far less often in scholarly writing than they once did, there are still a few that are used with considerable frequency. Unfortunately, they are also misused all too frequently, so a few notes clarifying the meaning, forms and uses of a few of the most common might prove helpful.
The abbreviation ‘cf.’ is the shortened form of the Latin word ‘confer,” which means ‘compare.’ The abbreviation almost always appears in roman font and is generally only used in parentheses or ancillary material such as footnotes or endnotes. Although some scientific publishers will allow its use in the main body of a manuscript, in most cases the English word ‘compare’ or something similar should be used in the running text of a document. Do be aware of the fact that this abbreviation is frequently misused to mean ‘see’ instead of ‘compare.’ If you write ‘cf. apples and oranges,’ it means ‘compare’ the two fruits, not simply ‘see’ both – a subtle but important distinction – so do consider its meaning in relation to the context before you use it.
The abbreviation ‘e.g.’ stands for the Latin phrase ‘exempli gratia,’ which means ‘for example.’ This abbreviation tends to be used in roman font and appears with great frequency in academic and scientific writing. Like the abbreviation ‘cf.,’ it should in most cases be used only in parentheses or ancillary material such as notes unless guidelines specify otherwise. It is usually separated by a comma from the examples listed after it (e.g., apples, pears and oranges). In the main text of an article or book, equivalent English words (‘for example,’ ‘for instance’ etc.) are preferable. Unfortunately, this abbreviation is used with excessive frequency by some authors, so do check your prose for it. If every other sentence ends with an ‘e.g.’ construction, reconsider and rewrite to use the abbreviation less frequently. Note as well that ‘e.g.’ is often confused with the next abbreviation I discuss here – ‘i.e.’
The abbreviation ‘i.e.’ is the shortened form of the Latin phrase ‘id est,’ which means ‘that is.’ This abbreviation, like the two above, almost always appears in roman font and, as a general rule, should be used only in parentheses or ancillary material. In the normal running text of a scholarly document, equivalent English words – ‘that is’ will work of course, but so will ‘namely’ in some cases – are preferable. A comma usually follows the abbreviation as it would the equivalent words. This abbreviation is used almost as frequently in academic and scientific writing as ‘e.g.’ In fact, it is often confused with ‘e.g.,’ so do reflect on which is most appropriate before using either.
All three of these abbreviations can be incredibly useful and save a little space as well, but they must be employed effectively and selectively. If they are used incorrectly, they can and will confuse readers. If they are overused, especially in the main text of an article or book, they render the prose dull and repetitive. Remember that such abbreviations should never be used as substitutes for thorough argumentation or explanation, but considered as helpful little tools for scholarly writers.
Why Our Editing and Proofreading Services?
At Proof-Reading-Service.com we offer the highest quality journal article editing, phd thesis editing and proofreading services via our large and extremely dedicated team of academic and scientific professionals. All of our proofreaders are native speakers of English who have earned their own postgraduate degrees, and their areas of specialisation cover such a wide range of disciplines that we are able to help our international clientele with research editing to improve and perfect all kinds of academic manuscripts for successful publication. Many of the carefully trained members of our expert editing and proofreading team work predominantly on articles intended for publication in scholarly journals, applying painstaking journal editing standards to ensure that the references and formatting used in each paper are in conformity with the journal’s instructions for authors and to correct any grammar, spelling, punctuation or simple typing errors. In this way, we enable our clients to report their research in the clear and accurate ways required to impress acquisitions proofreaders and achieve publication.
Our scientific proofreading services for the authors of a wide variety of scientific journal papers are especially popular, but we also offer manuscript proofreading services and have the experience and expertise to proofread and edit manuscripts in all scholarly disciplines, as well as beyond them. We have team members who specialise in medical proofreading services, and some of our experts dedicate their time exclusively to PhD proofreading and master’s proofreading, offering research students the opportunity to improve their use of formatting and language through the most exacting PhD thesis editing and dissertation proofreading practices. Whether you are preparing a conference paper for presentation, polishing a progress report to share with colleagues, or facing the daunting task of editing and perfecting any kind of scholarly document for publication, a qualified member of our professional team can provide invaluable assistance and give you greater confidence in your written work.
If you are in the process of preparing an article for an academic or scientific journal, or planning one for the near future, you may well be interested in a new book, Guide to Journal Publication, which is available on our Tips and Advice on Publishing Research in Journals website.
