Web Team Procedures

HTML for Commonly Used Acronyms and Abbreviations

This is a quick reference for the Web Team's use. Note: <acronym> will be used for acronyms and abbreviations until more browsers understand <abbrev>. [Updated February 21, 2008.]

From WebAIM, Designing for Screen Reader Compatibility: How Screen Readers Read Content:

Screen readers try to pronounce acronyms and nonsensical words if they have sufficient vowels/consonants to be pronounceable; otherwise, they spell out the letters. For example, NASA is pronounced as a word, whereas NSF is pronounced as "N. S. F." The acronym URL is pronounced "earl," even though most humans say "U. R. L." The acronym SQL is not pronounced "sequel" by screen readers even though some humans pronounce it that way; screen readers say "S. Q. L."

In general, acronyms spell pronouncable words, such as SOAR, and abbreviations do not spell pronouncable words, instead each letter is spelled out, such as USA.

The first occurrence of an acronym on each web page should be marked up with the <acronym> tag including the title="fully spelled out name of the entity" attribute, such as <acronym title="Social Ohlone and Recognition">SOAR</acronym>.

The first occurrence of an abbrevition on each web page should also be marked up with the <acronym> tag including the title="fully spelled out name of the entity" attribute, such as <acronym title="United States of America">USA</acronym>. NOTE: There is an <abbrev> tag that is spottily supported by browsers.

Note that periods are not used in a majority of acronyms and abbreviations on the Ohlone College website.

AA

<acronym title="Associate of Arts">AA</acronym>

ADA

<acronym title="Americans with Disabilities Act">ADA</acronym>

AGS

<acronym title="Alpha Gamma Sigma">AGS</acronym>

AMAC

<acronym title="Alternate Media Access Committee">AMAC</acronym>

A&R

<acronym title="Admissions and Records">A&amp;R</acronym>

AIU

<acronym title="Alliant International University">AIU</acronym>

AS

<acronym title="Associate of Science">AS</acronym>

ASL

<acronym title="American Sign Language">ASL</acronym>

ASOC

<acronym title="Associated Students of Ohlone">ASOC</acronym>

BA

<acronym title="Bachelor of Arts">BA</acronym>

BS

<acronym title="Bachelor of Science">BS</acronym>

CAOT

<acronym title="Computer Applications and Occupational Technology">CAOT</acronym>

CAPAC

<acronym title="Course and Program Approval Committee">CAPAC</acronym>

CARE

<acronym title="Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education">CARE</acronym>

CCC

<acronym title="California Community Colleges">CCC</acronym>

CNET

<acronym title="Computers, Networks, and Emerging Technology">CNET</acronym>

CSEA

<acronym title="California School Employees Association">CSEA</acronym>

CSU

<acronym title="California State University">CSU</acronym>

CSU East Bay

<acronym title="California State University">CSU</acronym> East Bay

DSPS

<acronym title="Disabled Students Programs and Services">DSPS</acronym>

ECS

<acronym title="Early Childhood Studies">ECS</acronym>

EDT

<acronym title="Entertainment Design and Technology">EDT</acronym>

EOPS

<acronym title="Extended Opportunity Program and Services">EOPS</acronym>

ELC

<acronym title="English Learning Center">English Learning Center</acronym>

ESL

<acronym title="English as a Second Language">ESL</acronym>

FAFSA

<acronym title="Free Application for Federal Student Aid">FAFSA</acronym>

FAQ

<acronym title="Frequently Asked Question">FAQ</acronym>

FAQs

<acronym title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQs</acronym>

GE

<acronym title="General Education">GE</acronym>

GIS

<acronym title="Geographic Information Systems">GIS</acronym>

GPA

<acronym title="Grade Point Average">GPA</acronym>

GSA

<acronym title="Gay Straight Alliance">GSA</acronym>

GURC

<acronym title="Gallaudet University Regional Center">GURC</acronym>

ABBREVIATE WITH ROOM NUMBERS ONLY:
HH

<acronym title="Hyman Hall">HH</acronym>

HIV

<acronym title="H I V">HIV</acronym> (otherwise may be read as "hiv")

HTML

<acronym title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</acronym>

ICC

<acronym title="Inter Club Council">ICC</acronym>

ID

<acronym title="I D">ID</acronym> (otherwise may be read as "id")

ID

<acronym title="Identification">ID</acronym>

IGETC

<acronym title="Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum">IGETC</acronym>

IT Department

<acronym title="Information Technology">IT</acronym> Department

ITC

<acronym title="Innovation Technology Center">ITC</acronym>

KOHL

<acronym title="K O H L">KOHL</acronym> (otherwise may be read as "cole")

LD

<acronym title="Learning Disabled">LD</acronym>

MA

<acronym title="Master of Arts">MA</acronym>

MLC

<acronym title="Math Learning Center">MLC</acronym>

MS

<acronym title="Master of Science">AS</acronym>

N/A (Not applicable; use depends on context)

<acronym title="Not applicable">N/A</acronym>

N/A (Not available; use depends on context)

<acronym title="Not available">N/A</acronym>

ABBREVIATE WITH ROOM NUMBERS ONLY:
NC

<acronym title="Newark Center">NC</acronym>

NMHS

<acronym title="Newark Memorial High School">NMHS</acronym>

OCNC (not commonly used)

<acronym title="Ohlone College Newark Center">OCNC</acronym>

ONTV

<acronym title="Ohlone Network Television">ONTV</acronym>

PDF

<acronym title="Portable Document Format">PDF</acronym>

PhD (formal - try not to use this because PhD is much more common)

<acronym title="Doctor of Philosophy">PhD</acronym>

PTA

<acronym title="Physical Therapist Assistant">PTA</acronym>

RN

<acronym title="Registered Nurse">RN</acronym>

RT

<acronym title="Respiratory Therapist">RT</acronym>

ABBREVIATE WITH ROOM NUMBERS ONLY:
SC

<acronym title="Smith Center">SC</acronym>

SEIU

<acronym title="Service Employees International Union">SEIU</acronym>

SOAR Committee

<acronym title="Social Ohlone And Recognition">SOAR</acronym> Committee

SSB

<acronym title="Student Services Building">SSB</acronym>

STARSS

<acronym title="Students Toward a Rapid Smoke-free School">STARSS</acronym>

STC (NOW DEFUNCT)

<acronym title="Student Technology Center">STC</acronym>

TAG

<acronym title="Transfer Admission Guarantee">TAG</acronym>

TACO (NOW DEFUNCT)

<acronym title="Technology Advisory Committee of Ohlone">TACO</acronym>

TBA

<acronym title="To be announced">TBA</acronym>

TBD

<acronym title="To be determined">TBD</acronym>

TCS (NOW DEFUNCT)

<acronym title="Transfer &amp; Career Services">TCS</acronym>

TV

<acronym title="television">TV</acronym>

UC

<acronym title="University of California">UC</acronym>

UC / CSU

<acronym title="University of California">UC</acronym> / <acronym title="California State University">CSU</acronym>

UE

<acronym title="University Express">UE</acronym>

UFO

<acronym title="United Faculty of Ohlone">UFO</acronym>

URL

<acronym title="Uniform Resource Locator">URL</acronym>

URL (markup because pronounced as "yurl")

<acronym title="U R L">URL</acronym>

US

<acronym title="United States">US</acronym>

USA

<acronym title="United States of America">USA</acronym>

USD

<acronym title="United States Dollars">USD</acronym>

W3C

<acronym title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</acronym>

WEX

<acronym title="Work Experience">WEX</acronym>

WLAN

<acronym title="Wireless Local Area Network">WLAN</acronym>

XHTML

<acronym title="Extensible HyperText Markup Language">XHTML</acronym>

Abbreviations/Acronyms for Weekdays

FSa

<acronym title="Friday, Saturday">FSa</acronym>

M-F

<acronym title="Monday through Friday">M-F</acronym>

M-Th

<acronym title="Monday through Thursday">M-Th</acronym>

MW

<acronym title="Monday, Wednesday">MW</acronym>

MWF

<acronym title="Monday, Wednesday, Friday">MWF</acronym>

MTW

<acronym title="Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday">MTW</acronym>

MTWTF

<acronym title="Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday">MTWTF</acronym>

MTWThF

<acronym title="Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday">MTWThF</acronym>

SaSu

<acronym title="Saturday, Sunday">SaSu</acronym>

TTh

<acronym title="Tuesday, Thursday">TTh</acronym>

WF

<acronym title="Wednesday, Friday">WF</acronym>