17. Abbreviations of names
of U.S. states
When you write a scientific manuscript, you may be faced with the need to abbreviate the names of states of the U.S.A. Here are the rules:
1. In text sentences, do not abbreviate names of states (see CBE Style Manual).
2. In addresses, use the 2-letter codes that were first issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 1963 (see Table below) to abbreviate names of states.
3. In tables, use the 2-letter postal codes
4. In bibliographies, use the 2-letter postal codes in addresses of publishers.
5. In bibliographies, do not use the 2-letter postal codes in abbreviations of journal titles.
Be happy if the style of the journal for which you are writing requires that names of journals cited be spelled out in full.
Be happy if the style of the journal for which you are writing requires that place names in titles of journals cited be spelled out in full (e.g., Florida Entomol.)
If you have to abbreviate names of U.S. states, the abbreviations as given in the table below are acceptable. Except 1, that the names Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, and Utah are not abbreviated. Except 2, that when you are writing for any journal that uses the recommended CBE Style Manual format, the abbreviations are not to be followed by periods (Tenn not Tenn. is then the correct abbreviation for Tennessee).
The abbreviations of state names are shown by Hutchinson (1973), who explains that they are �in government usage.� She also explains how some of them have variant forms. Merriam Webster (1986) gives yet other variant forms. What a pity these abbreviations have not been replaced totally, everywhere, by the simpler, briefer, and consistent postal codes. However, at least for the present, they seem to be required by various style manuals and by editorial policy of many, if not all, journals.
References:
Hutchinson, L.I. 1973. Standard handbook for secretaries. McGraw Hill;. 8th edn.
Merriam Webster 1986. Webster�s ninth new collegiate dictionary. Merriam Wester; Springfield, IL.
Note that �Virgin Islands� in the Table are the U.S. Virgin Islands, and they do not include the British Virgin Islands. There were once postal codes CZ for Canal Zone and AS for American Samoa.
|
State |
Abbrev- iation |
Postal |
State |
Abbrev- iation |
Postal
|
|
Alabama |
Ala. |
AL |
Montana |
Mont. |
MT |
|
Alaska |
Alaska |
AK |
Nebraska |
Nebr. |
NE |
|
Arizona |
Ariz. |
AZ |
Nevada |
Nev. |
NV |
|
Arkansas |
Ark. |
AR |
New
Hampshire |
N.H. |
NH |
|
California |
Calif. |
CA |
New
Jersey |
N.J. |
NJ |
|
Colorado |
Colo. |
CO |
New
Mexico |
N.M. |
NM |
|
Connecticut |
Conn. |
CT |
New
York |
N.Y. |
NY |
|
Delaware |
Del. |
DE |
North
Carolina |
N.C. |
NC |
|
Dist.
of Columbia |
D.C. |
DC |
North
Dakota |
N.D. |
ND |
|
Florida |
Fla. |
FL |
Ohio
|
Ohio |
OH |
|
Georgia |
Ga. |
GA |
Oklahoma |
Okla. |
OK |
|
Guam
|
Guam |
GU |
Oregon |
Ore. |
OR |
|
Hawaii |
Hawaii |
HI |
Pennsylvania |
Pa. |
PA |
|
Idaho
|
Idaho |
ID |
Puerto Rico |
P.R. |
PR |
|
Illinois |
Ill. |
IL |
Rhode
Island |
R.I. |
RI |
|
Indiana |
Ind. |
IN |
South
Carolina |
S.C. |
SC |
|
Iowa
|
Iowa |
IA |
South
Dakota |
S.D. |
SD |
|
Kansas |
Kans. |
KS |
Tennessee |
Tenn. |
TN |
|
Kentucky |
Ky. |
KY |
Texas
|
Tex. |
TX |
|
Louisiana |
La. |
LA |
Utah
|
Utah |
UT |
|
Maine
|
Maine |
ME |
Vermont |
Vt. |
VT |
|
Maryland |
Md. |
MD |
Virginia |
Va. |
VA |
|
Massachusetts |
Mass. |
MA |
Virgin Islands |
V.I. |
VI |
|
Michigan |
Mich. |
MI |
Washington |
Wash. |
WA |
|
Minnesota |
Minn. |
MN |
West
Virginia |
W.Va. |
WV |
|
Mississippi |
Miss. |
MS |
Wisconsin |
Wis. |
WI |
|
Missouri |
Mo. |
MO |
Wyoming |
Wyo. |
WY |