Pedants Come Here I Need Your Help!!!!!!!!!!

[Fifty]

So I'm writing a paper, and want to abbreviate this principle so that I don't have to write the whole thing out for the rest of the paper. I've seen this done in three main ways, and want to know which of the three is the most correct (or if none of the three is most correct and I should be doing it some other way):

1. ....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR)....[now start just saying PSR]
2. ....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (hereafter PSR)....[now start just saying PSR]
3. ....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR, hereafter)....[now start just saying PSR]

onward and upward,

Fifty Q Fiftyson

 

[warpus]

I've always used 1.

 

[Integral]

So I'm writing a paper, and want to abbreviate this principle so that I don't have to write the whole thing out for the rest of the paper. I've seen this done in three main ways, and want to know which of the three is the most correct (or if none of the three is most correct and I should be doing it some other way):

1. ....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR)....[now start just saying PSR]
2. ....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (hereafter PSR)....[now start just saying PSR]
3. ....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR, hereafter)....[now start just saying PSR]

onward and upward,

Fifty Q Fiftyson

I've always used (1), as in "...the Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs)...rather, the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR)...meanwhile, the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) component...", but I could see (2) as well.

(3), though, is right out.

Good luck!

 

[aneeshm]

You can either use:

....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (hereinafter "PSR")

or

....The Principle of Sufficient Reason (hereinafter referred to as PSR)

 

[LightFang]

I've always used 1.

2 is acceptable, but it may be viewed as being too wordy.

3 is however not okay.

 

[Perfection]

Completely uneducated opnion:

I'd use "(PSR)" if it's a term you've seen abbreviated in this manner before and "(PSR, hereafter)" if not.

 

[Integral]

Completely uneducated opnion:

I'd use "(PSR)" if it's a term you've seen abbreviated in this manner before and "(PSR, hereafter)" if not.

Agree with Perfy.

Addendum: From wikipedia, it looks like the Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR) comes from Leibniz, so it is relatively well-known in the field. So, using ...(PSR)... works.

However, when using your own acronym, "...the Random Nonsense Convergence test (hereafter RNC test)...." is preferred, as it probably won't pop up in other writings. The inclusion of 'hereafter' indicates that this acronym is not universally known/accepted.

 

[Fifty]

Yeah I mean the whole paper is on the PSR, so its not like I'm introducing some random terminology.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Option 2 is my preference in this situation.

 

[steviejay]

I used Option one in pretty much every essay I've ever had the misfortune to write.

Had to write an essay on GM foods once, raised quite a chuckle when I shortened down Super Heroes Against Genetics.

 

[JollyRoger]

I would probably do it as ("PSR").

 

[Rambuchan]

1 - For a paper such as yours.
2 - For legal agreements.
3 - For living on the moon.

Shouldn't we be getting pedantic about your terribly inelegant "[now start just saying PSR]"?

 

[Masquerouge]

Option 1.

The first time it appears in the paper, even if it's a well-known term, write the full words and the acronym in parentheses.
Then use only the acronym.

 

[LucyDuke]

Strictly, can your audience be reasonably expected to know what PSR is already? Use #1. Is PSR something your audience probably doesn't recognize? Use #2.

I'd use #2 to add some structure. The parentheses indicate that it's an aside, but doesn't say anything about what that aside has to do with anything. The word "hereafter" makes your meaning clearer: "This is what we're going to call it from now on." I'd worry that otherwise it could be misinterpreted as though PSR is a special type of Principle of Sufficient Reason, that we're discussing "Principle of Sufficient Reason (PSR)" rather than "Principle of Sufficient Reason (ABC)". Really, though, it's just style, and mine might be weird.

#3 is awkward.

#1 is probably your best bet, if it's a paper to be read by a professor that knows what PSR is. And you don't fuss about stupid crap.

 

[Madroc]

Option 1. Check the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), or whatever style manual you've been told to use. But the CMS is always a good default.

It's hereinafter, not hereafter, but you don't need either.

I'm on my school's law review, so Pedants Wanted is like the Bat Signal to me. Questions like this are how I spend hours at school when I should be playing with my infant son.

 

[Trafalgar]

I'd go with 2. But I'm not too smart and I live in Canada so......

 

[Brighteye]

1 - For a paper such as yours
2 - For legal agreements
3 - For living on the moon

Shouldn't we be getting pedantic about your terribly inelegant '[now start just saying PSR]'?

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