Abbreviations in Posts--A Request from the Uninitiated

[jljohn]

As a relatively new homeschooler and user of this site, I have a request.  Would it be possible for everyone to write out the name of something at least once in their post before moving to abbreviations.  It would make things a lot less cryptic to newcomers!

 

As an example, I saw this thread this morning: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/479559-i-feel-inadequate-to-teach-iew-bible-heros/  The original poster ("OP") uses three abbreviations in the title and post that are not introduced--IEW, TWSS, and SWI-A.  I, and certainly others, don't know any of those abbreviations.  Maybe a few years down the road they will be common knowledge, but they are not yet.  If the OP had used the full name at least once in the title or post before shifting to the abbreviation, this thread would have much more value.

 

Thanks!

 

Jeremy

[Dana]

There is an abbreviation sticky at the top of most of the curriculum boards...

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/1503-abbreviation-sticky/

 

It gives common abbreviations used here.

You can also ask in the thread.

People have tried to write out the names in the first post but it's often forgotten, so I don't think it'll permanently change.

The sticky was very helpful to me when I arrived here.

 

And welcome!

[TKDmom]

WSS

 

(What she said ;) )

 

I enjoy the brain exercise of trying to figure out new abbreviations. But I usually google them if I can't figure them out on my own.

The abbreviations you used an example are all curricula from The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) and they probably won't ever become common knowledge on the web outside this forum.

[xixstar]

It is hard and a bit frustrating when you're new. I found I was able to pick it up pretty quickly and didn't have to look everything up after a week or so. And now I can see why it is so much faster using abbreviations. I find this happens in other forums as well and maybe it just falls under the initiation process to get acclimated. I will try to add written out descriptions when I can remember to do so.

[boscopup]

Frankly, some of us probably don't even remember what some abbreviations mean (like TWSS... I have to think about that one a bit, even though I own/use it! :lol:)

 

When I first joined, I looked things up in the abbreviation sticky, or if I didn't find it, I just searched the abbreviation in google like this:

 

twss site:welltrainedmind.com

 

I would usually find a link to the particular program or enough context clues to figure it out easily. Yes, this took some work on my part, but kind of like having your child research a topic instead of getting predigested information, the search helped me learn and remember better. ;) Within a few weeks, I had most of the major abbreviations memorized.

[fraidycat]

You should hear a conversation at my house.  I am a homeschooling Mom and my husband is in the military.  Almost everything we talk about on a day to day basis re:work/how our day was, is in abbreviated/acronym form.  LOL