Writing tip: Don’t ab

Feb 12, 2013 | Better Writing

What does “RDA” mean to you? According to Wikipedia, it could mean:

Remote Database Access
Registered Dental Assistant
Recommended Dietary Allowance
Rules of Decision Act

Or it could mean Roads and Airports Department or stand for the Rockhampton Downs airport.

Abbreviation without explanation risks misunderstanding. Even if you’re sure that every single person who reads your book or blog post understands the abbreviation, give a short explanation anyway, either in the text or by linking to it.