Editing Tip(s) of the Day

Acronyms. Many style books are now recommending SMALL CAPS for all appearances of acronyms, such as NAACP or NCAA. The effect of this practice is to allow the acronym to blend more smoothly with the rest of the text. Today I’ll be commenting on the acronyms we use for time. A.M., P.M., NOON, and MIDNIGHT. When typing 12:00 you would use NOON or MIDNIGHT as 12:00 is neither A.M. or P.M. To save space on certain layouts, I have been known to use just the first letter and in lowercase (e.g. 1p, 2a, 12n, 12m, or 12mid). In my opinion, as long as you know the correct way to use these acronyms you have artistic freedom to use them in an appealing way. But, whichever way you choose be consistent in the same layout. Know your client. If you’re editing or designing anything but a one page artistic layout, use small caps. Here’s one reference: desktoppub.about.com/cs/finetypography/ht/small_caps.htm