how to abbreviate the word assignment

What is the Abbreviation for Assignment?

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How do you abbreviate assignment? There is one common way to abbreviate assignment .

For example,

• English asgmt.

The plural abbreviation of assignment is asgmts.

When to Use This Abbreviation

This abbreviation is used in classrooms, note taking, business, and any time space is of concern. You might abbreviate the word assignment to asgmt . on a homework list or see such abbreviations in note taking , headlines, or newspaper columns.

Outside of note taking or headlines, the word is not abbreviated in general prose.

What Does Assignment Mean?

• Eric had only two more pages of assigned reading but was too tired to follow the words in front of him and fell sound asleep in the arm chair.
• His assignment was to follow the waitress in order to train as a waiter.

The word assignment functions as a noun in the sentence.

Outside Examples of Assignment

• Real Estate heir Robert Durst has been assigned to an Indiana prison which has a medical unit, rather than the California prison requested because he faces a murder trial in Los Angeles, attorney Dick DeGuerin said Sunday. – New York Daily News

Summary: Assignment Abbreviation

There is one common abbreviation of assignment : asgmt. If you want to pluralize the abbreviation, simply add on an “s.”

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We've got 4 shorthands for Assignment  »

What is the abbreviation for assignment  , looking for the shorthand of assignment this page is about the various possible meanings of the acronym, abbreviation, shorthand or slang term: assignment ., what does assignment mean.

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Couldn't find the full form or full meaning of Assignment?

Maybe you were looking for one of these abbreviations:.

ASSHTO - ASSI - ASSIA - ASSIC - ASSIGN - ASSIST - ASSIT - ASSK - ASSL - ASSM

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Definition of assignment

task , duty , job , chore , stint , assignment mean a piece of work to be done.

task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

Examples of assignment in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assignment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

see assign entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing assignment

• self - assignment

Dictionary Entries Near assignment

Cite this entry.

“Assignment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assignment. Accessed 4 Jun. 2024.

Legal Definition

Legal definition of assignment, more from merriam-webster on assignment.

Nglish: Translation of assignment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assignment for Arabic Speakers

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December 3, 2016 by admin

Find out the Abbreviation for Assignment with Meaning & Definition

In this post, I will tell you assignment meaning with some interesting example sentences and I will let you know an abbreviation for the word assignment .

There are two different ways to abbreviate the word assignment . These two common ways are assg . and asgmt .

If you come across the plural of assignment , you just have to add an – s after its abbreviations to make them plural. So, the plural forms would be assgs . and asgmts .

Meaning of Assignment with Definition

This particular word is used as a noun within a sentence. According to Cambridge English Dictionary , assignment is defined as a piece of work given to someone, typically as part of their studies or job, or it can be a job that someone is sent somewhere to do.

For example,

1 . The professor gave us an assignment on the topic ‘Foreign Affairs’.

2 . The greatest failure in life is being successful in the wrong assignment . ( Myles Munroe )

Suitable Areas to use Assg. or Asgmt.

Assg . and asgmt . are the two ways to abbreviate the word assignment . It means that you cannot use these abbreviations in general prose or essays.

You can easily use these abbreviations for assignment in your classrooms while taking notes. The areas where you are not able to write the whole word assignment because of space limitations, such as in headlines, newspaper headings or any business papers, you can use an abbreviation for assignment over there.

• The next community photo assg . will be: Hoosier Holidays. ( Greensburg Daily News )

• We have been designated for an asgmt .

It is concluded that there are two common ways to abbreviate the term assignment i.e. assg . or asgmt . The plural forms can be assgs . and asgmts . (just by adding an – s ).

How to Abbreviate Assignment

What is the abbreviation of assignment? Asgmt. is a common abbreviation for assignment. Others include assgt. and assign.

What is an assignment?

A task or piece of work assigned to a person for completion, often as part of a learning process or professional role.

• "The teacher gave the students a writing assignment."
• "The reporter was working on her latest assignment."

The act of assigning or allocating something, such as a job, duty, or responsibility.

• Example: "The assignment of resources was a crucial part of the project planning."

A legal transfer of rights or property to another person or entity.

• Example: "The assignment of the contract was approved by the court."

Key Characteristics of Assignments:

• Purpose: Assignments serve a specific purpose, such as assessing knowledge, developing skills, practicing techniques, or completing work.
• Instructions: They typically come with clear instructions, guidelines, or requirements that define the scope and expectations of the task.
• Deadline: Most assignments have a deadline for completion, promoting time management and accountability.
• Evaluation: Assignments are often evaluated or assessed to measure performance, progress, or understanding.

Common Types of Assignments:

• Academic: Essays, research papers, projects, presentations, exams, problem sets, quizzes, lab reports
• Professional: Work projects, tasks, client deliverables, reports, presentations, creative outputs
• Personal: Goals, to-do lists, self-improvement projects, creative endeavors

Additional Notes:

• Multiple meanings: In specific contexts, "assignment" can have additional meanings, such as a designated place or position (e.g., military assignment), or a designated seating arrangement (e.g., classroom seating assignment).

From the below graph, we can see that the word "assignment" occurred most frequent around the 1890s to 1900s. "Assignment" decreased in length after the 2000s.

How do we pronounce assignment?

In American English, "assignment" is pronounced uh· sine ·muhnt.

In British English, "assignment" is pronounced uh· sine ·mehnt.

Other related abbreviations

What is the abbreviation of assigned.

ASGD and ASZD is used for military use. Assg is used in real estate, and ASG is used in business settings.

What is the abbreviation of homework?

The common abbreviation for "homework" is "HW."

To sum up, this blog post explored different ways to abbreviate the term "assignment." Whether using standard acronyms or industry-specific abbreviations, the post highlighted the importance of context and clarity in choosing abbreviations. By understanding the nuances, readers can effectively communicate about assignments in a concise and precise manner.

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Engram’s AI-powered grammar checker makes your English sound like a native speaker’s, suggesting natural English expressions on top of fixing grammar, spelling, punctuation, word order, and vocabulary.

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Writing academically: Abbreviations

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Abbreviations and acronyms are shortened forms of words or phrases. Generally, abbreviations are not acceptable in academic writing (with some exceptions, see below) and acronyms are (providing they are used as shown below).

As academic writing is formal in style, most abbreviations should be avoided. Even the common ones shown below:

Some common ones to avoid

Avoid e.g. and i.e. , instead use for example and for instance .

Avoid etc . There isn't really an alternative, so rewrite the sentence.

Avoid dept , govt . Use  department , government .

Avoid NB , instead use note that .

Avoid vs  or v , instead use versus or against (except in Law reports or cases)

Some acceptable abbreviations

Titles such as Mr. Dr. Prof. are acceptable when using them in conjunction with the individual's name i.e. Dr. Smith.

Some Latin phrases

et al. (short form of et alia - and others is acceptable when giving in text citations with multiple authors. The full stop should always be included afterwards to acknowledge the abbreviation. It does not need to be italicised as it is in common usage.

ibid. (short form of ibidim - in the same place) is acceptable if using footnote references to indicate that a reference is the same as the previous one. Again, always include the full stop to acknowledge the abbreviation. It is the convention to italicise this as it is less commonly used.

sic (short form of sic erat scriptum - thus it was written). This is used to indicate there was an error in something you are quoting (either an interviewee or an author) and it is not a misquote. It is added in square brackets but is neither italicised nor followed by a full stop i.e.

"it'd be great if unis [sic] could develop a person's self-knowledge"

Acronyms are acceptable, but use the name in full on its first use in a particular document (e.g. an assignment), no matter how well known the acronym is. For example, on its first use in an essay you might refer to "the World Health Organisation (WHO)" - it would be fine to simply refer to "the WHO" for the remainder of the essay.

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Definition of assignment noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Students are required to complete all homework assignments.
• You will need to complete three written assignments per semester.
• a business/special assignment
• I had set myself a tough assignment.
• on an assignment She is in Greece on an assignment for one of the Sunday newspapers.
• on assignment one of our reporters on assignment in China
• The students handed in their assignments.
• The teacher gave us an assignment on pollution.
• Why did you take on this assignment if you're so busy?
• He refused to accept the assignment.
• assignment on

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The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

Here are the generally accepted guidelines for using abbreviations in formal texts:

• Abbreviate a term only if doing so improves clarity and readability.
• Provide the full form of an abbreviation at first use.
• Avoid starting a sentence with an abbreviation.
• Use all capital letters for initialisms and acronyms ( USA , UK , EU , CEO , GPS ) except abbreviated Latin terms ( e.g. , i.e. , etc. , p.m. ) and scientific and technical abbreviations ( ppm , mph , ml , kg ). Capitalize contractions of titles and proper nouns ( Mr. , Dr. , Rev. , Gen. , Jan. ).
• Don’t use periods in abbreviations with two or more capital letters (except scientific abbreviations and abbreviated SI units).
• Form the plural of an abbreviation by adding s or es without an apostrophe ( DVD s , CMS es , Dr s . Who and Strange ).
• Use a or an before an abbreviation depending on how it is pronounced ( a US senator , an ATM , an MBA degree )

We discuss these and certain exceptions in detail below, with examples.

When to abbreviate a term

An abbreviation as we know is the shortened form of a term. It is usually formed using the first letters of the words of a multi-word term, but it may simply be the short form of a single word. Abbreviations can help you avoid repeating long phrases in a document, thus making it more easily scannable and readable. But abbreviate a term only if it appears multiple times in a text (at least three to five times, depending on the length of the document).

• Poor: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was set up in 1958. It is responsible for the United States’ civilian space program. Since its inception, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has led the Apollo missions and launched the Skylab space station. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration also supports the International Space Station.
• Better: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was set up in 1958. It is responsible for the United States’ civilian space program. Since its inception, NASA has led the Apollo missions and launched the Skylab space station. NASA also supports the International Space Station.

Also use abbreviations for terms that are known better by their abbreviated rather than full forms—for example, PDF , HTML , ATM , CEO .

Don’t try to abbreviate every single term in a document. Too many abbreviations can render a text unreadable.

• Poor: NASA is the US CSP . Since its inception, it has led the AMs and launched the SSS . NASA also supports the ISS . Better: NASA is the United States’ civilian space program. It has led the Apollo missions and launched the Skylab space station. NASA also supports the International Space Station.

When to avoid abbreviations

Abbreviations can be quite useful when space is limited, but you should confine the use of nonstandard abbreviations to tables, graphs, and figures, except in scientific and technical writing.

Avoid using nonstandard abbreviations in headings; you want the reader to be able to easily skim the document or just its table of contents. Also avoid using abbreviations in captions of figures and tables, which are considered reproducible in other texts and thus standalone.

Providing the full form

In general, explain an abbreviation by providing its full form at first use in a document.

• In urban areas, a small green space ( SGS ) can become a habitat for local species of birds.
• NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organization ) is a military alliance of 30 countries.
• The GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation ) is one of the toughest privacy laws in the world.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration , better known as NASA , has released its latest climate assessment.
• Nongovernmental organizations , or NGOs , fill this gap.

In academic papers and business reports, provide a glossary or list of abbreviations after the table of contents to help the general reader.

Don’t capitalize the words in the full form of an abbreviation unless it is a proper noun.

• CPR: c ardio p ulmonary r esuscitation
• TIN: t ax i dentification n umber
• FBI: F ederal B ureau of I nvestigation
• UK: U nited K ingdom

If a term usually appears in its abbreviated rather than complete form, the abbreviation need not be explained: for example, USA , MBA , PhD , PDF , BC / AD , BCE / CE , FAQ , URL , Mr. , Dr. , rpm , i.e.

You also don’t need to provide the full form of an abbreviation listed as a noun rather than an abbreviation in standard dictionaries like Merriam-Webster . Such terms that are now known better by their abbreviated forms include DNA , IQ , URL , HTML , PDF , hi-fi , TV , and (unfortunately) COVID .

Avoid redundancies like “SSN number.” Since SSN stands for “social security number ,” the word number after the abbreviation is redundant.

Use of capital letters

Abbreviations that are formed using the initial letters of the words of a term (initialisms or acronyms) generally comprise all capital letters.

• FAQ ( f requently a sked q uestion)
• PC ( p ersonal c omputer)
• NAFTA ( N orth A merican F ree T rade A greement)
• BA ( B achelor of A rts)
• BC ( b efore C hrist)

Contractions usually appear in lowercase letters, but those that appear before a name as titles or are part of a proper noun are capitalized (the first letter of the contraction is then a capital letter).

• abbr. (abbreviation)
• vol. (volume)
• ed. (editor/edited)
• Dr. (Doctor)
• Gen. (General)
• Prof. (Professor)
• estd. (established)
• Inc. (Incorporated)

Technical and scientific abbreviations comprising the initial letters of a term may contain lowercase letters. Abbreviated units of measurement are also not capitalized.

• rpm (revolutions per minute)
• bhp (brake horsepower)
• mph (miles per hour)
• km (kilometer)
• GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine)

Latin abbreviations are also generally lowercased.

• e.g. ( exempli gratia or “for the sake of example”)
• i.e. ( id est or “that is”)
• ibid. ( ibidem or “in the same place”)
• etc. ( et cetera or “and the rest”)
• et al. ( et alii or “and others”)

In academic and other formal writing, avoid using abbreviations such as e.g. and i.e. in running text. Confine their use to parentheses, figures, tables, and citations.

Use of periods

In general, abbreviations with at least two capital letters contain no period.

Abbreviations that end in lowercase letters often contain periods.

If an abbreviation ending in a period appears at the end of a sentence, don’t add another period after it.

• Incorrect: Our flight is at 3 a.m.. Correct: Our flight is at 3 a.m.

However, periods are omitted in scientific and technical abbreviations, abbreviated SI units, and abbreviations containing the preposition per .

Contractions and other shortened forms that end in a lowercase letter usually take a period.

In British usage, a period (or full stop) is used only if the shortened form comprises the first few letters or the first syllable of the word, but not otherwise. Thus, the contraction Dr (for D octo r ) does not take a period, but one does appear after Jan. (for Jan uary ).

Use of a / an and the

Use a or an before an abbreviation depending upon how it is pronounced. If it starts with a consonant sound, use a ; otherwise, use an .

• a D VD player
• an I Q test
• a U N resolution pronounced “a y oo-en resolution”
• an N BA game pronounced “an e n-bee-ay” game
• an H R professional

With acronyms (abbreviations pronounced as words), the article the is omitted, even when it would be used with the full form.

• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a cartel of 13 countries. but The OPEC is a cartel of 13 countries.

But with initialisms (in which the individual letters are pronounced), use the with the abbreviation if it is used with the full form.

• The United Kingdom is an island nation that is part of Europe. or The UK is an island nation that is part of Europe.

At the start of a sentence

In formal writing, avoid starting a sentence with an abbreviation. Use the full form instead, or rephrase.

• Poor: UN representatives met in Brussels today. Better: United Nations representatives met in Brussels today.
• Poor: UFDs save lives. Better: Unidentified floating devices save lives.
• Poor: UK health officials are now recommending a booster dose. Better: Health officials in the UK are now recommending a booster dose.

Because acronyms and contractions are read aloud as words, they are acceptable at the beginning of a sentence.

• Correct: NATO officials met with Kuwaiti diplomats in Brussels today.
• Correct: Dr. Green has ordered additional tests.
• Correct: Mr. Mittens is a most respectable cat.

Acronyms are abbreviations pronounced as words. Thus, NATO and NASA are acronyms, while USA and UK are merely initialisms.

If using the full form makes the sentence awkward, use the abbreviated form—for example, to refer to company names.

• Correct: UBS / The Union Bank of Switzerland opened a new office today in London.
• Correct: HSBC / The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation operates in many countries in Asia.

Plural forms

To form the plural of an abbreviation, simply add s (an apostrophe is unnecessary).

Abbreviations that already end in S can be pluralized either by adding another s or by adding es .

• SMS s or SMS es
• CMS s or CMS es

To form the plural of a contraction, add s and place a period after.

• Vols. 1–5
• Remiramen Femy and Minerva Dash, eds.
• Drs. Femy and Dash

The plurals of Mr. and Ms. are Messrs. and Mss. (or Mses. ), seen only in formal usage. For more examples, see this article on how to form plurals of acronyms and other abbreviations .

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If an abbreviation (like HTML and DNA ) is listed as a noun in the dictionary, it need not be explained. Contractions like Dr. are generally used as such. But an abbreviation that isn’t well known (like MTN ) needs to be explained to the reader.

Abbreviations that start with a consonant sound when read aloud ( a y oo-kay passport ) take the article a instead of an .

Although abbreviations are not generally used to start a sentence in formal writing, contractions (like Dr. ) and acronyms (abbreviations pronounced as a word, like NATO ) are acceptable in this position.

To form the plural of an abbreviation, add an s without an apostrophe.

Use standard abbreviations that are easily recognizable in your field, but avoid abbreviating a large number of terms as this can make text confusing for readers. In nontechnical writing, restrict the use of abbreviations to tables and figures.

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How to Use Acronyms in Academic Writing

• 5-minute read
• 24th February 2015

In academic writing, you may need to use acronyms and initialisms. However, these are easy to misuse, especially when introducing them in an essay. So, how exactly do you use acronyms and initialisms in academic writing? And how to do you avoid using them incorrectly ? Let’s take a look.

What Is an Acronym?

Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the first letters of the words in a phrase or an organisation’s name:

• Acronyms are pronounced as one word (e.g. UNICEF).
• Each letter in an initialism is pronounced separately (e.g. BBC).

We use these abbreviations instead of the full terminology to save space or avoid repetition. For example, ‘UNESCO’ is much shorter than ‘United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’.

People sometimes think there is no need to introduce a well-known acronym or initialism. However, since many have more than one meaning, this can be confusing (as the World Wildlife Fund and the World Wrestling Federation ably demonstrated for many years).

Likewise, even if you are familiar with an acronym, other people might not be, especially if it is specific to your topic. As such, you should make the effort to define acronyms clearly when you introduce them in an essay.

How to Introduce Acronyms and Initialisms

When writing an essay, you should assume that your audience will not understand the abbreviations you use unless you have been told otherwise.

The first time you use one, write out the full terminology with the acronym/initialism in parentheses afterwards, like so:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was first established…

You can then continue to refer to it as ‘UNESCO’ throughout your essay.

The one exception here is when the acronym/initialism is more common than the actual name. Most people know the package delivery company United Parcel Service, for example, as UPS.

In cases like this, you can sometimes give the shortened version first and full terminology in parentheses:

The delivery company UPS (United Parcel Service) is known for…

After introducing the term like this, you can use the shortened version throughout the rest of your essay.

Capitalising Acronyms and Initialisms

Initialisms (i.e. abbreviations that are pronounced letter by letter) are almost always written in all caps (e.g. BBC, FBI, WWF). There are some exceptions to this, such as when ‘Transport for London’ is abbreviated to ‘TfL’. In most cases, though, you will need to capitalise each letter in an initialism.

This varies a bit more for acronyms (i.e. abbreviations pronounced as a single word). Some British English style guides recommend only capitalising the first letter of these terms (e.g. Unesco or Unicef). If you are using a style guide, it is thus worth checking it for advice on how to write acronyms. Otherwise, this is simply a matter of preference (just make sure to use a consistent capitalisation style throughout your writing).

In addition, there are a few common words that began as acronyms . These include ‘radar’ (short for ‘ radio detection and ranging ‘) and ‘laser’ (short for ‘ light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’ ). However, most people don’t even realise that these words were originally abbreviations, and they are always written with lowercase letters.

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Make Sure to Check the First Instance of the Acronym!

Many people edit and re-structure their essays at the last minute. In doing so, they may accidentally use an acronym somewhere before they defined it in the first draft, making it harder to understand.

To prevent this, though, you can use the ‘find’ function in MS Word:

• Open the search bar in MS Word (e.g. hit Ctrl + F in Word for Windows).
• Type the initialism you want to check into the search bar.
• Find the first use in the document.

If the first use of each abbreviation comes with the full terminology, all is well. If not, find the place you defined it and move the full terminology.

Creating a List of Abbreviations

If your work contains a large number of acronyms, you may want to create a list of abbreviations. Typically, this is a list at the start of a document that defines all the initialisms, acronyms, and other abbreviations.

The reader can then check this list if they need to know the meaning of an abbreviation. This can be especially useful in longer documents, as it saves the reader having to find where the abbreviation is first used and defined.

Punctuating Abbreviations

Most acronyms and abbreviations are written without punctuation, as shown in the examples above. However, it is common to use full stops in lowercase abbreviations, such as ‘a.m.’, ‘p.m.’, ‘e.g.’, and ‘i.e.’ And some style guides (mostly those that focus on American English) recommend using a full stop between letters in short initialisms, such as ‘U.S.A.’ and ‘U.K.’

Unless you’re using a style guide that suggests adding periods to certain abbreviations, this is usually a matter of preference. But make sure to apply a consistent style! For example, either of the following would be acceptable:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the USA now. ✔

He was born in the U.K., but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✔

But mixing these punctuation styles would be incorrect:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✘

Make sure to think about how to punctuate abbreviations in your own writing.

Expert Proofreading Services

The rules for using acronyms can vary slightly. As such, if you are using a style guide, you should check what it says about abbreviations and acronyms.

Whichever style you’re using, though, our expert editors can help! Make sure your writing is always error free by getting it checked with Proofed. Upload a free trial document today to find out more.

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Using Acronyms in Academic Writing

• 5-minute read
• 3rd September 2016

With the limited characters available on platforms like Twitter, we’re used to using acronyms and abbreviations in communication. After all, “IMO ppl uz 2 mNE lng wrds” is much more concise than “In my opinion, people use too many long words.”

However, in academic writing , improper use of acronyms can detract from the clarity of your writing. In this post, we cover how to use acronyms in a college paper .

What Are Acronyms and Abbreviations?

Acronyms and abbreviations are both shortened forms of long terms or phrases. However, while all acronyms are abbreviations, there is an important difference :

• Abbreviations are shortened versions of words (e.g., when “Jan” is used in place of “January”).
• Acronyms are abbreviations where the first letters from each word in a phrase spell out a new term (e.g., when “National Aeronautics and Space Administration” is shortened to “NASA”).

In addition, there is a difference between an “acronym” and an “initialism”. Acronyms are pronounced as a single word (e.g., NASA). But each letter in an initialism is pronounced separately (e.g., FBI).

Since “acronym” is commonly used for both of these, we will continue using this term below. However, it’s worth remembering that there is a difference!

When to Use Acronyms

The main consideration is clarity. To be specific, we shorten long technical terms to make our work easier to read, especially if they’re used repeatedly.

For instance, writing “MRI” instead of “magnetic resonance imaging” is a good idea if using this term a lot, since it’s easier to read.

If a term is only used once or twice, there’s usually no need to use an acronym. You should also avoid using too many abbreviations since text dense with acronyms and technical jargon can be difficult to read .

Introducing Acronyms

If using an acronym, you must introduce it with full terminology in the first instance so your reader knows what it means. You can do this by giving the full term first and the shortened version in parentheses:

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has existed since 1949.

Once introduced, you can use the shortened version in place of the full term:

The idea of NATO is to ensure security via a system of collective defense.

To ensure clarity, try to use the acronym consistently throughout your document. This means you should not switch between the full and abbreviated versions of the same term unless there is a reason to do so (e.g., you have not used the abbreviation in a long time and need to remind the reader).

Introducing an acronym isn’t necessary if the term is in common use, such as with “laser” (originally short for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”).

However, even with well-known terms, providing a definition can be helpful, since many acronyms have more than one meaning. One example is the long-running battle for use of “WWF” , in which the conservation group grappled (pun fully intended) with the professional wrestling organization now known as the “WWE.”

Although “WWF” is a recognizable term, defining it in the first use would remove ambiguity. It would then be clear that you’re discussing the “World Wildlife Fund” and not the former employers of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

An important distinction, we’re sure you’ll agree.

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Capitalizing Acronyms and Initialisms

As a rule, American English capitalizes every letter in acronyms and initialisms:

The country joined NATO in 1968.

The CIA has investigated the claims twice.

However, some style guides (mostly those that focus on British English) recommend only capitalizing the first letter of acronyms (i.e., abbreviations pronounced as a single word). For instance:

The country joined Nato in 1968.

Look out for this if you’re reading (or writing for) a British publication.

Punctuating Abbreviations

Most acronyms and abbreviations are written without punctuation, as shown in the examples above. However, some style guides recommend using a period between letters in short initialisms, such as “U.S.A.” and “U.K.” It is also common to use periods in lowercase abbreviations, such as “a.m.,” “p.m.,” “e.g.,” and “i.e.”

Unless you’re using a style guide that suggests adding periods to certain abbreviations, this is usually a matter of preference. But make sure to apply a consistent style! For example, either of the following would be acceptable:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the USA now. ✔

He was born in the U.K., but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✔

But mixing these punctuation styles would be incorrect:

He was born in the UK, but he lives in the U.S.A. now. ✘

Make sure to think about how to punctuate abbreviations in your own writing.

Expert Proofreading Services

The rules for using acronyms can vary slightly. As such, if you are using a style guide, you should check what it says about abbreviations and acronyms.

Whichever style you’re using, though, our expert editors can help! Make sure your writing is always error-free by getting it checked with Proofed. Upload a free trial document today to find out more.

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Acronyms and Abbreviations in Academic Writing: A Quick Guide

Abbreviations, acronyms, and Latin expressions can all be found in academic and scientific articles. But as a writer, it can be puzzling to know exactly when and how to use abbreviations and acronyms in formal academic publications. Let’s learn what types of abbreviations there are, what the different style manuals have to say about them, and when you should and shouldn’t include them in your scientific paper.

Table of Content:

What is an abbreviation, using abbreviations properly, how can i use abbreviations in academic writing, how can i avoid making abbreviation mistakes.

An abbreviation is a word that has been shortened from its original longer form. There are several different types of abbreviations.

Acronyms.   An acronym is an abbreviation made from the first letter of each word in a name or phrase. Acronyms are pronounced like a word. NASA, which is short for N ational A eronautics and S pace A dministration and pronounced “Nah-suh,” is one well-known acronym. UNICEF, which stands for U nited N ations I nternational C hildren’s E mergency F und and is pronounced “you-nuh-seff,” is another example.

Initialisms. An initialism is similar to an acronym because it is an abbreviation that uses the first letter of each word in a name or phrase. Unlike acronyms, however, the letters of an initialism are pronounced individually. FBI, which is short for F ederal B ureau of I nvestigations, is an initialism. UK (United Kingdom) and USA (United States of America) are also initialisms.

Contractions. A contraction is when two words are combined for ease with an apostrophe. Common examples of contractions include don’t (do not), aren’t (are not), and let’s (let us).

Latin abbreviations. Latin abbreviations are commonly used in academia and law. Common latin abbreviations used in English writing are etc . (et cetera, “and so on”), e.g . (exempli gratia, “for example”), i.e . (id est, “in other words”), and et al . (et alii, “and others”).

Titles, measurements, and dates. Titles ( Dr . for Doctor, Rev . for Reverend), measurement units ( cm for centimeter, kg for kilogram), and days ( Feb . for February, Fri . for Friday) can all be abbreviated.

Before you begin using abbreviations in academic writing, there are a few rules you need to know. There are three main things to keep in mind when using abbreviations in an academic or scientific paper. These are spacing, capitalization, and punctuation . It is important to note that, like many other aspects of writing, the rules are sometimes different in the US and UK variations of English.

• Spacing . For measurement units, there should be a space between the number and the unit. The unit is written after the number.

Correct : Mumbai had received 11 mm of rain by 6 pm . Incorrect : Mumbai had received 11mm of rain by 6pm .

• Capitalization . Initialisms and acronyms should be written in all capital letters.

Correct : The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) seized Jimin’s $4.7 million dollar apartment for failure to pay premiums. Incorrect : The NHIS (National Health Insurance Service) seized Jimin’s $4.7 million dollar apartment for failure to pay premiums.

Note that if you are abbreviating a phrase that is not a proper noun (name of an institution, organization, etc.), then that phrase should not be capitalized when it is written prior to the abbreviation. For example, if you were introducing BP as an abbreviation for blood pressure, you would write “blood pressure (BP),” not “Blood Pressure (BP).”

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• Punctuation . Generally, periods are used with latin abbreviations as well as dates . In US English, titles are followed by a period (Dr.), while in UK English, the period is omitted (Dr). Initialisms and acronyms generally don’t use periods (we write USSR rather than U.S.S.R.). Contractions use an apostrophe.

Now that you know how to use abbreviations, you may be wondering if and when you can use abbreviations in academic writing. You definitely can use abbreviations in academic writing if you keep the following rules in mind!

• Spell out the full phrase or term the first time you use it in your paper and include the abbreviation in parentheses. You can use the abbreviation each time after that.
• Don’t abbreviate everything . It is fine to abbreviate technical terms or phrases used repeatedly throughout your writing, but only if you use them more than a few times ! The Chicago Manual of Style advises abbreviating a term when it is used five or more times , while the APA only asks that you use an abbreviation if the term is used three or more times. The AMA guidelines suggest that words that are short and easy to write should not be abbreviated at all.
• Provide a list of abbreviations for your reader. Especially if you are writing a thesis, an academic article or a monograph, including a list of abbreviations used at the beginning will give your reader an easy reference.
• Avoid abbreviations in your paper abstract. While abbreviations are perfectly acceptable in the text of your paper, they should be avoided in your abstract as much as possible.
• Avoid contractions. Contractions in English are considered informal, and should therefore generally be avoided in academic writing.
• Minimize the use of latin abbreviations . It is fine to include parenthetical i.e . and e.g. here and there, but in general, it is preferred to simply write out “for example” or “in other words.” Researchers should specifically note that ending sentences with etc. in academic writing is frowned upon, and frequent use of this term is perceived as lazy writing.
• Know how to make initialisms and acronyms plural . You can pluralize abbreviations by adding a lowercase “s” at the end . CEOs, RNs, and NEATs are all examples of correct plural abbreviations.
• Be consistent! Inconsistent abbreviations can confuse the reader and make your paper appear poorly written.  If you abbreviate a word, make sure you use the same abbreviation throughout the text.

In addition to following the tips and tricks above, you should always consult the relevant style manual when you are writing your academic or scientific paper to minimize any abbreviation errors. Another option is to use an AI grammar checker like Trinka. Trinka not only checks for grammar and spelling errors , it can also highlight inconsistent abbreviation use and makes sure that your paper adheres to a specific citation style. Abbreviations are a great way to make your paper more readable or adhere to a limited word count, so don’t be afraid to incorporate them into your academic writing today.

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10 Tips for Using Abbreviations Correctly

How and When to Use Abbreviations in Formal Writing

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• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

"Provided they are not obscure to the reader, abbreviations communicate more with fewer letters. Writers have only to ensure that the abbreviations they use are too well known to need any introduction, or that they are introduced and explained on their first appearance."

—From "The Cambridge Guide to English Usage" by Pam Peters

Despite what you may have heard in school, abbreviations , acronyms, and initialisms are commonly used in formal writing (though you'll find them more frequently in business and the sciences than in the humanities). Exactly how they should be used depends on your audience, the country you're living in (British and American conventions differ), and the particular style guide you're following.

• Using Indefinite Articles Before Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms: The choice between "a" and "an" is determined by the sound of the first letter in the abbreviation. Use "a" before a consonant sound (for example, "a CBC documentary" or "a U.S. official"). Use "an" before a vowel sound ("an ABC documentary" or "an MRI").
• Placing a Period at the End of an Abbreviation: In American usage, an abbreviation that includes the first and last letters of a single word (Doctor, for example) is usually followed by a period (Dr.), while In British usage, the period (or full stop) is usually omitted (Dr).
• Abbreviating the Titles of Doctors: For medical doctors, write either Dr. Jan Jones or Jan Jones, M.D. (Don't write Dr. Jan Jones, M.D.) For nonmedical doctors, write Dr. Sam Smith or Sam Smith, Ph.D. (Don't write Dr. Sam Smith, Ph.D.)
• Using Common Abbreviations: Certain abbreviations are never spelled out: a.m., p.m., B.C. (or B.C.E.), A.D. (or C.E.). Unless your style guide says otherwise, use lower case or small capitals for a.m. and p.m. Use capital letters or small caps for B.C. and A.D. (the periods are optional). Traditionally, B.C. comes after the year and A.D. comes before it, but nowadays the abbreviation commonly follows the year in both instances.
• Abbreviating Months and Days: If the month is preceded or followed by a numeral (14 Aug. or Aug. 14), abbreviate months as follows: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Aug., Sep. (or Sept.), Oct., Nov., Dec. Don't abbreviate May, June, or July. As a general rule, don't abbreviate the month if it appears alone or with just the year—and don't abbreviate the days of the week unless they appear in charts, tables, or slides.
• Using the Abbreviation Etc.: The Latin abbreviation etc. (short for et cetera) means "and others." Never write "and etc." Do not use etc. at the end of a list introduced by "such as" or "including."
• Placing a Period After Each Letter in an Acronym or an Initialism: Though there are exceptions, as a general rule omit the periods: NATO, DVD, IBM.
• Punctuating an Abbreviation at the End of a Sentence: Use a single period when an abbreviation appears at the end of a sentence. The single period does double duty—marking the abbreviation and closing the sentence.
• Avoid RAS Syndrome: RAS syndrome is a humorous initialism for "Redundant Acronym (or Abbreviation) Syndrome syndrome." Avoid redundant expressions such as ATM machine and BBC corporation.
• Avoid Alphabet Soup: Alphabet soup (a.k.a. initialese) is a metaphor for using an overabundance of abbreviations and acronyms. If you're unsure whether the meaning of an abbreviation is familiar to your readers, write out the entire word.
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• Abbreviations and Acronyms for English Learners
• What Is an Abbreviation?
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• What Is an Acronym? Definition and Examples
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• The Most Common French Acronyms and Abbreviations
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• What's the Preferred Way to Write the Abbreviation for United States?
• The Latin Abbreviation A.D.
• Definition and Examples of Periods: Full Stop
• Abbreviations and Titles All College Students Should Know
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• Common Latin Abbreviations Used in English

Ranking the top 50 MLB prospects after first two months: Jackson Holliday still tops list

We’re a third of the way through the minor-league season , more or less, and have seen quite a few promotions and graduations from my pre-season top 100 , making it a reasonable point to look at the top 50 prospects still in the minor leagues. This is more of a check-in than a full update, since we’re still dealing with less than half a season of performance and data, a lot of players haven’t played at all or barely played due to injury, and scouts are still making the rounds seeing players for the first time this year.

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For this list, I’m only considering players who are currently on a minor-league roster and retain their MLB rookie eligibility. That means Jackson Chourio and Paul Skenes aren’t here, but Jackson Holliday is.

Since we don’t have a huge amount of new information, I haven’t written new scouting reports like you might expect from my offseason rankings; for longer write-ups, I’ll refer you back to the February top 100 and the associated lists. Instead, I’ve highlighted something the player has or hasn’t done so far this year, or any changes I’ve seen or heard about in their respective games.

( Note: Player tool grades are listed on a 20-80 or 2-8 scouting scale. Ages as of July 1, 2024. Stats as of June 1, 2024.)

Jackson Holliday

No, I’m not worried, the Orioles aren’t worried, and you shouldn’t be worried, either. Baltimore didn’t give Holliday that long of a shot at the major-league level — something we’ve seen a few times there in the last 18 months, extending to Heston Kjerstad this year and Joey Ortiz in 2023 — and, by the way, hitting big-league pitching is really hard. Holliday did shine defensively at a new position (second base), which should open a path for his return sooner than later.

Jordan Lawlar

Lawlar is just starting a rehab stint in the complex league after preseason finger surgery, but he ended up two spots higher due to a graduation (Jackson Chourio) and one player (Ethan Salas) sliding down a few notches. That also means there’s nothing new to report on Lawlar until his return to Triple A. No news is … not bad news, I suppose.

Junior Caminero

If Caminero could play shortstop and was healthy, he’d be in the majors right now. He landed on the IL with a quad strain last week; he missed time with a left quad strain earlier this season and is set to miss four-to-six weeks with the new one. Aside from the health issues, he’s doing everything right in Triple A, at least at the plate, and just needs an opportunity. He’s already hit eight balls at 110 mph or harder, one at 117, and has kept his strikeout rate down around 22 percent even though he’s very young (20) for his level.

Marcelo Mayer

Mayer is off to a solid start in Double A while playing strong defense at short. He’s still working on some of his offspeed recognition while he’s crushing fastballs, with whiff rates on sliders, curves, and changeups all 42 percent or higher in the early going. I don’t think he’s on the fast track to Boston, given his age and all the injury issues he’s had the last two years, but any concerns after his tepid 2023 season should be over now.

My main concern with Wood coming into this year was how he managed his huge strike zone, from fastballs up in the zone to sliders down in or out of it. It’s a challenge most hitters his height have to confront at some point, and few have done so successfully in MLB history. The Nats were aggressive with Wood, moving him up to Triple A this spring despite a high strikeout rate in Double A in the second half of 2023, and he’s responded with the biggest improvement of his career, cutting his whiff rate from 34 percent to 27 percent, and on sliders specifically from 44 percent to 23 percent.

There’s still more chase than you’d like but if that’s his worst attribute, we’re miles ahead of where he was a year ago. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him have to make a similar adjustment again in the majors, and maybe struggle with contact in his first year or so after he gets the call, but I’m way more optimistic about the probability of him making that adjustment and maintaining it going forward than I was at this point last year.

Ethan Salas

Salas turned 18 on Saturday and is already playing well enough in High A that everyone agrees he’s going to be a solid or better MLB regular, but the word from scouts this year is to pump the brakes a little on the hype. He isn’t showing electric bat speed or other elite tools that point to superstardom, and his value may be more connected to his high floor and the potential for a very long major-league career given his youth. That’s not as negative as it sounds, although I could understand anyone disappointed to hear he might not be an MVP candidate in the making given how incredible his debut was last year.

Dylan Crews

Crews may just be waiting for a Wood promotion to get to Triple A himself, as he’s done enough in Double A to merit a move to the next level. He still has some issues with fastballs up in the zone, though, and he’s going to have to lay off of those or at least learn to foul them off before he comes to the majors.

Clark has hit very well for a teenager in Low A, even with some reports that he’s swinging more for power than contact in the early going. He’s also not posting run times in line with the 70+ speed he showed in high school, although he’s still plus and going to stick in center field. I suspect he’s just too advanced a hitter for the Florida State League, and the Tigers will need to challenge him with better pitching before the midpoint.

Walker Jenkins

Jenkins is now rehabbing in the complex league after getting hurt in his first game of 2024, straining a hamstring while running to make a catch in center field. He’s raking in his brief stint so far, but that’s a level below where he ended last season.

Colt Emerson

Emerson blew pro scouts away at the end of last year, after Seattle took him with the 22nd pick and he hit everything in sight in his brief pro debut. He’s still doing it, hitting .271/.441/.414 so far as an 18-year-old in Low A, and is even playing shortstop in contrast to expectations that he’d move to second or third in pro ball. He's also on the injured list for the second time this year, and he's out until late June with a fracture in his foot. Seattle had a tremendous opportunity in the 2023 draft, with two extra picks at the tail end of the first round, and right now it looks like they had a franchise-altering haul with Emerson, Jonny Farmelo, Aidan Smith, and Logan Evans.

Jeferson Quero

Quero’s out for the year after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. As long as he can return to catching, I don’t think the injury changes his long-term outlook, with the loss of at-bats more of a concern than the actual injury. We’ll just have to see how it all looks next March.

Samuel Basallo

Basallo is only 19 and already in Double A, splitting time almost equally between catching, first base, and DH. There’s really no rush to get him even to Triple A given his age and the Orioles’ other players, although I wonder if the aggressive promotion was at least in part to boost his trade value.

Jasson Domínguez

Domínguez is back playing rehab games in Double-A Somerset after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September, and so far he looks like the same electric, high-upside hitter he was when he reached the majors last year, well ahead of schedule. The Yankees aren’t in the same offensive straits right now that they were in last year, though, so they can afford to take it easy on him, and perhaps option him to Triple A once the rehab assignment ends.

Jackson Jobe

Jobe continues to show two plus or better pitches with high spin rates and to throw enough strikes to see him as a potential ace, as long as he stays healthy — which he hasn’t, again, although it’s a hamstring strain right now after a lower back injury took him out of the first half of 2023. He shouldn’t be out for much longer and you can at least feel a little relief that his arm has been fine, especially with some effort in the delivery and his consistently high velocities and spin rates.

Shaw’s performance in Double A looks very disappointing, but his batted-ball data remains strong and the consensus seems to be that it’s been more bad luck than a deficiency in skill. The Cubs’ first-rounder from last year could still have an opportunity for big-league impact this year, especially now that he’s shown he can handle third base, once he starts getting more results from his hard contact.

Josue De Paula

De Paula continues to play well beyond his age at the plate, with an extremely advanced approach for a teenager and plenty of hard contact already. With his physical projection remaining, he looks like a high-OBP, 25+ homer guy in the making. He’s a corner outfielder now and could end up at first base, which is really the only thing holding him out of the global top 10 at the moment.

Mayo’s hurt at the moment, or else he’d probably be looking at accommodations in Baltimore, as he has done everything the Orioles asked of him so far in Triple A, hitting .291/.359/.605 in 42 games, albeit with a 28 percent strikeout rate. The O’s have had him play a little first base as well, opening another path for him with all of the other infielders they have in Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk.

The Twins have had miserable luck on the injury front this year, with Jenkins, Lee, and Royce Lewis, among others, all missing significant time before we even reached June. Lee has missed the entire year to date due to a herniated disc in his back, rehabbing right now in Florida with the hope that he’ll head to Triple A in the first week of June.

Teel looked tired when I saw him at the end of last summer, and in hindsight, I think that’s exactly what was going on, as he’s a new man this year, hitting .309/.411/.503 with improved defense so far in Double A. I don’t think he’s far off at all, and if Connor Wong reverts to his pre-2024 form, Teel might be ready to replace him.

Carson Williams

Williams is pretty much the same guy he was last year — he plays great defense, he runs double-plus, he hits the ball hard, and he whiffs too much on pitches in the zone. If he didn’t have the great defensive profile, he wouldn’t be in the top 50, but that’s a pretty strong floor if he makes even a little more contact going forward.

Kevin Alcántara

Alcántara started the year 0 for 26 with 11 K’s, but since he got off that particular schneid, he’s hit .315/.351/.492 with a 21 percent K rate. He’s got as much projection left as any hitter in full-season ball, with 30-homer upside in center field, although he’ll have to improve some of his swing decisions, especially against righties.

Jones started the year with 21 strikeouts in his first 35 PA, culminating in a Platinum Sombrero on April 16 (five Ks in five PA). He’s been on fire ever since, hitting for average and contact and getting on base, although the home-run power hasn’t shown up yet. He’s still a 70 defender in center and while we’re still in modest sample-size territory here, I’m optimistic that the Druw Jones from high school is back.

Noah Schultz

Schultz dominated High A to start the year, striking out 38 percent of batters he faced in seven abbreviated starts before a bump up to Double A. The one knock here is that he hasn’t gotten more than 12 outs in any outing — he’s made nine appearances in total, and in seven of those, he went exactly four innings. He did end last year on the shelf with a sore shoulder, so I understand and appreciate the caution, but at some point, you’ve got to throw more than 67 pitches to be a top-end starter. He's got the stuff, and so far the results, striking out half of the 24 batters he's faced already since his promotion to Birmingham.

Andrew Painter

Painter should be back making rehab outings this summer after the Phillies tried to avoid Tommy John surgery last year, pushing the eventual surgery back to the point where he would have to effectively miss all of 2024. The aspect of his game I’ll most want to see when he returns is the power and shape to his curveball, which was a wipeout pitch before the elbow injury, but which for some pitchers isn’t the same weapon post-TJ (Lucas Giolito and Jay Groome come to mind).

Roman Anthony

Anthony is young for Double A, but he has had some trouble at the level with a 29 percent strikeout rate, coming from some unsurprising sources — he’s struggling with same-side breaking stuff, even in the zone, and is chasing a lot of changeups and fastballs from righties. These are small samples, but I do think it’s fair to say that this is going to be a long stay at the level as Anthony works on pitch and location recognition in general.

Sebastian Walcott

Walcott is the poster child for how the elimination of short-season leagues continues to be a penny-wise and pound-foolish decision for MLB. He’s 18, younger than many top prospects in this year’s draft, but already in full-season ball because he hit too well in the complex league last year to return there. He’s struggling, as you would expect,  with the High-A Hickory Crawdads — he has a .195/.326/.315 line and a 28 percent strikeout rate because he doesn’t belong there. He remains high on this list because of the enormous power upside and the fact that he is showing some plate discipline even amid the strikeouts.

Jett Williams

Williams played just 11 games for Double-A Binghamton before going on the injured list with a nagging wrist sprain that still hasn’t healed enough for him to play some rehab games. There’s no apparent timetable for his return, unfortunately, and wrist injuries can linger for months even after the player is ready to hit again, so I’d keep my expectations for him on the conservative side when he does come back.

Emmanuel Rodriguez

Rodriguez is just a fascinating hitter: He strikes out more than you’d like, but he simply does not chase. He’s around 11 percent at swinging at anything out of the zone, and for pitches out of the "shadow" of the zone he’s down at 6 percent. My dude just takes a lot of called strikes, and I think you have to respect that when the rest of the line is so good — and he’s showing more in-game power this year than ever before, already halfway to his 2023 home run total in just 36 games so far this year before a hand injury that has had him out for the last few games in Double A.

Justin Crawford

Crawford still needs swing work, which I detailed in a post a few weeks ago, but he’s got unbelievable bat speed, 80 run and can play the heck out of center field. There’s power in here when he gets a consistent path to the ball. He’s reduced his groundball rate from last year but it’s still way too high, and it’s all about his mechanics.

Aidan Miller

Miller slipped to the Phillies at the 27th pick last year after he missed nearly his entire senior spring with a broken hamate bone, and it looks like Philadelphia got an absolute steal, as Miller is hitting for contact and power, getting on base, and at least playing well enough at short that he should be a 55 defender whenever he moves over to third.

Young is … well, young for his level, just 20 in Double A, but has been among the 10 toughest hitters to strike out in the Texas League so far (considering only qualifying players). It was an aggressive promotion since he’d only played 48 games in High A the year before, but he’s at least kept the contact rate up even as his other surface numbers have gone down. He is making decent contact and putting the ball in the air enough to see him boosting his slugging percentage as the season goes on.

Cade Horton

Horton came out of his last start on Wednesday due to back soreness, so here’s hoping this ranking doesn’t seem out of date by the time the story runs. He dominated Double A and has been solid in Triple A, although his fastball continues to play well below its velocity, with far more success coming on his slider and changeup. He’s a starter, of some sort, but what sort probably depends on what he and the Cubs do with his fastball going forward.

Colson Montgomery

Triple A has been a challenge for Montgomery, who is hitting .226/.333/.390 with a 29 percent strikeout rate and has been getting killed by velocity. When he swings at anything 94+, he whiffs 36 percent of the time. I saw a slower bat from him in the AFL last year, and heard from scouts who saw him in August that they also questioned the bat speed, but he was coming off a serious back injury and I assumed some of it was rust. This is definitely something to monitor as the sample size grows.

Luisangel Acuña

Acuña hasn’t hit well since the Mets acquired him last July at the deadline, scuffling for Double-A Binghamton last fall and now hitting .250/.303/.355 for Triple-A Syracuse. He’s not making hard enough contact overall, and he’s swinging way too often, including a chase rate over 35 percent.

Brayden Taylor

I was hoping for a little better from Taylor in High A this year, but hey, hitting is hard, and he’s mashing against righties while at least making contact against lefties. The Rays have moved their 2023 first-rounder back to shortstop for about half of his games, which is intriguing if he can pull it off.

Felnin Celesten

At long last, Celesten made his pro debut in the ACL in May, and he’s been destroying the league so far, enough so that I doubt he’s there much longer as an 18-year-old. If only there was some intermediate level to which the Mariners could send him, one that played less than a full season, but alas, it’s complex or Low A. I’ll take a switch-hitting shortstop with a good eye and emerging power, please and thank you.

Rhett Lowder

Lowder ripped through High A but has hit some trouble in Double A, with a bizarre .500 BABIP at the level through 15 innings. It’s a combination of bad luck and some bad location, as Lowder’s living too much in the heart of the zone with his fastball, which means it’s harder for him to get to his plus slider and changeup for whiffs. I’m still bullish, but that’s a clear adjustment he’ll have to make at the new level.

Cam Collier

Collier is just 19 and playing in High A, where he’s already hit more homers than he did last year in Low A. Scouts have been impressed by his approach and all-fields power, even around a miserable 3-for-53 stretch in mid-May. He’s going to have to work on his conditioning, though, as he might grow himself off third base and end up at first.

Brady House

House raced past High A last summer to get to Double A, where he’s been fully challenged for the first time, still showing big power and high exit velocities but expanding the zone too early and too often against pretty much all pitch types so far.

Ford continues to be an on-base machine, now in Double A at 21, catching about 60 percent of the time for Arkansas. As a hitter, he makes pitchers throw him strikes and doesn’t miss much in the zone, although he’s still more geared toward contact than power, with just a couple of pull-side homers this year and nothing the other way.

Hurston Waldrep

Waldrep got bombed in his first outing of the year, but since then he’s been cruising with a 1.74 ERA and, most importantly, a reasonable walk rate just over 8 percent. Atlanta has him throwing his slider much more often so he’s not so reliant on his grade-70 split-change, and he’s having success with it, especially against lefties.

Hence got hit around in Double A after the All-Star break last year, but in his return to the level he’s been dominant across the board. He looks stronger and seems to be finishing his secondaries better while living more around the perimeter of the strike zone. His changeup might be the stuff of nightmares, with a whiff rate on the pitch over 70 percent so far due to his arm speed and the very late tumble to the pitch.

Orelvis Martinez

Martinez has been among the International League leaders in home runs all year while keeping his strikeout rate around 25 percent, playing second base as his primary position for the first time in his career. That’s probably a good indicator of his eventual MLB profile — borderline contact rates with big power, making him an above-average regular at second or third.

Chase Dollander

Dollander looks much more like the guy he was as a sophomore at Tennessee than the 2023 version with the backed-up slider, which is great news for the Rockies given the risk they took to grab him at the ninth pick last year with so many promising college bats still on the board. He should be in Double A, though, given how advanced he is as a pitcher and the power of that breaking ball to miss bats.

Ryan hasn’t pitched at all this year due to “shoulder fatigue,” but the expectation since the spring had always been that we wouldn't see him until June and he was added to the ACL Dodgers' roster this week to start building back up. He has top-25 prospect upside if he comes back as he was last year.

Bubba Chandler

Chandler missed a start in May due to forearm tightness but returned on the 29th to throw 75 pitches in four innings, working almost only with his fastball and changeup in the outing without much feel for the few sliders he threw. He still needs to work on fastball command and control, but his stuff is so good, particularly his fastball life and the deception and fade on the changeup, that he has as much upside as any pitcher on this list.

Heston Kjerstad

The Orioles don’t seem willing to give Kjerstad, the second pick in the 2020 draft, an extended look in the majors, which is odd given how little production they’re getting from their outfield corners. He’s among the Triple-A leaders in homers and over 30 percent of the balls he’s hit in play at the level have been at 100 mph or greater. He’s ready to help someone, even if his defense turns out to be below average.

Arjun Nimmala

Nimmala should have started in the complex league, or at the non-existent short-season level, as he was one of the youngest hitters in the 2023 draft and it has shown, with a 34 percent strikeout rate before the Jays returned him to the complex in mid-May. He hasn’t played since the demotion on May 12, although I expect him to see some FCL time soon, and remain bullish on his bat long term — as long as they take it slower with him, since he won’t turn 19 until November.

Jonny Farmelo

Colt Emerson may have overshadowed Farmelo’s pro debut, but the Mariners’ second pick from the 2023 draft is off to a tremendous start of his own and adds the value of plus defense in center. I don’t love the swing, but he has shown he can make it work even against real velocity, so I don’t see any reason to mess with him unless he struggles at any point — and so far, he hasn’t.

Dalton Rushing

Rushing is only catching half-time in Double A, splitting time with the still-struggling Diego Cartaya, but otherwise looks like any on-field effects from last year’s concussion are gone, as he’s making a ton of contact and not missing fastballs while getting to above-average power again. The Dodgers have no place to play him though, now or next year, so I imagine he’s going to be involved in every trade conversation they have this summer.

Additional MLB prospect coverage

How Paul Skenes has changed the way he pitches in pro ball — Keith Law

Trade analysis: Marlins make out like sharks in the Luis Arraez trade with Padres

Scouting Justin Crawford and other Phillies, Orioles and Mets prospects — Keith Law

Top 100 MLB prospects 2024: Keith Law’s rankings, with Jackson Holliday at No. 1

(Photo illustration by Sean O’Reilly / The Athletic ; From left to right: Caminero, Lawlar, Holliday: Christopher Pasatieri / Getty Images; G Fiume / Getty Images; Daniel Shirey / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Keith Law is a senior baseball writer for The Athletic. He has covered the sport since 2006 and prior to that was a special assistant to the general manager for the Toronto Blue Jays. He's the author of "Smart Baseball" (2017) and "The Inside Game: Bad Calls, Strange Moves, and What Baseball Behavior Teaches Us About Ourselves" (2020), both from William Morrow. Follow Keith on Twitter @ keithlaw