[AGA Member] dealing with acronyms

["Steve Pushak" <teban@powersonic.bc.ca>]

Here are some tips for dealing with acronyms:

Suppose the term we don't know is EDTA

a) Enter [define:EDTA] into the Google search engine.

This works great for scientific terms or widely used acronyms. For
commonly used insider terms like APD try a general search with
qualifiers to focus the search.

b) Enter [APD aquatic plants] into the Google search engine.

c) Try <http://lakes.chebucto.org/glossary.html> for some technical
terms

For Internet lingo (e.g. FWIW, YMMV, ROTFLOL, RTFM, SBCN):

d) Try <http://piology.org/yabla.txt> or
<http://www.walthowe.com/glossary/index.html> or
<http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=define%3AFWIW&met
a=> for a whole plethora of Internet slang sites, FWIW. ;-)

For biology terminology:

e) Try <http://darwin.nmsu.edu/~molbio/bioABACUShome.htm> "BioABACUS is
a searchable database of abbreviations and acronyms in Biotechnology
that contains terms in such categories as: Biochemistry, Cell Biology,
Computers and Internet,  Diseases, Grants, Journals, Laboratories,
Medicine, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Neuroscience, Other Organizations,
Professional Societies and US Government. The data provided include the
name of the term, its meaning, the category in which it is mostly used
and, when available, a link in which additional information for the term
can be found."

If all else fails or you're too tired/lazy/sick to search the Internet:

f) Post a question here like: "What the heck is a DOC?" Just be prepared
for a few wisecrack answers! ;-)

Have fun!

Steve P

Paula Hofmann wrote:
> Gosh I wish you guys would use English instead of acronyms
> so that us
> neophytes can read this stuff.  Paula

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