G97: Providing the [begin add]first use of an [end add]abbreviation immediately [begin add]before or after[end add][begin delete]following[end delete] the expanded form

The objective of this technique is to make the expanded form of an abbreviation available by associating the expanded form with its abbreviation the first time it occurs within a Web page. The expansion of any abbreviation can be found by searching the Web page for the first use.

[begin add]For English, w[end add][begin delete]W[end delete]hen shortening a word, phrase or name by means of an abbreviation, initialism, acronym, or other shortened form, it is advisable to provide the full form before providing the abbreviated form. This makes the text easier to read and is advised by many style guides.[begin add] Other languages may have different conventions.[end add]

Note that some abbreviations require explanations rather than expansions. This technique is not appropriate for such abbreviations.

This technique is applied to the first occurrence of an abbreviation in a Web page. When combining multiple resources into a single Web page, the abbreviation would be expanded at the beginning of each resource. In this case, however, using a different technique for providing the expanded form may be more appropriate.

Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.

• Chicago Manual of Style - Q&A - Abbreviations

• G55: Linking to definitions
• G102: Providing the expansion or explanation of an abbreviation
• H28: Providing definitions for abbreviations by using the abbr and acronym elements

Procedure

For each abbreviation in the content,

1. Search for the first use of that abbreviation in the authored component.

2. Check that the first use is immediately preceded [begin add]or followed by [end add]the expanded form of the abbreviation.

3. Check that the expanded form is the correct expanded form for the use of the abbreviation.

Expected Results

• Checks #2 and #3 are true.

If this is a sufficient technique for a success criterion, failing this test procedure does not necessarily mean that the success criterion has not been satisfied in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and can not be used to claim conformance.