Can I use the acronym/abbreviation/initialism of an organisation’s name in my assignment (APA)?
The name of an organisation can be acronymised/abbreviated, for example, the American Psychological Association is often acronymised to the capital letters APA.
In-text citations
You can choose whether to write the organisation in full or as an acronym/abbreviation when writing your in-text citations. APA recommends that when repeating an organisation’s name three times or more it is better to use the acronym/abbreviation.
The first time the organisation is mentioned, write out the organisation’s name in full followed by the acronym/abbreviation in brackets. In subsequent mentions of the organisation, just use the acronym/abbreviation, whether the in-text citation refers to the same source or multiple sources by the same organisation.
Examples
First mention as a parenthetical citation (Acronym in square brackets after the organisation’s full name)
Senior managers should “set the tone for good working practices” (Chartered Management Institute [CMI], 2020, p. 9).
First mention as a narrative citation (Acronym in brackets before the date, separated with a comma)
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI, 2020) advises . . . (p. 26).
Subsequent in-text citations
CMI (n.d.) suggests that . . . (p. 57).
Reference list
Always write out the organisation’s name in full. Do not acronymise/abbreviate the name in the reference list.
There is no need to include a small letter after the date in the above examples as the different dates help to differentiate the two references from the same organisation. Refer to FAQ How do I reference two sources that have the same author and the same date?, for further information when referencing two sources with the same author and date.
