|
|
Decoding the NRC’s Acronym Soup |
A
recent post talked about writing in plain language, and as one
commenter pointed out, one of the stumbling blocks to that goal is often
acronyms.
Acronyms
aren’t new. According to historians, acronyms and initialisms were used
in ancient Rome. Today, some initialisms are so accepted they stand
alone without the definition: CEO, FBI, FAQ. And some have turned into
actual words we accept – such as radar and scuba.
And
then there are the many abbreviations of science -- such as LET and NR –
and of regulation: such as CFR, AEA. Together these strings of capital
letters make up the perfect storm that is the NRC acronym soup.
To some, acronyms make perfect sense. But they can interfere with public understanding of NRC documents.
Case
in point: In the SRM, the EDO directed SFST to update its SRP and
eliminate the ISGs related to ISFSI or DSS SARs and COCs, without regard
to whether FSME prepares an EA or an EIS to comply with NEPA.
Our 139-page guide
to NRC abbreviations does help. And it’s especially helpful for those
usages with multiple meanings. Did you know that PDA – in addition to
the slang usage for a public display of affection – also stands for
pre-docketed application, preliminary design acceptance and preliminary
design authorization?
But
the guide, as helpful as it is, still doesn’t capture some of the newer
usages: JLD (Japan Lessons-Learned Directorate) or SMR (small modular
reaction). (By the way, we’re in the process of updating this guide.)
Despite
a plain language initiative that is gaining traction within the agency,
and the venues, such as this blog, that are something of an
acronym-free zone, the pesky string of capital letters still pop up and
still hinder our communication. While we try to reduce their use, let us
know if there’s an acronym or initialism you see often and don’t
understand. We’ll find the answer for you, and we’ll work to stop using
it so much.
By
the way, LET is linear energy transfer, NT is neutron transmitter, CFR
is Code of Federal Regulations and AEA is Atomic Energy Act.
No comments:
Post a Comment