11.00 Symbols/Abbreviations for Revision

Your instructor may use standard abbreviations for marking themes. The following revision symbols or abbreviations cover the common errors in composition. This guide contains several symbols and abbreviations since different instructors may use different symbols.

Writing handbooks and dictionaries usually list the following (or comparable symbols) along with references to the relevant instructional material. When your instructor uses one of these symbols in marking your paper, look up the error using the inside cover of a writing handbook or in a dictionary. Then use that information to make the suggested revisions. You may also consult the "Index" of a writing handbook for further information.

Symbol/ Abbreviation	Meaning
ab	Incorrect abbreviation
agr	Mistake in agreement: sv, subject-verb, pn, pronoun
amb (or ambig)	Ambiguous statement
awk	Awkward expression or construction
bib	Incorrect bibliography entry
cap	Capitalization error
cf (or ,/)	Comma fault
cit/p	Incorrect citation (using parenthetical references)
coh	Revise sentence, sentences, or paragraphs to make them coherent
comb	Combine
comma (or ,/)	Insert or remove a comma
comp	Incomplete comparison
Coor	Coordinate
Coor/sub	Work on coordination and subcoordination
cs	Comma splice
d	Inappropriate level of diction
def	Define
dev	Work on development
dg (or dm)	Dangling modifier
euph	Pretentious word or euphemism
emph	Strengthen emphasis of passage
Essay-em	Work on essay emphasis
ev	Specific evidence needed
fal (or log)	Fallacy or unsound argument
fig	Inappropriate use of figurative language
frag	Sentence fragment
fus	Fused sentence(s)
ital (or und)	Italics (underlining) needed
jarg	Eliminate jargon
lc	Lower case letter needed, instead of capital
list	Incorrect reference-list entry
log (or fal)	Logic error or unsound argument
mech (or p)	Review mechanics and punctuation
mm	Misplaced modifier
mod	Add or change modifiers
ms	Error in manuscript format
no-¶	Paragraph break unnecessary
no no-¶	Delete punctuation
num	Mistake in the use of numbers
org	Organization unsatisfactory
p (or mech)	Punctuation and/or mechanics error
pass (or vo)	Misuse of passive voice
pc (or //)	Create parallel construction
pn	Review pronoun use
pn agr	Error in pronoun agreement
pn ca	Incorrect pronoun case
pn ref	Error in pronoun reference
pred	Faculty predication
prep	Change preposition, or position of preposition
pron	Change the form of the pronoun
ques (or ?/)	Question mark needed
quot (or " "/)	Mistake in use of quotation marks and quoting
R (or rev)	Revise
reas (or log)	Inadequate, unconvincing reasoning
redun	Redundant
reif	Reification error
rep	Revise to remove ineffective repetition or words, meaning or sound
rev (or R)	Revise
s	Correct the obvious fault in the sentence
semi (or ;/)	Semicolon needed
shift	Faulty tense shift
sl	Use sex-neutral language
sp	Incorrect spelling
spec	Specific details needed
style	Style needs invigorating
sub	Make the less important statement subordinate to the more important
sv agr (or sv)	Error in subject-verb agreement
t (or tf)	Incorrect tense form
tgl	Tangled sentence
title	Error in format of a title, or more appropriate title needed
tr	Transpose order of elements for clarity or emphasis
trans	Transition needed
trite	Replace trite expression
tu	Incorrect use of tense
und (or ital)	Underline to indicate italics
vag	Vague word or passage
vo	Review verbs--active and passive voice
wdy	Wordiness
wo	Revise word order for emphasis, naturalness, or clarity
ww (or w)	Wrong word choice
X	Careless mistake
¶	Paragraph break needed
¶-coh	Paragraph lacks coherence or internal transition
¶-em	Paragraph lacks emphasis
¶-un	Paragraph lacks unity
// (or pc)	Faulty parallelism
./	Period error
(,)	Superfluous comma
?/ (or ques)	Question mark error
!/	Exclamation point error
,/	Comma error
;/ (or semi)	Semicolon error
:/	Colon error
--/	Dash error
( )/	Parentheses error
[ ]/	Brackets error
" "/ (or quot)	Quotation marks or quoting error
. . . /	Ellipsis dots error
/	Slash error
-/	Hyphen error
'/	Apostrophe error
/\	Something omitted
~	Transpose these two elements
#	Add a space
no #	Remove space(s)
+ eg	Add examples
	Eliminate (whatever the line with the little "e" is drawn through)
or nos	Close space