Journal title abbreviations

Literature references are often written with abbreviated terms. Probably the most troublesome are abbreviated journal titles which can make finding a journal difficult.

In physics the journal title abbreviations used by Physics Abstracts are often used. You can look up the abbreviations used in the INSPEC list of journals and other serials sources, which is kept in the Librarian's Office.

Unofficial abbreviations

Sometimes very short unofficial abbreviations are employed in xyz reference books or journals. Here are some examples that you may encounter:

• JCP - Journal of of Chemical Physics
• JOSA - Journal of the Optical Society of America
• PRL - Physical Review Letters

Please note: these should not be used in the references that you write, unless they are stipulated by the body or journal that you are submitting your work to.