Manuscript Preparation, Copyediting, and Proofreading

Q. Where should a list of abbreviations be placed in the organization of a book? Before the text? At the back of the book before the index?

A. The list should precede the part of the book where the abbreviations are used. If they appear in the text, it’s convenient for the reader to see the list in the front matter; if they’re mainly used in the endnotes, the list might immediately precede the notes.