[Tex/LaTex] Nomenclature, acronym or glossary

Question

This isn't a technical or LaTeX code question, but more of a "what should I be using for X?" question.

I am writing up my PhD. It is an Engineering PhD and I have mostly abbreviations (i.e. Particulate Matter = PM, On-board Diagnostics = OBD, that sort of thing) And there are also a few symbols (e for the charge on an electron and the usual array of greek letters found in formulae).

I haven't really been advised otherwise but these are all in one big Nomenclature list placed before my first chapter, built using:

\usepackage[intoc]{nomencl}

I wondering if that is actually the correct way to do things? Should I be having a separate list for abbreviations/acronyms?

if so do I just add the acronym package? can I use just one package to do both?

Answer 1

Having abbreviations and symbols in the same list would be confusing. Elad Den already showed one way to set it up with nomencl, here's an example with glossaries:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[acronyms,toc,nonumberlist,nogroupskip]{glossaries}
\usepackage{filecontents}
\begin{filecontents}{gloss.tex}
%================ACRONYMS=================%
\newacronym{egr}{EGR}{Exhaust Gas Recirculation}
\newacronym{doc}{DOC}{Diesel Oxidation Catalyst}
%================SYMBOLS=================%
\newglossaryentry{sigma}{type=symbols,name=$\sigma$,sort=sigma,description={Surface tension}}
\newglossaryentry{Mw}{type=symbols,name=$M_w$,sort=Mw,description={Molar mass}}
\end{filecontents}
\newglossary{symbols}{sym}{sbl}{List of Symbols}
\makenoidxglossaries
\glsnoexpandfields
\loadglsentries{gloss.tex}
\begin{document}
\gls{egr} is a technique. \gls{doc} is a catalyst. \gls{sigma} can be used in calculations, \gls{Mw} as well.
\glsaddall
\setlength{\glsdescwidth}{0.5\linewidth}
\setlength{\glspagelistwidth}{0.1\linewidth}
\printnoidxglossary[type=acronym,sort=letter]
\printnoidxglossary[type=symbols,sort=letter]
\end{document}

I used this setup in my master thesis and think it worked great.