61a Abbreviating titles and academic degrees

61aAbbreviating titles and academic degrees

When used before or after a name, some personal and professional titles and academic degrees are abbreviated, even in academic writing.

Ms. Susanna Moller Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Mr. Aaron Oforlea Gina Tartaglia, MD
Dr. Edward Davies Jamie Barlow Kayes, PhD

Most other titles—including any religious, military, academic, and governmental titles—should be spelled out in academic writing. In other writing, they may be abbreviated when they appear before a full name but should be spelled out when used with only a last name.

Rev. Franklin Graham Reverend Graham
Prof. Beverly Moss Professor Moss
Gen. Colin Powell General Powell

Academic degrees may be abbreviated when used alone, but other titles used alone are never abbreviated.

She received her PhD this year.

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Use either a title or an academic degree, but not both, with a person’s name. Instead of Dr. James Dillon, PhD, write Dr. James Dillon or James Dillon, PhD. (Note that academic degrees such as PhD and RN often appear without periods; see 56a.)