61a Abbreviating 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.
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.)