Lesson 4: RESPECT AND HONORIFICS IN ACADEMICS AND PROFESSIONAL
HONORIFICS TITLESIf the Professor holds a doctorate and has the personal rank
Are courtesy titles that are used in spoken and written
language to communicate honor or respect for position or
rank when addressing or referring to a person.
The usage of honorifics differs from person to person,
offices, institutions (such as college or university), and
cultures.
COURTESY TITLES
When talking to someone or a stranger who is older than
you or someone who has a position or authority, courtesy
dictates that you show respect during conversation.
A way to do this is using courtesy titles such as Miss, Mrs.,
Ms., Madam/Ma’am, Mr., or Sir.
Madam is commonly used with the name of an
office to address a woman who is the office holder (such as
Madam President, Madam Chair, Madam Senator, and the
like).
Ma’am (abbreviation for madam) is often used to
address a teacher, or is used as a polite respond to
something an older woman has said, and it can be used
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without a name.
In addition to elder people and those with positions or
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authority, you will also need to use titles, at times, for
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children whose parent has a position or authority or is
someone you respect. Use young man (to a young boy) or
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young lady (to a young girl) in place of a name when you
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are speaking directly to him/her.
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EXAMPLE:
 What’s your name, young man?
 How are you, young lady?
Mx. is a gender-neutral honorific used as a title for those
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who simply do not want to be identified by gender.
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL TITTLES
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These types of honorifics are typically used as a style in the
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grammatical third person and as a form of address in the
second person. English language ethicists and language
purists maintain the following respect and honorifics in
using academic and professional titles:
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a. Dr. is for someone who holds a doctoral degree
(such as PhD and EdD) and for medical
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practitioners, dentists, and veterinary surgeons
(who do not normally hold doctoral degrees).
Dr. + name is conversational form.
It is also used both officially and socially in a letter’s
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salutation.
Use Dr. Nanquil or Dr. Luisito Nanquil on personal letter’s
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envelop
b. Professor is for a person who holds the academic
rank of professor in a university or other
institution.
It is also an honorific used with instructors in and around
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campus.
Use Professor Galvez or Dr. Galvez
c. Retired Professor or Professor Emerita/Emeritus
is someone retired with an honorary title from an
office or position in a university.
PCM
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of “Dr. …”, she/he is addressed these ways in writing for the
rest of her/his life.
Dr. Ma. Lourdes Bautista - Professor Emerita // Ma.
Lourdes Bautista, PhD - Professor Emerita
Dr. Norberto Zafra Professor Emeritus // Norberto Zafra,
PhD Professor Emeritus
d. Graded ranks of professor such as Associate
Professor, Assistant Professor, and the like, all can
be addressed (as a courtesy) as “Professor” or
“Professor Nanquil” in conversation.
Graded levels of professor are not used orally and are
seldom used in written direct address. They are most often
used in publications and on lists where the specific
hierarchical position is relevant.
e. PhD and EdD are post nominal abbreviations used
in writing to him/her with regard to his/her
professional pursuits.
They are also used on official name plate such as Luisito
Nanquil, PhD. However, they are not used on social
correspondence such as wedding invitation, wedding
sponsors, religious activities, athletic competitions, thank-
you card, PTA meetings, and in any activity that has nothing
to do with one’s professional title or educational
attainment.
Language purists claim that using this by the honored
dignitary is considered very rude and egotistical. Moreover,
do not use the “PhD’ title when referring to someone who
has not earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Other professional levels:
Many use educational or occupational titles such as
Engineer, Architect, Doctor, Attorney (Engr., Arch., Dr.,
Atty.). may be addressed orally as Engineer or Engineer
(surname).
Many language practitioners also suggest the following
considerations in using respect and honorifics:
1. In all forms of English, use either something
before the name or something after, but not both.
The most common academic titles in colleges or
universities are Professor and Dr. for those who
have a PhD, EdD, and MD.
Use:
Professor Velasco or Dr. Velasco (in the classroom)
Susana Velasco, PhD or Dr. Susana Velasco (on a
correspondence)
Not:
Professor Susana Velasco, PhD or Dr. Susana Velasco, PhD
2. Choose one that is relevant or is the preference of
the bearer. Mayor Jessie De Jesus is an DDS
(Doctor of Dental Surgery)) and a Municipal
Mayor. When doing his job as a mayor, he prefers
to be called Mayor De Jesus, but is never Mayor
Dr. De Jesus.
Such multiple postnominals are non-native English speaker
error (Hickey, 2019)
3. Many style books recommend not using periods
with courtesy titles (such as Ms, Mr, and Mrs) and
academic titles (such as BSEd, BSEE, MD, PhD,
LINDSAY GABRIEL
 EdD, MAE, and the like), other reference manuals
recommend using periods, so use your own
judgement on this issue and be consistent.
4. Do not use Mr. Mrs. Ms. Dr. with any other
abbreviated title or with an abbreviation denoting
an academic title or honor.
Use:
Dr. Noelito Bueno or Noelito Bueno, MD
Ms. Josephine Mercado or Josephine Mercado, PhD
Not:
Mr. Noelito Bueno, MD
Ms. Josephine Mercado, PhD
As many language experts clarify it, this is more of English
usage question than academic question.
5. Abbreviate professional titles only when they are
used with both first and last names, or initials and
last names.
Prof. D.S. Reyes Professor Reyes
(There should be spaces between each period and in the
following initial or name)

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However, in formal academic prose, it is considered bad
form to abbreviate names of people, academic titles, and

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many other words simply to save space and time.

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6. Determine the type of Doctor (Doctor of
Philosophy, Medical Doctor, Psychologist, Dentist,

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or Veterinarian). In written form, the title Dr. and

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PhD are not interchangeable. Only someone who
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has earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree should
be addressed as PhD.
7. Call the office of the dignitary and ask her/his
preference. Ask the dignitary, “How do you like to
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be addressed? or ask her/his staff. If the dignitary

insists that he/she should be addressed with both
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academic and professional titles, then choose

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courtesy over correctness.

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PCM LINDSAY GABRIEL

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