While Angelou apparently has adopted the use of the "doctor", "*It is not
customary, however, for recipients of an honorary doctorate to adopt the
prefix 'Dr'* " and "many universities, however, request that an honorary
graduate refrain from such practice". See <goog_748452647>Honorary
degrees<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degrees#practical%20use>#practical
use.

As an extra point, sometimes honorary degrees (although not in this case)
have been given to people whose accomplishments are in fields other than
intellectual, as a means of trying to derive prestige for the institution
from its association with the person. For example, Cathy
Freeman<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathy_Freeman>was given one.
Freeman is an amazing athlete but she is no intellectual. I
remember one offended quietly hardworking academic, on learning of this
award, asking for an honorary Olympic medal, so long as it wasn't in
synchonised swimming. Thankfully, it seems that here at least, honorary
doctorates are given these days for for intellectual achievement.

Even a professional academic such as Marie
Curie<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Curie>does not have her
degree in the lead. Perhaps she should, but as with most
real academics, the doctorate is the foundation, that is, the beginning,
not the end of their achievements. The case of  Agnes and Margaret
Smith<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_and_Margaret_Smith>is
instructive. They were world famous scholars, many of whose honorary
degrees were granted by German universities at a time when their own
university (Cambridge) did not award degrees to women.

The place for earned degrees may be in the lead, but generally, honorary
ones should be in the text under Awards.

Whiteghost.ink


On 5 August 2012 07:29, Emily Monroe <[email protected]> wrote:

> I think the standard way to name a human subject of a Wikipedia article is
> by their bolded full name at the first mention (so *Dr. Maya [middle
> name(s)] Angelou*) and then by their last name (Angelou) by then on
> .
> From,
> Emily
>
>
>
> On Sat, Aug 4, 2012 at 4:24 PM, Valerie Aurora 
> <[email protected]>wrote:
>
>> On Sat, Aug 4, 2012 at 2:17 PM, Pete Forsyth <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>> > On Aug 1, 2012 11:09 AM, "Sarah Stierch" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>> >> Miss Angelou
>> >
>> > Sorry to be a nitpicker, but while in high school I had the privilege of
>> > meeting DOCTOR Angelou (through a Facing History and Ourselves
>> program), and
>> > it was impressed on us early and often (and effectively, it seems)
>> before
>> > that meeting that DOCTOR Angelou's name is DOCTOR Angelou, not Maya,
>> Miss
>> > Angelou, etc :)
>>
>> I forget to use women's titles sometimes too, but if I remember, I
>> take positive pleasure in calling women with PhD's "Dr." - especially
>> in areas where people don't often use their titles. :)
>>
>> -VAL
>>
>> --
>> Increasing the participation of women in open technology and culture
>> http://adainitiative.org
>>
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