The UVic Writer's Guide

Titles

The conventional titles for women--Miss and Mrs.--are linked solely to marital status. That is, women are identified in terms of their relationship to men. The title Ms. is the only one that is not linked to marital status. Ms. is recommended for all women when the parallel Mr. is applicable.

In discussions of literary figures, it is best to omit the title altogether, even when you are dealing with contemporary authors.

Example

In this paper, I discuss the insights of Miss Atwood, regarding the effects of the Canadian landscape upon the psyche of the individual, and compare them to those of W.O. Mitchell.

Alternative

In this paper, I discuss the insights of Margaret Atwood [or use the person's last name, Atwood]. . . .

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