Tardis:Doctors

When referring to an incarnation of the Doctor please include the number of the incarnation in some way. Avoid pipe switching to simply the Doctor.

Use the ordinal number of the incarnation in front of the word Doctor, and capitalise both words, as in First Doctor, Second Doctor, and the like.

Terrance Dicks' use of this form in EDA: The Eight Doctors indicates that such usage is in fact "in-universe", and thus this form is encouraged on all pages.

Of course, using this form all the time would become very repetitive for our readers. So you may certainly use other forms that still maintain some use of an ordinal number. Equally valid are terms like: "first self", "second body", "third incarnation", "fourth lifetime", "fifth life". In these instances, however, neither word shall be capitalised.

Why do we discourage pipe switching to the Doctor? Many of our readers will not necessarily know as much about Doctor Who as you. Therefore the phrase "The Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan . . ." — which might clearly identify the incarnation of the Doctor to you — is not as helpful as, "The Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan . . ." The latter construction instantly identifies the incarnation without forcing the user to mouseover.

It is especially important to clarify the incarnation of the Doctor on pages where more than one Doctor is discussed.