Specifying manually entered data validation list entries as "Text"

I really appreciate the quick response.  I am not using a range of cells.  I am using a manually entered list.

I am trying to figure out what I can input into the cells Data Validation input box to indicate that the values that I've typed in by hand are "Text" and not numbers or dates.  At times it does the math and divides and other times it changes the options listed to "Dates"

I have been searching for an advanced description of the capabilities within the input box itself.