By Wesley Hood
A title should summarize the main ideas of an assignment in a way that both engages and identifies. It should allow your audience to understand the issue which you are addressing/investigating.
Ask: if this is published, who should read it? This is your target audience, and they should be able to understand your topic from just the title. The title should convey that this paper is for them.
Remember: Your title is a reflection of both your topic and the assignment and should use key terms that are relevant, accurate, and searchable.
Great titles:
are concise; they say just what should be said, staying away from words that serve no purpose (e.g.: study of…; analysis of….; etc.)
are accurate; fully explain the main idea of the paper when standing alone
are coherent; avoid abbreviations, instead use full terms/names
are properly formatted; use title case (every significant word capitalized), with bolding and centering following the style guide/assignment guidelines
Title Dos and Don’ts
Titling Questions to Review
When titling, ask:
Who do I want to read this; does it capture their interest?
Does this title identify my main concept and keywords?
Is this descriptive enough?
How can I be more specific?
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