should the title of an essay be a complete sentence

Best Tips on How to Title an Essay

How to Make a Good Title for an Essay

The success of an essay heavily depends on its title. This may not come as a surprise given that the essay title is the first aspect to provide the reader with a sneak peek into the text. It piques our interest to read the paper in the first place and gives us a preview of what to expect from the author.

Our research paper writing help prepared a thorough guide on how to title an essay. Here you may find tips and tricks for developing an effective APA or MLA essay title. So, let's dive straight into the article for more exciting details!

Essay Title Format

During your essay writing process, ensure you know the stylistic requirements before beginning an essay. Knowing the format you need to employ is crucial because different style manuals may have varying requirements. Mostly, you could have used an APA or MLA essay title format. Our service, where you can buy essay online , explains these two in more detail below.

Essay Title MLA

If you're required to create an essay title MLA format, check whether your instructor wants you to make a separate cover page. If not, put a heading at the beginning of your work that includes your name, the name of your professor, the course ID, and, lastly, the date.

On the other hand, if you must present a cover page for your essay title MLA, then you need to include the following:

The name of the college
The title of your paper
The subtitle of your paper, if applicable
Your first and last name
Your teacher or professor's name
The class name or course number
The date the paper is due

The formatting instructions are as follows:

Double-spaced
Times New Roman font
Size 12 font
Apart from very short terms, each word's initial letter should be capitalized. The initial word, however, must always be uppercase.
The title page shouldn't include a header with the page numbers.

Essay Title APA

Having discussed the MLA format essay title, let's explore what the APA student title page includes:

The paper title
Author names
Institutional affiliation where the author carried out the study
Name and number of the course
Professor name
Page number

The title of an essay format instructions:

double-spaced
1" margins
12-point Times New Roman
According to APA, your title should be targeted and brief, without unnecessary words or abbreviations

How to Choose a Good Title for an Essay: Important Qualities

Nobody will read a dull headline. Your title should grab your audience's attention and encourage them to read the rest of the work. As it is one of the initial things readers see, having a strong attention grabber is essential when writing an essay from scratch. To fully understand how to come up with a title for essay that is strong and exciting, let's consider a few following factors:

Employ a Catchy Hook - Usually, the title of essay format follows a similar basic structure, especially if they are used for an academic article. The hook serves as a unique component that attracts the reader. It's a captivating statement informing others about the topic of the essay. You can also explore several types of sentences with examples that can help you develop the ideal hook structure.

Consider Topic Keywords - These are essential terms or expressions pertinent to your subject and help your reader understand the focus and body of your article. These focus keywords should serve as a brief, one- to two-word article summary. You can choose some terms from the research topic your instructor gave you, but after your thesis statement is formed, this is where you should hunt for ideas.

Use a Colon - A colon is frequently used in academic titles to separate concepts and sentences. The standard procedure is to place a clever remark or brief quotation before the colon. Although these beginning words offer flavor, they can be overdone. Because of this, some individuals find using the colon to be repugnant. Therefore be careful not to misuse this method.

Ask a Question - To write essay title that is strong, consider asking a question. But, use it with caution because posing a question will make your tone less formal. As long as the question is suitably phrased to meet the subject of your essay, feel free to employ it. Always check to see if the title question still applies to your points in the essay's body. The thesis statement should be appropriately reflected as well.

Find Inspirational Quotes - There is no formula for selecting essay titles from the textual content. You may get playful and choose any quotation, proverb, or catchphrase that applies to your particular publication and works as a title. You may also create a great essay title using well-known expressions or idioms. Doing so will help your readers relate to and feel more comfortable discussing your subject.

Here are other rules for how to create a good title:

Title every section of writing: In the process of writing, create interesting subheadings to give your paragraphs an identity. Also, they make your text look ordered and clear.
The title must bear the theme of the text: choose a title that summarizes the essay.
Capitalize all words with certain exceptions: Capitalize the first letter of every word in the title, but do not capitalize pronouns, articles, prepositions, and conjunctions.
Avoid underlining the title: Since topics come in boldface, underlining it will amount to overemphasis. Some authorities say that if you must underline it, do not bolden it.
Review the final version of the title: Do not forget to do a quick review of the final version of the title—check for grammar, structure, spelling and so on. Re-read it to determine if the title has given justice to the essay. Confirm if the topic is catchy enough to attract your reader’s attention.
When using a colon in your title, follow the rules: Since we are dealing with punctuation rules here, let us talk about the colon – when you have two eye-catching topics, separate them with a colon.

Student’s Guide on How to Come Up with a Title for an Essay

Titling an essay can be easy, but there are a few core principles to be taken into account. The following tips will help you stay on track and avoid any common pitfalls.

Essay Goes First

Never start with a title! If you write it before the rest of the text, it will be based on it, and it should be vice versa. Writing an essay before choosing a heading will give you a clear understanding of what should make sense to the reader. Re-read the finished paper several times to decide on the title. The last thing to create is a title - such strategy will give more time to spend on crafting an essay outline, conducting research, or writing the paper itself.

What are you writing about? What is the style of your paper, and is it an academic essay or a free-form essay like a narrative essay? If the topic of your essay is “Do people who commit heinous crimes deserve the death penalty?” your title should not be humorous; it should be strict and to the point.

If your topic is “Why do people like watching funny cat videos?”, feel free to craft a funny title. Determine the tone of your essay and base your title on it—in consideration with the essay’s topic.

The tone can be:

Serious - “The implications of global warming”
Funny - “How cats and dogs love their masters”
Amiable - “Ways to fight depression”
Persuasive - “Why positive thinking is a must have skill for every person”
Informative - “Ten rules for creating a chemical at home”

The main goal of a title is to name its paper. There is no need to tell an entire story in the title, or provide any useless details. Sum up your paper in a few words! Another way to do this is to sum up your thesis statement, as it represents the main idea of your essay. Take your thesis and squeeze it into 3-4 words. Imagine that you are creating a title for your favourite newspaper or a slogan for Coca-Cola.

Don’t use fancy words! Take 2-3 main words (keywords), put them together, and stop wasting your time. Avoid jargon and abbreviations.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is something that can help any student and young writer reap benefits. While working on a title, detect the words related to the central idea of the paper. Type the words into the search field of Google and add the word “quote.” A search engine will show numerous web pages with in-text quotations that could be useful. Select the fragment you like. It is possible to learn how to make a creative title for an essay in this way.

Discover several more tips from experts:

Never forget the “What,” “Who,” “When,” “How,” “Why,” and “Where” questions (if you start with one of these questions, your title has a chance of getting noticed);
Come up with an unexpected image not related to the selected topic;
Sometimes, starting with a lie increases the chances of a title being able to catch an eye;
Review our catchy essay title examples.

Need Some Help With Your Essay's Title?

Feel free to contact EssayPro and we will provide you with a writing help at a moment’s notice. With the years of essay writing experience, titling becomes second nature, so you no longer need to worry about having a catchy headline on your paper.

Essay Title Examples: Bad vs Good

The strongest essay titles condense lengthy essays into concise statements. When wondering how to make an essay title, think carefully about your stylistic choices and essay format to produce an excellent one. Our dissertation help has provided essay title examples to let you understand the difference between good and bad ones more vividly.

Bad Essay Title Examples

As we discussed how to create an essay title and the specific elements that go into it, you should have a clear idea of how important it is to craft a strong title. In contrast, first, look at weak essay title ideas that can break your paper. This should serve as an example of why your heading should not be like this:

Ex 1: ' How Television Has Changed Our World ' - too vast and not informative

Ex 2: 'The Ara Pacis Augustae' - unclear for those who don't know Latin

Ex 3: 'The Most Poisonous Frog' - does not provide any insight

Ex 4: 'A Brief History of Subcultures and How They Manifest Themselves in a Constantly Changing Socio-Economic Environment' - too long and complicated

Ex 5: 'The Little Mermaid 29 Years Later: Selling a Harmful Sexist Message Through a Naughty Image' - inappropriate language

Good Essay Title Examples

Now that you know what a bad essay title looks like, let's explore good essay title examples as their substitutes. Examine the following essay title format styles that will give you a clear understanding.

Ex 1: ' The Electronic Babysitter: A Social History of Uses of the Television' - gives an exact description of what the essay will be about

Ex 2: ' The Modern Historical Significance of the Ara Pacis Augustae to the City of Rome' - here, the reader can understand what they will be reading about

Ex 3: ' A Deadly Beauty: The Evolution of Skin Coloration and Toxicity of the Poisonous Dart Frog' - clear, informative, and on-point.

Ex 4: 'Reconsidering Counterculture in Contemporary Society' - informative enough and brief

Ex 5: 'The Projection of Gender Stereotypes in The Little Mermaid' - employs appropriate language

Catchy Essay Title Ideas

You now understand that long, complicated headlines do not accurately convey the paper's main idea. Take ample time to consider the word choice before tilting your work. How do you create good essay titles? Think creatively and with common sense. But meanwhile, for your convenience, we compiled title ideas for essays you may use as inspiration.

Persuasive Essay Titles

Why Receiving College Education is Important: Examining Long-term Benefits
Face-to-Face Courses Cannot Be Replaced by Online Learning
An MBA Does Not Ensure Corporate Success.
Every Company Should Adopt a Green Strategy.
Energy Drinks Represent a Lucrative Market Segment.
Aircraft, Excess Weight Charges, Need to be Prohibited.
Patients' Life Shouldn't be Put to Death by Nurses.
Google Glasses May Increase the Number of Auto Accidents.
All of the Conventional Malls Will Soon be Replaced By Online Shopping
How Do Team-building Exercises Contribute to the Development of Inventions?
Illegal immigrants are entitled to remain in the US.

Academic Essay Titles

Several English Dialects: The Link Between Various Cultures
Instagram: A social media innovation
Is it possible to reverse drug-induced brain damage, and if so, how?
What the Future Holds for Humans in the Light of Artificial Intelligence
The Story of Two Nations after Decades of Conflict: North and South Korea
Video Games and Their Learning Context in Schools
Free Wi-Fi: Strategies for Enhancing the City's Economy

Strong Research Paper Titles

Digital World Cybersecurity
E-business to Provide New Paths for Booksellers
Outsourcing for Large Businesses
Preparing for College Costs for High School Students
What News Reporters Should Do in the Digital Age and How to Do It: Examples
The Transformative Power of Music: How Heavy Metal Impacted My Life

Best Essay Titles for College Students

The Possible Benefits and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Humans
The Potential for Time Travel in Virtual Reality
What Role Has Mathematics Played in Human History?
How to Succeed in the Real Estate Industry
E-Commerce: An Empire of Virtual Businesses Worth Millions of Dollars
How to Achieve Financial Independence in the Digital Age Without Opening a Real Business

More Creative Titles for Essays

When getting rewarded for their grades, would kids do better left alone?
How Does Fake News Impact the Mainstream press?
Homelessness in Contemporary Society: A Dilemma
What News Reporters' Best Job Is in the Digital Age and How to Uphold It
Elon Musk: Brilliant Mind or Insane Person?
Positives and Negatives of Employing a Smoker
Do We Employ the Appropriate Student Success Metrics?

Professional Academic Help

Now that you know how to make a good title for an essay, you should also understand that you should approach the task as a process. While composing your essay title, you must condense your whole thesis and point of discussion into a single, concise, yet powerful sentence. If you have time before your deadline, give it some thought and don't hurry.

Don't forget that you can always rely on our professional academic assistance, whether you need a reflection paper , ideas for a strong essay title, or any other academic papers. Consider the following words - write my essay for me - magic keywords for delegating your most complex tasks to our skilled writers!

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How To Title An Essay?

How to title an essay in mla format, what are some good titles for an essay.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Essay Title: Rules, Tips, Mistakes to Avoid

Table of contents

1 What Makes a Good Title?
2.1 Use your essay to develop your topic
2.2 Identify keywords and take advantage of them
2.3 Use Multiple Titles
3.1 MLA Format
3.2 APA Format
3.3 Chicago Format
4 What to Avoid When Writing a Title for an Essay?
5 Take into account Your Paper Style
6 Types Of Papers and the Best Titles For Them
7.1 Questions make Catchy
7.2 Describe the Paper in 5 Words
7.3 Use One Direct Word
7.4 Extract a Sentence from the Paper
7.5 Take advantage of Pop-Culture
7.6 Put “On” at the beginning
7.7 Start with a Verb in “-ing”
7.8 Give a Mental Visualization of Your Topic
7.9 Modify a Title that was Rejected
7.10 Choose 2 Variants That Were Considered and Declined; Then Join Them Together
8.1 Why is an essay title important?
8.2 Can a title be a question?
8.3 How long should the title be?

Good paper titles could be the difference between the audience viewing or ignoring your essays. When chosen carefully, essay titles could well capture the attention of someone who would not typically read the topic. Learning the proper method for titling an article can work wonders in creating an attention-grabbing heading. A well-titled article will also tell readers what to expect. Knowing how to create a topic for an essay that commands the reader’s attention is important. That is why this piece is designed to help you write just that.

What Makes a Good Title?

The importance of a great title cannot be overemphasized in the essay-writing process . And that is where you question yourself – what makes good essay headlines?

A good title for an essay must be memorable. You want to think up something that stands out as much as possible to capture the audience’s eyes and minds. Remember – your title is the first thing your reader sees.
Your essay name must possess a near-perfect degree of accuracy. Titling an essay like a clickbait heading could have the viewer on strings at the beginning, but they may not be disposed towards reading it to the end. Even so, it might not leave them with the desired impression.
A good essay title has to be written in a language the target audience would understand easily. You might want to keep the language of your essay headline simple, but it should reflect as much expertise as the target audience would reasonably expect.
A proper heading for an essay must be easy to read. The main idea is that your title gives a brief insight into what the audience should expect. Keep it concise and eye-catching, and ensure it is in active voice.

How to Title an Essay?

Having understood the importance of creative essay titles, you also know what features they are supposed to contain. The next item on the agenda is for you to know how to make a title for a write-up. This is not an arbitrary undertaking. It is a multi-step ritual that helps you ensure you are on the right track to connect with your audience using a catchy essay title.

Use your essay to develop your topic

This may seem rather confusing, but it is a very efficient step to follow while coming up with great naming ideas. You should start writing your essay once you have a subject matter identified. By the time you finish writing your essay, you can use the write-up details to construct the most suitable title. It would also give you much more clarity on the subject matter and what the audience wants from it since you would have conducted more research on the issue. As such, your title can be more precise and connected to the paper.

Identify keywords and take advantage of them

Your essay’s title must scream “This is what you want” to the reader. And no matter how fun and memorable it may be, it might not be as successful if it does not capture what the audience is exactly looking for. This is where keywords will work for you. They are terms that would let readers know that your essay is relevant to what is in question.

For instance, imagine trying to research articles on symptoms of pregnancy – but the name you see has nothing like “symptoms” or “pregnancy” in them. They might be catchy essay headers and even end up being related to the search, but they don’t exactly strike you like that is what you seek. You don’t need to stuff your title with key phrases. Just two or three core ones will do the trick.

Use Multiple Titles

Nobody said you have to use just one main topic. Segmenting your paper and sub-titling each makes your essay much more readable.

Essay Title Formats and Punctuations

It is perfectly fine if you would rather freestyle your essay heading. After all, a little creative license never hurts as long as you craft a good essay title. Though, you might want to play it safer by defining parameters, especially if your essay is formal. In that case, you should opt for an essay title format. These are internationally recognized sets of prescribed guidelines for titling your papers. There are three main essay title styles – the MLA, the APA, and the Chicago.

The rules of MLA style emphasize that your essay topics should be centralized on the page. Perhaps the most important rule of this style is that the title must be written in “title case”. This means every word should begin using capital letters except prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, “to” when it is alongside a verb in its infinitive form, and articles. However, the first and last words must have capital letters, no matter what they are. This style also discourages italicizing, underlining, or placing the topics in quotation marks.

This formatting APA style is particular about the brevity of the title, stipulating a maximum of 12 words. It emphasizes a short and straight-to-the-point without abbreviations or redundancies. A title in this style aims to share as much information with the audience in as few words as possible. It does not encourage the use of figurative words because it is used in technical and professional writing. Thus, expect to see it deployed toward a research paper title and formal articles. It also supports centralizing the title toward the top of the page.

Chicago Format

Like the other two formats, this style is particular about having the title in the title case. However, it gives more leeway and license to the writer than the others. In fact, the Chicago style prescribes no further guidelines beyond title casing.

What to Avoid When Writing a Title for an Essay?

Developing interesting titles for essays can be a challenge for some. Tips include avoiding negativity and offensive or controversial terms and keeping it professional. Even the cover page could be done properly thanks to a writing service like the APA title page generator, which can also help you write a good title for an essay.

Making a good start means staying positive. Even when the essay topics are dreary, attempt to write less negatively. Good headlines for essays also use appropriate language to attract more possible readers to the paper. Lastly, its image should remain neutral – don’t overshare.

Take into account Your Paper Style

The style of your essay is essential to your topic. Identify and study what kind of essay it is, e.g., an argumentative essay or narrative essay, and ensure that the essay topic reflects it. Essays have tones depending on their kind, the audience, and the subject matter. For instance, academic writing would likely assume a formal tone. Having identified the tone of your essays, you should ensure your essay topics don’t go off-key. It should complement the tone of the essay itself in order to have the desired effect on the readers.

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Types Of Papers and the Best Titles For Them

There are several situations that could involve you writing an essay paper. And depending on the situation or the target of the piece, several kinds of papers exist as well. These may include a narrative paper, expository essay, business paper, and thesis statement in academic writing, among others. Some of the most creative examples of titles include:

Research Paper

The Role of COVID-19 in the Growth of Digital Services

Impacts of Climate Change on Developed Countries

Business Paper

Why Franchising Is the Way for New Small Business Owners

How Digital Services Can Influence the Global Supply Chain

College Essay

The Golden Rule of Wholesome Studentship

Finding Success in My Failures

Reflective Essay

The Time I Met My Mentor

My First Surgery

Personal Statement

My Nine Lives as an Immigrant Student

The Three Horsemen of Ambition

Literary Analysis

The Use of Symbolism in The Pulley

Thematic Preoccupations of Shakespeare’s Othello

Report Titles

Earlier Vaccinations Would Not Have Subsided the Coronavirus Pandemic

Students Want Mixed Dormitories in American Universities

Good Titles for Essays about Yourself

Why I Am the Way I Am

A Letter To the 7-Year-Old Me

Good Titles for Narrative Writing

The Day the World Stood Still

My Perfect Birthday Party

MLA Essay Title Format

The Old Man and the Sea: A Critical Analysis of Ernest Hemingway

Why You Can Do What You Do Without Knowing Who You Are

Argumentative Essay

Are Electric Cars the Solution To Carbon Emissions?

Should Reparations Be Paid To Marginalized Groups?

Compare and Contrast Essay

Left Wing Versus Right Wing: What Ideologies Do We Need?

Good Versus Bad: The Constant Clashes of Morality

Persuasive Essay

Why Dogs Make Better Pets Compared to Cats

Digital Banking: The Peak of Fintech

Scholarship Essay Titles Examples

What Can You Contribute to the Student Community?

Narrate a Defining Experience in Your Life

Nursing Essay

COVID-19 and the Growing Demand for Nursing Staff

Prioritizing Ethical Education in the Nursing Profession

Title The Government’s Role in Poverty Alleviation

Myths and Facts about Tuberculosis

10 Tips to Create an Exceptional Title

There are numerous ways in which a writer can craft a quality naming experience. Unless you use a title generator for an essay , titling an essay is as simple or as hard as the writer makes it. It is often necessary to edit the essay online multiple times. Finding their own style is dependent on the type of essay and the purpose of the writing. In the quest to title an essay, here are some tips for arriving at a really creative title.

Questions make Catchy

Titles Interesting headings for essays can be created by using a cause-and-effect approach. Start considering a common problem and think about what question does that paper answers. You can compose a title out of it.

Describe the Paper in 5 Words

If you were, to sum up the entire paper in 5 words, what words would be chosen? Not only does this unique creation bring some fun to the process, but it can also birth a catchy phrase – which translates to a highly effective title.

Use One Direct Word

Sometimes the best essay title ideas are simpler than we think. For some essay topics, one idiom could be all you need. Though it might not be easy how to come up with one, it may give your research paper an edge over others.

Extract a Sentence from the Paper

It’s usually a good solution to pick the heading after the text is drafted. At this point, there are many title options. Just pick one that sums up your concepts better than the others.

Take advantage of Pop-Culture

Don’t be shy to use something related to pop culture. Titles for papers may definitely contain references to songs, books, or movies as long as they fit the paper topic. This could be especially powerful for college essay titles and other essays for younger readers. You just need to ensure that the audience can recognize it easily.

Put “On” at the beginning

Depending on what you’re writing, this option might be a bit tricky. It works very well for books, songs, or movie reviews. Just name the object of your research paper or article. For example, “On The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Start with a Verb in “-ing”

Especially persuasive essay types can greatly benefit from titles for papers starting like this. Be sure to find a verb straightforward enough to grab the attention.

Give a Mental Visualization of Your Topic

This works wonders when the topic you write about is art-oriented. Even if the mental image brings something that is not seen by most people, it could go far for those that grab it.

Modify a Title that was Rejected

Using old, rejected essay topics to design new ones is usually possible. All it takes is a bit of creativity and a decent name.

Choose 2 Variants That Were Considered and Declined; Then Join Them Together

Although 2 separate entities did not work out, it does not mean that those phrases can’t work together for your new paper. So keep that list of paper titles!

Why is an essay title important?

Can a title be a question, how long should the title be, readers also enjoyed.

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How To Write An Essay

How To Title An Essay

Learn How to Title an Essay Like a Professional Writer

14 min read

Published on: Mar 1, 2023

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

What is an Essay Title

An essay title is the name or label given to an essay, which provides a brief summary of the main topic or theme of the essay.

It should be catchy, informative, and relevant to the content of the essay, while also giving readers an idea of what to expect from the writing.

A good essay title should capture the reader's attention and make them interested in reading the essay.

Purpose and Importance of Essay Title

A title holds great importance in essay writing. It can easily make or break the quality of your work.

Choosing a title that interests the audience and motivates them to read your essay. This is because they are intrigued, it serves as fertile land to present your knowledge, ideas, writing skills, and critical thinking.

Qualities of an Essay Title

When coming up with the topic or title for your essays, keep in mind that it should contain the following qualities:

Eye-catching and unique: The title should be eye-catching and unique to grab the reader's attention.
Based on facts: A good title is always believable and based on facts. Especially for writing essay types and papers that stand on facts and logic should have believable titles.
Audience-appropriate: Readability is key. Using fancy and bombastic vocabulary that is not common for the audience will affect the readership.
Tone: A great essay title is always written in an active voice.
Brief and Short: The title should be brief and to the point. Avoid dragging titles into long sentences.
To-the-Point: An essay title should be accurate and clearly present the main theme of the essay. This will allow the reader to know what to expect from the document.

Components of an Essay Title

Just as all formal writings have an outline to follow, a good essay title is constructed using a formula as well. Keep in mind that the shorter, the better. A title must not exceed 10 to 12 words.

The components of an essay title include

An attention-grabbing and catchy hook
Tone sets the overall mood or attitude conveyed by the title.
The focus keyword - the "where" and "when" in your essay.

Once you know the importance and elements of an essay title, you are more likely to create a better title.

How to Title an Essay?

Almost all essay writers find it tricky to make an appropriate title for their essays. However, writing a title is not only based on good writing skills. You need to know the basics of creating it.

A good and effective essay title can be created by taking the following steps:

1. First Write an Essay

It will be extremely beneficial and easy to create a title once you have written an entire essay.

After writing your essay, you will be clear about what title suits your content the most. Complete your essay and then start reading it.

This will give you a clearer picture of how to address the essay properly.

Deciding on a topic or a title can be time taking. Another advantage of writing a title at the end is that it saves a lot of your time.

Also, the wrong topic makes it difficult for you to choose the best essay title.

Struggling with getting started with your essay? Check out this helpful guide on how to write an essay !

2. Use your Thesis Statement

There is another reason you should leave your title for an end. An effective title provides a reason for the readers to read your essay. The best part to find a reason is in the thesis statement in the introduction of your essay.

You can always get a title from a thesis statement or by using a part of that argument in the title.

3. Popular Phrases

Catchphrases and cliches that go with the theme of your essay can be used as the titles as well. When popular phrases are appropriate and interesting, they make effective puns.

Play with the cliches and twist them to create something of your own. Be creative and innovative for your titles as much as you can.

4. Consider the Tone

Another trick to creating an effective title for your essay is to consider the essay's tone and come up with something related to it.

If the tone and subject of your essay are serious and sad, never make the mistake of addressing your title in an informal and fun way.

Do not try to go off the wall in such cases. The tone of your essay and the title have a strong connection to a good essay.

5. Use a Central Idea or a Quote

It is not mandatory but an easy way to create a title that uses a central idea. You can use a quote as the title of your essay topic.

If the purpose is served correctly, even song lyrics work the best sometimes.

6. Summary in Three Words

The most common and basic technique is to get a title from the summary of your essay.

A writer can summarize the entire essay or the central idea and thesis statement in three words and write a title.

This can be a title by putting it in a headline, inserting a colon, and stating the purpose of your essay.

7. Movie Titles in an Essay

A movie title can also be used as a title in an essay.

There are some basic ways to do that. A writer can highlight the title, use a capital letter for the first letter of the movie title, and italicize its font.

Another technique is by creating a sentence structure and using a movie title in it. You can use quotation marks as well as the underlining tool. However, title the essay according to the field of study and don't make it irrelevant.

Mistakes to Avoid While Giving a Title to Your Essay

Here are some tips to keep in mind when crafting effective essay titles to avoid common mistakes:

Positive themes

Avoid writing about sensitive, unethical, or immoral topics, such as drugs, prostitution, or murder.

Personal information

Your personal negative experiences should not be included in your essay. However, you can still include lessons learned from those experiences in a professional manner.

Relevant Questions

Make sure to ask questions that are relevant to your field of study to ensure you choose an appropriate topic.

Professional tone

Keep your essay professional and avoid including personal information or experiences that are not relevant. Your readers are not interested in your personal life.

Understanding requirements

It's important to understand your professor's requirements to avoid choosing the wrong topic and wasting time and effort.

Neutral perspective

Avoid taking an offensive approach in your essay and steer clear of controversial topics such as religion, abortion, and politics.

How to Title an Essay in Different Formats?

All academic essays require a format through which the writer shapes his document. This format varies from academic level to level and institution as well. The format styles include MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard.

MLA, APA, and Chicago are the most common formats that are usually used. If you are writing an essay choosing a specific format, all of the parts should be drafted accordingly.

From titling an essay to drawing a conclusion, the writer must follow the format properly to create a strong essay.

How to Title an Essay in MLA Format?

No matter which essay format you are using to shape your argumentative essay, descriptive essay, etc. The qualities of the title and components remain the same.

Although the formatting of the title may differ. For an MLA style , format your essay title in the following pattern:

On the cover page of your essay, using double spacing, write your name in the upper left corner
Along with your name, present your instructor's name, the course title, and the date.
Double-space a line and using centered alignment, provide the essay title in font size 12 pt.
Do not bold or italicize the title.
Capitalize important words only and not the articles in the title.

How to Format an Essay in APA Format?

If you are writing an essay in APA style, you might be wondering how to title an essay in apa format.

Simply use the following guidelines to format your title and make your writing process easy:

Type the title in upper and lowercase letters
Use centered alignment on the upper half of the page and write the title
The title in APA style should not exceed more than 12 words
Avoid using abbreviations and irrelevant words
The title should be presented in a line or two and not more than that
Use double spacing between the lines
Beneath the title, write your name and the institutional affiliation.

How to Title an Essay Chicago Style

To create an appropriate final version of the title for your essay in Chicago style, you should follow certain guidelines.

Use a heading level 2 (H2) for your title
Center the title on the page and use title case capitalization
Keep the title informative and concise, aiming for no more than 12-15 words
Consider including relevant keywords to make your essay easier to find
Avoid using slang or informal language in your title
Use proper grammar and punctuation

How to Choose a Good Title for an Essay

Choosing a good title for an essay is crucial as it sets the tone and theme for the reader.

Here are some important qualities to consider when selecting a title:

Informative: A good title should give the reader an idea of what the essay is about. It should be concise and clearly convey the main topic or argument of the essay.
Catchy and Memorable: A title that is catchy and memorable can grab the reader's attention and make them more likely to read the essay. Consider using wordplay, puns, or alliteration to make your title stand out.
Unique: A title that is unique and original can make your essay stand out from others. Avoid using generic or cliche titles that have been overused.
Accurate: A title should accurately reflect the content of the essay. Avoid using sensational or misleading titles that do not accurately convey the main point or argument of the essay.
Relevant: A title should be relevant to the current times or issues. Especially in subjects like current events, social or political issues, and scientific research.
Reflective of Tone: The title should also reflect the tone of the essay. If the essay is humorous, the title should be as well. If the essay is serious or academic, the title should reflect that.

Essay Title Examples

Just like the tone of every essay differs, the title also differs from each type of essay. For example, movie titles can only be used for informal writing and narrative essays.

Some examples of essay titles are provided below.

Finding My Voice: A Journey of Self-Discovery
Lessons Learned: Reflections on Life's Challenges
A Moment of Clarity: How I Overcame My Fears

The Use of Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
Exploring the Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
An Analysis of the American Dream in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

The Benefits of a Vegan Lifestyle for Our Health and the Environment
Gun Control: Balancing Second Amendment Rights and Public Safety
The Importance of Bilingual Education in Today's Society

Why Every Home Should Have a Pet
The Benefits of Meditation for a Balanced Life
Making the Switch to Renewable Energy: Why It's Time to Go Green

A Tale of Two Cities: A Comparison of Urban and Rural Living
The Similarities and Differences between Classical and Operant Conditioning
Comparing the Leadership Styles of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

Overcoming Adversity: How I Grew from Life's Challenges
My Passion for Environmental Science and Sustainability
The Importance of Diversity in My Life and Future Career

Exploring the Relationship between Social Media and Mental Health
The Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture: An Analysis of Current Research
The Role of Women in Science: A Historical Perspective

Investigating the Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treating Depression
The Effect of Music on Memory Retention: A Comparative Study
Examining the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities

Here are some more examples of essay titles.

Tips to Draft an Essay Title

Titles for Different Types of Essay

How To Title An Essay About A Book

Bad vs Good Essay Title Examples


My Essay About the Environment	Climate Change: Causes and Solutions
The Book I Read	The Impact of To Kill a Mockingbird
Why I Love Music	The Evolution of Jazz Music
A Trip to the Beach	Finding Serenity by the Ocean
My Favorite Hobby	The Art of Photography: Capturing Life

Tips for Crafting an Outstanding Title

Here are some tips for crafting an outstanding title:

Brainstorm: Begin by brainstorming a list of potential titles for your essay or paper. Write down as many ideas as you can think of, even if they seem silly or irrelevant at first.
Be Specific: A good title should be specific and accurate. It should give the reader an idea of what the essay is about. Avoid vague or general titles that don't provide any useful information.
Use Keywords: Including keywords in your title can make it easier for readers to find your work in searches. Consider what words or phrases a person might use to search for your topic and incorporate them into your title.
Be Creative: A creative and unique title can make your work stand out from others. Consider using wordplay, puns, alliteration, or metaphors to create a memorable and attention-grabbing title.
Keep It Short and Sweet: While a title should be specific and informative, it should also be concise. Try to keep your title under 10-12 words, as longer titles can be difficult to read and remember.

For more tips, you can check out this video:

The success of your overall essay is not just based on how well you presented the argument and conducted research to gather the information. A title plays a vital role as well.

Creative titles are like the icing on the cake. Nobody will want to read it when it will not appeal to them.

Make your college essay and paper flawless, as they are the only thing that will get you scores in academics. So, you have to know what mistakes to avoid and what to do when title the essay.

However, you can ask professionals at our best essay service to write your essays perfectly and with the best quality.

Place your " write my college essay for me " request today to get your essays and research papers written by professionals and get writing services at exciting prices.

Also, try our AI writing tool to make your academic journey easier!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to use a question or a statement as my essay title.

Whether to use a question or a statement as your essay title depends on the content and purpose of your essay.

Using a question can be effective if your essay is exploratory and seeks to answer a specific question. On the other hand, using a statement can be more appropriate if your essay has a clear argument or thesis statement.

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Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples

(Last updated: 5 April 2024)

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Crafting an essay title is like designing the cover of a book – it's the first thing your professors see, setting the stage for what's inside. As such, the title is crucial because it's the reader's first impression. In this guide, we'll explore why a good essay title matters, offer tips to help you learn how to title an essay and provide examples to illustrate which titles work and which don't.

The Importance of a Good Essay Title

The significance of a good essay title cannot be overstated. Beyond its role as a mere label, a compelling title serves as a powerful tool for drawing your professor’s attention. A good title not only encapsulates the essence of the essay but also reflects the author's voice and perspective. It sets the tone for the entire piece, guiding readers in their interpretation and understanding of the content. Moreover, a well-crafted title can enhance the credibility and authority of the essay, signalling that the author has invested thought and care into their work.

How to Write a Good Title for Your Essay

Crafting a good title requires a blend of creativity, precision, and strategic thinking. To create an effective title, consider the following tips:

Brainstorm Ideas : Begin by brainstorming keywords, phrases, and concepts related to your essay topic. Explore different angles and perspectives that encapsulate the essence of your argument or analysis.
Consider the Audience : Reflect on your target audience and their interests, preferences, and expectations. Tailor your title to resonate with your intended readership, striking a balance between familiarity and intrigue.
Capture the Essence : Reports often incorporate tables, charts, graphs, and other visual aids to enhance the presentation of data and facilitate understanding.
Evoke Emotion or Intrigue : Tap into the emotional or intellectual curiosity of your readers by crafting a title that evokes emotion, prompts reflection, or poses a compelling question. Consider using provocative language, vivid imagery, or rhetorical devices to capture readers' attention.
Revise and Refine: : Once you've generated potential titles, take time to revise and refine them. Experiment with different word choices, phrasings, and structures until you find a title that resonates and feels cohesive with the content of your essay.

Characteristics of a Good Title

A good title shares several key characteristics:

Descriptive : Clearly communicates the topic or main idea of the essay. Engaging : Captures the reader's attention and sparks curiosity. Concise : Succinctly summarises the content without being overly long or verbose. Relevant : Directly relates to the content and theme of the essay. Original : Avoids clichés and generic phrases. Try to strive for originality and creativity.

Essay Title Examples (Good vs. Bad)

Let's examine additional examples of good and bad essay titles to illustrate these principles:

Good Title : "Exploring Identity: The Intersection of Culture and Self-Perception" Bad Title : "Essay on Identity"

The good title invites readers to explore complex questions surrounding identity and self-perception, fostering curiosity and engagement. In contrast, the bad title lacks specificity and fails to capture the richness and depth of the essay's subject matter.

Good Title : "Breaking Barriers: The Evolution of Women's Rights in the 21st Century" Bad Title : "Essay on Women's Rights"

The good title is engaging and suggests a narrative, while the bad title is a little bland and lacks imagination.

Writing a Catchy Title for Your Essay

To craft a catchy title, consider employing the following strategies:

Wordplay and Alliteration : Incorporate puns, alliteration, or clever wordplay to make your title memorable and attention-grabbing.

Question or Provocation : Pose a thought-provoking question or statement that challenges readers' assumptions or prompts them to reconsider their perspectives.

Use of Imagery and Metaphor : Invoke vivid imagery or metaphorical language that evokes emotion, stimulates the senses, or conveys abstract concepts in concrete terms.

Surprise Element : Introduce an unexpected twist or element of surprise that captures readers' attention and leaves them eager to learn more.

Elevate Your Essay with An Engaging Title

Writing a good title for your essay requires time, skill, and a keen understanding of your subject matter. Crafting an essay title is more than just a formality—it's an art that can set the stage for the narrative that follows. With practice and attention to detail, you'll master the art of essay titling and unleash the full potential of your written creations.

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Essay Writing Guide

How To Title An Essay

How to Title an Essay Properly- An Easy Guide

11 min read

Why is it Important to Have a Good Essay Title?

A great essay title is very important, and it can make or break the overall quality of your essay.

The reason is pretty simple: the title you choose for your essay is the first thing that will decide if your readers will continue reading your paper or not.

That’s why the choice of words and how you create a title is very important. If you are thinking the content of your essay is what matters, then you are wrong. To get a good grade and impress your teacher, every part of the paper plays an important role.

Moreover, creating a title that convinces people to read your essay allows you to showcase your knowledge and writing skills.

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What are the Basic Components of an Essay Title?

There are different types of essays , and each essay has a specific structure that can be followed for writing a well-written paper. Creating an essay title has it is own method, too.

Below, you can find the main components of an essay title.

The Catchy Hook: The hook introduces the topic in the most interesting and creative way.
Topic Keywords: It is the ‘what’ question of your essay. This component of an essay title determines the concept that you will discuss in your essay.
Focus Keywords: It is the ‘when’ and ‘where’ question of your essay. It provides more information about the headline and makes it more professional.

Characteristics of a Good Essay Title

Here are the characteristics of a good essay title:

Clear and Concise: Directly conveys the main topic or argument.
Engaging: Captures the reader’s interest and curiosity.
Relevant: Reflects the essay’s content accurately.
Specific: Provides enough detail to inform the reader about the essay’s focus.
Descriptive: Uses keywords that describe the main points or themes.
Unique: Stands out and avoids being too generic.
Informative: Gives a hint of the essay's thesis or main idea.
Proper Length: Neither too long nor too short, usually between 5-10 words.
Balanced: Combines creativity with clarity.
Consistent: Matches the tone and style of the essay

How To Make A Good Title For An Essay?

There are a few codes that you should keep in mind when titling an essay.

#1 Write Essay First, Title in the Last

One effective approach is to complete your entire essay first and then tackle the title last. This method allows you to gain a comprehensive understanding of what would resonate with your readers.

#2 Utilize Your Thesis

Your thesis statement , typically found in your essay introduction , can be a goldmine for title inspiration. Reworking it can help you come up with a compelling and relevant essay title.

#3 Take into Account the Tone of Your Paper

Consider the tone of your essay, as it significantly influences the title's choice. For serious topics, maintain a serious and appropriate tone in your title.

#4 Use Relevant Keywords

Incorporate two to three relevant keywords within your title. These keywords should reflect the core themes of your essay and help potential readers find your work.

Essay Titles in Different Formats

When titling an essay in different formats, it's important to follow the specific guidelines and formatting requirements of the style guide you are using. Below, you can find the basic guidelines for titling an essay for each essay format .

Essay Title APA Format

Let's see what an APA title should include:

The title should be centered but not in bold or italics.
Use title case for the title.
Capitalize the first word of the title and any subtitles, as well as any major words within the title (e.g., The Psychology of Motivation: Understanding Human Behavior).
Use a 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font.

The Impact of Climate Change on Global Biodiversity

Essay Title MLA Format

Here is what an MLA paper title should include:

Title should be centered.
Use title case, which means capitalizing the first and last words of the title and all major words in between (e.g., The Art of Writing: Crafting Engaging Essays).
Do not underline, italicize, or use quotation marks for the title.
It's common to use a 12-point Times New Roman font.

Exploring the Themes in Shakespeare's Sonnets: Love, Time, and Beauty

Essay Title Chicago Format

Chicago style offers two options for formatting titles: headline-style and sentence-style.

Headline style: The title is in the title case and is centered. Major words are capitalized.

Example: The Decline of the Roman Empire: A Historical Analysis

Sentence style: The title is in sentence case (only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized). It is also centered. Use a 12-point Times New Roman or similar font.

Example: The decline of the Roman Empire: a historical analysis

MLA Format for a Book or Film Title Within the Essay

So, how to write a title of a book in an essay? If your essay discusses a book or film title, you would follow MLA formatting for titles within the essay. Enclose the title in double quotation marks.

Example: "The Catcher in the Rye": A Study of Adolescent Alienation

AMA Format (American Medical Association)

The title should be centered.
Use title case, with the first letter of major words capitalized (e.g., The Role of Genetics in Disease Prevention).
Do not use bold, italics, or quotation marks.
Use a 12-point Times New Roman font.

Example: The Impact of Nutrition on Cardiovascular Health

Additional Tips To Create a Good Essay Title

Here are additional rules and tips for creating a good title, summarized and rewritten in simpler language:

Reflect the Theme: Make sure your title reflects the main idea of your essay. It should give readers a good idea of what your essay is about.
Use Title Case: Capitalize the first letter of every word in your title, except for small words like pronouns (e.g., "it," "they"), articles (e.g., "a," "an," "the"), prepositions (e.g., "in," "on," "at"), and conjunctions (e.g., "and," "but"). These small words are not capitalized unless they are the first word in the title.
Avoid Underlining: Don't underline your title. Bold text is usually sufficient to emphasize the title. Some experts suggest that if you really want to underline it, don't bold it at the same time to avoid overemphasis.
Using a Colon: If you decide to use a colon in your title, remember to follow the rules. A colon is used to separate two interesting parts of the title.

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Dos and Don'ts for Essay Titles

Look at the dos and don'ts below and follow to create a strong title for your essay.


Include relevant keywords	Avoid vague terms that don’t specify the essay’s focus
Use phrases that tell the reader what to expect	Don’t use overly complex or technical jargon that might confuse readers
Incorporate a catchy phrase or figurative language when appropriate	Stay away from cliches or overused phrases
Ensure the title is clear and specific	Avoid being too general or broad
Match the tone of the essay	Don’t use an informal tone for a formal essay or vice versa
Be concise, usually between 5-10 words	Don’t make the title excessively long or wordy
Reframe negative positions with neutral or positive words	Avoid negative or controversial language that could offend readers
Use titles that preview the essay’s content accurately	Don’t mislead the reader with an inaccurate title
Write down multiple title options to choose the best one	Don’t settle on the first title that comes to mind without considering alternatives
Consider the essay’s thesis or main idea when crafting the title	Don’t create a title that doesn’t reflect the essay’s main argument or purpose

Here are some good and bad essay titles:

Good and Bad Essay Titles - MyPerfectWords.com

Attention Grabbing Essay Title Ideas

Here is a list of titles for different types of essays to get you inspired.

Argumentative Essay Titles

The Ethics of Genetic Engineering: Balancing Innovation and Responsibility
Should College Education Be Free for All?
Impact of Social Media on Youth: Boon or Bane?
Debunking Myths About Climate Change: The Scientific Evidence
Is Social Media Addiction Real? Exploring the Psychological Effects

Personal Essay Titles

Finding My Voice: A Journey of Self-Discovery
Lessons from the Playground: Growing Up with Siblings
Embracing Change: My Transition to a New Country
Through the Lens: Capturing Life's Moments
Unexpected Connections: Friendship Beyond Borders

Analytical Essay Titles

Exploring Symbolism in "The Great Gatsby"
The Psychological Depth of Shakespeare's Hamlet
Analyzing Economic Inequality in Modern Society
The Evolution of Feminism in Literature
Understanding the Impact of AI on Job Markets

Persuasive Essay Titles

Implementing Mandatory Recycling Programs: A Sustainable Solution
Banning Single-Use Plastics: Protecting Our Oceans
The Importance of Mental Health Education in Schools
Promoting Renewable Energy: Investing in Our Future
Why Animal Testing Should Be Banned: Ethical Considerations

Compare-and-Contrast Essay Titles

A Tale of Two Cities: Contrasting Urban Development in New York and Tokyo
Comparing Classical and Operant Conditioning in Psychology
Cultural Traditions: Contrasting Marriage Practices in East and West
The Artistic Styles of Picasso and Van Gogh: A Comparative Analysis
Comparing Different Approaches to Healthcare Systems Around the World

College Application Essay Titles

My Journey to Studying Astrophysics
Overcoming Challenges in Pursuit of Education
Diversity in Perspective: Embracing My Multicultural Identity
The Power of Volunteerism: Impacting Communities Through Service
How I Plan to Make a Difference

Essay About Yourself Titles Examples

My Journey to Becoming a Writer
Overcoming Challenges: My Personal Story
A Glimpse into My World
Lessons I've Learned from Traveling
My Passion for Music and Its Influence on My Life

College Essay Titles Examples

The Role of Genetics in Personal Identity
Sustainability Practices in Urban Farming
The Psychological Effects of Solitude
Innovations in Renewable Energy Technology
The Impact of Virtual Learning on Student Engagement

University Essay Titles Examples

The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems
Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Healthcare
The Influence of Social Media on Youth Culture
Economic Implications of Renewable Energy Adoption
The Evolution of Human Rights in International Law

Short Essay Titles Examples

The Art of Mindful Eating
Exploring Ancient Mythologies
The Rise of E-commerce in Modern Society
Understanding Neuroplasticity: The Brain's Ability to Change
The Influence of Literature on Society

Hopefully, now you understand how to title an essay in the best way possible. Refer to the above guidelines before you begin the writing process.

However, you can also get help from our essay writing company if you don’t know how to title an essay. Professional essay writers at MyPerfectWords.com can help you write a creative title or even the whole essay from scratch for you.

Feel free to contact our paper writer online anytime and get the best essay writing help.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i title a topic.

When titling a topic, consider using keywords that accurately reflect the subject matter. The title should be clear, concise, and relevant to the content it represents.

Avoid overly vague or general titles that might mislead the reader.

How should I select a topic name?

When selecting a topic name, choose something that interests you and aligns with the purpose of your writing. It should be specific enough to provide a clear direction for your essay or research, yet broad enough to allow for meaningful exploration.

What is the best essay starter?

The best way to start an essay is with an engaging hook that captures the reader's attention. This could be a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic, a vivid description, or a relevant quote. The goal is to draw the reader in and establish the tone and direction of your essay from the outset.

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Essay Writing Guide

How To Title An Essay

Last updated on: Jun 28, 2024

How to Title an Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide for Effective Titles

By: Nova A.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: Feb 5, 2019

Are you tired of struggling to create captivating titles for your essays? It can be frustrating to spend hours only to end up with a lackluster title that fails to engage your readers.

But here's the thing: a weak title can significantly impact the success of your essay. It's the first thing your readers see, and it sets the tone for their expectations. A dull or generic title may cause your audience to lose interest before they even start reading.

Luckily, there is a simple yet effective solution to this problem. By following a few key strategies, you can learn how to title an essay that captures attention and piques curiosity.

In this blog, we will guide you through creating engaging essay titles step by step.

Whether you're a student or a writer, these tips will help you to craft titles that make your essays shine.

On this Page

What Is The Purpose Of An Essay Title?

An essay title serves a crucial purpose in the world of writing. It goes beyond being a formality and plays a strategic role in captivating readers and enhancing the impact of your work.

The purpose of an essay title can be summarized into four key objectives.

Attention Grabbing:

A creative title instantly grabs the reader's attention, acting as a hook that sparks curiosity. It entices them to explore your essay further.

Setting Expectations:

An essay title communicates the main theme, subject matter, or argument of your writing. It sets the tone and prepares readers for what lies ahead.

Creating Interest and Relevance:

A carefully chosen title makes your essay relatable and interesting to your target audience. It also establishes a connection between their interests and your topic.

Reflecting the Essence:

The title of your essay should reflect its core essence and purpose, acting as a concise representation of the ideas.

What Are The Rules For Essay Titles?

When it comes to creating essay titles, different formatting styles have specific rules and guidelines to follow. In this section, we will explore the rules for essay titles in three commonly used formats: MLA, APA, and the Chicago Manual of Style.

Guidelines for Essay Titles in MLA Format

In MLA format, essay titles have the following rules:

Capitalization

Capitalize the first and last words of the title.
Capitalize all principal words, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or), or prepositions, unless they are the first or last word of the title.

Italics or Quotation Marks

Italicize the titles of complete works (books, journals, movies, etc.). Place titles of shorter works (articles, essays, poems) in quotation marks.

Example:

Guidelines for Essay Titles in APA Format

In APA format, essay titles have the following rules:

Capitalize the first word of the title and any subtitles.
Capitalize all proper nouns.
Only capitalize the first word after a colon if it begins a subtitle.
Italicize the titles of longer works (books, journals, movies, etc.).
Do not use quotation marks for titles.

Guidelines for Essay Titles in Chicago Manual of Style Format

In the Chicago Manual of Style format, essay titles have the following rules:

Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions.

Italics or Quotation Marks:

Italicize the titles of larger works (books, journals, movies, etc.).
Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works (articles, essays, poems).

How To Make Your Essay Title Eye Catching

Finding the perfect essay title can be a creative challenge. In this section, we will explore effective strategies for brainstorming your essay title to ensure it captures the essence of your work and engages your readers.

Here's What Your Essay Title Should Include

When brainstorming your essay title, consider including the following elements:

Identify key terms or concepts related to your essay's topic or main argument. These keywords should be relevant, descriptive, and reflective of the content.

Tone and Style:

Determine the appropriate tone and style for your essay. Consider whether your title should be formal, academic, creative, or catchy, depending on the purpose and audience of your essay.

Focus and Scope:

Reflect on the main focus and scope of your essay. Consider the specific angle, perspective, or aspect you are exploring in your writing.

Engaging Language:

Use language that captivates and intrigues readers. Employ strong verbs, vivid adjectives, or thought-provoking phrases to make your title stand out.

Example of an Effective Essay Title: "Unveiling the Hidden Wonders: Exploring the Biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest"

What Not to Include in Your Essay Title

While brainstorming your essay title, it's important to avoid certain elements that may weaken or confuse your title. Consider the following:

Vague or General Terms:

Avoid using generic terms or phrases that lack specificity. Instead, opt for precise and descriptive language that accurately represents your essay's content.

Abbreviations or Acronyms:

Unless widely recognized, avoid using abbreviations or acronyms that may confuse readers. Aim for clarity and ensure that your title can be easily understood by a broad audience.

Excessive Length:

Keep your title concise and avoid unnecessary wordiness. A long, convoluted title may overwhelm readers and fail to capture their attention.

Clichés or Overused Phrases:

Steer clear of clichés or overused phrases that may make your title appear unoriginal or uninspiring. Strive for creativity and uniqueness to make your title memorable.

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Essay title examples

Here are three examples of essay titles for each of the given topics:

How to Title an Essay for College

"From Dreams to Reality: Navigating the Path to College Success" "Unveiling the Future: Crafting an Essay Title that Defines Your College Journey" "Beyond the Application: The Power of a Compelling College Essay Title"

How to Title an Essay about a Book

"Unveiling the Literary Tapestry: Analyzing [Book Title] through an Engaging Essay Title" "Pages of Wisdom: Crafting an Essay Title that Unveils the Depths of [Book Title]" "Beyond the Cover: Exploring the Themes of [Book Title] through an Evocative Essay Title"

How to Title an Essay for a Scholarship

"Dreams Rewarded: Crafting an Essay Title that Shines for Scholarship Success" "Unveiling Potential: Illuminating Your Journey to Scholarship with an Impactful Title" "Beyond the Application: The Art of Composing a Compelling Scholarship Essay Title"

How to Title an Essay about Yourself

"Unveiling the Layers: Crafting a Reflective Essay Title that Defines Me" "The Journey Within Exploring Identity through an Introspective Essay Title" "Beyond the Mirror: Unraveling My Story through a Captivating Essay Title"

Essay Title Examples: Bad vs Good

Here are examples of bad and good essay titles to illustrate the difference:

Bad Essay Title:

"Essay about Cats"

This title is too vague and lacks creativity. It does not give any indication of the specific focus or purpose of the essay.

Good Essay Title:

"Paws and Purrs: Exploring the Mysterious Charms of Domestic Cats"

This title is more engaging and intriguing. It captures the attention of the reader by using playful language.

"Climate Change"

This title is overly broad and does not provide any insight into the specific aspect of climate change that the essay will address.

"Melting Point: Understanding the Devastating Impacts of Arctic Ice Loss on Global Climate"

This title is specific and highlights the focus of the essay: the connection between Arctic ice loss and the broader issue of global climate change. It indicates a deeper exploration of the subject matter.

"My Trip to Europe"

This title is generic and lacks creativity. It fails to convey any unique perspective or aspect of the trip.

Good Essay Title:

"Wanderlust Unleashed: A Journey through Europe's Enchanting Landscapes and Timeless Culture"

This title is more engaging and captures the essence of the essay. It suggests a personal narrative infused with the exploration of Europe's diverse landscapes.

4 Tips While Choosing an Essay Title

Choosing the right essay title is essential for capturing the interest of your readers and accurately representing your work.

In this section, we will provide four valuable tips to consider when creating a title for your essay.

Reflect the Content:

Ensure that your essay title accurately reflects the main theme and tone of your essay. It should provide a clear indication of what readers can expect to find in your writing.

Avoid misleading or ambiguous titles that may confuse or disappoint your audience.

Example: If your essay explores the impact of social media on society, a suitable title could be

"The Digital Revolution: Unraveling the Influence of Social Media on Modern Society."

Engage and Intrigue:

Craft a title that captivates your readers and piques their curiosity. Use strong verbs, and catchy hooks, to make your title stand out from the crowd. Aim to evoke an emotional response or generate interest in your topic.

Example: Instead of a generic title like "The Importance of Exercise," opt for a more engaging title such as

"Unleashing the Power Within How Exercise Transforms Mind, Body, and Soul."

Keep it Concise:

Keep your title concise and avoid excessive wordiness. A long and convoluted title may confuse or overwhelm readers.

Aim for clarity and brevity, while still capturing the essence of your essay. Shorter titles are often more memorable and impactful.

Consider Your Audience:

Take into account the target audience for your essay. Consider their interests, knowledge level, and expectations. Tailor your title to resonate with your specific readership.

A title that speaks directly to your audience's needs and desires will be more effective in capturing their attention.

Example: If your essay targets parents seeking parenting advice, a relevant title could be

"Raising Resilient Kids: Nurturing Strength and Confidence in Today's Challenging World."

Choosing the perfect essay title is a critical step in creating a captivating and impactful piece of writing.

It serves as a gateway to your essay, capturing the attention of your readers and setting the tone for what lies ahead.

By following the four tips outlined in this blog, you can craft a title that reflects your essay's content, engages your audience, and leaves a lasting impression. Start your essay off on the right foot with a title that shines boldly and confidently.

Ready to take your essay writing to the next level? Visit 5StarEssays.com today and experience top-notch academic assistance.

Our team of expert writers is here to help you with all your essay needs. Whether you're looking for essay writing, editing, or proofreading services, we've got you covered.

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As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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How to Title an Essay?

Purpose and importance of essay title.

An essay title bears great importance, which is why a wrong headline choice can make or break the quality of the paper you submit. Why? The reason is simple. The title you choose has to intrigue your professor or other readers. It must make them want to start reading the whole thing to find out what you wrote and how you developed an argument. This is especially important for an argumentative essay topic . That is why the words you use are vital to the success of the entire work.

The title is, in fact, the first thing your professor, client, or other readers see and your job is to get the “This seems very interesting” reaction, rather than “Oh God, this will be boring.”

Some may assume that the text is the only thing that matters. Every part of your paper plays a huge role if you want to get positive feedback and a good grade. Choosing a title that encourages people to read your essay because they’re curious also allows you to find fertile ground to showcase your knowledge, wisdom, and writing skills simultaneously. This is particularly important for freelance writers whose success depends on the number of people who open and read their essays and articles.

What Are the Qualities of a Good Essay Title

Before you start writing a title for your essay, it is always useful to know more about the qualities that every headline should have. When you know all characteristics of good titles, you’re bound to make wise decisions and complete this part of the essay writing process successfully.

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Below we present the most important qualities for the title of your paper:

Eye-catching – think about it. Do you prefer reading content or academic papers with boring headlines, or you’re more inclined to opt for something with an interesting, eye-catching deadline? The answer is obvious

Credible – most students and freelance writers make mistakes by trying to make their titles catchy. In such a way, they stray from the truth, thus making the headline inaccurate or a complete, blatant lie. Nothing will anger your professor like a heading that doesn’t correspond to the truth

Easy to read – nobody likes complicated and tricky titles, not even your professor. Stay away from strange phrases, complex structures, and even some uncommon fonts when writing your headline

Active voice – if your heading contains verbs, always make sure they’re in active rather than passive voice. For instance, instead of “Is regression of society caused by celebrity culture”, you should write “How does celebrity culture contribute to the regression of society?”.

Brief – whenever you can, make an essay title concise. Long headlines are confusing and don’t demonstrate your skills for laconic writing

Accurate – regardless of the topic or niche and under no circumstances write an inaccurate essay title. It would help if you gave your readers a clear idea of what they will read in an essay. Never try to mislead. It can only harm the overall quality of the essay, and your professor will not appreciate it

What Are The Components of the Essay Title?

Our experts state that all types of essays have their outline formula you can use to write a high-quality paper. If you build your heading, you can create your formula too. Below are the main components of your essay’s title:

A catchy hook – introduces the paper in a creative way
Topic keywords – the “core” of your essay. This component identifies concepts you’ll be exploring
Focus keywords – the “where/when” of your essay. Together with topic keywords, these are vital for your headline and provide more info that makes it professional

Example: Buy Me a Date: Consumerization and Theories of Social Interaction in 21st Century Online Dating Sites

Let’s deduce:

Catchy hook – “buy me a date”
Topic keywords – “consumerism, social interaction, dating”
Focus keywords – “21st century”

checklist for writing a title for an essay

Stuck on How to Title an Essay?

Check out these example essay titles. Essay Topic Generator Look for topic View more

How to Create Essay Title

Now that you know the importance of essay titles and the qualities they should have, it’s time to learn how to create them. Don’t feel bad about yourself if you can’t make a good essay title on the spot. Even the most prolific writers experience writer’s block when choosing an ideal headline. The writer’s block isn’t the issue here. It matters how you overcome it and create the title. Here are a few ideas that you’ll find useful.

Write Essay First, Title Last

Creating the title and writing your essay may seem logical, but doing the opposite can be more beneficial. Most authors never start with the title. Of course, you may have some working headline in mind, allowing you to focus, develop an argument, and so on. But, writing your paper will give you a clear idea of what to use in your title. As you write and reread your essay, you’ll know what to say in the title and intrigue your reader. You’ll experience your “Aha; I’ll write this” moment.

Another benefit of creating a title is that you won’t waste too much time. It is not uncommon for students to spend hours just figuring out the proper title for their essays. That’s the time you could have spent researching, creating an outline, or writing. If you still feel confused, you can get professional online writing help at Edusson.

Use Your Thesis

Here is yet another reason to leave the title for the end. Good titles offer your reader (or more of them) the reason for reading your paper. Therefore, the best place to find that reason is the thesis statement you’ve already written in the introduction. Try working the thesis statement, or at least a part of it, into a title.

Let’s say your thesis statement is this: “The American colonies rebelled against Great Britain because they were tired of being taxed, and they resented British military presence in their lives and homes.”

To create a title, you may use the alliteration “Tired of Taxes and Troops,” or you can opt for “Rebellion of American Colonies against British Rule: Taxes, Troops, and other factors.”

Use Popular Phrases and Clichés You Can Re-work

Popular catchphrases that apply to the essay’s topic make eye-catching titles, too, particularly when the phrase is amusing or creates an interesting pun. Besides popular phrases, you can also go for clichés and make some tweaks to re-work and adapt them to the topic of your essay and title itself. For instance: “Fit to be tried: The battle over gay marriage in the courts”.

Consider the Tone of Your Essay

Of course, the tone of your essay plays an important role in creating a perfect title. If you are writing about a serious topic, don’t be witty, silly, or off-the-wall with your headline. If your essay is a personal statement with some anecdotes, you can go for a sparkling yet intelligent title. Always make sure the tone of the title and essay match. Bear in mind that even in amusing titles, you should avoid using jargon. Don’t use abbreviations in your headlines as well.

Use Quote or Central Idea

This isn’t a general rule, but it is handy when applicable. Your title can feature a quote or a part of it taken from our similar interesting essay topics and ideas you’re writing about. If appropriate and relevant to the subject, even a part of a song lyric can serve the same purpose. You can take a fragment of a thought-provoking quote when your essay is about a book. For example: “Toil and trouble: Murder and intrigue in Macbeth”.

Sum Up Your Essay in THREE WORDS

This is a useful technique for creating essay titles. All you have to do is to sum up your entire essay or a thesis statement in three words and use them to build the headline, put a colon and then insert what your essay is all about.

How to Punctuate an Essay Title

Many authors find it difficult to punctuate titles in essays. Properly punctuating titles may be tricky, because the standards aren’t always consistent. Here are some professional tips from our expert that used to write a college essay for students for appropriately punctuating titles using italics, capitalization, and quotation marks.

Although the criteria for proper title capitalization vary widely, here are a few guidelines. Except for articles and prepositions, capitalize the first and final word in a title and every other word in the title. Some people recommend capitalizing prepositions with five or more letters. Of course, just the initial letter is capitalized.

Use punctuation marks only when essential, not at random . Commas, colons, and semicolons are examples of punctuation marks that should be used when they are required. Quotation marks should be placed wherever one occurs in the text of an essay or on the works-cited page.

If your essay contains a subtitle, place a colon after the title and the subheading on the following line underneath it . Even if your headline and subtitle are very short, use two lines. Your work’s additional titles or headers should be bolded but not bigger than the text that follows them. Arrange them to the left and insert them either at the beginning of a section with a period or on their line without a period.

Self-sufficient works or collective essays are italicized . For example, the title of a newspaper might be placed in italics. The title of an article, a song from an album, and a TV episode would be in quotation marks.

Using italics instead of quotation marks consistently throughout your text is critical. The standards for capitalizing and punctuating titles differ in writing. Certain writing assignments need to use one writing handbook’s format over another. Therefore, it might be useful to consult your professor to choose the best guidebook to follow for academic work.

Examples of Good and Bad Titles for Essays

Unsurprisingly, the reader is drawn to an essay title immediately. Nobody loves lengthy and clumsy headlines that do not convey the paper’s main argument. Pay close attention to the word choice as you angle your work. Make use of your rational thinking and creativity. Our specialists that can gladly help you to write essays for money produced the sections below for further information.

It should be simple to read

Essay titles that are completed yet difficult to grasp will not aid you. As a result, it is better to avoid using difficult terms and ideas. Choose something that every level of the reader may read and understand.

Good: “Joseph Stalin vs. Winston Churchill”, “How to Deal with Depression”, “Pros and Cons of Freelance”.

Bad: “Employees Use Social Networking Rather Than Concentrating During Work Hours”, “When Should You Start Giving Your Baby Solid Foods”

It must be short

The title of your essay should not be overly lengthy. It should instead be succinct and straight to the point. Long essay headlines will mislead your readers and not highlight your writing abilities.

Good: “Best App for Writers”, “The Effect of Racism”.

Bad: “What Do School Shooting Survivors Do When They Return to School”

It must be captivating

If you write a good title, it might become an attention-grabbing aspect. Don’t pass up the opportunity to wow your audience right away.

Good: “Suppose This Happened on Your First School Day”, “Do You Engage in Any of These 10 Awkward Behaviors?”

Bad: “Everlasting Feelings”, “Recent Advances in Kidney Failure Treatment”

Mistakes to avoid

Avoid negative tone and sensitive problems
No dramatic and unclear titles
Don’t overuse fonts and punctuation
Be simple and avoid complicated language
Try to sound professional, don’t use filler words

25 Captivating Titles For An Essay

Do you want your essay to persuade your readers or professor? Start with the right words in the title. How your words sound matter more than how sensible they are. One of the greatest principles every student must adhere to is to create meaningful and persuasive papers. The first important step is choosing a catchy topic. If you feel lost, you can look up a list of argumentative topic examples from your field of study. A captivating subject can do a ton of wonderful things: increase the readers’ engagement, grab the professor’s attention, make your paper more interesting, and score higher marks.

What topic idea do you think would make someone start reading your paper immediately? Interesting, confident, creative, striking, bold are some of the words that describe the best essay titles.

Regardless of the paper, you handle, use the following steps on your way to crafting an interesting topic.

Find a creative hook, fact, or quote
Get the right words to describe your idea
Think about a statement that summarizes your paper

Are you stuck wondering how to title your essay? Don’t worry – we have a great selection of catchy college essay titles that will capture the reader’s attention. Our list is sure to help you make a lasting impression on your professor or any other reader. If you need further assistance, you can also take advantage of our literature review service for the best results.

Argumentative Essay Title Examples

Society Has The Responsibility Of Fighting Anorexia
Every Country Must Activate The Death Sentence
Is The US Education System Of Any Help To International Students?
The Most Corrupt Nations In The World
Is Politics A Practical Art Or An Inborn Talent?
Does Alcohol Destroy The Brain?
The Most Appropriate Age To Vote
Spanish Is Not The Easiest Language To Learn
Do Steroids Help Or Destroy Human Body?

Persuasive Essay Title Examples

Capitalism: The Perpetrator Of Social Development
Are Illegal Immigrants A Big Issue?
Alternative Medicine: Pros And Cons
What Role Do Guidance Counselors Play In The Mental Health Of Teenagers
TV As A Major Contributor To Violence In Society
How Would Superman Be In The Real World?
Horror Movies Must Be Banned For Kids’ Sake

Catchy Essay Title Examples

Team Games Should Be Played By Both Boys And Girls
Zoos Vs. Human Prisons
The Good Side Of War
Marijuana Can Assist In Peacemaking
School Kids Should Stop Wearing Uniforms
The Use Of Filthy Language On The Internet
Technology Is Turning People Into Zombies
The Pros And Cons Of Globalization
Tsunami Is A Death Wave

Bottom line

The success of your essay doesn’t only depend on the argument you develop, research you do, the title matters as well. Most students struggle to find an ideal headline, but with a few easy tips and tricks from this post, you can forget about frustrations, save some time, and create a catchy and informative headline to intrigue readers. But if you have some doubts, why not try custom essay writing at Edusson and make sure you have everything in place for a successful essay?

FAQ About How to Title an Essay

Can an essay title be a question.

Yes, it can be a question. It should be related to the facts presented in the essay and should represent the thesis that the author intends to prove. But don’t overuse it. Sometimes it may add to your essay a less formal tone.

How Long Should An Essay Title Be?

Excellent research paper titles include precise terms and phrases that appropriately reflect the article’s key topic. Come up with a title for essay that is brief yet contains enough keywords. This will allow others to locate it while searching related databases. A typical rule of thumb is 5 – 10 words.

Should An Essay Title Be Italicized?

If the source is independent, italicize the title. Write the titles of books, films, websites, and magazines in italics. If the paper belongs to a larger piece of work, add the quotation marks. Writers use them for articles, websites, essays, and songs .

Effective Ways to Improve Creativity

How to Write a Synthesis Essay

How to Use Sentence Starters for Essays
How to Write a Hook for your Essay or Paper [Examples Included]

Improve your writing with our guides

Writing a Great Research Summary and where to Get Help on it

How To Write A Process Essay: Essay Outline, Tips, Topics and Essay Help

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Essay Title: Definition, Format, & Examples

Icon Calendar 23 July 2024
Icon Page 4122 words
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When writing an essay, a student should take the time to consider the best title. Basically, such a label should reflect a particular content of a paper with a single idea expressed in a thesis statement, being a critical component. In this case, there are several rules and strategies that students should consider when titling their works. Moreover, these rules include using an academic tone by avoiding jargon and abbreviations, keeping a caption simple and straight to the point, writing a label in bold, and avoiding capitalizing or italicizing a heading. In turn, other strategies include brainstorming and discussing ideas about a paper’s heading with a friend, colleague, or mentor. Hence, students need to learn how to title an essay to make it interesting for readers.

General Guidelines

Titling is a critical step in essay writing that students must master if they are to produce an excellent document. In this case, a person should give an essay a title to provide a clear indication of its topic and to engage a reader’s interest. By definition, a title is a word or phrase that people provide at the beginning of their texts, such as an essay, article, report, chapter, or other work. In this case, a particular purpose of titling an essay is to provide a target audience with an idea about an entire content of a document. Moreover, a paper’s heading is important because it identifies a specific subject matter, captures a reader’s attention, and determines a particular tone and substance of an entire writing activity. Sometimes, a title has a subtitle, whose function is to amplify a message expressed in a specific heading. Based on this definition, an author must use a caption when writing any document targeted at a specific or even general audience, such as essays, theses, dissertations, books, and journal articles that must have a topic.

What Is an Essay Title and Its Purpose

According to its definition, an essay title in writing is a brief and clear phrase or sentence that covers a main idea or focus of a paper. For example, the main purpose of writing an essay title is to inform readers about a paper’s topic and pique their interest, offering a preview of what to expect (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). In this case, a well-chosen heading not only provides a glimpse into a paper’s subject matter but also sets a particular tone, hinting at the writing style and perspective. Furthermore, for any author, a good caption acts as a guiding framework, helping to maintain focus and coherence throughout a writing process (Henderson, 2014). Overall, an essay header is an essential element that guides both a writer and a reader through a paper’s content, ensuring clarity and focus throughout an entire text. In turn, the length of an essay title depends on academic levels and topic complexities, while general guidelines are:

High School

Length: 1-7 words
Comment: Essay titles at the high school level are usually straightforward and concise.
Examples: “The Impact of World War II” or “Climate Change Effects”
Length: 5-10 words
Comment: College essay titles are often more descriptive and can include more detail.
Examples: “The Role of Social Media in Modern Marketing” or “Exploring Shakespeare’s Influence on Literature”
Length: 7-12 words
Comment: At the university level, titles might be more specific and complex.
Examples: “The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare” or “Analyzing the Economic Impact of Renewable Energy Policies”

Master’s

Length: 10-15 words
Comment: Master’s thesis titles are usually more detailed and can be longer.
Examples: “A Comparative Study of Leadership Styles in Non-Profit Organizations” or “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders.”
Length: 12-20 words
Comment: Ph.D. dissertation titles are often the most detailed and specific, and they aim to capture am actual essence of an entire research and its scope.
Examples: “Investigating the Role of Epigenetic Modifications in Cancer Progression and Treatment Response” or “A Longitudinal Analysis of Climate Policy Development and Its Impact on Global Emissions”

Type	Focus	Example
Descriptive	Provides a clear description of an essay’s topic.	The Impact of Social Media on Modern Communication
Question	Poses a question that an entire paper will answer.	How Does Climate Change Affect Global Agriculture?
Quotation	Uses a quotation to highlight a composition’s theme.	“All the World’s a Stage”: Shakespeare’s Influence
Declarative	States a fact or argument that will be discussed.	Technology Is Transforming Education
Compound	Combines two related ideas or aspects.	Exploring Renewable Energy: Benefits and Challenges
Metaphorical	Uses a metaphor to represent a paper’s theme.	The Melting Pot: Cultural Integration in America
Contrast	Highlights a comparison or contrast.	War and Peace: The Duality of Human Nature
Numbered	Lists a number of points or strategies.	Five Key Strategies for Effective Time Management
Cause and Effect	Focuses on causes and their effects.	The Causes and Effects of Urbanization
Problem and Solution	Suggests solutions to a problem.	Tackling Global Poverty: Innovative Approaches

Main Title	A primary focus of an essay, concise and specific.	The Impact of Social Media
Colon	Used to separate a main title from a subtitle.	:
Subtitle	Provides additional detail, context, or a specific angle on a chosen topic.	How Platforms Shape Public Opinion

Note: An essay title is important because it provides a concise summary of a paper’s content, captures a reader’s attention, and sets a particular tone for writing a paper. Typically, an essay title is not italicized, and it is usually written in plain text or bolded, depending on formatting guidelines. For example, a standard title should be concise, ideally between 5 to 10 words, clearly conveying a main topic of a paper (Henderson, 2014). Moreover, a title can be a question because it can engage potential readers and catch their curiosity about a paper’s content. When creating an essay title, people should consider clarity, specificity, relevance to a paper’s content, and an ability to engage a reader’s interest. Finally, to start an essay title, people begin with a clear, concise phrase that captures a main topic and focus of their papers.

Steps on How to Write an Essay’s Title

When writing any academic text, students observe specific writing conventions to make their work impressive and credible. Basically, some of these rules include formatting and following a detailed outline. Moreover, to write an essay title, people ensure it is clear, concise, and reflective of a paper’s main topic and focus, often using keywords to highlight key aspects (Bowman & Kinnan, 2018). Although there is no particular rule that guides on labeling of academic texts, students must learn how to construct a topic for their papers. When labeliing an essay, authors must consider an intended audience and a particular content of their papers. In other words, people need to create a title or rethink it after completing a paper. During a process of perfecting an essay, they should confirm that a topic is relevant to a particular content and specific or general audience. In turn, some examples of essay title starters are:

The Impact of [Subject] on [Specific Aspect] in [Context]
Exploring the [Specific Topic]: [Specific Aspect or Question]
Understanding the [Phenomenon]: [Specific Aspect or Question]
How [Subject] Affects [Specific Group or Context]: [Specific Aspect]
The Role of [Subject] in [Specific Field]: [Specific Aspect or Contribution]
The Future of [Subject] in [Specific Context]: [Specific Predictions or Trends]
Challenges in [Specific Field or Context]: [Specific Issue or Problem]
The Evolution of [Subject]: [Specific Period or Context]
The Importance of [Subject] for [Specific Purpose or Group]
A Study of [Specific Subject] in [Context]: [Specific Findings or Conclusions]

Step 1: Skeleton of an Essay Title

As mentioned in the previous section, a title can be a word or a phrase, which can stand alone or have a subtitle. Like a particular content that follows an outline, a heading should have a structure that is not necessarily visible like an introduction-body-conclusion outline (Starkey, 2024). Moreover, a standard structure of an essay title denotes the impact that it has on the audience and involves a catchy hook, topic keywords, and focus keywords. In this case, an essay title should generally be a single concise sentence for clarity and impact. Then, a primary goal of a catchy hook is to get a reader’s attention. For example, a title is an element that introduces an essay to a target audience, and a good paper should have a hook that grabs a reader’s attention immediately (Hopkins & Reid, 2024). In turn, topic keywords help an essay to answer a “What?” question that a target audience may have when reading written works. On the other hand, focus keywords answer “When?” or “Where?” questions too. Hence, to title an essay, people develop a clear, engaging, and informative phrase that encapsulates an actual essence of their paper’s content and purpose.

Step 2: Altering a Paper’s Caption for Different Purposes

When titling an essay, students must consider a specific structure described above to make a topic impactful on an audience. In this case, the main idea for an essay title is to provide a clear and engaging summary of a paper’s main topic and focus, capturing a reader’s interest (Krausman & Cox, 2020). Basically, three components described above — a catchy hook, topic keywords, and focus keywords — indicate a general outline of an essay caption. Moreover, students should learn how to tailor headings of their work to a particular content and specific needs of a target audience. Further on, such needs include having a paper that lacks jargon and is straight to a single point. Besides, people can alter a good caption to meet these requirements. Ideally, it is a discipline area that determines a writing approach that a person should take when titling an essay. For example, when writing about “climate change,” a student uses a different catchy hook, topic keywords, and focus keywords (Henderson, 2014). However, in all contexts, a primary goal is the same: to grab a reader’s attention immediately to make them interested in reading an entire paper. As a result, to make a good title, people ensure it is clear, well-structured, and engaging, accurately reflecting a main topic and purpose of their content.

Basic Outline and Template

Standard papers have a template or essay structure that students should follow every time they have an essay writing assignment. Basically, template components enable learners to emphasize three main features of a paper’s topic described above. In essence, a body part is longer compared to introduction and conclusion sections because students have to elaborate on a single topic or idea expressed in a heading. Hence, a simple template structure of an essay looks like:

I. Introduction II. Body Paragraphs III. Conclusion

Content in Each Section

As indicated, three sections of an essay enable writers to emphasize three features of a title — a catchy hook, topic keywords, and focus keywords. In this case, to put a title in an essay, people place it at the top of a first page, centered and in the same font and size as the rest of a paper’s text, without any additional formatting, like italics or underlining. Then, an introduction part is where authors introduce their topics and provide background information (West et al., 2019). Basically, a particular highlight of this section is a thesis, a statement that defines a specific purpose of a whole text. Further on, a body is a section where students elaborate on a single idea expressed in a chosen topic and exemplified by a thesis statement (West et al., 2019). Here, scholars should use several paragraphs to emphasize discussed themes expressed in an introduction part. In turn, a conclusion section allows authors to summarize their texts (West et al., 2019). Here, students restate a thesis, summarize main points, and make a concluding remark.

Writing an Introduction Section

Provide background information.
Create a thesis.

Writing a Body Section

Use several paragraphs.
Use a chosen topic and concluding sentences in each paragraph.
Use supporting facts.
Observe a Sandwich Rule.

Writing a Conclusion Section

Restate a central thesis.
Summarize key points as captured in a main text.
Do not introduce new information.
Provide a concluding remark.

Rules for Titling an Essay

Title an entire document. Before writing or after writing an essay, a student should title their work by using a word or phrase.
Title every section of a text. When writing a paper, a student should create interesting headings and subheadings to give a main text (body) an identity.
A header must express a text’s central theme. Authors must choose a label that summarizes a whole composition.
Use capitalization as necessary . Scholars must use a title case when labeling an essay. Basically, it means capitalizing a first letter of every word in a caption. In turn, students must not capitalize pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions.
Write a title in bold. People should write a title in bold for purposes of emphasis.
Do not underline or italicize a title . Authors should avoid underlining or italicizing a title because this aspect might lead to overemphasis.
Review a title after completing a first draft . After completing a first draft, students should read and reread their work to ensure any mistakes are noted and corrected. These mistakes include formatting errors, spelling mistakes, and grammatical errors, such as missing or wrong punctuation. It is during this stage that they should review a heading to ensure it aligns with a central message (a main argument) of a text. They should confirm a label is catchy enough to grab a reader’s attention immediately and arouse their interest to read an entire paper.
Include a subtitle for a long label. Authors should shorten headings of their essays by including a subtitle. Here, they should use a colon after a title and then indicate a subtitle.
Avoid jargon or slang when titling an essay. A person should maintain formal language when titling their work. In turn, the use of jargon or slang is a turn-off for many readers, especially those conversant with academic writing conventions.
Put a title on a title page. When writing any composition, a student should indicate a title on a title page – a first page that precedes a paper’s introduction. Moreover, headings and subheadings should appear from an introduction to a conclusion.

Writing Strategies

Title an essay after finishing writing an entire text. Writers should consider captions of their work after completing a first draft. At this time, students know a particular structure of their papers and specific content in each section. Moreover, they understand how an entire paper emphasizes a central theme captured in a thesis statement. With this understanding, it becomes easy to create a topic that reflects a central message of a whole text.
Emphasize on an academic tone. When labeling an essay, people should maintain an academic tone that permeates an entire document. In this case, language or words they use must be strict, informative, and persuasive. However, it must also be catchy and warm to arouse a reader’s interest.
Highlight several keywords. Using keywords or phrases in an essay title optimizes a writer’s work. Basically, this strategy that bloggers use to make their works attract higher online traffic. Moreover, writers should use the same technique to attract an attention of their audience, whether it is an instructor or a college admissions board. In turn, students must ensure keywords are strict to the point.
Follow an expert’s opinion. For writing any paper, students should consider a formula expressed by academic experts. Basically, when titling their essays, people should start with creative introductory words followed by a line that directly states a particular purpose of a paper.
Identify a quote that corresponds to an essay’s central idea or one of its themes. When titling a paper, a person can identify a quote that emphasizes a thesis or one of the central themes of a paper and use it to create a heading.
Rewrite a title of a famous book, movie, or album. When labeling a text, students can take a title of a well-known work, such as a book or movie, and rewrite it to make it reflect their works. Moreover, a central message of an entire text must align with themes expressed in such a work, whether it is a book, movie, or album. As a result, this approach makes a title catchy, which is right in the eyes and minds of a target audience.
Answer What, Who, When, or Where questions. One way of making a title of an essay is to take an inquiry approach. In this case, writers must create a caption that answers “What?,” “Who?,” “When?,” or “Where?” questions. Besides, it is another strategy for making a title catchy and straight to the point.
Talk it out . When creating a title for an essay, a student can discuss ideas with a friend or mentor. Basically, this approach is effective when it comes to labeling a paper that is informative or argumentative.
Brainstorm . When reviewing a first draft, authors can write down some of the ideas they get about a topic of their works. From such a list, students can judge the best heading for their works based on a specific content and a central message.
Free write . Scholars can write down topics and start writing their papers. Basically, this approach means that authors begin with the topic and let ideas come into their heads about what to write. Moreover, this writing approach is suitable for personal narratives but not essays that require research, such as informative papers.

Examples of Essay Titles

Child or Spouse Abuse

When writing a paper about domestic violence, a person can use “Child Abuse” or “Spousal Abuse” as a topic. In this case, authors would spend their time narrating how children or spouses are primary victims of domestic violence in society. To make a title catchy, they can include a subtitle that describes a particular kind of abuse, such as sexual violence or emotional abuse.

Suffering is a broad topic. When writing a sociology essay, a writer can use “Poverty” to show how a lack of the means to afford basic life amenities creates suffering for a majority of people in developing countries. Here, students can choose a community, country, or region as their target and capture it in the heading. Moreover, people arouse a reader’s interest, seeking to understand more about that environment and how poverty leads to suffering.

Plastic Surgery

When writing on themes of beauty, a person can use “Plastic Surgery” to denote an extent to which individuals are willing to go to look “beautiful.” Here, students can select a demographic population, such as celebrities, and show how many people have undergone surgical procedures to alter their physical appearances. Besides, writers can elaborate on how this tradition is a basis of celebrity culture where fans see their idols as role models in body sections of their papers.

When writing on themes of emotional health, students can use “Stress” to emphasize an adversity of emotional strain. Here, authors can link stressful circumstances to adverse health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression.

Procrastination

When writing on subjects of personal discipline, authors can use “Procrastination” to denote counterproductive habits. In this case, students can provide a personal anecdote of an instance when procrastination affected an area of their life and use that story as a basis for discouraging a habit.

Illegal Immigration

When writing about politics, a person can use “Illegal Immigration” to exemplify issues that have become politically sensitive in recent years. Moreover, students can highlight some complications of applying for refugee or asylum status as a reason for growing numbers of illegal immigrants in America and European countries.

When writing an essay on mental health, students can use “Racism.” In this case, the term “Racism” becomes a significant theme of a paper expressed in a caption, and a writer’s mission is to link it with mental health. Furthermore, authors can show how experiences of racism have affected an overall mental health of African Americans and other minority groups residing in the United States.

When writing a paper about culture, a writer can use “Tattoos” to indicate a recent trend of people getting tattoos on their bodies. In this case, students can try to link a particular pop culture to this trend.

Teen Pregnancy

When writing a composition about the abortion debate, a person can use “Teen Pregnancy” to support or oppose calls for a particular legalization of abortion. Moreover, if authors support the legalization of abortion, they can show how teen pregnancy jeopardizes the lives of millions of young girls who become pregnant unintentionally. As such, abortion would grant them an opportunity to complete their education. On the other hand, if writers oppose the legalization of abortion, they can argue that young girls can give birth and still go back to school. Finally, students can mention a specific foster care program and its benefits to those who are not ready to become responsible parents.

Homelessness

When writing about public policy, students can use “Homelessness” to write about how governments have failed in their solemn duty of providing housing to citizens. In this case, authors can pick a city with high numbers of homeless people and use it as an example of a failure by legislators to pass essential laws and policies.

What to Include

Element	Description	Example
Main Topic	A primary subject or theme of an essay.	The Impact of Social Media
Specific Aspect	A specific angle or aspect of a main topic.	on Political Campaigns
Context	A particular setting or environment related to a specific topic.	in the Digital Age
Descriptive Adjectives	Words that describe a topic’s nature.	The Ethical Implications
Key Terms	Important concepts or keywords related to a chosen topic.	Human Decisions
Questions	A question format to provoke curiosity	How Do People Choose Friends?
Quotations	A relevant quote to highlight a specific theme.	“To Be or Not to Be”: Exploring Hamlet
Comparative Aspect	A comparison or contrast between elements.	Traditional vs. Digital Marketing Strategies
Numbers	A number to outline key points or structure	Ten Strategies for Effective Cooking
Outcomes/Effects	Specific results or consequences related to a topic.	The Impact of Human Activities on Local Ecosystems

Common Mistakes

Being Too Vague: Fails to provide specific information about an essay’s focus, leaving a reader unclear about a topic.
Being Too Long: Overly complicated and wordy titles can be difficult to read and understand.
Being Too Short: Lacks detail and specificity, making it too broad to convey a paper’s main point.
Using Ambiguous Language: Unclear or vague terms can confuse a reader about a composition’s actual subject.
Lack of Keywords: Missing important terms related to a paper’s content can reduce its relevance.
Using Jargon or Writing Complex Words: Specialized or overly complex language can confuse readers.
Being Too Informal: Casual or colloquial language may not be appropriate for academic or formal writing contexts.
Including Personal Pronouns: Personal pronouns can make a heading seem subjective rather than objective and authoritative.
Using Clichés or Overused Phrases: Overused expressions can make a caption seem unoriginal.
Not Reflecting an Essay’s Content: Misleading heeadings that do not accurately represent a paper’s content can misinform readers.

Essay writing is an essential academic exercise for students, as it provides opportunities for perfecting critical thinking skills. More importantly, it helps students to put into use what they have learned in a semester or calendar year. Then, one of the most vital aspects of academic writing is titling an essay. Ideally, it is a heading that provides readers with an idea of what a paper is all about. As such, writers of academic papers need to learn basic rules and strategies of titling an essay. Hence, the following tips are vital:

pick a theme from a draft and use it to create a title;
let a caption answer What, Who, When, or Where questions;
use an academic tone by avoiding jargon and abbreviations;
keep a label simple and straight to the point;
write a title in bold;
avoid capitalizing or italicizing a heading;
use a label in every section of a paper.

Bowman, D., & Kinnan, S. (2018). Creating effective titles for your scientific publications. VideoGIE , 3 (9), 260–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vgie.2018.07.009

Henderson, J. R. (2014). How to decode essay titles: Making sense of essay questions at University . Books That Explain.

Hopkins, D., & Reid, T. (2024). The academic skills handbook: Your guide to success in writing, thinking and communicating at university . SAGE Publications.

Krausman, P. R., & Cox, A. S. (2020). Writing an effective title. The Journal of Wildlife Management , 84 (6), 1029–1031. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21881

Starkey, D. (2024). Academic writing now with readings: A brief guide for busy students . Broadview Press.

West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay. Journal of Geography in Higher Education , 43 (4), 609–617. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2019.1655720

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How It Works
Essay Examples

How to Title an Essay

Have you ever skipped past reading an article, an essay , a post or any other writing just because the title didn't inspire you? Ideally, we'd only form an opinion on a certain piece only after reading and analyzing it in its entirety, but the reality is, the title is very important in determining one's opinion, even on whether or not the potential piece is worth reading. This counts for essays too, and although you're usually writing it for a class or a client, and you have the title given to you, sometimes you need to create your own essay to prove your writing skills. So how do you do it? We'll teach you exactly that below.

The importance and purpose of an essay title

Every part of the paper holds a huge importance in getting good feedback or a high grade, and the words you use in your title make no exception to that. They are absolutely vital to your entire work's success, having the ability to grab your professor's (or other readers') attention and make them go through the entire essay to fully grasp your arguments, get a proper feel of the subject. A wrong choice can undermine the perceived quality of the work you submit by not grabbing the audience's attention, so you should give it its due importance.

It's the first thing any reader sees and helps form the initial opinion, so their reaction can easily go from super interested to completely put off. You're eager to showcase your writing skills, to highlight your intelligence and knowledge on the given subject, and a good title helps you with that by arousing curiosity in the reader's mind and making them open to your arguments. This is especially important for freelance writers, whose entire livelihood is based on the popularity of their work.

What makes a good title

Before you formulate the title, it's important to know what specific characteristics a good title should have. After you know and understand these, you will be ready to make the right choice and successfully complete this initial but crucial part of your work.

So without further ado, here are the most important characteristics of a good title:

Attention-grabbing – We start with an obvious one. When faced with the choice of reading any kind of content, a boring title will attract far fewer users than an eye-catching heading. So even before exposing your ideas, make the reader is curious about what you have to say.

Realistic – a common mistake in freelance or academic writing is making the title so over the top in the attempt to make it catchy, that the whole idea of the paper strays far from the truth. This, in its turn, makes the message hard to deliver and, as a result, leaves the reader unsatisfied and annoyed. We established that grabbing attention is crucial, but try not to base the heading of your essay on false premises.

Accessible to the reader – Over-complicating your title with difficult phrases, structures or strange fonts will put everyone off, including your teacher. Make your title easy to understand; this will convey your paper topic at a glance.

Use an active voice – Try to avoid using a passive voice when creating your title. "Is superficiality caused by social media" sounds far less attractive than "How does social media influence superficiality?" The reader must ask these questions in his or her mind.

Short – Long titles are hard to follow and may put off some readers, so whenever you can, make sure you write a short title.

To the point – No matter what you write about, you must always make sure the title reflects the general idea of your entire paper. Misleading your audience with over the top statements and having them believe the theme is different than it really is would only harm your credibility and appreciation for your work, so do your best to keep your title short and straight to the point.

Components of an essay title

Just like the essay itself can be created with the help of different formulas and techniques to properly convey your points, the same can be told about the title. Here's what the main components of an essay title should be:

A curiosity-inducing hook – a creative way to introduce the paper to the reader, similar to a "hook" used in a song.
Words related to the topic – showing all the different topics you will be expanding throughout your work and identifying all the stories and ideas you'll be exploring in your essay.
Keywords to focus on – they are an absolutely vital component of your headline, as they show the Where and When to the reader. Together with the topic keywords, they'll give your writing a polished and professional image, while providing the reader with even more vital information regarding what they are about to read.

Example: That's not good for you: the do's and dont's of healthy eating in the 21st century

Curiosity-inducing hook: That's not good for you

Words related to the topic: healthy eating, do's and dont's

Keywords to focus on: 21st century .

Creating your essay title

Now that we've covered the importance and the necessary qualities of good essay titles, we can learn how to create them. If you're having problems with crafting a good title for your work, rest assured in knowing that many experienced and prolific writers have struggled with this from time to time. So everyone, no matter how long they've been doing this or how appreciated their work is, sometimes gets writer's block, but the key is learning how to overcome it and create the title you want.

Write the essay before the title

Writing the title before the actual essay may seem like a natural thing to do, but most authors do the exact opposite. Of course, you have a general idea of the essay theme and some words you will use in the title, but writing the piece beforehand will inspire you, and most times the title will write itself.

It also helps to save time, as you'll get right to work and not waste precious minutes (or even hours) on figuring out what the best title is. So start writing your piece, get your arguments and ideas together in a coherent and professional order, and watch the title appear in your mind.

Rely on your thesis statement

Another reason for leaving the title behind the actual work is that, on many occasions, you will find the perfect title in the thesis you've written in your opening statement. This way, you'll also be sure the paper will be perfectly in line with its title. So, you will not mislead the reader, while also saving time on finding the perfect headline.

For example, a thesis like " One of the most magical and charming winemaking areas is Tuscany, with the best Tuscan wine coming from the area of Chianti, home to some of the most appreciated wines in the world." can create the title "Magic and charm: the winemakers of Chianti."

Use play-on-words and cliches

An amusing phrase or an interesting pun related to the essay topic can make an interesting title. Also, different cliches that can be manipulated and correlated with the topic will help make your title eye-catching. Charm your reader from the get-go, and your work will get the recognition it deserves.

Correlate your essay tone with its title

The overall tone has a very important role in choosing your title. If the topic is serious, using a silly, funny or extravagant title will hurt your credibility. If however your writing is more on the personal side and is written in a friendly tone, feel free to have a funny, witty and informal title. Correlating the tone of your paper with its headline will help. Still, remember that it's best to avoid using jargon or abbreviated words.

You can use a part of the essay or its general point

This does not universally apply, but it's easy to use when it does, which will spare you a lot of time and thought that you would have put into finding a great title. You can even use a quote if the topic allows it, like a part of a song lyric if that's what you are writing about. The same goes with writing about a book, sometimes using a fragment or an intriguing short quote makes for the best title.

Use three words to sum up the entire essay

This is another useful technique, just try and find the three words that represent the main point of an essay, put a colon after them, and add a sentence that sums up what the essay is all about. That's it - you've managed to create the perfect title.

Your essay is not only made or broken by your arguments, writing style or quality of the research; always remember that the title plays a crucial role. Most freelancers and students find it hard to find the perfect headline to showcase their work, but using these tips you're sure to save time and find the perfect attention-grabbing title that will intrigue your readers.

Finally, if you're still having trouble figuring out the best title for your essay (or even struggle with writing the whole paper), remember that there is no shaming in contacting professional essay writers for help. There are plenty of custom writing services that can help you write an essay or polish up the one you already have, and most of them offer very reasonable prices for the help they offer.

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The 10 most common mistakes when choosing a title for your paper

by PeerJ Community | Jul 23, 2018 | Community , Guest Post

Months of work go into the preparation and evaluation of your scientific article so that it is ready to be shared far and wide. PeerJ takes a number of deliberative steps to ensure that your research receives a large and global reach. But there are a number of steps that authors can take to extend that reach even further. In a new series of blog posts, we share tips from experts on how authors can maximize engagement with their work. Here, Anna Clemens starts at the beginning and looks at how to craft the best title for your journal article.

How many references did you discard after reading the title the last time you made a literature search? And how often have you wasted time because the paper you retrieved wasn’t about what it seemed to promise? Exactly…

And think about this: When an editor reviews your paper, they are also likely to read the title first. So, that’s your chance to make a first impression. Surely, you don’t want to confuse them or make them work for it.

When I edit papers for my clients I spend considerable time on critiquing the titles and often suggest edits or alternatives. Here are the ten most common mistakes I found people make in their paper titles:

1. THE TITLE DOESN’T DESCRIBE THE MAIN RESULT OF THE PAPER

Different from headlines in magazines and newspapers, the title of a research paper isn’t as much a teaser. Your reader wants to know what exactly you added to the field. It isn’t enough to just give them hint about the general topic area.

For this, it is important to know your main message. In fact, this is crucial for the whole paper writing process. I touched upon that in my previous blog posts “ The five most common mistakes when writing a scientific paper ” and “ How to write a scientific story ”. You might also be interested to know that papers with titles that describe the result are more likely to get picked up by the press or discussed on social media .

2. THE TITLE CONTAINS TOO MUCH DETAIL

This happens either when people want to cram in too much information, or when they are unclear about their main message. Sometimes authors also try to convey several key messages instead of focusing on the main one.

3. THE TITLE IS TOO LONG

Long titles take longer to read and comprehend. A study found that papers get more views and citations if the title contains fewer than 95 characters.

4. THE TITLE IS UNSPECIFIC

If you provide a title that isn’t very specific, your reader won’t know if your article provides what they are looking for. Here, it counts to maintain a balance between being general enough for your target audience (see mistake 9) and specific enough to convey your key result (see mistake 1). Being specific in your title is also important for indexing purposes. So, make sure to provide the most important keyword(s) of your paper in the title.

5. THE TITLE CONTAINS QUESTION MARKS, HYPHENS AND COLONS

By phrasing your title as a question, you merely present your research question instead of your key message. If people include a colon or hyphen in their title they often present too much detail (mistake 2) or they chose a title too broad and general (mistake 4). If you need more convincing, the study I cited earlier also found that papers receive fewer citations if they contain question marks, hyphens or colons.

6. THE TITLE IS TOO NOUN-HEAVY

You only have seconds to tell potential readers what your study is about. So, it’s important to make it easy for them. If your title is full of nouns, it will take your reader longer to read and comprehend than if it contains a verb. Chances are your reader will just give up without even considering opening your paper. However, not all journals permit using active verbs (“Eating spinach strengthens the teeth” – I made this up). Therefore, be sure to check the journal guidelines (see also mistake 10).

7. THE TITLE CONTAINS UNNECESSARY FILLER WORDS

The goal is to make your title as short as possible (see mistake 2). Don’t waste the space with phrases such as “an observation of” or “a study of” or filler words such as “on…” (as in “On the energy efficiency of solar cells…”). Tell the reader instead what you observed or what your study found (see mistake 1). Be specific about your result (see mistake 4).

8. USING ACRONYMS IN THE TITLE

A general rule is to always spell out acronyms. If your reader doesn’t know what an acronym means they are more likely to discard your paper. Nobody wants to do extra research. That said, it’s worth knowing your target audience. Perhaps there are some abbreviations or acronyms that you can expect the readership of the journal to know?

9. THE LEVEL OF JARGON DOESN’T MATCH THE TARGET AUDIENCE

This is linked to the previous point (mistake 8). Always consider the audience of the journal you intend to publish in. If it is read by biologists, geologists, chemists and physicists all the same, you need to make sure they can all understand your title. Just be careful to not make your title too general, it should still reflect your specific result (see mistake 2).

10. THE TITLE DOESN’T ADHERE TO THE JOURNAL GUIDELINES

f you want to become an expert at crafting paper titles, download the “Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Title for Your Paper” , which includes detailed instructions, an analysis of real examples from the literature and a checklist.

This post originally appeared here . For more resources on writing scientific papers, go to Anna Clemens’s personal blog .

About the author:

Anna Clemens is a Scientific Editor working with physical scientists to make their research papers more impactful. Her training and editorial services focus on how to communicate research findings in a clear and concise way throughout the whole paper. Anna Clemens holds a PhD in Chemistry/Materials Science and regularly blogs about scientific writing . In her spare time, she writes science stories for magazines.

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Writing Tips

How to Write Book Titles in Your Essays

3-minute read

26th May 2023

When writing an essay, you’re likely to mention other authors’ works, such as books, papers, and articles. Formatting the titles of these works usually involves using quotation marks or italics.

So how do you write a book title in an essay? Most style guides have a standard for this – be sure to check that first. If you’re unsure, though, check out our guide below.

Italics or Quotation Marks?

As a general rule, you should set titles of longer works in italics , and titles of shorter works go in quotation marks . Longer works include books, journals, TV shows, albums, plays, etc. Here’s an example of a book mention:

Shorter works include poems, articles, chapters of books, episodes of TV shows, songs, etc. If it’s a piece that’s part of a biggHow to Write Book Titles in Your Essayser work, the piece considered a short work:

Exceptions to the Rule

The rule for writing book titles in italics applies specifically to running text . If the book title is standing on its own, as in a heading, there’s no need to italicize it.

Additionally, if the book is part of a larger series and you’re mentioning both the title of the series and that of the individual book, you can consider the book a shorter work. You would set the title of the series in italics and place the book title in quotation marks:

Punctuation in Book Titles

Do you need to apply italics to the punctuation in a book title? The short answer is yes – but only if the punctuation is part of the title:

If the punctuation isn’t part of the title (i.e., the punctuation is part of the sentence containing the title), you shouldn’t include in the italics:

Find this useful?

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Summary: Writing Book Titles in Essays

We hope you’ll now feel confident when you’re writing and formatting book titles in your essays. Generally, you should set the title in italics when it’s in running text. Remember, though, to check your style guide. While the standards we’ve covered are the most common, some style guides have different requirements.

And once you finish writing your paper, make sure you send it our way! We’ll make sure any titles are formatted correctly as well as checking your work for grammar, spelling, punctuation, referencing, and more. Submit a free sample to try our service today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write the title of a book in a sentence.

Set the title of the book in italics unless the book is part of a larger work (e.g., a book that’s part of a series):

When do you use quotation marks for titles?

Place titles of shorter works or pieces that are contained in a larger work in quotation marks:

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COMMENTS

How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
The main goal of a title is to name its paper. There is no need to tell an entire story in the title, or provide any useless details. Sum up your paper in a few words! Another way to do this is to sum up your thesis statement, as it represents the main idea of your essay. Take your thesis and squeeze it into 3-4 words.
Essay Title: Rules, Tips, Mistakes to Avoid
7 10 Tips to Create an Exceptional Title. 7.1 Questions make Catchy. 7.2 Describe the Paper in 5 Words. 7.3 Use One Direct Word. 7.4 Extract a Sentence from the Paper. 7.5 Take advantage of Pop-Culture. 7.6 Put "On" at the beginning. 7.7 Start with a Verb in "-ing". 7.8 Give a Mental Visualization of Your Topic.
Get Creative: Learn How to Title an Essay That Stands Out
The most common and basic technique is to get a title from the summary of your essay. A writer can summarize the entire essay or the central idea and thesis statement in three words and write a title. This can be a title by putting it in a headline, inserting a colon, and stating the purpose of your essay. 7.
How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
Crafting a good title requires a blend of creativity, precision, and strategic thinking. To create an effective title, consider the following tips: Brainstorm Ideas: Begin by brainstorming keywords, phrases, and concepts related to your essay topic. Explore different angles and perspectives that encapsulate the essence of your argument or analysis.
How to Title an Essay Like a Pro?
Use title case, which means capitalizing the first and last words of the title and all major words in between (e.g., The Art of Writing: Crafting Engaging Essays). Do not underline, italicize, or use quotation marks for the title. It's common to use a 12-point Times New Roman font. Example:
How to Title an Essay to Make It More Engaging
Reflect on the main focus and scope of your essay. Consider the specific angle, perspective, or aspect you are exploring in your writing. Use language that captivates and intrigues readers. Employ strong verbs, vivid adjectives, or thought-provoking phrases to make your title stand out.
PDF Composition Guide The Title
A title should not be a complete sentence, and it should not end with a period. You should, in fact, ordinarily avoid titles which require question marks or exclamation marks. Do not underline your own title or place it in quotation marks. If your title includes the title of a novel, play, or long poem, that title within your own title should ...
MLA Titles
Use quotation marks around the title if it is part of a larger work (e.g. a chapter of a book, an article in a journal, or a page on a website). All major words in a title are capitalized. The same format is used in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. When you use the Scribbr MLA Citation Generator, the correct formatting and ...
PDF WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TITLE
1. Copy out of your draft a sentence that could serve as a title. 2. Write a sentence that's not in the draft to use as a title. 3. Write a title that is a question beginning with What, Who, When, or Where. 4. Write a title that is a question beginning with How or Why. 5. Write a title that is a question beginning with Is/Are, Do/Does, or Will. 6.
How to Title an Essay? The Complete Guide to Essay Title
If the source is independent, italicize the title. Write the titles of books, films, websites, and magazines in italics. If the paper belongs to a larger piece of work, add the quotation marks. Writers use them for articles, websites, essays, and songs.
Formatting Titles
Here is what you need to keep straight: Titles require special capitalization called title case. Title case requires one to. capitalize the first letter of the first and last words of a title; capitalize the first letter of all verbs; capitalize all words of four or more letters; capitalize the first letter of all other words except a, an, the ...
How to Title an Essay: Basic Guidelines With Examples
In turn, the length of an essay title depends on academic levels and topic complexities, while general guidelines are: High School. Length: 1-7 words. Comment: Essay titles at the high school level are usually straightforward and concise. Examples: "The Impact of World War II" or "Climate Change Effects". College.
How to Title an Essay (complete guide with examples)
Use play-on-words and cliches. An amusing phrase or an interesting pun related to the essay topic can make an interesting title. Also, different cliches that can be manipulated and correlated with the topic will help make your title eye-catching. Charm your reader from the get-go, and your work will get the recognition it deserves.
How to Structure an Essay
The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...
How to Title an Essay Properly: a Complete Guide for Students
Use the capitalization tool or capitalize the words on your own. It is important to make the beginning of your text look good. No underlining in the title of the paper. You need to focus the attention of the reader on the most important part of the paper. But underlining a bold text would be too much.
Example of a Great Essay
The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement, a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas. The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ...
The 10 most common mistakes when choosing a title for your paper
Here are the ten most common mistakes I found people make in their paper titles: 1. THE TITLE DOESN'T DESCRIBE THE MAIN RESULT OF THE PAPER. Different from headlines in magazines and newspapers, the title of a research paper isn't as much a teaser. Your reader wants to know what exactly you added to the field.
Paragraphs & Topic Sentences
Almost every piece of writing you do that is longer than a few sentences should be organized into paragraphs. This is because paragraphs show a reader where the subdivisions of an essay begin and end, and thus help the reader see the organization of the essay and grasp its main points. Paragraphs can contain many different kinds of information.
11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)
4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence. The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style. The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you're going to cover in your paragraph.
PDF Strategies for Essay Writing
When you read the assignment prompt, you should do the following: • Look for action verbs. Verbs like analyze, compare, discuss, explain, make an argument, propose a solution, trace, or research can help you understand what you're being asked to do with an assignment. Unless the instructor has specified otherwise, most of your paper ...
How To Write Titles in Essays (With Tips)
Writing titles in an essay requires attention to detail and an understanding of writing formats. Whether composing the essay's title and subtitles or citing other works, your titling should remain consistent. Essays inspire and inform the reader, and effective titles reflect the mood and purpose. In this article, we discuss how to format titles ...
How to Write Book Titles in Your Essays
Exceptions to the Rule. The rule for writing book titles in italics applies specifically to running text. If the book title is standing on its own, as in a heading, there's no need to italicize it. Additionally, if the book is part of a larger series and you're mentioning both the title of the series and that of the individual book, you can ...
Essay Writing Terms Flashcards
The first sentence of an essay; should grab the reader's attention; can be a question, exclamation, powerful statement, or a well known quote or saying. Focus Statement The topic or subject of your essay in complete sentence form; must be written in the form of a statement.
Is the article title a complete sentence or just a phrase?
In most cases it is more appropriate that the title of the paper represents the purpose of the study. However, sometimes using the finding of a study as a title can be very attractive, like a ...
The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay
The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10-15% of the text. A strong essay conclusion: Returns to your thesis; Ties together your main points; Shows why your argument matters; A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final ...

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