The title is without a doubt the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first. It is, therefore, the most important element that defines the research study. With this in mind, avoid the following when creating a title:
If the title is too long, this usually indicates there are too many unnecessary words. Avoid language, such as, "A Study to Investigate the...," or "A Review of the...." These phrases are obvious and generally unnecessary.
On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too broad and it does not tell the reader what is being studied. For example, a paper with the title, "African Politics" is so non-specific it could be the title of a book and could literally examine anything associated with politics in Africa. A good title should provide information about the focus of your research study.
REMEMBER THE FUNCTIONS OF A TITLE
As composition and rhetoric scholars Maxine Hairston and Michael Keene explain,
a good title does several things:
First, it predicts content.
Second, it catches the reader's interest.
Third, it reflects the tone or slant of the piece of writing.
Fourth, it contains keywords that will make it easy to access by a computer search. (73)
Keeping these functions in mind will help a writer choose a specific and meaningful title, not a
mere label.
- Copy out of your draft a sentence that could serve as a title.
- Write a sentence that's not in the draft to use as a title.
- Write a title that is a question beginning with What, Who, When, or Where.
- Write a title that is a question beginning with How or Why.
- Write a title that is a question beginning with Is/Are, Do/Does, or Will.
- Pick out of the essay some concrete image—something the reader can hear, see, taste, smell, or
feel—to use as a title. - Pick another concrete image out of the essay. Look for an image that is a bit unusual or surprising.
- Write a title beginning with an -ing verb (like “Creating a Good Title”).
- Write a title beginning with On (like “On the Titles of Essays”).
- Write a title that is a lie about the essay. (You probably won't use this one, but it might stimulate
your thinking.) - Write a one-word title—the most obvious one possible.
- Write a less obvious one-word title. And
- Write a two-word title.
SO WHAT?
As a conclusion studies shows that when a title is short and sexy it will bring more attention and in this case more money, ... i got you here right, soo pay attention on your title.
