- 1 September 2020
- 4305 words
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.
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:
- 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”
- 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:
II. Body Paragraphs
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.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 |
- 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