Titles

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Titles can be clever, insightful, or both; it all depends on the type of paper you are writing. All titles should attract attention and inform the reader of the topic. Below are some helpful guidelines for composing a title.

 

Functions of a Title

• Makes the general topic known
• Alerts the reader about what to expect
• Helps gain the trust and interest of the reader before any text is read
• Sets the tone for the paper

 

Possible Sources for a Title

• A pertinent phrase from the paper
• An adaptable quotation from another source
• A key phrase or idea from the thesis statement
• A relevant question addressed in the paper

 

Various Options For a Title

Use words or phrases that have double or clever meanings.

Example: Love Stinks: Pheromones and Their Influence in Dating Relationships
The phrase "Love Stinks" refers to both a song and pheromones.

Take a common phrase and put a spin on it.

Example: When Good Writers Go Bad
This title could be used for a paper on the common writing errors of college students.

Use words that surprise or encourage curiosity.

Example: Marxist America
Since most Americans think that the country is democratic and not Marxist, this title surprises the reader.

 

Considerations for Titles

Be mindful of the audience. Do not offend your reader in an attempt to generate interest.

Make the title fit the paper content, tone, and audience. If your paper is a strict report of information, a humorous title may not be appropriate.

Revise the title as you revise the paper. If the major ideas of the paper change, then the title will have to reflect the change in topic.

Don't use quotes around the title of your paper.

Be cautious about colon titles and know how to use them. The part before the colon is clever, witty, and catchy; the part after the colon is descriptive. Colon titles are useful because they both attract interest and explain the paper.

Jenny Sneddon, summer 2005
Based on a handout by Chenele B. Dixon, Feb. 1993