What's the best way to create a strong title for your article? (2024)

Regardless of the kind of title, it is important to avoid burying the main message in the middle of the title. To attract interest, I recommend stating the main point of your title within the first few words. A good tip for creating an original and straightforward title is to avoid those "Study of" beginnings. Additionally, it's worth considering whether words like "research," "analysis," "characterization," or "investigation" are truly essential to include in the title.

I think it's important to remember that it's possible to have fun with academic writing. Your title is the first thing that your audience is reads. Not only is it the space for your to introduce your topic, but it can be a way to express yourself as an academic. As long as it's appropriate, a creative title can attract readers and create genuine interest. Secondly, be mindful of the academically driven terms you're using. If you call your paper, "a brief analysis," the paper should a brief analysis. Here is an example of a paper written on Land Grant Universities in which I refer to as Land Grab Universities (as established by other authors) In the Clutches of the Academy: Unpacking the History and Impacts of Land Grant Universities.

Knowing your audience can give insights into what they like, dislike, or need. Making your title relatable to your audience can boost your chances of reaching them.

Don't be afraid to break the rules a little here! If it fits your audience and brand voice, it doesn't matter if it isn't perfect from a grammatical perspective. Write it the way your audience would say it.

Understanding your audience can ensure that you title will avoid rigidity and irrelevance. You want your title to resonate with the readers you are trying to attract. Youtubers have built their careers on clickbait, proving how a title can attract more eyes to your writing. Think of your ideal reader, what are their interests & their expectations? Do they have a strong academic backround to be attracted by a complex title? Is it a hot topic that they actively looking to study? However, don't lose sight of your unique message and voice; even though adapting to your audience is very important, maintaining your authenticity is equally important.

The TL;DR version of an article can make for a catchy title that gives the reader a concise idea of what your work describes. Moreover, it will also help boost SEO metrics as the title is likely to contain a good amount of keywords. Clickbait-y, misleading titles are never a good look, especially in academic writing. Cut to the chase and craft your title in such a way that the reader knows exactly what they're getting into.

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Keep it short. The average sentence length is just 20 words. In academia, sentences are often over 50 words. However, a good rule of thumb for a title is to keep that title to around 20 words, or less! This will - help to ensure clarity and interest in the article.

A title that lacks appeal and proper formatting has the potential to discourage readers from exploring your otherwise excellent article. It serves as the first impression of your content, and if it fails to captivate interest or provide clarity, potential readers may simply move on. A well-crafted title not only piques curiosity but also conveys the essence of your article, drawing readers in and setting the stage for a positive engagement. Therefore, investing time and effort into creating an attractive and well-formatted title is essential to ensuring that your valuable content gets the attention and appreciation it truly deserves.

The title of an article should never be an afterthought. It's a critical element that can make or break the success of your content. Investing time and effort into creating a captivating, informative, and well-formatted title is a wise strategy to ensure your valuable content gets the attention and appreciation it deserves.

The most important formatting point, for any title of any kind of piece of writing, is to keep it short. Get to the point in as few words as possible (take it from someone who loves the sound of his voice, which would be me). Not going on and on to highlight every key point of what’s to follow automatically makes the writing clearer and easier to follow. A reader who knows what to expect in just a few words is much more likely to continue reading. Although not academic in nature, movie titles are one of the best examples of this. "Harry Potter", "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Usual Suspects" are popular films that display their story quickly. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a Brad Pitt film that people are less likely to watch.

When testing or revising your title, try to get "outside perspectives", preferably from people who are outside of your field of research, or even outside of the industry altogether. For instance, ask a friend who may not be an academic by training or may not be in your field. Sometimes, people in the same industry might take it for granted that the language used is easily understandable, and may not be able to give you the best feedback on how to make a title accessible to all.Remember that your research is worthwhile because it can inform others, not just the people in your field. So making sure that the "others" also find your title intriguing and easily digestible is critical.

Just make it simple and direct about the main theme of the article. It should covey to the reader that the subject of the article is important and easy to understand.

Ask colleagues from other disciplines or even non-academics to give their opinion about what the title implies. If they understand it, then you have reached your goal of making it clear and informative.

Your story or article is a reflection of your thoughts and creativity so the best title is one which shows what you derived from it - your learnings and essence should always be a part of the header because that is what attracts your niche readers as they will the ones to feel your story.

The title of your article should never be misleading or provide fake hope for the reader. Such an approach is leading to an increase number of views and a decrease in credibility of any author once and for a long time.