how to make a good title for an essay

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.

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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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Essay Writing Guide

How To Title An Essay

How to Title an Essay - A Detailed Guide

10 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.

Creating a title that convinces people to read your essay also 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: It 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 identifies 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.

How To Make A Good Title For An Essay?

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

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.

Utilize Your Thesis

Your thesis statement , typically found in your essay's introductory paragraph, can be a goldmine for title inspiration. Reworking it can lead to a compelling and relevant essay title.

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.

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.

Get Help from Online Tools

Exploring online title generator tools can provide valuable insights into crafting an effective essay title. These tools can spark creativity and suggest suitable phrases that resonate with your essay's content.

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 different formats:

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 book title 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

What are the Characteristics of a Good Essay Title?

A good essay title serves as a preview of the essay's content and should be engaging and informative. Here are the characteristics of a good essay title:

Clarity: The title should clearly convey the topic or subject matter of the essay. It should give the reader a sense of what to expect when they read the essay.
Relevance: The title should be directly relevant to the content of the essay. It should not mislead the reader by promising something that the essay does not deliver.
Conciseness: A good title is concise and to the point. It should be relatively short and avoid unnecessary words or phrases. Brevity is key.
Engagement: An effective title should be attention-grabbing and stimulate readers' interest. It should make them want to read the essay. This can be achieved through the use of intriguing language, a question, or a thought-provoking statement.
Originality: Aim for a title that is unique and original. Avoid clichés or overly generic titles that don't distinguish your essay from others on the same topic.
Balance: A good title strikes a balance between being descriptive and not giving away the entire essay. It should provide a sense of the topic without revealing all the details.
Appropriateness: Consider the context in which the essay will be read. The title should be appropriate for the intended audience and purpose of the essay.
Grammar and Style: The title should adhere to the rules of grammar and style for the chosen writing format (e.g., title case, sentence case) and should not contain errors.
Keywords: If relevant, include keywords or terms that are important to the subject matter. This can help with searchability and SEO if the essay is published online.
Readability: Ensure that the title is easy to read and understand. Avoid overly complex or jargon-filled titles unless the audience is well-versed in the subject matter.
Tone: The tone of the title should match the tone of the essay. For example, if the essay is serious and academic, the title should reflect that tone.
Memorability: A memorable title is more likely to stick in the reader's mind. If it's clever, thought-provoking, or evocative, it can make a lasting impression.

Additional Rules To Create a Good Essay Title

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

Title Each Section: Give every part of your writing a clear title. This helps organize your text and make it more understandable.
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.
Review and Edit: Always review the final version of your title. Check for grammar, structure, spelling, and overall quality. Re-read it to make sure it effectively represents your essay's topic and captures your reader's attention.
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.
Simplify and Keep It Short: Rewrite your title in simple words and try to keep it short. Concise titles are often more effective.

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Some Interesting Example Essay Titles

If you are struggling to come up with a good essay title, refer to the following section. Here, you will find some interesting title examples for different kinds of essays.

How to Title an Essay About Yourself - Examples

Things that make you happy
The significance of personal growth
Your definition of feminism
Why is volunteering important?
The importance of a healthy lifestyle
Your favorite memory
Your proudest moment
Your secret talent
A place you’d want to go
Your most unfortunate day

How to Title an Essay for College - Examples

Poop, animals, and the environment
From homeschooling to the football field
The civil rights movement and its effects
Internet Influence on Kids
The popularity of Sports in the United States
A book that sparks your love for literature
The steps you took to fix an error in coding a program
A serious illness you battled
A talent you have had since you were young
A documentary that made you aware of a particular issue

Example Argumentative Essay Titles

Should animal testing be banned?
Is healthcare a basic human right?
Why does homework not improve learning?
Should video games be considered a sport?
Should teachers be paid more?
Is standardized testing effective?
Is space travel a waste of money?
Effects of video games on children
Is cloning ethical?
Is globalization good or bad?

How to title an essay examples - MyPerfectWords.com

Example Research Paper Titles

How does a search engine work?
Attention deficit disorder
Limitations of the media
What are the gender issues in education?
What are the pros and cons of school uniforms?
Discrimination in education
Education and funding
Disadvantages of homeschooling
How can eating disorders be treated?
Interracial marriage

Example Descriptive Essay Titles

The most beautiful place on earth
The beauty of the starry sky
A perfect companion for me
The best concert I attended Why I like my smartphone
An unusual room
Your favorite food
A favorite photograph
An accident scene
Your favorite car

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 service 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.

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How to come up with a Good Title for an Essay

Although often overlooked, having a good title for your essay creates an excellent first impression on your readers. After all, it is the first contact point between you and your readers. Therefore, it is most likely that a good title for any paper (essay, research paper, term paper, dissertation, etc.) is necessary for you to warm the hearts of your assessors, supervisors, teachers, and professors. The thing is, titles have a magical way of creating a first impression of an essay or any written piece.

Given this understanding, your essay's title has to shine. When it is appealing, you are already sure that you have knocked your professor off their feet and are busy on your way towards better grades. Consider the title as a means of expressing yourself. It lets your readers understand your thought process, making them interested in reading to settle their doubts and feed their anticipations.

When you select the right essay title, you give a good impression, set a good tone for the paper, and raise the bar higher for your readers so that they anticipate reading more in the introduction and see how you have defended your thesis in the body paragraphs.

In this comprehensive guide, our best essay writers take you through making a good essay title to achieve excellent grades, a wide readership, and accolades from your professors.

Reasons to Have a Good Title for an Essay

Creating a prosperous essay title is not something you take for granted.

Do not confuse a title with a title page. In this case, a title is a name that describes the essay and is contained in the title page or cover page (the first page of your essay that contains your name, course details, class details, subject, date of submission, and professor's name).

Here are some reasons why you should have an eye-catching title for your essay and papers:

It is the first thing your lecturer, professor, and other readers see before they read the essay. You have to create a lasting good impression.
A good title makes your essay successful. When you have a catchy, relatable, and relevant title, you persuade the reader to dig into your essay sentence-by-sentence and paragraph after paragraph to the last bit.
A good title reflects the tone and purpose of the essay, making it easier to anticipate some ideas. It signposts ideas in your essay.
An effectively written title makes your essay stand out from the rest of your peers.
It also makes it easy to skim through your essay, anticipating solid points and ideas.

The truth about marking college papers is that most do not have much time to read papers. They are busy, and the easier you make it for them to read your paper, the better. Every essay begins with a title and builds ideas from it. When you write a title that communicates what your essay is about and have a hook to grab your readers' attention, you have aced your essay title, but there is more, which we look into in the next section.

What Makes a Good Title for an Essay?

Compare your essay title to an advertisement, more of a billboard. If it is successful, people are eager to read and explore the essay's contents.

A good essay title is 8-10 words long, grabs the readers' attention, gives a clear picture of the essay topic and arguments, uses the correct terminology, and uses a colon to combine different ideas or thoughts.

Here are some qualities of a good title you should consider as you develop one for your essay:

It creates interest and draws the attention of the readers to the essay.
It is descriptive, provocative, vivid, creative, and informative.
Reflects the purpose and tone of the essay. As you try to make it catchy, ensure that it credibly reflects what your essay is about.
Sets the scope of the essay from the onset.
Pulls down words or phrases from the essay.
Does not contain colloquial expressions, metaphors, or clichés.
It is direct and straightforward. It should be easy to read. Complicated titles make it hard to comprehend and anticipate what the essay is about.
Formatted well and placed as per a writing styles convention.
Accurate, relatable, and relevant. The title should be brief and concise. Longer titles confuse readers and demonstrate you have not perfected your writing skills.
Written in a language that the target audience understands.

A great title is significant for your essay. Before submitting the essay, ensure it has the qualities listed above. Now that you know what makes a good title, let us jump into the specific components.

Essential Components of a Good Title

When writing any essay , you need to ensure that the title contains these main parts:

Hook. You need to include a catchy hook to introduce the subject of your argument or the topic of your essay effectively. You also grab your readers' attention, signaling to them that the essay is worth reading.
Topic Keywords. Include keywords related to the essential topics, ideas, and points you have explored in detail in the essay. Tell the readers what the essay is all about. These words and phrases express the core or gist of your essay.
Focus on Keywords. These keywords help readers understand more about your argument's source and the point of origin of the concepts you have explored in the essay. These keywords answer your essay's "when/where" question aspect.

Do not hesitate to use a colon to separate the hook from the keywords; it is allowed. Let us use an example to explain these components.

"The Pathway to Hope: The Struggles, Challenges, and Wins of Immigrants in America"

In this example, "The Pathway to Hope" is the hook, and the topic keywords include "struggles,” "challenges," and "wins." The focus keyword is America. Note that the title effectively addresses all the aspects of an excellent essay title we discussed.

Steps for Creating a Perfect Title for an Essay

You now know why you need a good title and what components to include in making one. Next, let us look at the steps to creating a title that your professor will read and want to read the rest of your essay and aware you the best grade for it.

Step 1: Write the Essay First and the Title Last

You can only develop a good title for an essay after writing it. Writing first and titling last is one of the best formulas when writing a title of an essay or any written piece.

The assumption is that when you have written the entire essay, you can summarize it into three words, understand its tone and scope, and know the main argument (the thesis).

In addition, after you have written and polished the essay, you have captured all that matters. You have no time to waste and can quickly come up with a great title that represents what you have written about in the essay.

Instead of spending much time brainstorming about the title, go straight to research and writing and leave it for the last part. You will be surprised it comes naturally. You can take a 5-10 minute break before setting in to develop the title for your essay.

Step 2: Read the Essay Fast

After writing and polishing the essay, you need to skim through your essay one more time to identify the main points, including the thesis statement. As you skim, summarize the contents of your essay or the thesis in three words or less. Select two or three words from your introduction or conclusion; ensure they are short, descriptive, and straightforward.

Step 3: Formulate and Polish the Essay Title

You do not just come up with a title one time. Instead, you will have alternatives to choose from. The beauty of having a list of potential titles is that you can filter them out using the tips we share in this article (see the next section) to arrive at the final selection that makes for the best essay title. Once you have the title, ensure that you polish it to a brief, memorable, and creative name that you give the essay. The title is the identity of your essay. Therefore, make it spotless and memorable. Polishing means rewording, restructuring, punctuating, and editing for grammar.

Tips for Selecting a Great Essay Title without Sweating

As you undertake the three steps above, here are a few tips to help you write an outstanding essay title.

Write the title last. Essay titling is not part of the writing process. You should not waste time coming up with a suitable title. Instead, write the essay first, and the title will appear naturally.
Use the thesis statement . When writing the essay title, you can condense the thesis into a title or at least make them interdependent.
Consider your audience. The title should appeal to your audience. Therefore, if you write for a knowledgeable or semi-literate audience, ensure you mind your words and tone effectively.
Make it simple. When your title is simple, clear, and concise, it has a way of winning the trust and time of your readers. Ensure you capture the focus and topic keywords as you frame your title. A great title is direct and straightforward.
Format the title correctly. When writing the title, ensure that the titles or names of books, articles, plays, and songs that are part of it are either italicized or in quotes.
Use the correct punctuation. Ensure that your essay title is well punctuated. A simple mismatch can make the readers misinterpret its intended meaning. Do not use punctuation marks randomly but only when necessary. When you use italics or quotes, be consistent throughout the essay.
Use compound titles. Ensure that your essay title contains an evocative primary title followed by a more descriptive title. You can use a colon to separate the two. See the example we gave above.
Never use abbreviations. Avoid including abbreviations, jargon, slang, and other unnecessary lingo in your essay title. Be as simple as possible.
Rework any clichés and popular phrases. When you identify popular catchphrases in your essay title, ensure that you substitute them with formal phrases and words.
Capitalize well. When writing the title, capitalize it in the title case.
You can use questions. Sometimes, exciting titles can be questions. Consider the question you can ask and compose a title around it.
Limit it to 8-10 words. A good title is short, clear, and informative. Do not waste words writing a long and boring title.
Check journals for motivation. When writing the title of your essay or research paper, consider the catchy and informative titles used in journal articles discussing the same ideas as those in your essay or paper.

Our Final Words on Crating Strong Titles

An essay title is more than just a combination of words. It has to be strong, informative, direct, and concise. Ensure your essay title is placed on your title or cover page for easier identification. Developing a good topic takes time, practice, commitment, and dedication. Therefore, be easy on yourself and consult widely.

Related Reading: H ow to write the title of an article in a paper.

When you write a captivating essay title, you will earn the best grades. Instead of just reading the title page, introduction, and conclusion , the professor will be interested to read your entire paper and award you the best grades/marks. We hope you will make the best essay title going forward.

If you need help writing essays with well-formulated titles, you can hire our professional writers. They are experts in writing well-formatted essays fast and immediately. No matter the essay research topic or idea , we have your back.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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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How To Write An Essay

How To Title An Essay

Learn How to Title an Essay Like a Professional Writer

15 min read

Published on: Mar 1, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 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 readerâs 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 âwhereâ and âwhenâ 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 essayâs 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 donât 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 instructorâs 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 clichÃ© 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.

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 - H3

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.

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

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 Write a Great Title

Maximize search-ability and engage your readers from the very beginning

Your title is the first thing anyone who reads your article is going to see, and for many it will be where they stop reading. Learn how to write a title that helps readers find your article, draws your audience in and sets the stage for your research!

How your title impacts the success of your article

Researchers are busy and there will always be more articles to read than time to read them. Good titles help readers find your research, and decide whether to keep reading. Search engines use titles to retrieve relevant articles based on users’ keyword searches. Once readers find your article, they’ll use the title as the first filter to decide whether your research is what they’re looking for. A strong and specific title is the first step toward citations, inclusion in meta-analyses, and influencing your field.

What to include in a title

Include the most important information that will signal to your target audience that they should keep reading.

Key information about the study design

Important keywords

What you discovered

Writing tips

Getting the title right can be more difficult than it seems, and researchers refine their writing skills throughout their career. Some journals even help editors to re-write their titles during the publication process!

Keep it concise and informative What’s appropriate for titles varies greatly across disciplines. Take a look at some articles published in your field, and check the journal guidelines for character limits. Aim for fewer than 12 words, and check for journal specific word limits.
Write for your audience Consider who your primary audience is: are they specialists in your specific field, are they cross-disciplinary, are they non-specialists?
Entice the reader Find a way to pique your readers’ interest, give them enough information to keep them reading.
Incorporate important keywords Consider what about your article will be most interesting to your audience: Most readers come to an article from a search engine, so take some time and include the important ones in your title!
Write in sentence case In scientific writing, titles are given in sentence case. Capitalize only the first word of the text, proper nouns, and genus names. See our examples below.

Don’t

Write your title as a question In most cases, you shouldn’t need to frame your title as a question. You have the answers, you know what you found. Writing your title as a question might draw your readers in, but it’s more likely to put them off.
Sensationalize your research Be honest with yourself about what you truly discovered. A sensationalized or dramatic title might make a few extra people read a bit further into your article, but you don’t want them disappointed when they get to the results.

Examples…

Format: Prevalence of [disease] in [population] in [location]

Example: Prevalence of tuberculosis in homeless women in San Francisco

Format: Risk factors for [condition] among [population] in [location]

Example: Risk factors for preterm births among low-income women in Mexico City

Format (systematic review/meta-analysis): Effectiveness of [treatment] for [disease] in [population] for [outcome] : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Example: Effectiveness of Hepatitis B treatment in HIV-infected adolescents in the prevention of liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Format (clinical trial): [Intervention] improved [symptoms] of [disease] in [population] : A randomized controlled clinical trial

Example: Using a sleep app lessened insomnia in post-menopausal women in southwest United States: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Format (general molecular studies): Characterization/identification/evaluation of [molecule name] in/from [organism/tissue] (b y [specific biological methods] )

Example: Identification of putative Type-I sex pheromone biosynthesis-related genes expressed in the female pheromone gland of Streltzoviella insularis

Format (general molecular studies): [specific methods/analysis] of organism/tissue reveal insights into [function/role] of [molecule name] in [biological process]

Example: Transcriptome landscape of Rafflesia cantleyi floral buds reveals insights into the roles of transcription factors and phytohormones in flower development

Format (software/method papers): [tool/method/software] for [what purpose] in [what research area]

Example: CRISPR-based tools for targeted transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in plants

Tip: How to edit your work

Editing is challenging, especially if you are acting as both a writer and an editor. Read our guidelines for advice on how to refine your work, including useful tips for setting your intentions, re-review, and consultation with colleagues.

How to Write an Abstract
How to Write Your Methods
How to Report Statistics
How to Write Discussions and Conclusions
How to Edit Your Work

The contents of the Peer Review Center are also available as a live, interactive training session, complete with slides, talking points, and activities. …

The contents of the Writing Center are also available as a live, interactive training session, complete with slides, talking points, and activities. …

There’s a lot to consider when deciding where to submit your work. Learn how to choose a journal that will help your study reach its audience, while reflecting your values as a researcher…

How to Title an Essay: Guide with Creative Examples [2024]

It’s not a secret that the reader notices an essay title first. No catchy hook or colorful examples attract more attention from a quick glance. Composing a creative title for your essay is essential if you strive to succeed, as it:

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causes the first impression;
reflects the tone, topic, and the purpose of the writing;
indicates the author’s credibility.

Thus, how you name your paper is of the same importance as the paper itself.

Good titles for essays should be concise and eye-catching. Nobody likes long and cumbersome headings that do not reflect the point of the paper. While tilting your work, pay enough attention to the word choice. How do you come up with a good title? Use your common sense and imagination. For more details, our experts prepared the sections below.

💭 What Are Good Titles?

✔️ Finish Your Essay

🤲 sum it up, 🏷️ define the keywords, 🖊️ follow the format, ⚖️ change words, ✨ 23 creative title examples, 💭 what are good titles for essays.

A title is a critical part of any academic paper, so you must understand what to include and how to choose it. Here are some features that your heading has to show.

👩‍🏫 How to Title an Essay?

Are you struggling with formulating a heading? Yes, this task is quite challenging. But let’s figure out the basic rules.

The title of any paper should reveal:

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What the paper is about. Cover the general idea of your work in the title.
Why the reader might be interested in it. Prove the relevance of your paper to the audience.
The context of the issue. A good title previews the full picture of the topic regarding its “when” and “where.”

To nail your essay heading, follow the guide below. Check our title examples if you are not sure about your abilities. You can also try and use a creative title page generator for a faster result.

Before writing a title to your essay, you should finish your paper. This way, you’ll be able to reread and get the whole idea to incorporate it into your title.

Moreover, you’ll see how long a title should be for an essay after finishing the entire piece. But remember: not too lengthy and not too wordy.

The essay title depends on the type of essay:

Narrative essay . For this kind of essay, the title should not provide any detailed info or reflect your position. It should only present the general idea of your piece of writing. For example, the narrative essay topic may look like this: My Thorny Pass to Success.
Argumentative essay . The title for an argumentative essay should clearly state the point you are going to support. For instance, you can choose the following heading: Social Media Has a Negative Effect on Teenagers.
Cause and effect essay . For this kind of essay writing, the title should be clear and provide a background of the issue. The reader should immediately understand what the problem is, what its cause is, what an effect is. Usually, writers use the words “due to” or “because” to highlight the cause-effect correlation. Look at the example: Because Coronavirus Attacks, People Start to Explore New Ways of Remote Working.
Persuasive essay . A persuasive essay should have a dynamic title that immediately calls to action. Moreover, the topic has to be relevant to the audience. For example, for students, the following title would be compelling: Sleep 7-8 Hours a Day: the Lack of Sleep Affects Academic Performance.

The most straightforward way of creating an essay title is summarizing. Sum up the whole paper in one sentence, focus on the central idea, cut the details, and use it as the title.

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For this purpose, you can take your thesis statement and restate it, adding creativity. Or use the best summary generator you can find to simplify the task. But don’t forget to make sure that it sounds catchy and explains why the potential reader should check your essay.

For example:

Let’s imagine, you are writing about Artificial Intelligence, and your thesis statement sounds like this:

The purpose of this paper is to explore the advantages of Artificial intelligence’s influence on society and to discover possible outcomes.

Then, the title may be the following:

Artificial Intelligence – the Next Step into the Bright Future.

Every essay includes the key concepts that you explored and the terms that you used for this. You should find essential words and phrases and incorporate them into the essay titles. The keywords will focus the reader’s attention on the central topic of your paper.

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You are writing about the negative impact of deforestation on the environment. These are your keywords, as they are the most vital ones. Thus, the title would sound like this:

Protecting the Environment: Deforestation Should be Stopped.

Every educational institution requires to format the academic papers for a particular writing style. Among a wide diversity of citation styles , the most popular ones are APA and MLA formats.

There are a lot of specific requirements regarding the essay title formats. So, let’s investigate these styles.

The APA style requires a title page at the beginning of your research paper. Here, where the readers first meet the heading. The title page should include the following:

The paper’s title. Centered, bold, capitalized, 3-4 lines below the top margin.
The author’s name (first name, middle initial, last name). Centered, not bold, two lines below the title.
The author’s affiliations. Centered, not bold, immediately after the name.
Number and name of the course.
The instructor’s name and title.
Page number in the top right corner.

See the example of an APA title page below:

The MLA style does not require a separate title page. Still, some formatting rules are to be strictly followed.

The MLA paper should start one inch from the top of the document, flush left.
Write the author’s name, then the instructor’s name, the course number, and the date. Each item should be on a separate double-spaced line.
Add the title of your paper. It should be centered and capitalized.
Do not put quotation marks, underline, italicize, or boldface your MLA title. Just make it centered and capitalized.

Here is an example of an MLA title formatting.

Before choosing a title, figure out is the tone of your essay. Is it more formal or friendly? Do you write it for a college or a personal blog?

Change the wording to make your title sound more catchy and positive. Or serious and official. You can try something new and come up with a creative title for your essay.

You need to write an article about the benefits of healthy eating for university and your online blog. For an academic essay, your title would probably look like this:

A Well-Balanced Diet Is a Key to a Healthy Organism.

In contrast, for a blog article, it would be better to write something like this:

An Apple a Day Keeps a Doctor Away: How Healthy Eating Helps us Be Fit.

Do you see the magic? One topic, different wording, and completely diverse tones as a result. So, try until you reach the most appropriate version of the title for your piece of writing.

Are you still struggling with the selection of a heading for your paper? Take a look at our creative essay title examples! Inspire, then turn on your imagination, and create a personal title.

Argumentative Essay Titles.

Intercultural Community at University: Prosperity or Constant Encounters.
Leadership Nature: a Congenital or an Acquired Feature?
Do Energetic Drinks Help or Harm the Organisms?
Why Should Sex Education Be Taught at Schools?
Should the Law Punish Bullying?
Guns Legalization is an Unsafe Way of Self-Protection.

Narrative Essay Titles.

Lady Macbeth – One of the Most Frightening Female Characters of Shakespeare.
The Art of Overcoming Failures: How to Deal with the Downfalls Easily.
Steve Jobs: from a Poor Student to a Multi-billionaire.
The Most Influential Person in my Life.
Three Biggest Events of my Life that Shaped me as a Person.
What Does it Mean to be a Loving Kid for your Parents?
What Does “Family” Mean to You?

Persuasive Essay Titles.

Never Judge the Person by their Appearance.
Music Should be Implemented as a Medical Treatment.
In the Battle Between E-Books and Paper Books, the Last Ones Should Win.
Remote Learning Cannot Replace Face-to-Face Classes.
Technology Addiction is a Threat to the Future Generation.
Murderers Should be Sentenced to Death Penalty.

Cause and Effect Essay Titles.

Because of Traveling Around the World, People Expand their Horizons.
Due to Massive Immigration, Countries Lose their Cultural Identity.
Home Abuse as a Cause of Depression and Suicide as its Effect.
Drug Addiction: a Cause for Psychological Disorder or an Effect?

Thank you for reading our article. Now you get how to come up with a good title for an essay. Don’t forget to share our page with your friends.

Writing an Effective Title: Quick Tips, Student Support Writing Center, University of Minnesota
Choosing a Title, Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Research Guides at University of Southern California
How Do I Write a Great Title: U-M LSA Sweetland Center for Writing, College of Literature, Science, and Arts, University of Michigan
General Format: Purdue Online Writing Lab, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University
Formatting a Research Paper, Heading and Title: The MLA Style Center
Title Page Setup: APA Style, American Psychological Association
APA Title Page (Cover Page) Format, Example, Template: Saul McLeod, Simply Psychology
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How to Create an Essay Title: 7 Best Practices

Table of contents

The title of your essay is probably the first thing that your readers or professors will read, so it has to be perfect. If the title is appealing, you can consider half the battle won.

Your title is like a window to your mind and your power of expression. Through your title, your readers will determine if they are interested in reading your essay or not.

Choosing the right essay title gives a good impression, sets the tone of the paper, and augments the argument that is later discussed in the main body of the essay.

In this article, you will learn how to create an essay title that attracts attention and generates interest in your professor.

What are the Components of a Good Essay Title

A title can make or break the eagerness of wanting to read the entire essay. If you have an uninspiring title for an interesting, well-researched paper, your professor will most likely be put-off, making your entire effort go waste.

On the other hand, a clear and concise title helps to evoke inquisitiveness in your readers, making them open to what you have to say and the arguments you’ve addressed.

A good and clear title also emits the fact that you have researched and understood the prompt, you know what you want to write about, and you know how to frame it. This is a tremendous plus point as it's very important to bring your audience to attention so that you can get them to engage with and relate to your writing.

Before we talk about how to create an essay title, let’s take a look at the three components of a strong essay title:

A catchy hook - A creative way to introduce your subject argument to your readers. This is what draws your readers in.
Topic keywords - These keywords are related to the important topics that you will be exploring further and detailing in your essay. This is majorly relying on the “what” part of your paper.
Focus keywords or source - These stand firm on the “where/when” aspect of your essay. These keywords will help your readers understand a little more about the source of the argument and where the concepts that are to be discussed have originated from.

Example of an essay title for better understanding

“ What is the truth: Is Veganism a privilege for the 21st Century? ”

Hook : What is the truth?

Topic Keywords : Veganism; privilege

Source : 21st Century

7 Best Practices to Create an Essay Title and Captivate Readers

We know that the naming of the essay is just the first step, but it is one of the most important aspects of essay writing.

Here are seven practices to keep in mind while framing an essay title.

1. Craft the title at the end

People often waste too much time thinking about coming up with a good essay title first and then begin writing their essays.

It may seem like a logical thing to do, but it is not the most practical idea. If you still have a working headline in your mind, write it in the top corner of your essay for backup.

But as you write your essay, you will immediately come up with a variety of perfect essay titles that are brief and summarize the gist of the essay in a few words. This is because as you read and re-read your essay, you will have a clear idea as to what you are really saying in your draft and your title should represent the focus of your writing.

The time that you’ll spend thinking about your title could well be used to do research or creating an outline .

2. Use your thesis statement

A good title will influence your readers to be interested in your essay and explore it further. It will make them eager to know more about what you are writing. This is where your thesis statement plays an important role and provides a clear understanding of your title.

Your thesis statement and your title should be interdependent and since this statement is the focal argument of your paper, it should be incorporated at least as a part of your headline.

3. Consider the tone and audience of the essay

The title should grasp the reader's attention, and this can only be accomplished when you know who your target audience readers are going to be.

When you are submitting an essay as part of your college curriculum, you are reaching out to a learned faculty. It is important to keep your tone grave and your argument seriously. Avoid the usage of flippant language or slang because you are not talking to 16-year-olds. The audience is rooted in the transfer of knowledge, and your address to them should be likewise.

Similarly, in the case of the tone of the essay, a descriptive essay will have a fairly different tone from an argumentative essay . Since you are writing an academic essay, use a formal setting for writing your essay.

The subject of the essay also determines the tone. For instance, the way you title a fashion innovation essay would be quite different from the way you do a write-up about an archeological excavation.

The theme and audience of your essay should determine the method of crafting your essay title as well as give you a head start in framing your content.

Always make sure that the tone of your essay and your title match and have a similar theme, and don’t mislead the readers.

This video by Language Centre University of Groningen will help you determine the purpose, audience, and tone of your essay

4. Sum up your title in 5 words

Your essay title should be brief but should give your readers an idea regarding the main argument of your essay.

Think about it: if you had to summarize the focus of your essay in 5 words, what would it be? Long and detailed titles look cumbersome while making it tedious for readers to read or understand the context of your essay. The key is to get straight to the point.

5. Keep it simple

Don't use fancy or complicated words that might confuse your readers, instead go for straight-to-the-point words and avoid adding any unnecessary details in the title of your essay. Pick out important and useful keywords from your essay to frame a great title.

6. Look for creative quotes

There is no hard and fast rule for choosing essay titles from the content written. You can get creative and pick any quote, phrase or slogan that is relevant or appropriate to your specific paper and that suits as a headline.

You can also use popular phrases or idioms to generate that perfect title. This will make your topic look more approachable and relatable to your readers.

7. Avoid abbreviations

Why should you opt for using abbreviations, jargon, or slang in your essay title when you can write full, proper words?

You doesn't want all that hard work and commitment in crafting a great essay to go down the drain only because you used a “misc.” instead of writing ‘miscellaneous’ or a ‘vs.’ instead of ‘versus’.

Your readers will see an abbreviation on your essay title and think of your topic as too casual and not worth spending time on. Thus, they would move on to other topics and that will result in your essay being sidelined.

Conclusion: create a strong essay title

Generating a great essay title takes diligence, commitment, and proper time. The structure, each component, the appropriate words, and the clear but specific meaning and argument of your essay should be showcased in the title.

This ability, if cultivated well, will surely go a long way in earning you good grades and impressing your professors with your writing skills, your research competence, and your strengths in thinking through a topic.

When you need help in grabbing the reader's attention right from the outset, implementing these seven best practices will help you craft a strong essay title. If you’re not happy with your essay title or need help brainstorming, you can reach out to our experts at Writers Per Hour.

From researching topic ideas and framing essay titles to delivering an original, well-written fast essay - our professional essay writers are here to support you with all your essay writing needs!

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Guide on how to write a good essay title plus essay title examples, bob cardens.

August 3, 2022
Essay Topics and Ideas , Samples

This article provides a guide on how to write a good essay title. It covers the features of a good essay title and examples of essay title for different types of essays.

There are many similarities between essays and blog posts, one of which is that the title must be concise and clear in order to be effective. It should also include one or more keywords that indicate the essay’s primary topic .

What You'll Learn

Purpose of an Essay Title

A title for an essay tells the reader what the essay is about. This gives them an idea of what the essay will be about and, if they are reading it to conduct their own research, whether it is relevant to their field of study.

Ideally, an essay’s title will attract readers’ attention and pique their interest, compelling them to read the essay. This depends on the type of essay you’re writing; if it’s an assigned essay and your instructor has to read it, a captivating title is not your top priority.

However, if you are submitting your essay to a contest, submitting it as part of an application to college or graduate school, or pitching it for publication, it must have a catchy, intriguing title, as the title is the first part of your work that the editor or admissions committee will see.

Depending on the catchiness of the title and other aspects of your submission, it may be the deciding factor in whether they read your essay.

You can also check out Argumentative Essay Topics About Social Media

Features of a Good Essay Title

Attractive – this goes without saying. We all prefer reading something that is not boring.
Believable – most students try to make their titles catchy in such a way that they stray away from the truth, therefore making the headline inaccurate. Nothing will anger your professor more than a title that doesn’t deliver.
Easy to read – nobody likes complicated and difficult-to-understand titles, not even your professor. Stay away from strange phrases, jargon, and complicated structures.
Active voice – if your title contains verbs, always make sure they’re in the active voice, rather than passive.
Short – make your essay title brief because long headlines can be confusing. ‍
Accurate – regardless of the topic or niche, under no circumstances should you ever write an inaccurate essay title.

Coming up with a Good Essay Title

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

Re-read the finished paper several times to decide on the title.

The last thing to create is a title – such a strategy will give more time to spend on crafting an essay outline, conducting research, or writing the paper itself.

Take the Style of Your Paper into Account

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”

Keep It Short and Simple

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 favorite newspaper or a slogan for Coca-Cola.

Use Relevant Words

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

You can also check out Top Literature Research Topics

Types of Essay Titles and Examples

Examples of argumentative essay titles.

The Importance of Family Ties
Prostitution Should Never be Legalized
The Trojan Horse: A Closer Look at the Event
It is just a Painting: When Art Matters
The Drinking Age should be Higher
There’s No Point in Sentencing Juveniles
Gun Ownership is Legal to Protect Our Lives
Cameras in Public Places: Security Measure or Violation of Privacy?
Why is Cosmetic Surgery a Threat to Modern Teenagers?
Why Euthanasia is Unethical

Examples of Persuasive Essay Titles

Atheism is the Most Adequate Religion
When Sorrow feels better than Excitement
Adventures of an Introvert: Life is better off Alone than with Other People
A Tale of Love and Allergies: Reasons to Avoid Flowers in Spring
Never Judge an Employee by their Tattoos
Illegal Immigrants have a right to stay in the US
Heinous Crimes deserve nothing but the Death Penalty
How Schools can use Video Games in the Learning Process
It is Time for Women to start wearing Less-revealing Clothing to curb Men’s Catcalling
Hiring a Candidate who Smokes: Pros and Cons

Examples of Creative Essay Titles

The day I left my Childhood Behind
The Power of Music: The way Heavy Metal changed my Life
Why Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my Hero
The Appropriate Age to start discussing Sex
Would Children Be better Students if Be Paid for Good Grades?
What is the True Age of the Personal Computer?
Which Parenting Styles Work?
The Various Dialects of the English Language: The Bridge Between Different Worlds
The Impact of Same-Sex Relationships on the Modern World
Instagram: Its Influence on Young People

Examples of Catchy Essay Titles

Elon Musk: Genius or Insane?
Artificial Intelligence: How It Can Potentially Help or Destroy Humanity
Modern Technology can solve Ancient Problems that date back Thousands of Years
Virtual Reality and the Possibility of Time Travel
North and South Korea: The Tale of Two Countries after Years of Conflict
The Position of Mathematics in the History of Humanity
How to Make It Big in the Real Estate Business
How to raise Responsible Children in the 21st Century to be Happy
How to Manage your Business like a Mafia Manager
How to Become a Millionaire in the Age of Computers Without a Physical Business
E-Commerce: Multi-Million-Dollar Virtual Business Empire

Narrative essay titles

Narrative essays share an event from a personal perspective. These are perfect for stories about travel, new experiences, and personal journeys.

Some examples of narrative essay titles are as follows:

The day I discovered my mom used to be a drug addict.
Why I almost missed the trip of a lifetime.
My first day of high school in Japan did not go as expected.
The day my father got arrested for fraud.
How to go camping with a toddler.
My summer at the circus school.
How I survived a car crash.
How to get over your fear of flying.
My experience of being the only black student in an all-white school.
The day my parents got divorced.

Expository essay titles

Expository essays are those that describe something.

You can explore the following examples of expository essay titles:

The history of origami.
The history of the Paralympics.
All about the digestive system.
A detailed explanation of the female reproductive system.
How the internet changed our lives.
All about rainforests.
The history of chocolate.
The functions of the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, and the immune system.
The different types of flowers.
A detailed explanation of the teenage brain

Academic essay titles

When you’re writing an academic essay, your title should reflect that. You can write about different things when it comes to academic essays.

The following are examples of academic essay titles:

Ten reasons why sports are stupid.
Twelve ways to get better grades without studying.
A letter to my high school principal about the lack of food in the cafeteria.
Five reasons why education is pointless.
The benefits of setting goals.
A list of five ways to make money as a student.
The possible pros and cons of online education.
Five reasons why high school is the best time of your life.
Benefits of having group studies
Ten reasons why male tutors shouldn’t tutor female students

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is place an order with us. (How to Write a Good Essay Title)(How to Write a Good Essay Title)

Informative essay titles

Informative essays are those that explain something. These are great for learning about new topics, sharing research on a topic , or communicating ideas.

Below are some examples of informative essay titles:

How to write a college admissions essay.
Why you should purchase a sewing machine.
The advantages of traveling alone.
Ten tips for starting your own business.
Why you should never use public transportation.
Seven reasons to travel before turning thirty years of age.
A detailed explanation of the life cycle of a butterfly.
Four ways to finance your studies.
A guide on how to build a chicken coop.
Four ways to pass your finals without studying.

Descriptive essay titles

Descriptive titles use adjectives and give the reader a sense of what to expect. They often start with “how, why, what, when, or where.

Examples are:

Why you should visit Australia.
How to find your way home in a new city.
What it’s like to attend a party in Thailand.
When to go to the beach in Costa Rica.
Where you should visit when in Germany.
How a day in the life of a veterinarian technician goes.
How to paint a masterpiece.
Where to go in Greece.
How to travel on a budget.
What it’s like to attend a party in Mexico.

You can also check out Expository Essay Topics Ideas

Compare and Contrast Essay Title

Dynamite, Profit, and the Pursuit of Power: Chasing White Whales in Moby Dick and Jaws
Outdoor Growth Patterns of Shiitake and Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Shakespeare’s sonnets and the romantic poetry of Russia
Your household and the household of your friend
An online campus or a physically located campus
Having a cousin or a sibling
A transformational leader and a transactional leader
A tropical vacation and an arctic vacation
A beginner in swimming and a professional
Segregation and slavery
George Bush and Donald Trump
Telling truth or telling a lie
Going to the cinema or watching a movie at home
Attending a museum or watching paintings online
The New Year Eve and the Christmas Eve
Doing and telling – how different are they?
Telling gossips and sharing misleading information
Having a wild pet or a domestic pet
Going to a private hospital or a public hospital
Spending a day in the country or having an urban vacation
Keeping to a diet or being physically active – which is better?
Living in an inner city neighborhood or living in a suburb?
Football and soccer – are they different?
Going to the beach or going to the country for a vacation

Related FAQs

1. how do you format an essay title.

Format . Example. Paper title . Place the title three to four lines down from the top of the title page . Center it and type it in bold font. Capitalize major words of the title . Place the main title and any subtitle on separate double-spaced lines if desired. There is no maximum length for titles ; however, keep titles focused and include key terms.

2. How to write a catchy hook in an essay?

We want to know if it’ll answer that question.
Or we want to hear new information about something important to us.
Or we want to hear the story teased at the beginning. We care about how it ends.

As you continue, thestudycorp.com has the top and most qualified writers to help with any of your assignments. All you need to do is place an order with us. (How to Write a Good Essay Title)

3. How to make a catchy title for an essay?

A catchy title can make your paper stand out from the pile and give your reader a sense of the content, slant, and perspective of your essay . To craft a strong title , you need to focus on the three elements of a standard title : the hook, the key terms, and the source or location.

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How to Write a Great College Application Essay Title

Learn why you should craft an effective title and how to make it work

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Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
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B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT

Your application essay' s title is the first thing admissions officials will read. Although there are many ways to approach the title, it's important that the words at the top of the page make the proper impression.

Key Takeaways: Application Essay Titles

Don't skip the title. It's the first thing the admissions folks will read, and it is your chance to grab their interest.
Avoid vague titles and cliché phrases. Make sure the title gives a sense of your essay's content.
A little humor can be fine in a title, but it isn't necessary and cleverness should never be forced.

Importance of the Title

Ask yourself which work you'd be more excited to read: " Give Goth a Chance " or "Carrie's Essay." If you don't provide a title, you don't give your reader—in this case, busy admissions officials sorting through thousands of applications—any reason to be interested in reading your essay other than a sense of duty. Ensure that college admissions officers are motivated to read your essay due to curiosity rather than necessity.

Alternatively, imagine a newspaper in which every article lacks a title: You would be unlikely to pick up the paper and read anything. Clearly, a newspaper without titles would be confusing for readers. Application essays are similar in that way: Your readers want to know what it is that they are going to read.

The Purpose of an Application Essay Title

A well-crafted title should:

Grab your reader's attention
Make your reader want to read your essay
Provide a sense of what your essay is about

When it comes to the third item, realize that you don't need to be too detailed. Academic essays often have titles that look like: "Julia Cameron's Photography: A Study of the Use of Long Shutter Speeds to Create Spiritual Effects." For an application essay, such a title would come across as cumbersome and even pompous.

Consider how a reader would react to an essay with the title, "The Author's Trip to Costa Rica and How It Changed His Attitude Toward Biodiversity and Sustainability." After reading such a long and belabored title, admissions officials would have little motivation to read the essay.

Essay Title Examples

A good title can be clever or play with words, such as "Porkopolis" by Felicity or "Buck Up" by Jill. "Porkopolis" is a nonsense word, but it works well for an essay on becoming a vegetarian in a meat-centric world, and "Buck Up" employs both a literal and figurative meaning of the phrase. However, don't try to be too clever. Such efforts can backfire.

A title can be provocative. As an example, a student who wrote about encountering new foods while abroad titled her essay "Eating Eyeballs." If your essay focuses on a humorous, shocking or embarrassing moment in your life, it's often easy to write an attention-grabbing title. Titles such as "Puking on the President," "Romeo's Ripped Tights," and "The Wrong Goal" are sure to pique your reader's interest.

Simple and direct language can also be quite effective. Consider, for example, "The Job I Should Have Quit" by Drew, "Wallflower" by Eileen, and "Striking Out" by Richard. These titles don't play with words or reveal great wit, but they accomplish their purpose perfectly well.

In all of these examples, the title provides at least a sense of the essay's subject matter, and each motivates the reader to continue reading. After viewing such titles, even harried admissions officials are sure to ask: What the heck does "Porkopolis" mean? Why did you eat eyeballs? Why should you have quit your job?

Avoid These Title Mistakes

There are some common missteps that applicants make when it comes to titles. Be aware of these pitfalls.

Vague language . You'll be off to a remarkably bland start if your essay is titled "Three Things That Matter to Me" or "A Bad Experience." "Bad" (or "good" or "evil or "nice") is a painfully subjective and meaningless word, and the word "things" might have worked well in Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried," but it rarely adds anything of value to your essay. Be precise, not vague .

Broad, overly general language . This is a continuation of the vague language problem. Some titles try to cover far too much. Don't call your essay "My Life Story" or "My Personal Growth" or "An Eventful Upbringing." Such titles suggest that you are going to attempt to narrate years of your life in a few hundred words. Any such effort is doomed to failure, and your reader will doubt your essay before beginning the first paragraph.

Overblown vocabulary . The best essays use clear and accessible language. When a writer attempts to sound intelligent by adding unnecessary syllables to every word, the reading experience is often torturous. For example, if an essay's title is "My Utilization of Erroneous Rationalizations During My Pupilage," the reader's immediate response is going to be pure dread. No one wants to read 600 words on such a subject.

Strained cleverness . Be careful if you're relying on wordplay in your title. Not all readers are fans of puns, and a title may sound ridiculous if the reader doesn't understand a supposedly clever allusion. Cleverness is a good thing, but test out your title on your acquaintances to ensure that it works.

Clichés . If your title relies on a cliché, you're suggesting that the experience that you are narrating is unremarkable and commonplace. You don't want the first impression of your essay to be that you have nothing original to say. If you find yourself writing "When the Cat Got My Tongue" or "Burning the Midnight Oil," stop and reevaluate your title.

Misspellings . Nothing is more embarrassing than a misspelled title. There, at the top of the page in bold letters, you've used the word "it's" instead of "its ," or you wrote about "patients" instead of "patience." Take extra care to check the spelling of your essay title—and, indeed, your essay in general. An error in the title is sure to eliminate any confidence your reader has in your writing ability.

A Few Title Tips

Many writers—both novices and experts—have a difficult time coming up with a title that works well. Write your essay first and then, once your ideas have truly taken shape, go back and craft the title. Also, seek help with your title. A brainstorming session with friends can often generate far better titles than a solitary session of pounding your head on your keyboard. You want to get the title right so that the admissions officials read your essay in a curious and eager state of mind.

If you're writing your essay for the Common Application , keep in mind that your title will go in the text box with the rest of the essay, and the title will count toward your essay's overall word count.

Tips for the Pre-2013 Personal Essay Options on the Common Application
Sample Application Essay - Porkopolis
How to Write an Outstanding College Application Essay
"Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"—Sample Common Application Essay, Option #4
Tips for Writing a Winning College Application Essay
Private School Application Essay Tips
Ideal College Application Essay Length
Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions
Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs
The Title in Composition
The Five Steps of Writing an Essay
How to Write and Format an MBA Essay
Should an Application Essay Be Single-Spaced or Double-Spaced?
The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts
Tips for an Application Essay on a Significant Experience
2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem

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How to Come up With a Good Title

Last Updated: December 21, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Rachel Scoggins, PhD . Rachel Scoggins is a Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Lander University. Rachel's work has been presented at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association and the Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. She received her PhD in Literary Studies from Georgia State University in 2016. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 576,222 times.

Writing an essay or a story can seem like the hardest part of the project, but sometimes coming up with a catchy title can be just as challenging. However, with a combination of organization and creativity, you can create a wide selection of potential titles that will allow you to choose the perfect one for your work.

Things You Should Know

For non-fiction titles, try combining 2 elements, like a quote and a main theme, with a colon between them.
For fiction titles, jot down keywords about the main topic and characters. Arrange keywords in different combinations until you find something that you like.
Use strong, vivid language to make your title stand out from the crowd.

Writing a Title for Non-Fiction

Essays often change during the drafting and revising process. A title you come up with at the beginning may not reflect your essay when you have finished it. Make sure to also revise your title after you finish your paper.

Step 2 Identify major themes in your work.

Look at your thesis statement. This sentence contains the major argument of your paper and can help you craft a title.
Look at your topic sentences. Reading these sentences together can help you pick out themes, symbols, or motifs in your paper that can be integrated into the title.
Consider asking a friend to read your work to help you identify themes.

If you are writing a school assignment, or your audience are academics and specialists in your topic, use formal language. Avoid using a playful tone or slang terms.
If you are trying to reach an online audience, think of what keywords a reader might use to find your article. For example, if you wrote a how-to article, include words like "beginner" or "do it yourself" that would identify your writing as appropriate for all levels of ability.
If your piece is a news story, consider who you are writing about. For example, if are writing about an athletic team write down terms like "fan," "coach," "referee," or the team name. Readers with an interest in sports or that team can quickly identify your perspective and the topic of your story.

Step 4 Think about the function of a title.

Declarative titles state the main findings or conclusions.
Descriptive titles describe the subject of the article but do not reveal the main conclusions.
Interrogative titles introduce the subject in the form of a question. [6] X Research source

Look for attention-grabbing descriptions or phrases you're proud of. For example, in an essay on censorship choose a phrase like "forbidden music" that is descriptive but also intriguing.

For example, in an essay on religious persecution, a quote like "God was silent" is arresting and thought-provoking. Readers may immediately agree or disagree and will want to read your explanation.
If you use someone else's words, make sure to put them in quotation marks, even in the title.

Step 9 Create a list of possible titles.

The Negative Impact of Replacement Referees on Football Fans (Theme and Audience)
"A Crucible of Victory": Understanding the Western Front in World War One (Quote and Theme)
The Queen of Diamonds: Marie-Antoinette and Revolutionary Propaganda (Phrase and Theme)

Most words in your title should begin with a capital letter.
The first word and the first word after a colon should always be capitalized even if one of the "short words."
In general, do not capitalize the following words: and, a, an, the, or short prepositions if they are not the first letter in the title.
If the title of a book or film is part of your essay title, it should be put in italics, e.g., Gender Relationships Between Vampires in Twilight. Short story titles are always in quotation marks.
Know if the paper follows MLA, APA, or another style. Websites like Purdue University's Online Writing Lab , APA Style , and MLA Handbook can help you with conventions for titles.

Writing a Title for Fiction

For example, many young adult fantasy novels hinge on one or two intriguing words: Twilight, Bitten, Cinder, The Selection .

Try adding a more descriptive word to the basic title. Successful titles using the above words include The Giving Tree, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, The Mystery of the Blue Train , and The Orphan Train .

Read your title out loud. Does it roll off the tongue? Is it exciting? Does it sound boring? Would you check out this title? The answers to these questions can help you revise the title.

For example, the use of the word desire in Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms is far more interesting than Love Under the Elms . [10] X Research source

Examples of this type of title include: The Grapes of Wrath; Absalom, Absalom; Gaudy Night and, The Fault in Our Stars .

Examples of this type of title include To Kill a Mockingbird, Catch-22, and Catcher in the Rye.

Step 9 Write down your inspirations when they come.

Community Q&A

Write the whole essay, go to your thesis and find a way to narrow it down to two to four words. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
Try this template to generate a good title. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2

↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/how-guides/how-write-university/how-approach-any-assignment/writing-english-essay/drafting-english
↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/themes/
↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/identifying_audiences.html
↑ https://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf
↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6398294/
↑ https://blog.efpsa.org/2012/09/01/how-to-write-a-good-title-for-journal-articles/
↑ https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185911
↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/title
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/at-work-on-first-draft/7-tips-to-nail-the-perfect-title

About This Article

To help you come up with a title for an essay, write a draft of your paper first so you know what its main themes are. Then, write down key points in your essay that you could include in the title. Before making a decision, take your audience into account, such as by trying to include keywords in a title if your article is for an online audience. Additionally, decide whether you want to state the conclusion of your piece up front with a declarative title or introduce the subject as a question with an interrogative title. For tips on how to come up with a title for a story or other work of fiction, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

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.

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The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

Thesis statement
Discussion of event/period
Consequences
Importance of topic
Strong closing statement
Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
Implications of the new technology for book production
Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
Summarize the history described
Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

Synthesis of arguments
Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

Point 1 (compare)
Point 2 (compare)
Point 3 (compare)
Point 4 (compare)
Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

Introduce the problem
Provide background
Describe your approach to solving it
Define the problem precisely
Describe why it’s important
Indicate previous approaches to the problem
Present your new approach, and why it’s better
Apply the new method or theory to the problem
Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
Describe the implications
Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows. It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Ad hominem fallacy
Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
False cause fallacy
Sunk cost fallacy

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Choosing Essay Topic
Write a College Essay
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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 ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Home / Blog / Best Tips on How to Title an Essay

Best Tips on How to Title an Essay

Emma Wordsmith

How to Make a Good Title for an Essay

The title of an essay is a crucial element for its success as it is the first thing that captures the reader’s attention and offers a glimpse into the content. It sparks curiosity and previews what the author intends to discuss.

For our research paper writing help, I have created an extensive manual that provides detailed instructions on how to create a title for an essay. Within this guide, you will discover helpful suggestions and techniques for crafting an impactful APA or MLA essay title. Let’s embark on this article to uncover more fascinating information!

Essay Title Format

Order custom essays and offer assistance with various styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago, and more. Before starting your essay, you must know the specific style guidelines and requirements. This knowledge will enable you to format your essay correctly and meet your instructor’s or professor’s expectations. Whether you need an APA or MLA essay title format, our service is here to help. Buy essay online. Further elaboration on these two topics will be provided below.

Essay Title MLA

Before creating an essay title in MLA format, confirm with your instructor if a separate cover page should be made. If not, include a heading at the beginning of your work with your name, the professor’s name, the course ID, and the date.

Alternatively, if you are required to provide a cover page for your essay title in MLA format, you should ensure to incorporate the following elements:

The name of the college
The title of your paper
If relevant, include a subtitle for your paper.
Your first and last name
Your teacher or professor’s name
The class name or course number
The date the paper is due

The instructions for formatting are outlined below.

Double-spaced
Times New Roman font
Size 12 font
Except for short terms, the first letter of every word should be capitalized. Nevertheless, the first word must always be in uppercase.
The header with the page numbers should not be included on the title page.

Essay Title APA

After examining the title format for an MLA essay, let us now delve into the contents of a student title page in APA style.

The paper title
Author names
The place or organization where the author conducted the research.
Name and number of the course
Professor name
Page number

Instructions for essay format title.

double-spaced
1″ margins
12-point Times New Roman
The APA advises that your title should be focused, avoiding any superfood words or abbreviations.

Tips for Selecting a Strong Essay Title: Key Attributes to Consider

No one will be interested in a boring title. It is important to have a captivating headline that will catch the reader’s attention and make them want to continue reading. Since the title is usually the first thing readers see, it is crucial to have a strong attention grabber when starting an essay. Let’s explore the following factors to understand better how to create a powerful and engaging title for an essay.

Employ a Catchy Hook – Typically, essay titles adhere to a common structure, particularly in academic writing. The hook is a distinctive element that grabs the reader’s attention. It is an engaging statement that informs others about the essay’s subject. Moreover, various aspects and perspectives of the topic can also be examined. Different kinds of sentences can be categorized into various types, each serving a different purpose. These sentences can include declarative sentences that make statements or express facts (e.g., “I am going to the store.”). Interrogative sentences ask questions (e.g., “Are you coming with me?”). Imperative sentences give commands or make requests (e.g., “Please turn off the lights”). Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or surprise (e.g., “What a beautiful sunset!”). There are resources available to assist you in creating the perfect hook format.

Consider Topic Keywords These are important words or phrases relevant to your topic and assist the reader in comprehending your article’s main ideas and content. These keywords should concisely summarize the article, typically one to two words. While you may consider some terms from the research topic your instructor provided, at this stage, you should actively search for ideas after forming your thesis statement.

Use a Colon In academic titles, using a colon to separate ideas and sentences is common. Typically, a witty comment or short quote is placed before the colon. However, it is important not to overuse this technique, as it can become distasteful to some people. Therefore, using the colon correctly and avoiding misusing it is important.

Ask a Question When creating a powerful essay title, one option is to use a question. However, being cautious with this approach is important as it can make your tone less formal. If the question is relevant to the topic of your essay, you can utilize it. However, it is crucial to confirm that the title question still aligns with the points you present in the main body of your essay. Additionally, the thesis statement should be accurately reflected in the title.

Find Inspirational Quotes Choosing an essay title based on the text does not have a set formula. You can be creative and select any quote, proverb, or catchphrase that relates to your writing and serves as a title. Another option is to use popular expressions or idioms to create an engaging essay title. This approach can make readers more connected to and at ease when discussing your topic.

Here are additional guidelines on how to construct a strong title:

Give a title to each section of your writing. While writing, it is important to generate captivating subheadings to distinguish your paragraphs. Additionally, these subheadings contribute to the overall text’s organization and clarity. Your title should have a title that reflects its theme. Select a heading that effectively encompasses the main idea of the essay.
Make the first letter of every word uppercase, but some words should not be capitalized. To format the title correctly, only capitalize the first letter of every word except for pronouns, articles, prepositions, and conjunctions.
Avoid underlining the title: Underlining topics would be excessive because they are already emphasized in boldface. Experts advise against bolding them if you choose to underline them.
Please examine the last draft of the heading. Make sure to give the final version of the title a quick review, checking for grammar, structure, spelling, and other errors. Additionally, read it again to see if it accurately represents the essay and is engaging enough to catch the reader’s attention.
If you want to use a colon in your title, adhere to the following rules: Considering punctuation rules, it is important to mention using a colon. In situations where there are two interesting topics, separating them with a colon is recommended.

How to Create a Title for an Essay – A Guide for Students

Coming up with a title for an essay can be a simple task. However, it is important to consider some fundamental guidelines. The subsequent suggestions provided will assist in keeping you focused and preventing any typical mistakes.

Essay Goes First

It is important to avoid starting an essay with a title. This is because if the title is chosen first, it may influence the content of the essay in ways that are not favorable. Instead, writing the essay first and then choosing a title that accurately reflects the content is recommended. Doing so will make it easier to ensure that the title makes sense to the reader. Lastly, reviewing the completed essay multiple times before finalizing the title is advisable.

A title should be the final task to complete as it allows more time to develop an essay outline, conduct research, or write the paper.

Consider the format and tone of your paper.

Can you provide information on the subject of your writing? What is the nature of your paper – is it an academic essay or a more expressive narrative essay? If your essay discusses whether individuals who commit serious crimes should be given the death penalty, your title should not be lighthearted but straightforward and concise.

If you are writing about why people enjoy watching amusing videos of cats, you can create a humorous title. Match the tone of your essay, keeping in mind the topic you are discussing.

The tone can be:

The consequences of climate change are severe – “The ramifications of the Earth’s rising temperatures.”
Humorous – “The affectionate bond between cats and dogs and their owners”
Friendly – “Methods to combat depression”
Persuasive – “The Importance of Having a Skill in Positive Thinking for Every Individual”
Informative – “A guide containing ten guidelines for producing a chemical within your residence.”

Keep It Short and Simple

The primary objective of a title is to give a name to the paper. It is unnecessary to include the entire storyline or include any unnecessary information. Condense your paper into a few words! Another approach is to condense your thesis statement, which embodies the central idea of your essay. Take your thesis and compress it into 3-4 words. Pretend you are crafting a title for a beloved newspaper or a slogan for Coca-Cola.

Use Relevant Words

Use simple language! Combine 2-3 important words and stop wasting time. Stay away from technical terms and shortenings.

Involve a Little Bit of SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) can benefit students and young writers. When creating a title, identify keywords related to the paper’s main idea. Enter these words into Google’s search field along with the term “quote.” This will result in a list of web pages containing in-text quotations that may be helpful. Choose a fragment that you find appealing. This method can assist in crafting a creative essay title.

Examples of good titles for essays

Persuasive essay titles.

“The Unseen Cost of Fast Fashion: A Call for Change”
“Why Mandatory Recycling Programs Are the Future”
“The Power of the Vote: Shaping Our Tomorrow”
“Redefining Success: Beyond Wealth and Power”
“Plastic Ban: Necessity or Nuisance?”

Academic Essay Titles

“The Influence of Renaissance Art on Modern Culture”
“Analyzing the Economic Impact of Immigration Policies”
“Quantum Computing: The Future of Technology”
“The Role of Gender Studies in Contemporary Education Systems”
“Climate Change Policies: An International Perspective”

Strong Research Essay Titles

“The Efficacy of Renewable Energy Sources in the 21st Century”
“Genetic Editing: Ethical Considerations and Future Prospects”
“The Impact of Social Media on Teen Mental Health”
“Urban Sprawl and Wildlife: Finding a Sustainable Balance”
“Artificial Intelligence: Revolutionizing Healthcare”

Best Essay Titles for College Students

“Navigating the Challenges of Online Learning”
“The Gig Economy: Redefining Work for the Next Generation”
“Cultural Diversity on Campus: Benefits and Challenges”
“Student Debt Crisis: Searching for Solutions”
“The Evolution of Campus Activism: From the 1960s to Today”

Creative Essay Titles

“Whispers of the Past: A Journey Through Time”
“In the Shadows: Unveiling the Mysteries of the Night”
“Dancing with Words: The Art of Storytelling”
“Colors Beyond Sight: Exploring the Invisible Spectrum”
“Echoes of Silence: Listening to the Unheard”

FAQ for “Best Tips on How to Title an Essay”

How to make an essay title.

Creating an essay title involves summarizing your essay’s main idea concisely and engagingly. Start by identifying your thesis or main argument, then consider your audience and what might grab their attention. Use strong adjectives, provocative questions, or clear statements that reflect the essence of your essay. Brainstorming a list of potential titles and refining them based on feedback can help you find the perfect title.

Can the title of an essay be a question?

Yes, the title of an essay can be a question. This approach can encourage readers to think about the answer, drawing them into your argument or analysis. A question in the title can also clarify the focus of your essay and make it stand out. However, ensure that the essay addresses or offers insight into the question posed, providing a satisfying exploration for the reader.

How long should an essay title be?

An essay title should be concise yet descriptive enough to convey the essence of your essay. Keep your title under 10 words to ensure it’s impactful and easy to remember. However, the length can vary depending on your topic’s complexity or your essay’s style. The key is balancing brevity with clarity, ensuring your title captures the main theme without becoming cumbersome.

Is it important to include keywords in an essay title?

Including keywords in an essay title is crucial for several reasons. First, it helps convey your essay’s subject matter and focus . Second, keywords can make your essay more discoverable, especially in academic databases or when published online. Choose words relevant to your main arguments and likely to be used by people searching for information on your topic.

Can an essay title be humorous?

Yes, an essay title can be humorous, especially if it matches the essay’s tone and is appropriate for the audience and context. A witty title can make your essay more appealing and memorable. However, ensure that the humor doesn’t obscure the essay’s topic or mislead readers about its content. It’s also important to consider the appropriateness of humor for the subject matter and the expectations of your reader or instructor.

In conclusion, crafting the perfect title for an essay is an art form that requires creativity, precision, and a deep understanding of your essay’s content. Whether you aim to intrigue, inform, or inspire your readers, the title is your first opportunity to engage them. By considering how to make an essay title, how to write an essay title, and the nuances of creating a title that resonates with your audience, you can significantly enhance the impact of your work. Remember, the title of an essay can indeed be a question, adding a layer of curiosity and engagement right from the start. Keep your titles concise, imbued with relevant keywords, and aligned with the tone of your essay. Whether you opt for a straightforward approach, a humorous twist, or a thought-provoking question, the right title can set the stage for a compelling and memorable essay.

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How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
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How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples

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Essay Writing ( निबंध लेखन ) for IAS/IPS Lecture
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COMMENTS

How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
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 ...
How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
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 ...
PDF WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TITLE
Learn how to write a good title for an essay by remembering its functions, thinking of it as a process, and using a title exercise. A title should predict content, catch interest, reflect tone, and contain keywords.
Forging good titles in academic writing
Writing effective headings. Although similar, headings are not the same as titles. Headings head paragraphs and help structure a document. Effective headings make your paper easily scannable. Common high level headings in dissertations and research papers are "Methods", "Research results", and "Discussion". Lower level headings are ...
How to Title an Essay
Don't get too personal - Your title should entice the reader. Whatever strong arguments you want to make should be made in the body of the essay. ‍. Make sure your title reflects the content of the essay - This often happens when the title is written first and then the essay.
How to Title an Essay: Examples and Tips
A good essay title serves as a preview of the essay's content and should be engaging and informative. Here are the characteristics of a good essay title: Clarity: The title should clearly convey the topic or subject matter of the essay. It should give the reader a sense of what to expect when they read the essay.
How to Create a Good Title for an Essay (Steps +Tips)
A great title is direct and straightforward. Format the title correctly. When writing the title, ensure that the titles or names of books, articles, plays, and songs that are part of it are either italicized or in quotes. Use the correct punctuation. Ensure that your essay title is well punctuated.
Full Guide on How to Title an Essay Successfully
The steps described below will afford you the ability to craft creative titles for essays like a professional. Do read on to discover more: 1. Write your essay as the first step but the title as the last: The first step is to write it in the first place and for this, you may consider using an essay writing service.
How to Title an Essay? The Complete Guide to Essay Title
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 ...
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 Write a Great Title
Entice the reader. Find a way to pique your readers' interest, give them enough information to keep them reading. Incorporate important keywords. Consider what about your article will be most interesting to your audience: Most readers come to an article from a search engine, so take some time and include the important ones in your title ...
How to Find a Catchy Title for Your Paper/Essay: 10 Steps
Understanding the Structure of a Title. Download Article. 1. Craft a hook. Most titles have the same basic structure, especially if the title is for an academic essay. The hook is the creative element that draws the reader in. It's a catchy phrase that lets the reader know what the essay is going to focus on. [1]
How to Title an Essay: Guide with Creative Examples [2024]
Still, some formatting rules are to be strictly followed. The MLA paper should start one inch from the top of the document, flush left. Write the author's name, then the instructor's name, the course number, and the date. Each item should be on a separate double-spaced line. Add the title of your paper.
How to Create an Essay Title: 7 Best Practices
The key is to get straight to the point. 5. Keep it simple. Don't use fancy or complicated words that might confuse your readers, instead go for straight-to-the-point words and avoid adding any unnecessary details in the title of your essay. Pick out important and useful keywords from your essay to frame a great title.
How to Write a Strong Title for an Argumentative Essay: 14 Steps
Try to create a title that is both short and sweet. 5. Make a pun or use a famous saying. One way you can lead into your essay is to play with your words. For instance, make a pun. Another way is to use a famous quote, poem, or song to lead into your title.
How to make a good title for an essay
Brainstorm multiple titles: Generate multiple options, select the top choices, and seek feedback. Use thesis or abstract summaries: Derive concise, informative titles that reflect the paper's core idea. Post-essay titling: Derive titles after completing the essay to ensure it encapsulates the work's essence.
How To Write A Good Essay Title Plus Essay 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 ...
How to Write a Great College Application Essay Title
A well-crafted title should: Grab your reader's attention. Make your reader want to read your essay. Provide a sense of what your essay is about. Read More. Tips for Writing a Winning College Application Essay. By Allen Grove. When it comes to the third item, realize that you don't need to be too detailed.
How to Come up With a Good Title (with Pictures)
9. Create a list of possible titles. Using your lists of themes, possible audiences, phrases, and quotes created in the previous steps, brainstorm possible title words and phrases. Try combining two different elements, such as a quote and a theme. Often writers separate two elements with a colon.
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 ...
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We can turn your paper into a perfect one. At Studyfy, we provide superior writing assistance to support your academic journey. Our team comprises skilled professionals adept at various tasks, including homework aid, proofreading, and essay refinement. With extensive knowledge and experience, our experts ensure your writing is impeccable and ...
Mastering Essay Titles: Essential Tips on How to Title an Essay
How to Make a Good Title for an Essay. ... Essay Title APA. After examining the title format for an MLA essay, let us now delve into the contents of a student title page in APA style. The paper title; Author names; The place or organization where the author conducted the research.
Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay
Sample College Essay 2 with Feedback. This content is licensed by Khan Academy and is available for free at www.khanacademy.org. College essays are an important part of your college application and give you the chance to show colleges and universities your personality. This guide will give you tips on how to write an effective college essay.

Best Tips on How to Title an Essay

How to Make a Good Title for an Essay

Essay Title Format

Essay Title MLA

Essay Title APA

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

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

Essay Goes First

Need Some Help With Your Essay's Title?

Essay Title Examples: Bad vs Good

Bad Essay Title Examples

Good Essay Title Examples

Catchy Essay Title Ideas

Persuasive Essay Titles

Academic Essay Titles

Strong Research Paper Titles

Best Essay Titles for College Students

More Creative Titles for Essays

Professional Academic Help

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How to come up with a Good Title for an Essay

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Essential Components of a Good Title

Steps for Creating a Perfect Title for an Essay

Step 1: Write the Essay First and the Title Last

Step 2: Read the Essay Fast

Step 3: Formulate and Polish the Essay Title

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Our Final Words on Crating Strong Titles

How to Title an Essay?

What Are the Qualities of a Good Essay Title

What Are The Components of the Essay Title?

Stuck on How to Title an Essay?

How to Create Essay Title

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Use Your Thesis

Use Popular Phrases and Clichés You Can Re-work

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Use Quote or Central Idea

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Mistakes to avoid

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Argumentative Essay Title Examples

Persuasive Essay Title Examples

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Bottom line

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