Creating a good title is important. We’ll show you how to find one.
Wondering How to Title an Essay?
Have you ever been asked to think up titles for essays? You might think it doesn’t really matter what the title is, and that you need to spend all your energy on the content of your essay. But you shouldn’t overlook how much a good title matters to the success of your essay.
Coming up with good essay titles is an essential part of writing an essay, and a step that should not be overlooked. A mundane title will not interest readers, nor will it make the essay stand out. Sometimes tutors make things easy for you and give you a title. But if you are required to come up with a title of your own, it’s well worth giving some thought to coming up with an intriguing or interesting title. It should make readers want to delve into your essay and see what it has to say.
You’ll know when you’ve found the perfect title; it will stand out and make you feel as enthusiastic about writing your essay as your audience will feel about reading it. Even as little as 15 minutes spent choosing your title will be a good investment before you begin work on the actual essay.
How to Come up With a Title for an Essay
- Frame it as a question
When choosing your essay title, consider posing a question. This should help guide your essay, although you should be careful that you don’t wander away from the point and start writing a different essay. Using a question will also show that you are examining a topic, and understand the need to look at whether it is true or not. If you have a statement as your title, there is a risk of waffling on and not actually examining that statement at all. - Make a brief shortlist of titles
Brainstorm a number of possible titles. Write down as many as you can think of; you’ll soon see which ones don’t work as well or don’t really address what you need your essay to be about. Then reduce your list down to four or five possible titles. Sketch out an outline for each possible title, and decide which one you think you can most effectively turn into an essay. - Look through a reader’s eye
It can help the process of choosing a title if you put yourself in the reader’s position. Would you want to read this essay based on the title? What do you think your tutor would have to say if they saw the title? Try to detach yourself from the title so you can view it as if you were not going to write it yourself. - Changing the title
You may find that as work on your essay progresses, you decide that the title no longer fits. If you haven’t already submitted the title, you may want to change it to fit the direction of your essay. However, if you do this you should check that your new title still fits the assignment, and that you’re not going too far away from what your tutor has requested. - Be original
It couldn’t be emphasised enough here: try to be original in your title without being too gimmicky. Remember that you are writing an academic essay and so your title needs to have the right tone. It should therefore avoid containing slang or being too simplistic. But a title that stands out will make the essay more interesting to read. - Have a purpose
Your title should give a hint as to the direction that your essay is going to take. It should not be clever for the sake of it. What are you going to look at in the essay? Are there questions that have yet to be answered on the topic? Give some idea of the ground that you are going to cover. - Be as succinct as possible
Some essays demand very long titles, especially if they are about very factual topics such as sociology or science. Otherwise, try to strike a balance between being brief enough to say only what you need to say, and saying enough to convince your audience that your essay has something they want to read.
Some Essay Title Formats
Let’s say you have to write an essay about modern feminism. Here are some examples of catchy essay titles. They use different formats; try brainstorming all of them and seeing which one works best with your topic.
Your title should neither be too vague, nor so narrow that it constricts you and leaves you with little to write about. Creative essay titles are much more interesting than a dull, factual one, unless the latter is more appropriate for your field of study.
Question
Modern feminism: is it a step backwards?
Can feminism survive under a Trump presidency?
Is feminism anti-men?
Statement
Male involvement in 21st-century feminism
Joan of Arc: a feminist before her time
Discussion
Challenges for feminism in the Middle East
Working towards equality in the workplace
A century after the suffragettes: where women still need to make progress
Suggestion
Equality: how to achieve it without harming men
Starting at the top: How female leaders can benefit other women
Coming up with creative titles for essays takes a little work, but it will help your essay be more polished, as well as give you some direction as you work on your essay.
Once You’ve Found a Title for Your Essay
Finding a good title for your essay is only the start. You then have to write it, and that can be a lot more complicated. You may need to know how to write an annotated bibliography for your essay, for example. Or you could have some great ideas but not know how to shape them into an essay that reads well and fits your title. Never mind – we at xpertwriters.com can help. So if you find yourself struggling once you’ve found the perfect essay title format, ask our research paper service for help – we can handle any topic.