Learn How to Title an Essay Like a Professional Writer

A title is the one thing that draws attention and makes your essay and all academic papers impressive. This is because it is the first thing a reader looks at and decides whether to give your essay a shot or not. 

Naturally, things with amusing and interesting titles tend to be more read-worthy.  The right and accurate title can either make your essay a success or a complete disaster. 

It might sound easy to give a title to your essay, but it can be complicated in reality. Creating a title is an art, and not everybody knows how to do it. 

This writing guide provides easy steps to give your essay the perfect title. We’ll learn how important it is to give a correct title to your writing and polish your writing skills.  

Qualities an Essay Title Should Have

A title holds great importance in essay writing. It can easily make or break the quality of your work. 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 reader’s attention.
• Based on facts: A good title is always believable and based on facts. Especially different types of essays 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: An engaging title is always written in the 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:

• A catchy and interesting hook
• Tone sets the overall mood or attitude conveyed by the title.
• The focus keywords - “where” and “when” 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 in 7 Easy Steps

A good and effective essay title can be created by taking the following steps:

Step 1. Write the Essay First

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 amuse and attract readers with the title. 

Deciding on a topic or a title can be time-consuming. 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.  

Step 2. Use your Thesis Statement

There is another reason that you should leave your title for the end. An effective title provides a reason for the readers to read your essay. The best place to find that reason is by looking at your thesis statement in the essay introduction.

You can always get a title from a thesis statement or by using a part of that argument in the title. 

Step 3. Add 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. Make sure your word choices align with the topic of your essay.

Step 4. Consider the Tone

Another trick to writing a good title for your essay is to consider the essay’s 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. Remember that a good title avoids negative language.

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.

Step 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. 

Step 6. Use a Concise Summary of Your Essay

A simple and effective way to create a title is by summarizing your essay in just a few words. Try to capture the main idea or thesis statement of your essay in three concise words. 

You can then format it as a headline, followed by a colon and a brief description of the essay’s purpose. This approach helps create a direct and clear title.

Step 7. Incorporate a Movie Title

Sometimes, using a movie title can add a creative twist to your essay title. If it fits the theme, you can reference a movie title by capitalizing the first letter and italicizing it. 

Alternatively, you can structure your title around a movie quote or title, making sure it aligns with your essay’s topic. Just be sure the reference is relevant and appropriate for the subject of your essay.

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.

MLA, APA, and Chicago are the most commonly used formats. Let's take a look at how to title your essay using each of these formats.

How to Title an Essay in MLA Format?

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 instructor’s 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.  

Sample Title:

"The Role of Public Libraries in Digital Literacy"

How to Format an Essay in APA Format?

Simply use the following guidelines to format your title in APA style:

• 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. 

Sample title:

"How Job Rotation Can Improve Employee Satisfaction and Productivity"

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 the guidelines provided below:

• 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.

Sample title:

"The Shift Towards Remote Work: Benefits and Challenges"

Essay Title Examples

Just like the tone of every essay differs, the title also differs from each type of essay. Here are some examples of titles for different types of essays.

Here are some more examples of essay titles.

Bad vs Good Essay Title Examples

Check out these examples of bad essay titles vs. good ones:

Tips for Crafting an Outstanding Title

Consider these practical tips to create an outstanding title for your essay:

• 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: The perfect essay title concisely states 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.

In Summary,

The success of your essay depends not just on the content, but also on a strong title. A good title grabs attention and sets the tone for your essay.

While creating the perfect title can be tricky, following these simple tips can help you craft one that’s effective. Just like icing on a cake, a creative title makes your essay stand out.

Remember, a well-chosen title can make a big difference in how your essay is received, so take the time to get it right!

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