writing 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.

Need Some Help With Your Essay's Title?

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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Writing an effective title

Writers often omit or underuse the helpful tool that is an essay title. Feeling stuck, writers may give up on generating a title, or merely label their essays by assignment sequence (“Paper #2”) or task (“Rogerian Argument”). An absent or non-specific title is a missed opportunity: titles help writers prepare readers to understand and believe the paper that is to follow.

Remember the functions of a title.

As composition and rhetoric scholars Maxine Hairston and Michael Keene explain,

a good title does several things: First, it predicts content. Second, it catches the reader’s interest. Third, it reflects the tone or slant of the piece of writing. Fourth, it contains keywords that will make it easy to access by a computer search. (73)

Keeping these functions in mind will help a writer choose a specific and meaningful title, not a mere label.

Think of title-writing as a process, and allow yourself to stretch your thinking during that process.

Like any piece of writing, an effective title does not appear in one magic moment; it takes brainstorming and revising. Richard Leahy's “Twenty Titles for the Writer” exercise helps writers slow down and engage in the process of title-writing.

Although it can feel painstaking and a little silly, actually doing all the steps of Leahy’s exercise takes your thinking in new directions, and almost always guarantees an interesting and effective title. (Of course, how you use the exercise is up to you.) “Twenty Titles for the Writer” is below.

Twenty Titles for the Writer

1. Copy out of your draft a sentence that could serve as a title.

2. Write a sentence that's not in the draft to use as a title.

3. Write a title that is a question beginning with What, Who, When, or Where.

4. Write a title that is a question beginning with How or Why.

5. Write a title that is a question beginning with Is/Are, Do/Does, or Will.

6. Pick out of the essay some concrete image—something the reader can hear, see, taste, smell, or feel—to use as a title.

7. Pick another concrete image out of the essay. Look for an image that is a bit unusual or surprising.

8. Write a title beginning with an -ing verb (like “Creating a Good Title”).

9. Write a title beginning with On (like “On the Titles of Essays”).

10. Write a title that is a lie about the essay. (You probably won't use this one, but it might stimulate your thinking.)

11. Write a one-word title—the most obvious one possible.

12. Write a less obvious one-word title.

13. Write a two-word title.

14. Write a three-word title.

15. Write a four-word title.

16. Write a five-word title.

17. Think of a familiar saying, or the title of a book, song, or movie, that might fit your essay.

18. Take the title you just wrote and twist it by changing a word or creating a pun on it.

19. Do the same with another saying or title of a book, song, or movie.

20. Find two titles you've written so far that you might use together in a double title. Join them together with a colon [ : ].

Hairston, Maxine, and Michael Keene. Successful Writing . 5th ed. New York: Norton, 2003.

Title exercise adapted from Richard Leahy's “ Twenty Titles for the Writer .” College Composition and Communication 43.4 (1992): 516–519. JSTOR. University Libraries, U of Minnesota. 19 July 2007 <http://www.jstor.org>.

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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 .

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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 Write a Good Title for An Essay

by Antony W

December 20, 2020

Here’s the hard cold truth about essay writing:

The title is the most important part of the whole project.

Write it well, and you’ll grab the attention of your instructor so much that they gain the interest to read the rest of the copy. Get it wrong and you lose them completely.

So you can’t take chances with an essay’s title. It’s your opportunity to create an impression and you should give it your best shot.

In fact, the key to writing a good essay is to first master the art of writing compelling titles that gets instructors hooked on the spot.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to title an essay like an A-grade student. In particular, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to write appealing titles for any type of essay your instructor will ever ask you to write.

Whether your instructor asked you to write an argumentative essay , or you already have a TOK topic to work with, or you’re down to writing a college admission essay , this guide will get you started with writing irresistible titles.

What is a Title in Essay Writing?

A title is the most important element that makes the first impression while setting a tone for any kind of an essay.

More often than not, the title of an essay conveys a summary of an argument, method, or topic that you’ve developed.

In addition to informing, convincing, and capturing your instructor’s attention, a good essay title acts as a strong indicator that you’ve understood the question and the concept of the topic in question.

In other words:

The title part of the essay is more of a privilege section of the assignment, which you should properly utilize to express your idea and articulate your point of view.

What Makes a Good Title in Essay Writing?

A good essay title shouldn’t be hard to write. As long as you know that your title should reflect a clear understanding of the content of the essay, you’re good to go.

If anything, instructors consider a title for an essay to be good if it can properly describe the paper with just a few words.

It doesn’t matter if you write your title before or after completing the essay. As long as you know how to arrive at a good title for the document, you should have an easy time coming up with a title that fits perfectly.

Examples of Good and Bad Titles for an Essay

We’ll look at how to write a good title for any essay in a few. Before that, let’s look at the following chart to see some examples of good and bad titles that we often see in essays.

It’s clear from the comparison above that good titles are not only interesting to read but also they’re precise and informative.

Often, such titles tell a reader what the essay is about, making it easy for them to know what to expect to read in the body part of the essay.

Short, badly written titles, on the other hand, don’t communicate a clear message. They tend to make it very hard for readers to know what an essay is really about in the first place.

As you can see, the title comparison chart above gives you a clear picture of what you should aim to write down. If it helps, go ahead and make them even better than what you see on the image above.

To be clear, you can write your title before or after completing your essay. However, for the sake of the best output, we do recommend that you come up with a compelling and constructive title after completing your essay.

Here’s How to Title an Essay in 2021

Brainstorm .

The consensus on what makes a good title for an essay is simple. The title should be interesting, relevant, and informative. So how do you pick such a title?

Some students think about it randomly and write what they think is interesting. However, if you aren’t brainstorming your titles to identify the most appealing terms, you’re doing it wrong.

Here’s what to do instead:

Write down as many titles as you possibly can, and don’t deviate from the topic while you’re at it. If your instructor leaves the essay open ended, the better. You can come up with a topic of your own.

Don’t forget the goal of the essay’s title as you continue to brainstorm. Primarily, it should tell your instructor what the information in the body section of the essay is about, while still being as interesting as possible.

Once you have a list of titles on a checklist, read each careful and pick the ones that make the most sense.

Extract a Title from a Thesis Statement

Brainstorming as many ideas as you can to come up with what would be an appropriate title for an essay is great. But it can be time consuming.

If you want an easier way to come up with a good topic therefore, you should consider extracting it from the thesis statement of the essay.

As you already know, a thesis statement is usually the most important part of an essay after the title.

Usually in one or two sentences, a thesis statement indicates the primary idea of an essay.

Since a thesis statement reflects your judgment or opinion on a topic or personal experience, you should be able to get your essay’s title from here right away.

From experience helping students to understand and complete different types of essays at Help for Assessment, we’ve found out that using the thesis statement is the easiest way to come with a good title.

All you have to do is to pick some phrases from the statement and use them to write a catchy and relevant title.

Rewrite a Popular Quite or Cliché

Something undeniably unique about clichés and phrases is their popularity. Because they’re easily engaging, they can work great for your essay’s title.

You can also use a quote instead of a cliché, either as it is or by rewriting it to make it suit the kind of essay you’re working on.

Whether you choose a quote or a cliché to use as your essay title, make sure you choose only the most relevant ones. Otherwise the title you write may end up making a lot less sense.

Decide When to Write the Title

You can write the title for your essay before or after completing the paper. Only make sure that the title you choose matches the content of your essay.

Some students prefer to come up with a concrete title for their essay first. They then write their essay around the topic. In your case, this should be a good approach to use if you can stay on the topic as you write the paper.

If you find the title difficult to construct before the body part, focus on working on the essay and then work on the title last.

The advantage to this approach is that you can use the many ideas you brainstormed in the first step to create an appropriate title.

If you’re the kind of student who’s comfortable with writing a title after completing the essay, it’s best to focus on working on the essay first and the title afterwards.

The advantage you have here is you can use the many ideas you brainstormed in the first step and create appropriate titles. Only make sure you re-read the essay to make sure the title best fit the content of the page.

At the end of the day, the title that you choose should fit the essay straight out of the box, whether you pre-write the essay or do it after.

Some Tips to Help You Write Better Titles for Every Essay

Now that you can come up with a relevant title for your essay’s assignment, we want to give you some handy tips that you can use to make your titles read even better.

So, here we go:

Tip #1: Keep the Title Simple and Precise

You want your title to be easy to read and consume.

So using complex words in this section will only go a long way to ruin the effort you put to writing a comprehensive and compelling essay.

The last mistake you want to make is to leave your instructor scratching their heads in confusion. Also, make sure that the terms you use in the title are in line with your field of study.

Tip #2: Use the Right Words in Your Essay’s Title

A good essay title is the one that uses the terms according to your field of sturdy

Tip #3: Make Sure Your Title is Original

It doesn’t make sense to copy your fellow student’s essay title. Either of you could get penalized for doing so.

You can read as many titles as you want, but only for inspiration.

If it helps, you can rephrase the title while keeping the same meaning, otherwise only come up with a title completely unique to your essay.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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…

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How to Create an Essay Title: 7 Best Practices

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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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Creative essay title generator for students

Type a few relevant keywords in the relevant section of the tool to describe your paper.

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Hit the Generate button to get plenty of fresh and catchy ideas and pick the perfect one!

What is an academic essay title generator?

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How does an essay title generator work?

Insert the keywords.

Use keywords to define your essay’s topic or a central idea. Our title generator will analyze the inserted keywords and search for relevant suggestions in our database. The more keywords you put, the easier it will be to find your perfect topic!

Pick subject category

To get even more accurate results, choose the subject category that suits your needs most from the list. The tool will use both your keywords and the chosen category to find relevant titles. There are plenty of categories to suit every user’s needs. Try to use different ones to find even more interesting and catchy ideas.

Get many great ideas

After inserting your keywords and choosing a category, click the Generate button. The tool will scan the database, which updates regularly. It will suggest creative options for you to choose from. Run it as many times as you need to find your perfect essay topic!

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Tips for using our essay title generator to your benefit

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Choose the best topic

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Are the topics on our list broad? Even better! With our title maker, you'll have a starting point to narrow them down further and find the best option. Whether you're seeking inspiration or guidance, our tool is here to streamline your search and aid you in crafting the perfect title for your needs.

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How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples

Coming up with a good title for your essay is an important part of the writing process. The title is the first thing that readers see, and it can significantly influence their decision to read your work or not. A catchy and attention-grabbing title can make your essay stand out from the rest, while a dull or generic title may cause readers to lose interest before even reading the first page. So how do you create a title that not only captures the essence of your essay but also grabs the reader’s attention? In this article, we will explore some tips and examples to help you craft an outstanding title for your essay.

One tip for titling your essay is to focus on the main subject or theme of your piece. The title should give readers a clear idea of what to expect when they read your essay. For example, if you are writing a compare-and-contrast essay about two clothing brands, your title could be “A Closer Look at the Similarities and Differences between Brand X and Brand Y.” By including the subject and the main focus of your essay in the title, you are establishing the main idea before readers even start reading.

Another tip is to use language that is specific, concise, and persuasive. Avoid vague or generic titles that don’t provide any information about the contents of your essay. Instead, use strong and descriptive words that accurately convey the essence of your argument or the main idea of your essay. For instance, if you are writing a persuasive essay on the importance of exercise, a title like “The Benefits of Daily Physical Activity: Why Exercise is Necessary for a Healthy Lifestyle” immediately identifies the topic and highlights the key argument you will be making.

Wordplay and punny titles can also be a fun and creative way to make your essay title more attractive. However, it is important to ensure that the wordplay fits the tone and subject of your essay. Examples of punny titles could be “Four Score and Seven Years of Essays: A Table of Contents” for a collection of college essays or “What’s in a Name?”: Exploring the Power of Language in Literature” for an essay on the use of language in literary works.

Strategies for Creating Effective Essay Titles

Know your audience: Before you start brainstorming for title ideas, take into consideration the specific audience and purpose of your essay. Consider whether your essay is for a college application, a book review, or a personal essay. Each of these genres may require a different tone and style in the title.
Use key words from your essay: Look for key words or phrases from your essay that can be incorporated into the title. This not only provides a connection between the title and the content, but it also helps to attract the reader’s attention.
Be specific: A good title is specific and gives the reader a clear idea of what the essay is about. Instead of using a generic title like “The Road Less Traveled,” consider using a more specific title like “Exploring the Road Less Traveled: A Journey of Self-Discovery.”
Consider the essay’s tone: The tone of your essay should be reflected in the title. If your essay is persuasive, the title should convey that. If it’s analytical, the title should reflect that as well. For example, a persuasive essay about the importance of recycling could be titled “Recycling: Saving the Planet One Bottle at a Time.”
Check for similarities: Before finalizing your title, do a quick Google search to see if there are similar titles or essays out there. You want your title to be unique and stand out from the rest.

Remember, the title is the first impression your reader will have of your essay, so it’s important to make it strong and compelling. By following these strategies and considering the guidelines above, you’ll be on the right track to creating effective essay titles that will grab your reader’s attention and make them want to dive into your work.

Use Relevant Keywords

Before you start brainstorming for potential titles, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the key values and ideas that you want to convey in your essay. Take some time to establish the tone and language of your writing, as it will greatly influence the effectiveness of your title.

In order to come up with a title that fits your essay well, try doing a short exercise. Write down a brief summary of your essay, emphasizing important elements. While reading this summary, pay attention to the keywords that stand out. These are the words that you can use in your title to make it more attractive and persuasive.

For example, if you’re writing a personal essay about your experiences studying abroad, you may include keywords such as “college”, “compare-and-contrast”, “culture”, “language”, and “experience” in your title.

It’s also important to consider the style guide you are using for your essay. Different style guides, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago Manual of Style, may have specific rules and guidelines for title writing. Make sure to familiarize yourself with these rules to ensure that your title follows the appropriate style.

Above all, the title of your essay should be eye-catching and give readers a glimpse of what they can expect from your work. If done well, it can grab their attention and make them want to dive deeper into the contents of your essay.

Remember, titling an essay is a creative exercise, so don’t be afraid to take some risks and play with words. Sometimes, a little creativity can go a long way in creating a great title.

And as a bonus tip, always read your essay title aloud. This exercise can help you determine if the title sounds strong and appropriate and if it captures the essence of your essay.

Use Catchy Phrases or Quotations

1. choose a strong and attention-grabbing phrase.

When selecting a catchy phrase or quotation for your essay title, make sure it is strong and attention-grabbing. This will ensure that your title stands out from the rest and piques the reader’s interest.

2. Reflect the Purpose and Tone of the Essay

The chosen phrase or quotation should accurately reflect the purpose and tone of your essay. It should give the reader a brief idea of what the essay is about and what they can expect from it.

3. Develop a Punny or Creative Phrase

If appropriate for the subject of your essay, you can try developing a punny or creative phrase for your title. This will add a touch of humor or creativity to your title, making it more attractive to the reader.

4. Use Specific Words from the Essay

Another effective way to create a catchy phrase or quotation is to use specific words or phrases from your essay. This establishes a connection between the title and the content of the essay, giving the reader a sense of what they can expect.

Here’s an example of an attention-grabbing and catchy title for an essay about the similarities between book and clothing:

“From Pages to Wardrobes: Exploring the Similarities Between Books and Clothing”

By using a catchy phrase like “From Pages to Wardrobes,” the title immediately grabs the reader’s attention and identifies the subject of the essay. It also establishes a connection between two seemingly unrelated objects, piquing the reader’s curiosity.

Make the Title Clear and Concise

One tip for creating a clear title is to avoid using punny or funny wordplay that may confuse the reader. While it might be tempting to come up with a clever title, it’s important to remember that the goal is to communicate the content and purpose of your essay effectively.

Instead of going for clever wordplay, focus on using descriptive and accurate language that accurately reflects the content of your essay. Consider using informative subtitles or tags that provide a brief summary or hint at the main ideas explored in your essay. These subtitles can help guide the reader and give them a better understanding of what to expect.

For example, if you’re writing a persuasive essay about the importance of social justice, a clear and concise title could be “The Power of Social Justice: Understanding its Role in Creating a Better World.” This title effectively communicates the topic and purpose of the essay while also establishing the values and ideas explored.

Another important element of a clear and concise title is to avoid making it too long. While you want your title to be informative, it should also be concise and easy to read. A long title can be overwhelming for the reader and may cause them to lose interest before even reading the essay.

Consider the following examples:

Example 1: “A Comparative Analysis of Chicago and New York City: Exploring the Similarities and Differences”

Example 2: “Comparing Chicago and New York City: Exploring Similarities and Differences”

In Example 1, the title feels cluttered and overwhelming, while in Example 2, the title is concise and to the point. The second title is more likely to attract the reader’s attention and make them want to read further.

When developing your title, it can also be helpful to think about the purpose and application of your essay. Are you writing a research paper? A compare-and-contrast essay? Knowing the purpose of your essay will help you tailor your title to fit the style and content of your writing.

In summary, a clear and concise title is essential for creating an outstanding essay. It helps the reader understand the topic and purpose of your writing and establishes the main ideas you will be exploring. Remember to avoid punny wordplay, keep your title concise, and consider the purpose and style of your essay. With these tips in mind, you’re well on your way to creating an attractive and informative title for your essay.

Consider the Tone of Your Essay

Whether your essay is argumentative, persuasive, or an application essay, the tone you choose is essential. A persuasive essay might have a more assertive and confident tone, while an application essay might have a more personal and introspective tone. The tone should align with the purpose and content of your essay, providing a glimpse into what the reader can expect.

One way to consider the tone is through wordplay, where you use clever language or witty puns to grab the reader’s attention. For example, an essay about studying abroad could have a title like “21 Days in a Windowless Room: A Study in the Value of Taking Risks.” This title incorporates a punny wordplay and gives the reader a brief glimpse into the subject matter.

Brainstorm and Identify Your Tone

Before you start titling your essay, take some time to brainstorm and identify the tone you want to convey. Think about the values, topics, or subjects you want to highlight and consider what makes your essay unique. Are there any similarities or specific aspects that you could use in your title to grab the reader’s attention?

Once you’ve brainstormed, try to come up with a few different options for your title. A good exercise is to write down three to five potential titles and then choose the one that best fits the tone and purpose of your essay.

Use Style and Language

When creating your title, consider the style and language you want to use. Some essays may require a more formal and serious tone, while others may benefit from a more casual and conversational tone like the Chicago style. Think about the overall style and language of your essay and try to match it in your title.

It’s also important to consider the audience of your essay and adjust your tone accordingly. If you’re writing for a more academic audience, you may want to use more scholarly language. On the other hand, if you’re writing for a general audience, you can use a more accessible and relatable language.

Pay Attention to Length and Substance

When crafting your title, pay attention to the length and substance. A title that is too long may not grab the reader’s attention, while a title that is too short may not give enough information about the essay’s subject. Aim for a descriptive and concise title that conveys the main idea of your essay.

Above all, the title should be attention-grabbing and entice the reader to want to read more. It should provide a glimpse into the substance of your essay and make the reader curious about what they will find inside.

Summary: Creating a Good Title

In summary, creating a good title for your essay is an important part of the writing process. Consider the tone, style, and language that best align with your essay, as well as the intended audience. Pay attention to length and substance, aiming for a concise yet descriptive title. Use wordplay, if appropriate, to grab the reader’s attention. By following these guidelines, you can come up with a title that not only accurately identifies the content of your essay but also engages and intrigues your readers.

Bonus: 4 Examples of Attention-Grabbing Essay Titles

Experiment with different title formats, 1. the punny and playful title.

If you want to be witty and make someone smile, a punny title could be a great choice. Using wordplay or clever language can make your title stand out and grab attention. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of clothing, a title like “Clothes Minded: What Are You Wearing to Impress?” could work well.

2. The Provocative and Thought-Provoking Title

For more serious or argumentative topics, consider creating a title that sparks curiosity or evokes strong emotions. A provocative title can make people want to read your essay to find out more. For example, if you’re writing about the impact of technology on society, a title like “The Digital Dilemma: Is Technology Taking Over Our Lives?” would be compelling.

3. The ‘Everything You Need to Know About’ Title

If you want to convey that your essay is a comprehensive guide or study on a specific topic, using a title format like “Everything You Need to Know About [Topic]” can be effective. For example, if you’re writing about climate change, a title like “Everything You Need to Know About Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and Solutions” would provide a clear roadmap of what the essay covers.

4. The Personal and Engaging Title

A personal title can create an immediate connection with the reader. Using words like “you” or “me” in the title can make it feel more relatable and draw the reader in. For example, if you’re writing a self-help book, a title like “Unlocking Your Potential: A Guide to Personal Growth and Success” would resonate with the reader on a more personal level.

In essence, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for title-writing. It takes creativity and thoughtfulness to develop a strong and attention-grabbing title. Experiment with different formats, play with language, and above all, make sure that your title aligns with the purpose and topic of your essay. With these elements in mind, you’ll be on the road to creating great titles that won’t go unnoticed.

What are some tips for titling an essay?

When titling an essay, it is important to keep it concise, yet informative. You can use keywords or phrases that summarize the main point of your essay. Additionally, you can try using a quote, a question, or a play on words to grab the reader’s attention.

Should I include keywords in the title of my essay?

Including keywords in the title of your essay can be beneficial, as it helps to convey the main point of your essay and make it more searchable. However, make sure not to overload the title with too many keywords, as it might make it look cluttered.

Can I use a quote as the title of my essay?

Yes, using a quote as the title of your essay can be a creative and effective way to grab the reader’s attention. Just make sure that the quote is relevant to your essay and provides a clear glimpse into the main idea of your work.

What are some examples of catchy essay titles?

Some examples of catchy essay titles could be “The Power of Words: Exploring the Impact of Language in Modern Society” or “Breaking the Silence: The Struggle for Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age”. These titles are informative, thought-provoking, and likely to engage the reader.

Should I create the title of my essay before or after writing the content?

It can be helpful to brainstorm and create a working title before writing the content of your essay. Having a clear title in mind can help guide your writing process and keep your essay focused. However, it is also okay to come up with a final title after your essay is complete, as you may have a better understanding of its main message.

By Alex Koliada, PhD

Alex Koliada, PhD, is a well-known doctor. He is famous for studying aging, genetics, and other medical conditions. He works at the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics. His scientific research has been published in the most reputable international magazines. Alex holds a BA in English and Comparative Literature from the University of Southern California , and a TEFL certification from The Boston Language Institute.

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Knowledge Base

The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
Revision: Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
Do your research: Read primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
Come up with a thesis: The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

Returns to your thesis
Ties together your main points
Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

Including new arguments or evidence
Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

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.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

It gives your writing direction and focus.
It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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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 Write a Strong Title for an Argumentative Essay

Last Updated: June 4, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Diane Stubbs . Diane Stubbs is a Secondary English Teacher with over 22 years of experience teaching all high school grade levels and AP courses. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware and a Master of Education from Wesley College. 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 164,812 times.

In most cases, a title for an essay is only required for college papers. A title for an argumentative essay isn't much different than a title for any other essay. You need to present what your essay is about in phrase form, as well as provide a hook to encourage the reader to read your essay. One main difference is you also need to make sure you establish your stance on the subject, so the reader knows where your argument is headed from the beginning. In order to create a strong title, you should write your essay before coming up with a title for it.

Summarizing Your Ideas

Also, read through your paper. Start making notes on the main ideas. If you organized your paper well, you should have the paper divided into several main ideas.
Write down any ideas you have about what you think should go in your title.

In most cases, your thesis, or a version of it, is the best summary for the essay. The thesis should be stated at the end of your introduction, and perhaps restated at the beginning of your conclusion as well.
Try to get it down to one sentence if possible, such as, "Soup is significantly more flavorful when made with stock than when made with water."

Step 3 Make a list of keywords and phrases.

For instance, if you wrote a paper on why soup is better when made with stock than water, think about what words are essential to that paper.
Your list of keywords might include "soup," "stock," and "flavor," as an example.

Creating a Title

Step 1 Think about your audience and tone.

Also, think about the tone of your essay. If it's lighthearted, a lighthearted title will fit. For instance, an essay on stock and chicken soup lends itself to lightheartedness.
However, if your essay is very serious, stick to a serious title. For instance, if you're trying to convince people that poverty needs to end, that's a pretty serious topic and needs a serious title.

Read over your paper. You can use this opportunity to proofread while you look for a good sentence.
Write out any sentence that may work. For instance, one sentence that might work is "Soup is delicious, but it is even more delicious when made with stock."
Shorten it up to work as a title: "Soup Is More Flavorful With Stock."

For instance, you could write, "Why Does Stock Make Soup So Flavorful?" That establishes your topic, as well as invites your reader into your paper.
Just be sure you are answering the question you propose.
Choose a different question than the one you used for your hook, if applicable.

Come up with something that is contrasting or surprising. A concrete image works well, meaning something that invokes the senses. For instance, you could write something like "The Flavor of Boiled Chicken Bones Is the Best for Soup."
People don't necessarily think bones are tasty, but they are used to create your flavorful broth. Therefore, it's a bit surprising, but it plays into your essay.
Try to create a title that is both short and sweet.

Step 5 Make a pun or use a famous saying.

As an example, a pun you could use would be "Use Your Backbone to Make Soup." "Backbone" is a play both on the fact that you're using stock (made from bones) and that you need to use your backbone to stand up for stock.
As for a saying, you could use something like "Chicken Soup: Only the Opiate of the Masses If Made With Stock." "Opiate of the masses" is a reference to Karl Marx and will attract attention.

Finessing Your Title

That is, move words around to see if you can make a better statement.
Try mixing and matching among titles that you like. Pick the parts you like best.

For instance, if you are discussing a specific type of soup, add that in: "Chicken Stock Makes the Best Chicken Soup."
If you are specifically talking about homemade stock, add that in "Homemade Chicken Stock Makes the Best Chicken Soup."
If possible, try to give the reader just an idea of which side you plan to argue in favor of in the essay.

The most common method is putting the creative part first as the main title, followed by the informative part in the subtitle. However, you can do it either way.
For example, you could write: "Use Your Backbone: Why You Should Advocate for Stock in Soup."
If the titles are on the same line, separate them by a colon. If not, you don't need the colon.

Compare your title to the list you made earlier.

Step 5 Ensure you've covered your topic.

In the case of an argumentative essay, that not only means that you've presented what your topic is but also what your stance on that topic is.
Try it out on a parent. Ask her what she thinks the paper is about from your title.

The exception to this rule is very common abbreviations or abbreviations that are appropriate for your audience.
For instance, using "HIV" probably wouldn't confuse your readers.

Community Q&A

It can be helpful to look up titles of articles and essays for reference. Check major websites or networks for examples of effective titles. Remember to avoid “clickbait,” though! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

↑ http://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf
↑ https://umanitoba.ca/student/academiclearning/media/Writing_a_Great_Title_NEW.pdf
↑ https://www.esu.edu/writing-studio/guides/hook.cfm
↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-write-a-great-title-.html
↑ http://www.editage.com/insights/3-basic-tips-on-writing-a-good-research-paper-title

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Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

How to Write an Effective Essay

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

Essay Title Generator (Free & No Login Required)

Discover the perfect title for your next essay with our AI-powered Essay Title Generator! Designed for students and writers, this tool creates unique and engaging essay titles based on your topic or main ideas. Simply enter your subject, such as ‘the benefits of renewable energy’, and receive a list of potential titles in seconds.

How to Use the Essay Title Generator

Using the Essay Title Generator is a breeze. Just type in your essay topic, key concepts, or main points into the generator, and with a single click, you’ll receive a variety of title suggestions. Browse through the generated titles and choose the one that best fits your essay’s theme and captures your intended message. Once you’ve found the perfect title, you can use it for your writing assignment, research paper, or academic project. This tool is user-friendly and suitable for writers of all levels, making the process of finding a great title quick and easy.

What is the Essay Title Generator?

The Essay Title Generator is an AI-based tool that creates original and thought-provoking essay titles. By analyzing your input keywords or themes, it generates a range of titles suitable for various academic disciplines and writing styles. This tool is a helpful resource for students and writers looking to create titles that accurately reflect their essay’s content and grab the reader’s attention. Whether you’re working on a persuasive essay, an expository piece, or a narrative essay, these AI-generated titles can provide inspiration and help you get started on your writing journey. The Essay Title Generator aims to simplify the process of finding the perfect title, allowing you to focus on crafting a compelling essay.

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Critic’s Notebook

Like My Book Title? Thanks, I Borrowed It.

Literary allusions are everywhere. What are they good for?

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By A.O. Scott

You see it everywhere, even if you don’t always recognize it: the literary allusion. Quick! Which two big novels of the past two years borrowed their titles from “Macbeth”? Nailing the answer — “ Birnam Wood ” and “ Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ” — might make you feel a little smug.

Perhaps the frisson of cleverness ( I know where that’s from!), or the flip-side cringe of ignorance ( I should know where that’s from! ), is enough to spur you to buy a book, the way a search-optimized headline compels you to click a link. After all, titles are especially fertile ground for allusion-mongering. The name of a book becomes more memorable when it echoes something you might have heard — or think you should have heard — before.

This kind of appropriation seems to be a relatively modern phenomenon. Before the turn of the 20th century, titles were more descriptive than allusive. The books themselves may have been stuffed with learning, but the words on the covers were largely content to give the prospective reader the who (“Pamela,” “Robinson Crusoe,” “Frankenstein”), where (“Wuthering Heights,” “The Mill on the Floss,” “Treasure Island”) or what (“The Scarlet Letter,” “War and Peace,” “The Way We Live Now”) of the book.

Somehow, by the middle of the 20th century, literature had become an echo chamber. Look homeward, angel! Ask not for whom the sound and the fury slouches toward Bethlehem in dubious battle. When Marcel Proust was first translated into English, he was made to quote Shakespeare, and “In Search of Lost Time” (the literal, plainly descriptive French title) became “Remembrance of Things Past,” a line from Sonnet 30 .

Recent Proust translators have erased the Shakespearean reference in fidelity to the original, but the habit of dressing up new books in secondhand clothing persists, in fiction and nonfiction alike. Last year, in addition to “Birnam Wood,” there were Jonathan Rosen’s “ The Best Minds ,” with its whisper of Allen Ginsberg’s “ Howl ,” Paul Harding’s “ This Other Eden ” (“ Richard II ”), and William Egginton’s “ The Rigor of Angels ” (Borges). The best-seller lists and publishers’ catalogs contain multitudes ( Walt Whitman ). Here comes everybody! (James Joyce).

If you must write prose and poems, the words you use should be your own. I didn’t say that: Morrissey did, in a deepish Smiths cut (“ Cemetry Gates , ” from 1986), which misquotes Shakespeare and name-checks John Keats, William Butler Yeats and Oscar Wilde — possibly the most reliably recycled writers (along with John Milton and the authors of the King James Bible) in the English language.

Not that any of them would have minded. When Keats wrote that “ a thing of beauty is a joy forever ,” he surely hoped that at least that much of “ Endymion ” would outlive him. It’s a beautiful sentiment! And he may have been right. Does anyone read his four-part, 4,000-line elegy for Thomas Chatterton outside a college English class, or even for that matter inside one? Nonetheless, that opening line may ring a bell if you remember it from the movies “ Mary Poppins ,” “Yellow Submarine” or “ White Men Can’t Jump .”

Wilde’s witticism and bons mots have survived even as some of his longer works have languished. If it’s true (as he said) that only superficial people do not judge by appearances, maybe it follows that shallow gleaning is the deepest kind of reading. Or maybe, to paraphrase Yeats, devoted readers of poetry lack all conviction , while reckless quoters are full of passionate intensity .

Like everything else, this is the fault of the internet, which has cannibalized our reading time while offering facile, often spurious, pseudo-erudition to anyone with the wit to conduct a search. As Mark Twain once said to Winston Churchill, if you Google, you don’t have to remember anything.

Seriously though: I come not to bury the practice of allusion, but to praise it. (“ Julius Caesar ”) And also to ask, in all earnestness and with due credit to Edwin Starr , “ Seinfeld” and Leo Tolstoy : What is it good for?

The language centers of our brains are dynamos of originality. A competent speaker of any language is capable of generating intelligible, coherent sentences that nobody has uttered before. That central insight of modern linguistics, advanced by Noam Chomsky in the 1950s and ’60s, is wonderfully democratic. Every one of us is a poet in our daily speech, an inglorious Milton ( Thomas Gray ), a Shakespeare minting new coins of eloquence.

Of course, actual poets are congenital thieves (as T.S. Eliot or someone like him may have said), plucking words and phrases from the pages of their peers and precursors. The rest of us are poets in that sense, too. If our brains are foundries, they are also warehouses, crammed full of clichés, advertising slogans, movie catchphrases, song lyrics, garbled proverbs and jokes we heard on the playground at recess in third grade. Also great works of literature.

There are those who sift through this profusion with the fanatical care of mushroom hunters, collecting only the most palatable and succulent specimens. Others crash through the thickets, words latching onto us like burrs on a sweater. If we tried to remove them, the whole garment — our consciousness, in this unruly metaphor — might come unraveled.

That may also be true collectively. If we were somehow able to purge our language of its hand-me-down elements, we might lose language itself. What happens if nobody reads anymore, or if everyone reads different things? Does the practice of literary quotation depend on a stable set of common references? Or does it function as a kind of substitute for a shared body of knowledge that may never have existed at all?

The old literary canon — that dead white men’s club of star-bellied sneetches ( Dr. Seuss ) — may have lost some of its luster in recent decades, but it has shown impressive staying power as a cornucopia of quotes. Not the only one, by any means (or memes). Television, popular music, advertising and social media all provide abundant fodder, and the way we read now (or don’t) has a way of rendering it all equivalent. The soul selects her own society ( Emily Dickinson ).

When I was young, my parents had a fat anthology of mid-20th-century New Yorker cartoons , a book I pored over with obsessive zeal. One drawing that baffled me enough to stick in my head featured a caption with the following words: “It’s quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles.” What on earth was that? It wasn’t until I was in graduate school, cramming for an oral exam in Renaissance literature, that I found the answer in “ L’Allegro, ” an early poem by Milton, more often quoted as the author of “Paradise Lost.”

Not that having the citation necessarily helps. The cartoon, by George Booth, depicts a woman in her living room, addressing members of a multigenerational, multispecies household. There are cats, codgers, a child with a yo-yo, a bird in a cage and a dog chained to the sofa. Through the front window, the family patriarch can be seen coming up the walk, a fedora on his head and a briefcase in his right hand. His arrival — “Here comes Poppa” — is the occasion for the woman’s Miltonic pep talk.

This black-and-white cartoon shows a woman in a black dress and polka dot apron standing in the front room of her home addressing its inhabitants, which include a young child, several elderly people, a couple of cats and a dog leashed to a sofa. Through a large window, we can see the woman’s husband approaching on the front walk in an overcoat and hat and with a briefcase in one hand.

Who is she? Why is she quoting “L’Allegro”? Part of the charm, I now suspect, lies in the absurdity of those questions. But I also find myself wondering: Were New Yorker readers in the early 1970s, when the cartoon was first published, expected to get the allusion right off the bat? They couldn’t Google it. Or would they have laughed at the incongruous eruption of an old piece of poetry they couldn’t quite place?

Maybe what’s funny is that most people wouldn’t know what that lady was talking about. And maybe the same comic conceit animates an earlier James Thurber drawing reprinted in the same book. In this one, a wild-eyed woman bursts into a room, wearing a floppy hat and wielding a basket of meadow flowers. “I come from haunts of coot and hern!” she exclaims to the baffled company, disturbing their cocktail party.

That’s it. That’s the gag.

Were readers also baffled? It turns out that Thurber’s would-be nature goddess is quoting “ The Brook ,” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. (I’ve never read it either.) Is it necessary to get the reference to get the joke? If you chuckle in recognition, and complete the stanza without missing a beat — “I make a sudden sally/And sparkle out among the fern,/To bicker down a valley” — is the joke on you?

It’s possible, from the standpoint of the present, to assimilate these old pictures to the familiar story about the decline of a civilization based in part on common cultural knowledge. Sure. Whatever. Things fall apart ( Yeats ). In the cartoons’ own terms, though, spouting snippets of poetry is an unmistakable sign of eccentricity — the pastime of kooky women and the male illustrators who commit them to paper. This is less a civilization than a sodality of weirdos, a visionary company ( Hart Crane ) of misfits. But don’t quote me on that.

A.O. Scott is a critic at large for The Times’s Book Review, writing about literature and ideas. He joined The Times in 2000 and was a film critic until early 2023. More about A.O. Scott

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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 ...
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8. Write a title beginning with an -ing verb (like "Creating a Good Title"). 9. Write a title beginning with On (like "On the Titles of Essays"). 10. Write a title that is a lie about the essay. (You probably won't use this one, but it might stimulate your thinking.) 11. Write a one-word title—the most obvious one possible. 12.
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8. Write a title beginning with an -ing verb (like "Creating a Good Title"). 9. Write a title beginning with On (like "On the Titles of Essays"). 10. Write a title that is a lie about the essay. (You probably won't use this one, but it might stimulate your thinking.) 11. Write a one-word title—the most obvious one possible. 12.
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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.
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Writing a Great Title. • A title contributes to the argument developed in the rest of the essay. By identifying the topic, argument, and method of the essay, a strong title begins the work of informing and/or convincing readers. • A strong title indicates to your instructor/marker that you have understood the question and the concepts.
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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.
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How To Write Titles in Essays (With Tips)
Writing titles in an essay requires attention to detail and an understanding of writing formats. Whether composing the essay's title and subtitles or citing other works, your titling should remain consistent. Essays inspire and inform the reader, and effective titles reflect the mood and purpose. In this article, we discuss how to format titles ...
How to Create an Essay Title: 7 Best Practices
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.
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How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
Summary: Creating a Good Title. In summary, creating a good title for your essay is an important part of the writing process. Consider the tone, style, and language that best align with your essay, as well as the intended audience. Pay attention to length and substance, aiming for a concise yet descriptive title.
How to Title an Essay
How to Select a Good Title for an Essay. Essay writing is a progressive task that occurs in different phases. Most learners might think that the content is the only significant feature in academic work, but all sections play a vital role in making the essay exceptional. Title selection might seem simple, but it entails intricate details that ...
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Essay writing process. The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay.. For example, if you've been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you'll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay, on the ...
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7. Seek ideas from your own writing. Reread your work to find sentences or phrases in which you refer to your main ideas. Often the introductory or concluding paragraphs of your work will have a phrase that would work well as a title. Highlight or make a note of any words or phrases that explain your ideas.
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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. [6] As an example, a pun you could use would be "Use Your Backbone to Make Soup."
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Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor. 1. Start Early. Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school.
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The Essay Title Generator is an AI-based tool that creates original and thought-provoking essay titles. By analyzing your input keywords or themes, it generates a range of titles suitable for various academic disciplines and writing styles. This tool is a helpful resource for students and writers looking to create titles that accurately reflect ...
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Here's how. 1. Input the topic of your essay or the keywords that are relevant to your subject matter. 2. Choose the target audience of the research, your preferred tone of voice, and the language of the research. 3. Hit the button to generate a title. You can regenerate a title as many times as you want to or tweak the keywords for greater ...
Like My Book Title? Thanks, I Borrowed It.
A.O. Scott is a critic at large for The Times's Book Review, writing about literature and ideas. He joined The Times in 2000 and was a film critic until early 2023. He joined The Times in 2000 ...

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