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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper
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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper Search this Guide Search

Offers detailed guidance on how to develop, organize, and write a college-level research paper in the social and
behavioral sciences.

Purpose of Def inition

Guide
The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. A good title contains the fewest
Types of possible words needed to adequately describe the content and/or purpose of your research
Research paper.
Designs

Design
Importance of Choosing a Good Title
Flaws to
Avoid The title is the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read f irst. It is,
therefore, the most important element that def ines the research study. With this in mind, avoid
Independent
the following when creating a title:
and
Dependent If the title is too long, this usually indicates there are too many unnecessary words.
Variables Avoid language, such as, "A Study to Investigate the...," or "An Examination of the...."
These phrases are obvious and generally superfluous unless they are necessary to covey
Glossary
the scope, intent, or type of a study.
of
On the other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too broad and,
Research
thus, does not tell the reader what is being studied. For example, a paper with the title,
Terms
"African Politics" is so non-specif ic the title could be the title of a book and so
1. Choosing ambiguous that it could refer to anything associated with politics in Africa. A good title
a Research should provide information about the focus and/or scope of your research study.
Problem In academic writing, catchy phrases or non-specif ic language may be used, but only if
Reading it's within the context of the study [e.g., "Fair and Impartial Jury--Catch as Catch Can"].
Research However, in most cases, you should avoid including words or phrases that do not help
Effectively the reader understand the purpose of your paper.

Narrowing
a Topic
Academic writing is a serious and deliberate endeavor. Avoid using humorous or clever
journalistic styles of phrasing when creating the title to your paper. Journalistic
headlines often use emotional adjectives [e.g., incredible, amazing, effortless] to
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Idea
highlight a problem experienced by the reader or use "trigger words" or interrogative
Broadening words like how, what, when, or why to persuade people to read the article or click on a
a Topic link. These approaches are viewed as counter-productive in academic writing. A reader
Idea does not need clever or humorous titles to catch their attention because the act of
reading is assumed to be deliberate based on a desire to learn and improve
Extending
understanding of the research problem. In addition, a humorous title can merely detract
the
from the seriousness and authority of your research. 
Timeliness
Unlike everywhere else in a college-level social sciences research paper [except when
of a Topic
using direct quotes in the text], titles do not have to adhere to rigid grammatical or
Idea
stylistic standards. For example, it could be appropriate to begin a title with a
2. Preparing coordinating conjunction [i.e., and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet] if it makes sense to do so
to Write and does not detract from the purpose of the study [e.g., "Yet Another Look at Mutual
Academic Fund Tournaments"] or beginning the title with an inflected form of a verb such as those
Writing ending in -ing [e.g., "Assessing the Political Landscape: Structure, Cognition, and Power
Style in Organizations"].

Choosing
a Title Hartley James. “To Attract or to Inform: What are Titles for?” Journal of Technical Writing and
Communication 35 (2005): 203-213; Jaakkola, Maarit. “Journalistic Writing and Style.” In Oxford
Making
Research Encyclopedia of Communication. Jon F. Nussbaum, editor. (New York: Oxford
an
University Press, 2018): https://oxfordre.com/communication.
Outline

Paragraph
Structure and Writing Style
Development

3. The The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable research paper title:
Abstract 1. The purpose of the research
Executive 2. The scope of the research
Summary 3. The narrative tone of the paper [typically def ined by the type of the research]
4. The methods used to study the problem
4. The
Introduction The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to highlight the research
The problem under investigation.
C.A.R.S. Create a Working Title
Model

Typically, the f inal title you submit to your professor is created Need
after Help? Chat/Email
the research is Us
 Background complete so that the title accurately captures what has been done. The working title should
Information be developed early in the research process because it can help anchor the focus of the study in
much the same way the research problem does. Referring back to the working title can help you
The
reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the study if you f ind yourself drifting off on a
Research
tangent while writing.

Problem/Question

Theoretical The Final Title

Framework

Effective titles in academic research papers have several characteristics that reflect
5. The
general principles.
Literature
Review Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study,

Citation Rarely use abbreviations or acronyms unless they are commonly known,

Tracking Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest,
Use current nomenclature from the f ield of study,
Content Identify key variables, both dependent and independent,
Alert Reveal how the paper will be organized,
Services Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis,
Evaluating Is limited to 5 to 15 substantive words,
Sources Does not include redundant phrasing, such as, "A Study of," "An Analysis of" or similar
constructions,
Primary
Takes the form of a question or declarative statement,
Sources
If you use a quote as part of the title, the source of the quote is cited [usually using an
Secondary asterisk and footnote],
Sources Use correct grammar and capitalization with all f irst words and last words capitalized,

Tiertiary including the f irst word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and

Sources adverbs that appear between the f irst and last words of the title are also capitalized,
and
What Is Rarely uses an exclamation mark at the end of the title.
Scholarly
vs.
The Subtitle

Popular?

6. The Subtitles are frequently used in social science research papers. Examples of why you may
Methodology include a subtitle:
Qualitative
Methods

Quantitative
1.  Explains or provides additional context, e.g., "Linguistic Ethnography and the Study of
Welfare Institutions as a Flow of Social Practices: The Case of Residential Child Care Institutions
as Paradoxical Institutions." [Palomares, Manuel and David Poveda.  Text & Talk: An
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Methods Interdisciplinary Journal of Language, Discourse and Communication Studies 30 (January

2010): 193-212]
7. The
Results 2.  Adds substance to a literary, provocative, or imaginative title or quote, e.g., "Listen to
What I Say, Not How I Vote": Congressional Support for the President in Washington and at
Using
Home." [Grose, Christian R. and Keesha M. Middlemass. Social Science Quarterly 91 (March
Non-
2010): 143-167]
Textual
Elements 3.  Qualif ies the geographic scope of the research, e.g., "The Geopolitics of the Eastern Border
8. The of the European Union: The Case of Romania-Moldova-Ukraine." [Marcu, Silvia. Geopolitics 14
Discussion (August 2009): 409-432]

Limitations 4.  Qualif ies the temporal scope of the research, e.g., "A Comparison of the Progressive Era
of the and the Depression Years: Societal Influences on Predictions of the Future of the Library, 1895-
Study 1940." [Grossman, Hal B. Libraries & the Cultural Record 46 (2011): 102-128]

9. The 5.  Focuses on investigating the ideas, theories, or work of a particular individual, e.g., "A
Conclusion Deliberative Conception of Politics: How Francesco Saverio Merlino Related Anarchy and
Democracy." [La Torre, Massimo. Sociologia del Diritto 28 (January 2001): 75 - 98]
Appendices
6.  Identif ies the methodology used, e.g. "Student Activism of the 1960s Revisited: A
10.
Multivariate Analysis Research Note." [Aron, William S. Social Forces 52 (March 1974): 408-414]
Proofreading
Your Paper 7.  Def ines the overarching technique for analyzing the research problem, e.g., "Explaining
Common Territorial Change in Federal Democracies: A Comparative Historical Institutionalist Approach."
Grammar [Tillin, Louise. Political Studies 63 (August 2015): 626-641.
Mistakes

Writing Anstey, A. “Writing Style: What's in a Title?” British Journal of Dermatology 170 (May 2014):
Concisely 1003-1004; Balch, Tucker. How to Compose a Title for Your Research Paper. Augmented
Trader blog. School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Tech University; Choosing the Proper
11. Citing
Research Paper Titles. AplusReports.com, 2007-2012; Eva, Kevin W. “Titles, Abstracts, and
Sources
Authors.” In How to Write a Paper. George M. Hall, editor. 5th edition. (Oxford: John Wiley and
Avoiding Sons, 2013), pp. 33-41; Hartley James. “To Attract or to Inform: What are Titles for?” Journal of
Plagiarism Technical Writing and Communication 35 (2005): 203-213; General Format. The Writing Lab
and The OWL. Purdue University; Kerkut G.A. “Choosing a Title for a Paper.” Comparative
Footnotes
Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology 74 (1983): 1; “Tempting Titles.” In Stylish
or
Academic Writing. Helen Sword, editor. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012), pp.
Endnotes? Need Help? Chat/Email Us
63-75.
 63 75.
Further
Readings

Annotated
Bibliography

Giving an
Oral
Presentation

Group
Presentations

Dealing
with
Nervousness

Using
Visual
Aids

Grading
Someone
Else's Paper

How to
Manage
Group
Projects

Types of
Structured
Group
Activities

Group
Project
Survival
Skills

Writing a
Book
Review



Multiple
Book
Review
Essay

Reviewing
Collected
Works

Writing a
Case Study

Writing a
Field
Report

About
Informed
Consent

Writing
Field
Notes

Writing a
Policy
Memo

Writing a
Research
Proposal

Acknowledgments

Bibliography

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