main topic and nature of your dissertation; it might

mention the methodology, location and subjects of your

research; it could specify the variables or theoretical
issues you investigated and the relationship between
them; and it will often indicate what you have discovered.
An effective title is worded in an interesting and eloquent
way that provides the necessary details with precision,
and the vocabulary you choose may also bear relevant
nuances and allusions.

However, titles are usually best if they are as short as

possible, so it is essential to be concise as well as
informative. Some style guides, universities and
departments set strict word or character limits on titles –
the Publication Manual of the APA (2010, p.23), for
instance, recommends limiting a title to 12 words or less
– and since titles are used by search engines, words that
do not specifically relate to your research tend to be
extra baggage that does no real work in gaining you an
audience. There are, then, good reasons to avoid all
unnecessary words in your title: adverbs and adjectives
are rarely needed and should be used sparingly and to
maximum effect, while words such as ‘study,’ ‘methods’
and ‘results’ are often extraneous. In some cases,
however, a title that identifies the type of study or the
specific methodology used in a dissertation may be
required, usually as a subtitle along the lines of ‘A
Qualitative Study’ or ‘A Randomised Trial,’ so it is
important to check university and department guidelines
and discuss your title with your supervisor and
committee members if you have any doubt about what is
appropriate for your dissertation.

Notes (whether footnotes or endnotes) should normally

not be attached to titles, and it is wise to avoid
abbreviations, although standard abbreviations or those