CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCH TITLE

In 2005, rhetoric scholars Hairson and Keene in their book Successful Writing came up with four goals
that any good title accomplishes.

1. A good title predicts the content of the research

A good title informs the reader accurately about the contents of the article. The main responsibility of a
title is to explain what the article is about without misleading or establishing wrong expectations. Make
sure it doesn’t include anything that your reader won’t be able to find in the paper.

We found an interesting case of Christian Kastner, an associate professor in the School of Computer
Science at Carnegie Mellon University, who brainstormed more than 30 titles for his research paper. The
first title was “50 Years is Long Enough”. What do you think his study is about? It’s very hard to guess
because the title is vague and uninformative.

After browsing through a long list of ideas, the author decided to name it “The Love and Hate
Relationship with the C Preprocessor: An Interview Study”, which clearly shows the research method;
the reader can also predict the objective of the study: to identify users’ attitude to C Preprocessor.

What questions does your paper seek to answer and what does it accomplish?

2. A good title should be interesting to the reader

To make the title interesting, attention-grabbing, and easy to read, use words that create a positive
impression and stimulate the reader’s interest. The example above is catchy enough to become a
memorable title.

However, be careful if you want to include a catchy phrase. Even though stylistic devices make titles
witty and more attractive, such titles may be not clear. When trying to add some zest, make sure your
title conveys information in an unambiguous and precise manner, communicates the message clearly,
and doesn’t encourage multiple interpretations.

How about another example of a title by Kastner?

Variability-Aware Parsing in the Presence of Lexical Macros and Conditional Compilation

How do you like it? Does it make you want to read the paper? Probably no. It sounds too dry as it
contains very field-specific vocabulary, which might be clear only to specialists. It doesn’t provide any
clue on the type of study or results either.

This is the second version of the same title:

SuperC: Parsing all of C by taming the preprocessor

It is flashier and much more intuitive. SuperC, a name that was given to the program, alludes to a
superhero; verb ‘to tame’ creates a powerful image.
To attract wider audience, choose words carefully, avoid technicalities and specific vocabulary if
possible. Instead, go for words that create vivid images.

3. It reflects the tone of writing

It’s very important to define the tone of your research in the title and keep it throughout the paper. If
it’s a serious and conventional academic study, avoid a casual or fun title containing ornate or
conversational language.

Medical research is a serious business. Hence, it is better to avoid amusing or hilarious titles for research
articles. Although they might attract some initial attention, findings in articles with amusing or humorous
titles are usually taken less seriously and are cited less often. (Bavdekar, 2016)

Let’s look at a couple of titles with inappropriate tone:

All this effort to design software metrics? Sure!

Should I teach my child programming at the age of 3? (Maybe!)

The conversational tone of these titles is inappropriate for a research paper and better suits an easy
read.

4. It contains important keywords

Keywords are important words and concepts that are frequently used in your research paper. Using
them in the title will let you introduce the topic, problem, or solution right away.

Let’s take a look at the examples from the book How to Write and Illustrate a Scientific Paper by Bjorn
Gustavi:

The effect of calcium antagonist felodipine on blood pressure, heart rate … in patients with essential
hyperextension

According to Gustavi, this title is not very effective as it reveals which disease was studied only at the
end. He advises to place keywords at the beginning of the title. This makes it immediately clear what you
studied, and your research will be easier to find:

Essential hypertension: The effect of …

Look at the following titles and analyze them using the characteristics that we have discussed — do they
predict content, evoke interest, and reflect tone?

Time for a Marketing Curriculum Overhaul: Developing a Digital-First Approach

Marketing Сurriculum is Dead: Developing a Digital-First Approach

Developing a Digital Approach for Marketing

FIVE STEPS TO A GREAT TITLE

Chelsea blogby Chelsea Lee

You’ve burned through the midnight oil. You’ve written the last word, double-, nay, triple-checked the
reference list, and as the sun clambers over the windowsill you face the last remaining question: What
to call this work of staggering genius? You are tempted to play the facetious card and call your paper “A
Study of the Effects of Red Bull on a Person's Ability to Form Coherent Sentences,” but the long-term
implications of such a title for your academic success give you pause. What else, then, shall suffice?

The title of your paper is incredibly important. A paper’s title not only sets readers’ expectations for
what the paper will be about but may also determine whether it gets read at all—or with how much
trepidation versus excitement it is greeted.

Below are five general principles that, if followed, will produce a great title:

A great title summarizes the main idea of the paper. Your title should identify the key issues under
investigation as well as how they relate to each other. The title “The Effects of Transformed Letters on
Reading Speed” achieves this goal, whereas the title “Transformed Letters and Reading Speed” identifies
the elements but misses the relationship.

A great title has a length of 12 words or fewer. If your attempts to create a summarizing title have
produced a five-line manifesto, try to pare it down to the essentials. Keep in mind that 12 words is a
guideline, not a hard ceiling.

A great title includes only words that contribute meaning. Phrases such as “A Study of,” “An
Experimental Investigation of,” or “The Results of” are like empty calories (not unlike most of what’s in
that Red Bull...). Make your title easier to digest by cutting the fat. “The Results of a Study of The Effects
of Heavy Metal Music on Plant Growth” can slim down to “The Effects of HCover of "Do Androids Dream
of Electric Sheep" by Philip K. Dick. Image retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DoAndroidsDream.png, reproduced for scholarly purposes onlyeavy
Metal Music on Plant Growth” or even the jazzier “How Heavy Metal Music Stimulates Plant Growth.”

A great title gives away the ending. If your title is in the form of a yes–no question, try rephrasing it so
that the question is answered or the answer at least alluded to. This primes the reader for deeper
comprehension. If Philip K. Dick had written for an academic audience, you might be perusing Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep: Empathy in Nonhuman Species before bed tonight. (Click the image of the
book cover at the right to read about his actual book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.)
A great title says it with style. Academic writing must be precise, but it needn’t be fusty. Consider these
titles of real published psychology articles: “The Unicorn, the Normal Curve, and Other Improbable
Creatures” (Micceri, 1989, Psychological Bulletin) and “Pride, Prejudice, and Ambivalence: Toward a
Unified Theory of Race and Ethnicity” (Markus, 2008, American Psychologist). These titles pique readers’
interest while also conveying essential information about the content of the article.

Armed with these principles, you are now ready to give your next paper a great title. You can also read
more about titles in the Publication Manual in section 2.01 (p. 23).

How to write your research proposal

Study

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HOW TO WRITE YOUR RESEARCH PROPOSAL

FEES AND FUNDINGRESEARCH AREASMODE OF STUDYSTUDENTSHIPSRESEARCH DEGREES FAQS

A key part of your application is your research proposal. Whether you are applying for a self-funded or
studentship you should follow the guidance below.

If you are looking specifically for advice on writing your PhD by published work research proposal, read
our guide.

You are encouraged to contact us to discuss the availability of supervision in your area of research
before you make a formal application, by visiting our areas of research.

What is your research proposal used for and why is it important?

It is used to establish whether there is expertise to support your proposed area of research

It forms part of the assessment of your application

The research proposal you submit as part of your application is just the starting point, as your ideas
evolve your proposed research is likely to change

How long should my research proposal be?

It should be 2,000–3,500 words (4-7 pages) long.

What should be included in my research proposal?

Your proposal should include the following:

1. TITLE

Your title should give a clear indication of your proposed research approach or key question

2. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

You should include:

the background and issues of your proposed research

identify your discipline

a short literature review

a summary of key debates and developments in the field

3. RESEARCH QUESTION(S)

You should formulate these clearly, giving an explanation as to what problems and issues are to be
explored and why they are worth exploring

4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

You should provide an outline of:

the theoretical resources to be drawn on

the research approach (theoretical framework)

the research methods appropriate for the proposed research

a discussion of advantages as well as limits of particular approaches and methods

5. PLAN OF WORK & TIME SCHEDULE

You should include an outline of the various stages and corresponding time lines for developing and
implementing the research, including writing up your thesis.

For full-time study your research should be completed within three years, with writing up completed in
the fourth year of registration.

For part-time study your research should be completed within six years, with writing up completed by
the eighth year.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

You should include:

a list of references to key articles and texts discussed within your research proposal

a selection of sources appropriate to the proposed research

RELATED PAGES
ORGANIZING ACADEMIC RESEARCH PAPERS: CHOOSING A TITLE

Definition

The title summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. A good title contains the fewest possible
words that adequately describe the contents and/or purpose of your research paper.

The title is without doubt the part of a paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first. If the title
is too long it usually contains too many unnecessary words, e.g., "A Study to Investigate the...." On the
other hand, a title which is too short often uses words which are too general. For example, "African
Politics" could be the title of a book, but it does not provide any information on the focus of a research
paper.

Structure and Writing Style

The following parameters can be used to help you formulate a suitable research paper title:

The purpose of the research

The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined by the type of the research]

The methods used

The initial aim of a title is to capture the reader’s attention and to draw his or her attention to the
research problem being investigated.

Create a Working Title

Typically, the final title you submit to your professor is created after the research is complete so that the
title accurately captures what was done. The working title should 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 reorient yourself back to the main purpose of the
study if you feel yourself drifting off on a tangent while writing.

The Final Title

Effective titles in academic research papers have several characteristics.

Indicate accurately the subject and scope of the study.

Avoid using abbreviations.

Use words that create a positive impression and stimulate reader interest.

Use current nomenclature from the field of study.

Identify key variables, both dependent and independent.

May reveal how the paper will be organized.

Suggest a relationship between variables which supports the major hypothesis.

Is limited to 10 to 15 substantive words.

Do not include "study of," "analysis of" or similar constructions.

Titles are usually in the form of a phrase, but can also be in the form of a question.

Use correct grammar and capitalization with all first words and last words capitalized, including the first
word of a subtitle. All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs that appear between the first
and last words of the title are also capitalized.

In academic papers, rarely is a title followed by an exclamation mark. However, a title or subtitle can be
in the form of a question.

The Subtitle

Subtitles are quite common in social science research papers. Examples of why you may include a
subtitle:

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."

Adds substance to a literary, provocative, or imaginative title, e.g., "Listen to What I Say, Not How I Vote:
Congressional Support for the President in Washington and at Home."
Qualifies the geographic scope of the research, e.g., "The Geopolitics of the Eastern Border of the
European Union: The Case of Romania-Moldova-Ukraine."

Qualifies the temporal scope of the research, e.g., "A Comparison of the Progressive Era and the
Depression Years: Societal Influences on Predictions of the Future of the Library, 1895-1940."

Focuses on investigating the ideas, theories, or work of a particular individual, e.g., "A Deliberative
Conception of Politics: How Francesco Saverio Merlino Related Anarchy and Democracy.