Congrats, you just finished writing your essay!
How to title an essay? Now, all you’ve got to do is add the perfect cherry on top.
These 3 effective tips will get you closer to the A+ mark you deserve!
Why is a Title So Important?
The title serves as the reader’s first preview of your essay. It lets readers know what to expect without giving everything away.
An effective essay title should:
Grab the attention of the readers
Give a clear, accurate description of the essay
Be concise and easy to read
Reflect the topic and tone of the essay appropriately
The general structure of an essay title is composed of a hook, topic keywords, and focus keywords.
1. Create a Catchy Hook
The hook introduces the readers to the essay. It has to be creative to draw their attention.
Hooks can include:
✔️ Quotes
✔️ Pop culture references
✔️ Play on words
✔️ Questions
✔️ Imagery
Take a look at this scenario:
Jerry needs to write a title for his essay about the philosophical themes found in The Beatles’ songs.
He's considering different options for his hook:
A. List the names of The Beatles to grab the attention of their fans
B. Include the title of one of The Beatles’ top songs, “Let It Be”
C. Use adjectives to vividly describe The Beatles
D. Omit creative hooks altogether to get straight to the point
Quiz
Which is the best way for him to write a strong hook?
2. Include Topic Keywords
Topic keywords are 1-2 crucial words or phrases that contain important concepts of the essay.
They usually answer the question:
Topic keywords are:
Specific to the content and angle of the essay
Not general or generic (like "An Essay About The Beatles")
Example
Let It Be: Philosophical Themes in The Beatles’ Top Hits
In this title,the phrase “philosophical themes” serve as topic keywords for this title.
3. Add Focus Keywords
Focus keywords provide information about the origin or setting of the essay topic.
This usually answers the questions: What? and When?
Focus keywords can be in the form of:
The title of a literature text or piece of media
Name of a person, animal, or place
Example
Let It Be: Philosophical Themes in The Beatles’ Top Hits
In this title, the phrase "The Beatles’ Top Hits” informs the readers of the focus keywords (the band's catalogue of hit songs).
More Tips on How to Title an Essay!
Write your title after writing your essay
As you write and review your essay, you will get a better understanding of your key message and naturally come up with a few possible titles.
Consider the tone and audience of your essay
Make sure to match your title to the tone of your essay and the knowledge level of your audience.
Avoid jargon or abbreviations
Jargon and abbreviations can make the title more difficult to understand.
Follow Style Guides
Some classes may require you to follow a style guide (ex. APA, MLA, CMS, etc.) for your titles.
Check Your Knowledge
Jerry has finished writing his essay on the reasons behind the popularity of Christmas movies by Netflix. All he needs is to find a catchy hook for his half-finished title: "Common Themes in Netflix Holiday Movies That Make Them So Popular."
Which of the following would be the best hook for this title?
A. Christmas Movies and Streaming
B. Ho, Ho, Ho!
C. Netflix and Chill
D. How Netflix Stole Christmas
Quiz
Choose an answer below.
Take Action
Finding the perfect cherry on top of your essay doesn’t always have to be so hard. Follow these steps to be an essay title master in no time!
Your feedback matters to us.
This Byte helped me better understand the topic.