Scholars when framing the results of the study often focus on such elements as methods, results, conclusions, etc. At the same time, the abstract of the work, keywords, and title of the paper are mostly formed spontaneously, as if these elements are small in volume and nominal in nature. This approach is absolutely wrong. Metadata (title, keywords, abstract) have important functions. They act as a kind of «advertisement» for the research. Consider, how the title of a research article affects its performance and how to format it correctly.
What functions does the work title fulfil?
It is important to understand that the title of a research paper is its calling card. It is where the introduction to the research begins. From its results, readers form a first impression of the work and draw conclusions about whether to continue studying the material.
A successful title is more likely to appear in search engines of bibliographic managers, databases, and journal websites. This contributes to the increase in the main scientometric indicators of the research, increasing the authority and popularity of the scientist. In addition, the title of a research article is one of the few building blocks of a paper that is publicly available online, regardless of the business model of the journal where the research is published.
Step-by-step instructions for writing a title
Step 1: Reread the paper carefully and answer the following questions: What is the work about? What was researched in it? What methods were used? What results were obtained? Write out the answers.
Step 2: Examine the obtained answers, underlining the key words.
Step 3: Form a title out of the keywords. Try to use as many keywords as possible and combine them logically.
Step 4: Shorten the headline by removing repetition and excessive clarification. The ideal title size at this stage is 10-15 words (31-40 characters). Note that sometimes journals may prescribe length requirements for article titles.
Step 5: Final proofreading of the title. At this stage the title must be checked for grammar, punctuation, syntax errors, and translation inaccuracies (if the article is in another language). Remember, each word in the title should carry a certain semantic meaning.
Recommendations for the title of the paper
- The wording of the title should be precise, but at the same time reflect the full range of work that has been carried out.
- Excessive specificity should be avoided. For example, it is not necessary to specify the exact number of respondents, all the features of the sample, and others. These details will be reflected in other structural elements of the paper.
- A title with an optimal length (10-15 words) should be considered. A too short title will not specify the work and reflect the author's approach, while a long title will scatter the readers' attention.
- Punctuation marks that carry any kind of emotional load (“?”, “!”) should not be used. The title of a research paper should be more formal, so it is worth using commas, colons, and semicolons.
- Formality should also be respected in writing style, so the use of jargon and elements of humour is unacceptable, as scientific style does not imply such lexicon. Some researchers think that an innocent joke or pun may catch the reader's attention, but in the case of a headline, it will scare them away.
- Avoid abbreviations. The use of abbreviations in the title of a research paper greatly reduces the searchability of the paper, as a result, such research will appear less relevant.
- Attention should be paid to grammar, punctuation, and syntax. The word order in the sentence should also be considered. If the work is to be published in another language and is being translated by a specialist company, remember to send the title of the work to them for verification and translation.
- The title of the work reflects its essence. This structural element should not be taken as an ordinary sentence!
To check the title of a research paper, use the checklist below:
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