Normally we don’t think of titles in essay writing to be all that important, but the title to your essay can make a dramatic difference in how your essay will be viewed, both before and after it is read.
With APA format, writers have the means of creating these long, detailed and specific titles that are tailored to the paper’s thesis. Usually APA papers are full of topic specific terms that don’t allow for just a brief glance over to see the author’s intention with the paper. By having a detailed, well thought out title, you allow your reader insight into your essay without having to hunt for your thesis in a sea of technical jargon.
Think about it, would you read a paper that had a generic title that didn’t tell you much about the paper, or a paper where you could tell by the title, exactly what the author is going to slap you with from the get-go?
Here’s an example: If you’re writing a nursing paper on the importance of disinfectant use in sterile surgical environments, which title is more engaging:
“Disinfectant Use in the Surgery Ward” Or “The vital importance of proper disinfection by surgical nurses in the hospital and how proper sterilization practice can lead to lower patient mortality rates”
The first title is too broad, and it doesn’t give the reader a clear sense of what the author will talk about in the paper. The second title is more detailed and allows the reader insight into the topic of the paper, even before they read the abstract or thesis.
Take the time to work out a nice title for your essay. You don’t want to spend all this time doing research and writing a well thought out essay and have it not be read because of a mediocre title.
-Sarah. C
