Do you need to know how to write titles and subtitles in essays effectively? The main secret is to ensure that the titles and subtitles you choose represent the content under them.
This article presents reliable ways that you can use to write titles and subtitles.
Can an Essay have Subtitles?
Essays can have subtitles because they are useful writing tools.
Subtitles direct the reader that the main heading has been divided into several parts. However, before using them, it is always important to inquire whether your subject discipline requires their use.
An essay can have subtitles if they help organize the thoughts, arguments and points into sectional topics that support the main thesis. Subtitles help the writer organize written work, especially if it involves a lot of words. Subheadings can be mini-essays because the writer is required to write their introduction, body, and conclusion before ending them.
Remember that subtitles must comprehend the main title because they can make a relevant piece of writing lose meaning.
How to Write Subtitles in an Essay or Paper
To write good essay subtitles, you need to do the following:
Come up with the Subtitles
To come up with effective subtitles, you need to understand the title of your essay clearly. The objective of the whole essay and the main points you want to put across should also be clear to avoid formulating subtitles that do not rhyme with your essay title.
In some essays, subtitles should be from the main to the minor. For example, if the title of your essay is “How the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the United States economy,” you should start with the main effects and proceed to the minor ones.
When formulating them, keep them arranged in this order for easy writing.
Write Clear Subtitles that are Straight to the Point
Subtitles should always be meaningful by themselves. The reader should not read the content to know what the subheading is but instead read the subtitle and know what to expect in the content.
This means that subtitles such as “introduction,” “body,” and “conclusion” should not be used in writing.
When the reader goes through the subheadings in your essays, they should know everything they are to expect concerning the thesis statement.
If there is no logical progression of ideas presented by your subtitles, then you have not arranged them properly, and the reader will likely get confused when going through them.
Write Short and Attention Grabbing Subtitles
Subtitles should always be short. They should only take a few seconds to read. Always try to make them as short as possible because you will explain them in detail.
However, always make sure that they make sense. There is no need to write short headlines if they do not make sense or clearly present what you will write about.
Subtitles should also grab the attention of the reader. Once they see them, they should have the urge to read what it is all about. Subtitles should use a smaller heading font than the main title and be bolded to differentiate them from the normal text.
Can an Essay have Titles
Essays should always have titles. Titles present what essays are all about hence giving the reader insight of what to expect when going through them.
An essay without a title cannot be said to be complete. Any cases of untitled essays must be allowed by the instructor or be in the instructions of the work provided.
How to Write Titles in an Essay
You must do the following to write effective titles for your essays.
Write the Title of the Essay after Writing the Content
You always have the title of your essay in mind as you are writing, but you should write it only after completing the text.
Only when you read the entire text will you be able to word the title correctly. This helps come up with a title that accurately presents what you have written and increases the chance of the title emphasizing what the thesis statement entails.
Brainstorm
Always come up with similar titles, and from them, you can choose the most appropriate one for your essay.
Through brainstorming, you are sure that the chances of writing a title that does not go hand in hand are minimal.
Use an Academic Tone
A title of an essay should always have an academic tone that spreads throughout the whole paper. This is why we use third-person language and refrain from using personal opinions in papers or essays.
The language and word choice should depict persuasiveness and strictness and be informative. Any jargon should be avoided because essays are academic writings that are considered official documents.
Make it Catchy
Titles should always grab the attention of the reader. This is achieved by connecting with the reader immediately when they read the title.
This can be done by using questions, stating facts, and avoiding mysterious titles
Use Keywords
The title should contain the keywords in your essay. Both the title and the thesis statement should relay the same message.
Using keywords is also crucial in grabbing the attention of readers. Readers can know what to expect in an essay the most through keywords.
Make it Simple
Do not complicate an essay title. It is the first thing that the reader must easily understand.
Therefore, avoid using vocabulary may prevent the reader from directly grasping what your essay is all about
Follow the Format
Different writing formats require writers to write titles differently. Check out how to structure a paper and get a few things on the best format to use for term papers and research papers.
If formats are specified in the instructions, always follow their guidelines when writing a title. For example, APA format, MLS format, and the Chicago format have different ways of formulating a title, and using one instead of the recommended one can lead to essay failure.
Keep it Short and Accurate
A good title should always grab the reader’s attention without revealing the details of the essay. Even if no word limitations are provided, avoid making titles too long.
A title should always accurately represent what is in your essay and set expectations of what to learn in the essay.
