{"id":3566,"date":"2016-03-02T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-03T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=3566"},"modified":"2019-03-24T09:20:17","modified_gmt":"2019-03-24T16:20:17","slug":"how-to-write-good-essay-titles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Good Essay Titles That Are&#8230; Good"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you imagine a world where everything was named as blandly as possible? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCome here, Pet.\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHey, Maternal Grandmother, could I get your recipe for Casserole?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Book about a Long Journey<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is pretty much the best thing I\u2019ve ever read.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI love shopping at Clothing Store at Mall\u2014its Regular Jeans are to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">die <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3818\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280.jpg\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280-1024x682.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3818 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20333%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20333%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280-1024x682.jpg 1024w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/baby-164897_1280.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meh. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yawn<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Zzzzzz.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now you understand the crushing ennui your teacher feels flipping through a stack of essays entitled \u201cNarrative Essay\u201d or \u201cEssay 4,\u201d \u201cAnalysis of Emily Dickinson\u2019s Poetry,\u201d or worst of all, the dreaded \u201cUntitled.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boring, right? No wonder it takes three weeks to get them graded and handed back!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>So how do you make your essay the shining gem in the rough, the beacon that keeps your teacher from falling asleep in yet another puddle of coffee and tears during hours-long grading marathons?<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll get there. First, let\u2019s discuss why essay titles matter in the first place.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Are Essay Titles Important?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The title of an essay occupies a pretty sweet spot: front and center, first page. This is a position of prestige and privilege. It just <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">begs <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to be read. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3819\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3819\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page.png\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3819\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page.png\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page-669x1024.png 669w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3819 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20766%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"766\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20766%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page-669x1024.png 669w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Parkinson_An_Essay_on_the_Shaking_Palsy_title_page.png\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3819\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Old-timey cover page optional.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t waste this opportunity to make a good first impression!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much like a hook sentence, a title should snag the attention of your readers and make them want to read more.<br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"tm-tweet-clear\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tm-click-to-tweet\">\n<div class=\"tm-ctt-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Like+a+hook+sentence%2C+a+title+should+snag+your+readers%27+attention+and+make+them+want+to+read+more.&#038;via=kibin&#038;related=kibin&#038;url=https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\" target=\"_blank\">Like a hook sentence, a title should snag your readers&#8217; attention and make them want to read more.<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Like+a+hook+sentence%2C+a+title+should+snag+your+readers%27+attention+and+make+them+want+to+read+more.&#038;via=kibin&#038;related=kibin&#038;url=https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"tm-ctt-btn\">Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"tm-ctt-tip\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most importantly, the title\u2014even a short one\u2014can give readers a lot of context about an essay. Good essay titles not only identify the essay\u2019s subject, but they can also give readers clues about important elements of the essay:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tone (Is it serious or irreverent?)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">structure (Is it argumentative? Are you comparing and contrasting?)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">angle\/stance (Are you in favor of something or against it?)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what goes into a mind-blowingly good essay title? Keep reading to find out!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Are the Essential Elements of Good Essay Titles?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach to titling essays. While a one-word title might work for some essays, others practically beg for long, descriptive ones. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, there are a few qualities that most good essay titles share:.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. A good essay title identifies the subject.<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It probably seems obvious that a title should give the reader at least a hint about the essay\u2019s subject, but you\u2019d be surprised how often it doesn&#8217;t! I\u2019ve edited plenty of essays with titles like \u201cAnalysis Essay,\u201d \u201cHistory,\u201d or \u201cAssignment 5.\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only are these boring, but they\u2019re completely vague and nonspecific.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. A great title establishes the tone of the essay.<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to telling readers what an essay is about, really great titles also help to set the tone or mood of the essay. A forceful, direct title is perfect for an angry rant or a somber piece of persuasion. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Titles with puns or other fun wordplay, on the other hand, suggest that the reader can take the piece a little less seriously.<\/span><\/p>\n\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple\">\n\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-cont\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-header\">Your grades will thank you. <\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-desc\">Never miss a post. Get free weekly writing help delivered straight to your inbox!<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-input\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"blog-cta-simple-cont-btn\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.getdrip.com\/forms\/843655814\/submissions\/new\" target=\"_blank\">Yes! Sign me up. <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<h3>3. Good essay titles are specific.<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s possible for a title to establish both the tone and subject \u2026 but in a vague way. For instance, \u201cA Scholarly Examination of Chinese Art\u201d identifies a subject and a tone, but if the essay actually focuses on fifteenth-century Chinese pottery, specificity is lacking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A more specific essay title would be \u201cA Scholarly Examination of Fifteenth-Century Chinese Pottery.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>4. A great essay title is attractive <i>to the intended audience<\/i>.<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last but not least, a title should be attractive and interesting\u2014but most importantly, it should be attractive and interesting<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the audience for whom it was written<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, a playful and punny title might fall flat for a stodgy, humorless professor\u2014you know the type. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3820\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns.jpg\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3820 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20375%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns-300x225.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/srsbsns.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this case, it\u2019s better to be straightforward and descriptive\u2014but that doesn\u2019t have to mean boring.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, your creative writing instructor would probably appreciate a bit of clever wordplay.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This aspect of title-writing requires you to know your audience and make a judgment call regarding the type of title your readers will find engaging. But it\u2019s totally worth it when you snag a big, fat \u2018A,\u2019 right?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you know what goes into a good title, let\u2019s look at some strategies for writing titles that meet these criteria.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tips and Tricks for Writing Good Essay Titles<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you know the different components of a solid title, how do you actually write one?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few tips and tricks to help. For each of the following tips, I\u2019ve also shared one or more relevant examples from the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kibin essay database<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Use subtitles to your advantage<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many essay titles have both a main title as well as a secondary title that elaborates a bit on the first part. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider the late David Foster Wallace\u2019s essay <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/harpers.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/HarpersMagazine-1996-01-0007859.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shipping Out: On the (nearly lethal) comforts of a luxury cruise<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alone, neither part of that title would meet all the criteria I listed earlier. Yet together, they create a title that\u2019s almost irresistible. (What was \u201cnearly lethal\u201d?&nbsp;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have to know!<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essay database example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\/an-essay-on-the-delicious-mexican-food-buritos-lBn5nIjd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wrap It Up: An Ode to the Burrito<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280.png\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3821\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280.png\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280-1024x558.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3821 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20273%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"273\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20273%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280-1024x558.png 1024w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/taco-576390_1280.png\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Sum it up<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another strategy for writing good essay titles is to choose two or three words that sum up the main ideas of the essay\u2014bonus points if these words seem oddly juxtaposed as this creates interest and attraction. Just be sure that they\u2019re relevant. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While they aren\u2019t essays, Jared Diamond\u2019s book <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies\/dp\/0393317552\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guns, Germs, and Steel<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Chuck Klosterman\u2019s essay collection <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sex-Drugs-Cocoa-Puffs-Manifesto\/dp\/0743236017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are both fantastic examples of this titling strategy in action. How could you pass those up?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essay database example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\/how-my-experiences-in-college-are-preparing-me-to-become-a-competent-doctor-Yh4nGhfH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Scalpel, Forceps, Empathy: How My College Experiences Are Preparing Me to Become a Competent Doctor<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Take a page (well, a phrase) from someone else\u2019s book<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, great titles are right under your nose\u2014maybe even in the text you\u2019re analyzing. An especially provocative or descriptive line can really set the tone for your essay and save you a bit of brainstorming. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And sometimes, you may find inspiration from a piece of writing that you aren\u2019t writing about. Consider Joan Didion\u2019s famous essay collection and the essay of the same name, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Slouching-Towards-Bethlehem-Essays-Classics\/dp\/0374531382\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slouching Towards Bethlehem<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The title of this work was inspired by the last line of William Butler Yeats\u2019 poem <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.potw.org\/archive\/potw351.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Second Coming<\/a>.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One thing to remember, though: if your snippet is a direct quotation, be sure to place it in quotation marks, as in the example below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essay database example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\/imagery-of-the-road-in-cormac-mccarthys-book-the-road-OnfwFWzs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;Dark of the Invisible Moon&#8221;: Imagery in Cormac McCarthy&#8217;s <em>The Road<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Get punny (if appropriate)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clever wordplay has its place, including in essay titles. That said, there\u2019s a fine line between funny and corny. Not all topics or essays are suited for a funny title. Use your best judgment, and keep your audience in mind. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider Donovan Hohn\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Moby-Duck-Beachcombers-Oceanograp-Environmentalists-Including\/dp\/0143120506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea &amp; of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists &amp; Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The title is cheeky yet descriptive and suits the subject well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3822\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920.jpg\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920-1024x654.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3822 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20319%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"good essay titles\" width=\"500\" height=\"319\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20500%20319%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920-1024x654.jpg 1024w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/ducks-452485_1920.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also balance your wit with a more buttoned-up subtitle to ensure that your work is still taken seriously. For instance, consider David Walter Toews\u2019 book titled&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/177041116X\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Origin of Feces<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Excrement Tells Us about Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essay database example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\/an-introduction-to-the-culinary-institute-of-america-JiwICDzy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Secrets of the C.I.A.: America&#8217;s Premier Chef&#8217;s School<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Be provocative<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, the best essay title is simply a provocative statement that makes the reader feel just a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tiny bit<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> defensive or that speaks to an opinion the reader also holds. This titling strategy works especially well for argumentative and persuasive essays, in which you simply state your argument in the title. Pamela Druckerman\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/SB10001424052970204740904577196931457473816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why French Parents Are Superior<\/a>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a good example of such a title.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, other types of non-argumentative yet controversial statements can also work. Consider Bertrand Russell\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.users.drew.edu\/~jlenz\/whynot.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why I Am Not a Christian<\/a>,&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a title that would have been particularly controversial in 1927, when it was originally published, or Mathew Ingram\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gigaom.com\/2010\/06\/06\/does-the-internet-make-us-smarter-or-dumber-yes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Is the Internet Making Us Smarter or Dumber? Yes<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essay database example: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-examples\/why-donald-trump-will-never-be-the-president-of-the-united-states-R4ri5C89\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why Donald Trump Will Never Be President of the United States<\/a>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Bonus tip:&nbsp;Study great titles<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you really want to improve your title-writing game, figure out what makes <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">want to read an essay or article. Scroll through an online magazine that tickles your fancy\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>The New Yorker<\/em><\/a>,&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/news\/opinion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opinion section of <em>The Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>,&nbsp;<\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rookiemag.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rookie<\/a><\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rolling Stone<\/span><\/a><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> all publish great essays\u2014and figure out what makes you want to click on a title. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thisibelieve.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This I Believe<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is another great source of inspiration, especially for titling personal essays. Check out the titles of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thisibelieve.org\/top\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">most viewed essays<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and consider which ones you want to read and why.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parting Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, writing good essay titles takes time and practice. In fact, some bloggers spend <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.copyblogger.com\/writing-headlines-that-get-results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">half<\/a>&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the time it takes to create a piece of writing working on the title. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this is definitely overkill for a school assignment\u2014after all, you\u2019re not necessarily competing for attention among thousands of other writers\u2014it gives you an idea of just how important the title is. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But most importantly, you have the strategies you need to give your essay the name it deserves. And if you\u2019re not sure if your title fits your paper or really reels the reader in, ask a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-editing-proofreading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kibin editor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for an honest opinion\u2014we\u2019re always happy to help!<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Happy writing!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can you imagine a world where everything was named as blandly as possible? \u201cCome here, Pet.\u201d \u201cHey, Maternal Grandmother, could I get your recipe for Casserole?\u201d \u201cBook about a Long Journey is pretty much the best thing I\u2019ve ever read.\u201d \u201cI love shopping at Clothing Store at Mall\u2014its Regular Jeans are to die for.\u201d Meh. &hellip; <\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\" class=\"more-link btn btn-primary\"><b>Read more<\/b><span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Write Good Essay Titles That Are&#8230; Good&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":8369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[57,136,95],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Write Good Essay Titles That Are... Good<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Stop putting your teacher to sleep, and learn how to write mind-blowingly good essay titles that engage readers and help you snag that big, fat &quot;A.&quot;\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Write Good Essay Titles That Are... Good\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Stop putting your teacher to sleep, and learn how to write mind-blowingly good essay titles that engage readers and help you snag that big, fat &quot;A.&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kibin Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-03-03T01:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-03-24T16:20:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/goodessaytitles2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"355\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Erin H.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Erin H.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/how-to-write-good-essay-titles\/\",\"name\":\"How to Write Good Essay Titles That Are... 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