Ok, now I'm emboldened. More unsolicited #sciencewriting advice. Today's is on titles.
The words in your title are the most important words in your manuscript. The title is seen when people do a google scholar search, and it determines whether ppl read your paper, so...
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The words in your title are the most important words in your manuscript. The title is seen when people do a google scholar search, and it determines whether ppl read your paper, so...
1/6
All people who see your paper read the title.
A small percentage read the abstract.
Maybe .01%? read your paper. (The ~CTR of a banner ad.)
Better titles leads more ppl to read your abstracts, papers, and cite your papers. Here are three suggestions...
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A small percentage read the abstract.
Maybe .01%? read your paper. (The ~CTR of a banner ad.)
Better titles leads more ppl to read your abstracts, papers, and cite your papers. Here are three suggestions...
2/6
1. More people care about effects than process. If you have to choose, report the effect in the title.
Effect: "Digital goods are valued less than physical goods."
Process: "Lower psychological ownership for digital than physical goods reduces their perceived value."
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Effect: "Digital goods are valued less than physical goods."
Process: "Lower psychological ownership for digital than physical goods reduces their perceived value."
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2. The central finding and its direction should be obvious from your title.
A good title, "Digital goods are valued less than physical goods." Effect and direction are clear.
A bad title, "Winners love winning, and losers love money."
Not sure what we were thinking, sigh.
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A good title, "Digital goods are valued less than physical goods." Effect and direction are clear.
A bad title, "Winners love winning, and losers love money."
Not sure what we were thinking, sigh.
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3. Do SEO, try many variations in Google Scholar.
What to look for:
Does the title place your paper in a relevant field/literature?
Does the title communicate your work to a larger or smaller audience (i.e., more search results)?
(Even one word can have a big effect.)
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What to look for:
Does the title place your paper in a relevant field/literature?
Does the title communicate your work to a larger or smaller audience (i.e., more search results)?
(Even one word can have a big effect.)
5/6
You spent hundreds of hours thinking, running experiments (or "studies"), writing your paper, and navigating the review process. Spend at least an hour picking the title that will forever communicate your work to the world.
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