Thread by @scientistswrite

The title of your paper is your shop front.

Here are 10 rules to write a compelling title for your scientific article.

A thread. 🧵

#AcademicChatter @TheStrugglingS4 #Postdoc

#1: The title should describe your main result

📌 Your reader will want to know what exactly the take-away message of your paper is.

#2: The title doesn't need to convey every detail

📚 Don't try to cram information into your title and don't try to communicate more than 1 key take-away in your title.

#3: The title should be fewer than 95 characters long

👀 Long titles take longer to read and comprehend. Try to keep yours short to get more views and citations.

#4: The title should be specific

🌍 Too general titles lack keywords (important for indexing) and don't tell the reader what your study is about.

#5: The title doesn't need punctuation marks

❓ Titles with question marks, hyphens or colons receive fewer citations. Using punctuation marks will also likely mean that you are violating rule #2 or #4.

#6: The title should feature an active verb

🏃‍♀️ Noun-heavy titles take the reader longer to read and understand. It's better to convey the meaning of your sentence using a verb, e.g. "Running exercise strengthens the intervertebral disk" as in
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28422125/

#7: The title doesn't need filler words

🧁 Don't waste the space writing phrases such as "an observation of" or "a study of" or "on...". They are likely to violate rules #1, #2 and #4 as well.

#8: The title shouldn't contain acronyms

🔤 Spell out any acronyms and abbreviations in your title that the reader of your target journal won't be likely to understand.

#9: The level of jargon in the title should match the target audience

🔬 Consider the readership of your target journal and only use jargon they will be likely to understand.

#10: The title should adhere to your target journal's guidelines

📑 Always check the guidelines of your target journal before you start writing your paper. Some have their own rules in place you don't want to violate.

TL;DR: 10 rules to write a compelling title

#1: Describe main result
#2: Be concise
#3: < 95 characters long
#4: Be specific
#5: No punctuation marks
#6: Use an active verb
#7: No filler words
#8: No acronyms
#9: Right level of jargon
#10: Adhere to journal guidelines

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