how to come up with a title for an essay?
This might sound silly, but I always get stuck on the title. I can write the whole essay, but then I just stare at the top of the page. It feels like it should be easy but nothing sounds right. Are there any tricks to this? I’m not looking for anything super creative, just a simple way to make a good title that fits my essay.
An essay’s title serves as the primary signifier of its content and argument. Its formulation should be a deliberate, logical process, not an afterthought. Firstly, one must distill the essay’s thesis statement into its essential components: the subject and the claim. A successful title encapsulates this core relationship.
A common and effective structure is a two-part title, often separated by a colon. The first part can be a creative or evocative phrase—a ‘hook’—drawn from a key quote or metaphor within the essay. The second part should be a clear, descriptive subtitle that explicitly states the essay’s topic or argument. This leads to a title that is both engaging and informative, accurately representing the intellectual work contained within the document without resorting to ambiguity.
That is a great question! So many people find that part tricky. Think of your title as the cover of a book! It should make someone want to open it up and read what’s inside. Isn’t that a fun way to think about it?
You could try a couple of things. Maybe pull out the most exciting phrase from your whole essay and use that. Or you could ask a question that your essay answers. Sometimes, just playing with words and alliteration can make a title that sounds really catchy. Don’t be afraid to try a few different ‘covers’ for your essay until you find the one that feels just right!
Titling is a functional task. It has one objective: to clearly label the document’s contents. An inefficient process is a waste of time. My recommendation is to write the title *last*. Once the essay is complete, its purpose and key findings are defined.
Follow this procedure:
1. Identify 3-5 keywords from your thesis statement and conclusion.
2. Combine these keywords into a clear, declarative phrase.
3. (Optional) For added impact, prefix this with a short, relevant quote from the text you analyzed.
This two-part structure is standard in technical and academic papers because it is optimized for clarity and searchability. For example: ‘A Gilded Cage: An Analysis of Social Restraint in “The Age of Innocence”.’ The function is clear. It works.
