How to title your scientific paper for publication

We all buy books by the cover.

Image by geralt.

The title indexes the paper in online databases, so it has to be discoverable.
Use keywords and make the title stand out. How do we do that? Well…

  • Keep it concise and informative

There are lots of good titles that are concise but vague ✑ On the Origin of Species;
Others are long but informative ✑ On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely From the Original Type.

  •  Consider your audience

There are lots of good titles that are great for capturing attention for a dissemination book ✑ On the Origin of Species;
Others are used in articles for learned audiences ✑ On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely From the Original Type.


Now, what these titles ooze in old school appeal, they lack for in SEO (Search Engine Optimization, for the uninitiated…)
We are different from the public in the 1860s that read those texts. So, dear reader, your title must also…

  • Entice the reader

Offer solutions to a problem. Answer your own research question.

Never, ever write your title as a question. Your title is not a sentence.

 

Discover Storytelling for Science!

 

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