The face of your research paper

1. TITLE: THE FACE OF YOUR
RESEARCH PAPER/
DISSERTATION
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Senior Lecturer:
Makasheva Aizhan Prmaganbetovna

2. The title is without doubt the part of a
research paper/dissertation that is read the
most, and it is usually read first.
The dissertation title is your first opportunity to let the
reader know what your dissertation is about.
The title has to highlight the purpose of the study,
which can often include its context, outcomes, and
important aspects of the research strategy adopted.

3. What to keep in mind when writing
a research paper title
Convey the key research findings;
Choose a declarative research paper title;
A good research title must pique reader interest;
Avoid making any unsubstantiated claims;
Keep it simple and avoid jargon;
Use phrases to keep your research title concise;
Include keywords to make your article
discoverable

4. Title structure
Titles can be:
 sentence fragments
e.g. The process of photosynthesis
 complete sentences
e.g. Internationalization Brings Important Benefits as Well as Risks
 compound sentences with the second sentence
typically following a colon
e.g. Educational development in a period of transition: the case of
Kazakhstan

5. Types of research paper titles
 Descriptive titles or indicative titles
e.g. ‘Effects of natural forest and tree plantations on leaf-
litter frog assemblages in Southern Brazil.’ (Cicheleiro et al.
2021).
 Declarative or Informative titles
e.g.‘Novel flight style and light wings boost flight performance
of tiny beetles.’(Farisenkov et al 2022).
 Interrogative titles
e.g. ‘Does adding video and subtitles to an audio lesson
facilitate its comprehension?’(Zheng et al. 2022).

6.  Suggestive titles
e.g. ‘Drawing to improve metacomprehension accuracy’.
(Thiede et al. 2022).
 Combination titles
e.g. Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5
Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at
Sea (Eriksen et al. 2014).

7. Essential steps in designing your title
1. Read the Instructions to Authors
2. Consider your audience
3. Decide what aspects of your study to include in your
title
4. Consider your reader’s behaviour
5. Check that your title is clear and easy to read
6. Check your title length
7. Check that your title is concise
8. Ways to make your title more interesting

8. The following parameters help you
formulate a suitable research paper title
 The purpose of the research
 The narrative tone of the paper [typically defined
by the type of the research]
 The methods used

9. Should the research paper title be in the
form of a question?
It is generally recommended to avoid using a question
to write a good research paper title. Titles should be
concise and informative, conveying the main focus of the
study. While questions can be used in the introduction or
research objectives, a clear and declarative title is
preferred to accurately represent the content and purpose
of the research.

10. How long should the title for research paper be?
A research paper title should be concise and to the
point. Ideally, it should be around 10 to 12 words or less. A
shorter title is more effective in grabbing readers’ attention
and conveying the main idea succinctly. However, it’s
important to ensure that the title still accurately represents
the research and provides enough information for readers
to understand the scope of the study.

11. Should I include specific keywords in the
research paper title?
Including specific keywords related to the research
topic can be beneficial. Keywords help in indexing and
searching for relevant papers. However, it is not necessary
to include all keywords in the title. Instead, focus on
incorporating essential and relevant keywords that reflect
the core aspects of the study. Use keywords that are
commonly used and recognized in the field to increase the
discoverability and relevance of your research.

12. Can I include abbreviations or acronyms in the
research paper title?
Abbreviations or acronyms should generally be avoided
in the research paper title. The title should be clear and
easily understandable to a broad audience. If an
abbreviation is commonly used in the field and is essential
to convey the research focus, it can be included, but it’s
important to provide the full term upon its first mention in
the paper for clarity.

13. What do you think of these titles?
1. “Energy-efficient data gathering in large wireless
sensor networks”
2. a) “Highly efficient waveguide grating couplers
using silicon-oninsulator”
b) “Silicon-on-insulator for high-output waveguide
grating couplers”

14. The title writing process
Step 1: Answer some key questions about your research paper

15. Step 2: Identify research study keywords

16. Step 3: Research title writing: use these
keywords
“We employed a case study of 60 liver transplant
patients around the US aged 20-50 years to assess
how waiting list volume affects the outcomes of
liver transplantation in patients; results indicate a
positive correlation between increased waiting list
volume and negative prognosis after the transplant
procedure.”

17. Step 4: Create a working research paper title
“We employed a case study of 60 liver transplant patients
around the US aged 20-50 years to assess how the waiting list
volume affects the outcome of liver transplantation in
patients; results indicate a positive correlation between
increased waiting list volume and a negative prognosis after
transplant procedure”
“A case study of 60 liver transplant patients around the US
aged 20-50 years assessing the impact of waiting list volume
on outcome of transplantation and showing a positive
correlation between increased waiting list volume and a
negative prognosis” (Word Count: 38)

18. Step 5: Remove any nonessential words
and phrases from your title
“A case study of 60 liver transplant patients around the US
aged 20-50 years assessing the impact of waiting list
volume on outcomes of transplantation and showing a
positive correlation between increased waiting list volume
and a negative prognosis” (Word Count: 19)
“Assessing the impact of waiting list volume on outcome
and prognosis in liver transplantation patients” (Word
Count: 15)

19. Adding a Research Paper Subtitle
“ : a case study of US adult patients ages 20-25”

20. Research Paper Title Examples

21. Tips on Formulating a Good Research
Paper Title
 Write the title after you’ve written your paper and abstract
 Include all of the essential terms in your paper
 Keep it short and to the point (~12 words or fewer)
 Avoid unnecessary jargon and abbreviations
 Use keywords that capture the content of your paper
 Never include a period at the end—your title is NOT a sentence