How to Title College Papers: Strategies to Help You Learn How to Titles Your Paper

How to Title College Papers: Strategies to Help You Learn How to Titles Your PaperA few weeks ago, I was discussing how to title college papers with a fellow academic. The topic was best left as a passing thought, but the researcher in me wanted to get into the issue further. The fact that he was a faculty member at a state university suggested to me that this research might require more attention.I spent more than a decade working in the academic community. There is little doubt that the writer of the paper is a contributing author, even if the institution pays for it. So how is the research being presented and how does it reach the audience to which it is targeted?The answer is always 'both' and perhaps more, but the research is usually both but more narrowly focused. In the college-level classroom, students have probably already read or heard about the work of some of the authors. They have likely also been told what they should expect from the written work. They have probably als o been told to expect the research to be engaging, that it will be interesting and not boring, and that it should have an interesting thesis statement and appropriate conclusions.While these expectations are certainly important for students, they are not always enough to 'sell' a research article or an APA paper. Given these expectations, the students and faculty members take an active role in setting the stage for reading the paper. They make sure that the content is relevant to the course material, that it is carefully and intelligently presented, and that the conclusion or the way it links to other parts of the paper works well with the rest of the structure.Some faculty members, however, may find that they want to learn how to properly 'title' a research paper or original research, but have never found the opportunity as an adjunct to better use their time. The best way to learn how to do this is to ask for help, whether it comes from colleagues, a colleague's assistant, or a pr ofessional research assistance organization. These organizations provide free help for research advisors who want to learn how to appropriately title papers and research projects.Research projects and papers are often described as an 'investigative process' (APA 2020) or 'active participation' (APA 2020). The body of research takes up a great deal of time to prepare and to 'go through the motions.' How to title the paper reflects the amount of time, effort, and care the editor and/or reviewer has invested in preparing and reading the manuscript.Most professional organizations provide materials for authors to use when they want to learn how to properly 'title' a paper. Before the editor has to refer to 'the final report,' he or she can refer to 'the title,' 'the journal,' or 'the title (and a byline)'; and the reviewers can refer to 'the title (and a review)' or 'the final report.'Other information about how to title college papers can be found online. The American Psychological Asso ciation has a helpful page on how to do this. There are also guides for APA title editors and experts, University of California's Division of Undergraduate Education, and the U.S. Department of Education.