Crafting Effective Academic Paper Titles
Crafting a strong academic paper title requires careful consideration of grammar and style. This process can be particularly challenging for non-native English speakers. By examining the proper use of prepositions in titles and analyzing examples in various academic fields, this study aims to provide insights into creating impactful and well-structured titles.
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Generating an Academic Title for Your Paper: Proper Grammar and Style Dr Ma Ji
CAIXCAIX 1. There is usually a large amount of information to be included in the title of an academic paper. 2. For non-native speakers, it is difficult to arrange all the information in one title and show the semantic relations between all the elements. 3. If we translate the Chinese version word for word into English and follow the original structure of the title, the English version may not make sense to native speaker of English Aim: To generate a paper title that is proper both in grammar and style
Outline 01 02 03 04 05 06 cap. pun. prep. art. n. v. adj.
1. The use of prepositions in titles (1) Fast computing machines equation of state calculations (1) Fast computing machines equation of state calculations (2) Depression measuring inventory (2) Depression measuring inventory (3) Classical theory of elasticity crack problems (3) Classical theory of elasticity crack problems (4) Reality social construction (4) Reality social construction (5) Cancer causes: cancer avoidable risks (5) Cancer causes: cancer avoidable risks quantitative quantitative estimates estimates
(1) Fast computing machines equation of state calculations (1) Fast computing machines equation of state calculations Equation of state calculations Equation of state calculations by by fast computing machnines fast computing machnines (2) Depression measuring inventory (2) Depression measuring inventory An inventory An inventory for for measuring depression measuring depression
(3) Classical theory of elasticity crack problems (3) Classical theory of elasticity crack problems Crack problems Crack problems in in the the classical theory of elasticity classical theory of elasticity (4) Reality social construction (4) Reality social construction The The social construction social construction of of reality reality
(5) Cancer causes: cancer avoidable risks (5) Cancer causes: cancer avoidable risks quantitative quantitative estimates estimates The The causes causes of of cancer: quantitative estimates cancer: quantitative estimates of of avoidable risks risks of of cancer cancer avoidable
Tips: (1) The use of prepositions helps the reader to understand how the various elements in the title are related to each other. (2) Rewriting a title so that it contains prepositions may involve adding articles, i.e. a/an or the.
2. The use of articles (a/an, the) in titles Survey of importance of improving design of internal systems Survey of importance of improving design of internal systems A A survey of survey of the the importance of improving importance of improving the the design of internal systems design of internal systems
(1) countable nouns 1. A university is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in various academic disciplines. (general) 2. The university that we are going to attend can offer students many kinds of resources to study abroad. (specific) 3. Universities in China can usually offer students many kinds of resources to study abroad. (general +plural) 4. The universities we just mentioned can usually offer students many kinds of resources to study abroad. (specific +plural)
(2) the use of the in the following construction the n1 + of n2 A survey of A survey of the the importance of improving importance of improving the the design of internal systems design of internal systems
(3) uncountable nouns The lack of protective immunity against reinfection with hepatitics C virus The lack of protective immunity against reinfection with hepatitics C virus The feedback and optimal sensiticity The feedback and optimal sensiticity Vibration analysis for the electronic equipment Vibration analysis for the electronic equipment
(4) use the or not? Title 1: Title 1: The Title 2: Factors that determine depression Title 2: Factors that determine depression The factors that determine depression factors that determine depression Title 1: Title 1: The Title 2: Title 2: A A history of the universe history of the universe The history of the universe history of the universe
Tips: The factors that determine depression gives the idea that the author has made a comprehensive survey of depression and has identified all those factors that lead to depression. This makes the paper sound like the final word on depression, i.e. this is the definitive article on depression. Factors that determine depression means that the factors presented in the paper are not all-inclusive. The reader will expect to learn about some factors. This makes the paper sound much more modest.
(4) to use a or an? GNRA tetraloops make an U GNRA tetraloops make an U- -turn The evacuation of the Machault, a 18th The evacuation of the Machault, a 18th- -century French frigate A NLP application with an multi A NLP application with an multi- -paradigm architecture [en] turn century French frigate paradigm architecture [en] GNRA tetraloops make GNRA tetraloops make a a U U- -turn The evacuation of the Machault, The evacuation of the Machault, an an 18th An An NLP application with NLP application with a a multi [ju:] 18th- -century French frigate century French frigate [ei] multi- -paradigm architecture paradigm architecture [en] turn [ju:] [ei] [en]
3. To use v-ing or abstract nouns? (1) The Specification and the Evaluation of Education Software in Primary Schools (1) The Specification and the Evaluation of Education Software in Primary Schools (2) Methods for the Comparison of Indian and British Governmental System in the (2) Methods for the Comparison of Indian and British Governmental System in the 19th Century 19th Century (3) A National Language for Problem Solution in Cross Cultural Communication (3) A National Language for Problem Solution in Cross Cultural Communication (4) Silicon Wafer Mechanical Strength Measurement for Surface Damage (4) Silicon Wafer Mechanical Strength Measurement for Surface Damage Quantification Quantification
3. To use v-ing or abstract nouns? (1) The specification and the evaluation of education software in primary schools (1) The specification and the evaluation of education software in primary schools Specifying Specifying and and evaluating evaluating educational software in primary schools educational software in primary schools
(2) Methods for the comparison of Indian and British governmental system in the 19th century (2) Methods for the comparison of Indian and British governmental system in the 19th century Methods for Methods for comparing comparing Indian and British governmental systems in the 19th century Indian and British governmental systems in the 19th century
(3) A national language for problem solution in cross cultural communication (3) A national language for problem solution in cross cultural communication A national language for A national language for solving solving problems in cross cultural communication problems in cross cultural communication
(4) Silicon Wafer mechanical strength measurement for Surface Damage Quantification (4) Silicon Wafer mechanical strength measurement for Surface Damage Quantification Quantifying Quantifying surface damage by surface damage by measuring measuring the mechanical strength of Silicon Wafers the mechanical strength of Silicon Wafers Tip: Where possible, use the -ing form of verbs rather than abstract nouns. This will make your title more readable as well as making it 2 3 words shorter.
4. The use of adjectives in titles A novel method for learning English A novel method for learning English X novel, innovative, intersting, reliable A A computerised computerised method for learning English method for learning English A A low low- -cost cost method for learning English method for learning English A A pain pain- -free free method for learning English method for learning English
5. Avoid using a string of nouns Cultural heritage audiovisual material multilingual search gathering requirements Cultural heritage audiovisual material multilingual search gathering requirements Educational software specification definition trends Educational software specification definition trends Examining narrative cinema fiction and fact boundaries Examining narrative cinema fiction and fact boundaries
Cultural heritage audiovisual material multilingual search gathering requirements Cultural heritage audiovisual material multilingual search gathering requirements Gathering requirements Gathering requirements for cultural heritage cultural heritage for multilingual searches multilingual searches for for audiovisual materials audiovisual materials in in the the Educational software specification definition trends Educational software specification definition trends Trends Trends in in defining the specifications defining the specifications for for educational software educational software Examining narrative cinema fiction and fact boundaries Examining narrative cinema fiction and fact boundaries Examining the boundaries Examining the boundaries between between fiction and fact fiction and fact in in narrative cinema narrative cinema
Tip: Tip: Although Although native technical technical language, language, it it is is probably of of more more than than two, two, or or perhaps are are not not used used in in a a long verbs verbs that that show show how how the nouns nouns and and adjectives adjectives must procedures procedures. . native speakers speakers string string nouns nouns together, probably safer safer to to avoid perhaps three, three, words long string string but but are the nouns nouns are are related must be be used used if if they together, especially especially when avoid creating creating multiword words. . English English tends tends to to be be clearer are broken broken up up by by the the use related to to one one another another. . However, they are are names names of of pieces when coining coining terms multiword compounds compounds clearer if if nouns use of of prepositions prepositions and However, strings pieces of of equipment equipment or or terms in in nouns and strings of of
6. Use capital letters or not in titles? (1) You can capitalize the first letter of every word except for articles (a, an, the), prepositions and conjunctions: D Describing escribing t the f from rom a an n E Electronic he R Relationship elationship b between lectronic H Health ealth R Record etween C Cat ecord at B Bites ites a and nd H Human uman D Depression epression U Using sing D Data ata (2) You can just capitalize the first word: A Aesthetic esthetic v value of alue of p paintings aintings a affects ffects p pain ain t thresholds hresholds O On n w what I hat I d do o n not ot u understand ( nderstand (a and nd h have ave s something omething t to o s say) ay)
7. Use two-part titles (1) A title can end with a question mark: How well can DNA rupture DNA How well can DNA rupture DNA? ? Shearing and unzipping forces inside DNA nanostructures Shearing and unzipping forces inside DNA nanostructures (2) Two-part titles may contain a colon: The causes of cancer The causes of cancer: : quantitative estimates of avoidable risks of cancer quantitative estimates of avoidable risks of cancer
Summary 01 02 03 04 05 06 cap. pun. prep. art. n. v. adj.
CAIXCAIX A study for radioresistance in nasopharngeal carcinoma induced by CAIX-regulated acidic microenvironment A study for radioresistance induced by CAIX-regulated acidic microenvironment in nasopharngeal carcinoma A study for nasopharngeal carcinoma radioresistance induced by CAIX-regulated acidic microenvironment
