How To Pick the Perfect Dissertation Title
Choosing your perfect dissertation title is almost as important as the actual dissertation. It’s the one line that will define what you’ve created. It’s also the line that will reel in your potential readers and make them want to know more on the subject and your research. That’s what makes it so tricky; it’s got to be really effective! That’s why we are going to help you in your decision! Here are some tips for picking the perfect title for your dissertation:
Suggest your stance on the topic
You might be tempted to write a title simply stating what your subject is, but that isn’t very exciting. Rather than just suggesting the topic you’re talking about, you should phrase it so that you’re showing your perspective on it. You probably have a hypothesis or question in your dissertation that suggests where you stand so make it clear in your title too. This will create intrigue as people will want to hear what you’ve got to say. On one side of things, the reader might want to know more because they agree with you, or they might disagree and as a result, want to hear your argument. Either way, it’s sure to reel people in and that’s exactly what you want! Consider this when you’re coming up with ideas.
Use words like how, why and what
There’s also a way to make the wording of your title interesting. Again, you don’t want just to write something bland and basic; you want to make a strong statement that will create interest. To do this, you should use words such as ‘how’, ‘why’ and ‘what’ at the beginning of your title. This suggests power and strength in your stance and gets the reader thinking. In some ways, your dissertation is primarily a debate and you’re evidencing your stance on it, so make sure to write it that way. Some dissertation title examples for this could be:
‘Why does social media create a toxic ideal for young people?’
Or
‘How does social media positively influence and inspire young people into societal change?’
Using a question as your title is also a good idea as you’re creating a sense of curiosity. People want to know the answer and as a result, they’ll be drawn into your dissertation.
Keep it short and snappy
Depending on your dissertation topic, you may need to use some complex academic language and that is ok. But if you’re unnecessarily using too many words, it can be easy to get lost in the title and not understand the overall position of the argument. Get straight to the point by making it concise and interesting. Think to yourself – would you want to read it? Would someone in your field? If that’s a no, then it’s back to the drawing board.
Include your method
Whilst you want to keep it short, one piece of information you might want to include is the method you’re using for your research. The method that you use will have the biggest impact on your project and it’s results, so it makes sense to reference it in the title. By laying it out flat, it’ll give a bigger picture to your reader. An example would be adding a simple phrase such as ‘A longitudinal study’ to create ‘Why does social media create a toxic ideal for young people: A longitudinal study’. It tells the reader exactly what you’ve done to reach this conclusion and still highlights the topic. What more do you need?
Ask for help
If you’re stuck for a title, then it might be best to use the resources around you. You can always try talking with your tutor and seeing if they have any advice to give you that will help you to generate some ideas. Remember, it’s important to add to the literature in some way, so you can’t just repeat what someone else has written. If you’re looking for something really unique then check out our dissertation topic writing page, we will be sure to provide you with something you’re looking for!
Hopefully, these topics will help you to build the perfect title for your dissertation. After all that hard work you’ve put in researching it, there will be nothing better than a good title to do it justly. Good luck with your dissertation, we wish you all the best!
