Chapter titles and headings

The title of a work plays a vital role in promoting and selling a publication. It is the element that makes a publication readily identifiable to the public and to journalists. A good title conveys the content of the book and grabs the reader’s attention.

To get the best possible title, start by forgetting your working title altogether. Summarise the central idea, stress what is original about the work and think of key words that capture the essence of the publication. These elements will help you develop a catchy title. Once you have a shortlist of titles, test them out on other people, notably those outside your field.

Chapter titles and headings serve as signposts, showing the reader where they are in the logical progression of the work. They should help maintain interest, and therefore need to be specific and attract attention. Avoid empty labels and abstractions such as “The Problems”, “Facts and Trends”, “Proposed Solutions” or “Current Situation”. Questions work well as headings.