format for essay title

Formatting Titles

by Purdue Global Academic Success Center and Writing Center · Published October 2, 2020 · Updated November 5, 2020

Let’s face it: For whatever reason, formatting titles can be confusing, especially if you think about all the titles that need proper formatting–the title placed on the title page of a paper, the title of a journal article mentioned in the body of a paper, the title of a newspaper or a website on the list of references. There are titles of books and titles of chapters in those books; titles of blogs and titles of blog entries. Some titles are italicized and some are put in quotation marks. Titles on the list of references require formatting–some titles use title case, some sentence case; some titles are italicized and some are not. And then there are those situations where titles are used in in-text citations–some titles are truncated and italicized; some are put in quotation marks–you get the idea.

First off, I am not going to address how to format titles when citing in the paper or listing on the list of references—those are formatting guidelines for another time. I am going to focus on titles on the title page, the first page of the paper, and within a paper. Here is what you need to keep straight:

Titles require special capitalization called title case. Title case requires one to

capitalize the first letter of the first and last words of a title;
capitalize the first letter of all verbs;
capitalize all words of four or more letters;
capitalize the first letter of all other words except a, an, the, short conjunctions such as “for, and, but,” and prepositions of fewer than four letters (words like “up, in, off”);
capitalize the first letter of a word following a colon or dash;
capitalize the first letter of a subtitle.

When a title appears on the title page of an APA Style 7th edition student paper, that title should be centered, bolded, and in title case—no need to use all caps, no need to italicize or underline, and no need to use quotation marks or place a period at the end.

Simply type out the title using title case and bold it–that’s it.

On the first page of the essay, center and repeat the title, bold it, and use title case. Again, do not use any special formatting. Do not use a bigger font size or style. Do not underline or italicize and so forth. Just use title case, bold, and center the title on the first page of the essay.

Easy enough, right?

Titles that appear within an essay require special formatting in addition to title case. If the title is for an article—content that is part of a greater whole—then the title should have quotation marks around it. If the title is for a book, journal, newspaper, or some other whole work, then the title is italicized.

Let’s say you have an article titled “The New Coffee Culture” that appears in the journal Studies in Popular Culture . Let’s also say that for whatever reason, you name both titles in the body of your paper. The article “The New Coffee Culture” appears in the journal Studies in Popular Culture , so the article is content that appears in a greater whole, right?

Both titles would be in title case. The article “The New Coffee Culture” would have quotation marks around it, and the title of the journal, Studies in Popular Culture , would be italicized.

I hope this blogcast clarifies exactly what you need to do when formatting titles in typical usage situations in APA style.

Until next week–

Kurtis Clements

How to Format an Essay

Last Updated: April 11, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Carrie Adkins, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Carrie Adkins is the cofounder of NursingClio, an open access, peer-reviewed, collaborative blog that connects historical scholarship to current issues in gender and medicine. She completed her PhD in American History at the University of Oregon in 2013. While completing her PhD, she earned numerous competitive research grants, teaching fellowships, and writing awards. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 87,605 times.

You’re opening your laptop to write an essay, knowing exactly what you want to write, but then it hits you—you don’t know how to format it! Using the correct format when writing an essay can help your paper look polished and professional while earning you full credit. There are 3 common essay formats—MLA, APA, and Chicago Style—and we’ll teach you the basics of properly formatting each in this article. So, before you shut your laptop in frustration, take a deep breath and keep reading because soon you’ll be formatting like a pro.

Setting Up Your Document

Step 1 Read over the assignment’s guidelines before you begin.

If you can’t find information on the style guide you should be following, talk to your instructor after class to discuss the assignment or send them a quick email with your questions.
If your instructor lets you pick the format of your essay, opt for the style that matches your course or degree best: MLA is best for English and humanities; APA is typically for education, psychology, and sciences; Chicago Style is common for business, history, and fine arts.

Step 2 Set your margins to 1 inch (2.5 cm) for all style guides.

Most word processors default to 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins.

Do not change the font size, style, or color throughout your essay.

Change the spacing on Google Docs by clicking on Format , and then selecting “Line spacing.”
Click on Layout in Microsoft Word, and then click the arrow at the bottom left of the “paragraph” section.

Step 6 Put the page number and your last name in the top right header for all styles.

Using the page number function will create consecutive numbering.
When using Chicago Style, don’t include a page number on your title page. The first page after the title page should be numbered starting at 2. [4] X Research source
In APA format, a running heading may be required in the left-hand header. This is a maximum of 50 characters that’s the full or abbreviated version of your essay’s title. [5] X Research source

Step 7 Use a title page with APA or Chicago Style format.

For APA formatting, place the title in bold at the center of the page 3 to 4 lines down from the top. Insert one double-spaced line under the title and type your name. Under your name, in separate centered lines, type out the name of your school, course, instructor, and assignment due date. [6] X Research source
For Chicago Style, set your cursor ⅓ of the way down the page, then type your title. In the very center of your page, put your name. Move your cursor ⅔ down the page, then write your course number, followed by your instructor’s name and paper due date on separate, double-spaced lines. [7] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

Step 8 Create a left-handed heading for MLA Style essays.

Double-space the heading like the rest of your paper.

Writing the Essay Body

Step 1 Center the title of your paper in all style formats.

Use standard capitalization rules for your title.
Do not underline, italicize, or put quotation marks around your title, unless you include other titles of referred texts.

Step 2 Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) for all styles.

A good hook might include a quote, statistic, or rhetorical question.
For example, you might write, “Every day in the United States, accidents caused by distracted drivers kill 9 people and injure more than 1,000 others.”

Step 4 Include a thesis statement at the end of your introduction.

"Action must be taken to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving, including enacting laws against texting while driving, educating the public about the risks, and giving strong punishments to offenders."
"Although passing and enforcing new laws can be challenging, the best way to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving is to enact a law against texting, educate the public about the new law, and levy strong penalties."

Step 5 Present each of your points in 1 or more paragraphs.

Use transitions between paragraphs so your paper flows well. For example, say, “In addition to,” “Similarly,” or “On the other hand.” [12] X Research source

Step 6 Complete your essay with a conclusion.

A statement of impact might be, "Every day that distracted driving goes unaddressed, another 9 families must plan a funeral."
A call to action might read, “Fewer distracted driving accidents are possible, but only if every driver keeps their focus on the road.”

Using References

Step 1 Create parenthetical citations...

In MLA format, citations should include the author’s last name and the page number where you found the information. If the author's name appears in the sentence, use just the page number. [14] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
For APA format, include the author’s last name and the publication year. If the author’s name appears in the sentence, use just the year. [15] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
If you don’t use parenthetical or internal citations, your instructor may accuse you of plagiarizing.

Step 2 Use footnotes for citations in Chicago Style.

At the bottom of the page, include the source’s information from your bibliography page next to the footnote number. [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
Each footnote should be numbered consecutively.

Step 3 Center the title of your reference page.

If you’re using MLA format, this page will be titled “Works Cited.”
In APA and Chicago Style, title the page “References.”

Step 4 List your sources on the references page by author’s last name in alphabetical order.

If you have more than one work from the same author, list alphabetically following the title name for MLA and by earliest to latest publication year for APA and Chicago Style.
Double-space the references page like the rest of your paper.
Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) if your citations are longer than one line. Press Tab to indent any lines after the first. [17] X Research source
Citations should include (when applicable) the author(s)’s name(s), title of the work, publication date and/or year, and page numbers.
Sites like Grammarly , EasyBib , and MyBib can help generate citations if you get stuck.

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ENG 1002 Writing Resources | R. Rambo Home Page

English Composition 2

The proper format for essays.

Below are guidelines for the formatting of essays based on recommendations from the MLA (the Modern Language Association).

Fonts : Your essay should be word processed in 12-point Times New Roman fonts.
Double space : Your entire essay should be double spaced, with no single spacing anywhere and no extra spacing anywhere. There should not be extra spaces between paragraphs.
Heading : In the upper left corner of the first page of your essay, you should type your name, the instructor's name, your class, and the date, as follows: Your Name Mr. Rambo ENG 1002-100 24 February 2017
Margins : According to the MLA, your essay should have a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, left, and right. However, for this course, just keep the default margins in Word.
Page Numbers : Your last name and the page number should appear in the upper right corner of each page of your essay, including the first page, as in Jones 3 . Insert your name and the page number as a "header." Do not type this information where the text of your essay should be.
Title : Your essay should include a title. The title should be centered and should appear under the heading information on the first page and above the first line of your essay. The title should be in the same fonts as the rest of your essay, with no quotation marks, no underlining, no italics, and no bold.
Indentation : The first line of each paragraph should be indented. According to the MLA, this indentation should be 1/2 inch or five spaces, but pressing [Tab] once should give you the correct indentation.

Putting all of the above together, you should have a first page that looks like the following:

Learn the Standard Essay Format: MLA, APA, Chicago Styles

Being able to write an essay is a vital part of any student's education. However, it's not just about linearly listing ideas. A lot of institutions will require a certain format that your paper must follow; prime examples would be one of a basic essay format like MLA, the APA, and the Chicago formats. This article will explain the differences between the MLA format, the APA format, and the Chicago format. The application of these could range from high school to college essays, and they stand as the standard of college essay formatting. EssayPro — dissertation services , that will help to make a difference!

What is an Essay Format: Structure

Be it an academic, informative or a specific extended essay - structure is essential. For example, the IB extended essay has very strict requirements that are followed by an assigned academic style of writing (primarily MLA, APA, or Chicago):

This outline format for an extended essay is a great example to follow when writing a research essay, and sustaining a proper research essay format - especially if it is based on the MLA guidelines. It is vital to remember that the student must keep track of their resources to apply them to each step outlined above easily. And check out some tips on how to write an essay introduction .

Lost in the Labyrinth of Essay Formatting?

Navigate the complexities of essay structures with ease. Let our experts guide your paper to the format it deserves!

How to Format an Essay (MLA)

To write an essay in MLA format, one must follow a basic set of guidelines and instructions. This is a step by step from our business essay writing service.

Essay in MLA Format Example

Mla vs. apa.

Before we move on to the APA essay format, it is important to distinguish the two types of formatting. Let’s go through the similarities first:

The formatting styles are similar: spacing, citation, indentation.
All of the information that is used within the essay must be present within the works cited page (in APA, that’s called a reference page)
Both use the parenthetical citations within the body of the paper, usually to show a certain quote or calculation.
Citations are listed alphabetically on the works cited / reference page.

What you need to know about the differences is not extensive, thankfully:

MLA style is mostly used in humanities, while APA style is focused more on social sciences. The list of sources has a different name (works cited - MLA / references - APA)
Works cited differ on the way they display the name of the original content (MLA -> Yorke, Thom / APA -> Yorke T.)
When using an in-text citation, and the author’s name is listed within the sentence, place the page number found at the end: “Yorke believes that Creep was Radiohead’s worst song. (4).” APA, on the other hand, requires that a year is to be inserted: “According to Yorke (2013), Creep was a mess.”

Alright, let’s carry over to the APA style specifics.

Order an Essay Now & and We Will Cite and Format It For Free :

How to format an essay (apa).

The APA scheme is one of the most common college essay formats, so being familiar with its requirements is crucial. In a basic APA format structure, we can apply a similar list of guidelines as we did in the MLA section:

If you ask yourself how to format an essay, you can always turn to us and request to write or rewrite essay in APA format if you find it difficult or don't have time.

Note that some teachers and professors may request deviations from some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.

If you think: 'I want someone write a research paper for me ', you can do it at Essaypro.

Essay in APA Format Example

Apa format chronobiology, chicago style.

The usage of Chicago style is prevalent in academic writing that focuses on the source of origin. This means that precise citations and footnotes are key to a successful paper.

Chicago Style Essay Format

The same bullet point structure can be applied to the Chicago essay format.

Tips for Writing an Academic Paper

There isn’t one proper way of writing a paper, but there are solid guidelines to sustain a consistent workflow. Be it a college application essay, a research paper, informative essay, etc. There is a standard essay format that you should follow. For easier access, the following outline will be divided into steps:

Choose a Good Topic

A lot of students struggle with picking a good topic for their essays. The topic you choose should be specific enough so you can explore it in its entirety and hit your word limit if that’s a variable you worry about. With a good topic that should not be a problem. On the other hand, it should not be so broad that some resources would outweigh the information you could squeeze into one paper. Don’t be too specific, or you will find that there is a shortage of information, but don’t be too broad or you will feel overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructor for help with your essay writing.

Start Research as Soon as Possible

Before you even begin writing, make sure that you are acquainted with the information that you are working with. Find compelling arguments and counterpoints, trivia, facts, etc. The sky is the limit when it comes to gathering information.

Pick out Specific, Compelling Resources

When you feel acquainted with the subject, you should be able to have a basic conversation on the matter. Pick out resources that have been bookmarked, saved or are very informative and start extracting information. You will need all you can get to put into the citations at the end of your paper. Stash books, websites, articles and have them ready to cite. See if you can subtract or expand your scope of research.

Create an Outline

Always have a plan. This might be the most important phase of the process. If you have a strong essay outline and you have a particular goal in mind, it’ll be easy to refer to it when you might get stuck somewhere in the middle of the paper. And since you have direct links from the research you’ve done beforehand, the progress is guaranteed to be swift. Having a list of keywords, if applicable, will surely boost the informational scope. With keywords specific to the subject matter of each section, it should be much easier to identify its direction and possible informational criteria.

Write a Draft

Before you jot anything down into the body of your essay, make sure that the outline has enough information to back up whatever statement you choose to explore. Do not be afraid of letting creativity into your paper (within reason, of course) and explore the possibilities. Start with a standard 5 paragraph structure, and the content will come with time.

Ask for a Peer Review of Your Academic Paper

Before you know it, the draft is done, and it’s ready to be sent out for peer review. Ask a classmate, a relative or even a specialist if they are willing to contribute. Get as much feedback as you possibly can and work on it.

Final Draft

Before handing in the final draft, go over it at least one more time, focusing on smaller mistakes like grammar and punctuation. Make sure that what you wrote follows proper essay structure. Learn more about argumentative essay structure on our blog. If you need a second pair of eyes, get help from our service.

Want Your Essay to Stand Out in Structure and Style?

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What Is Essay Format?

How to format a college essay, how to write an essay in mla format.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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How to Write an Essay in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

What Is APA Format?

Apa essay format basics.

Steps to Follow

Frequently Asked Questions

If your instructor has asked you to write an APA format essay, it might at first seem like a daunting task, especially if you are accustomed to using another style such as MLA or Chicago. But you can master the rules of APA essay format, too.

An essay is one type of paper that can be written in APA format; others include lab reports, experimental reports, and case studies. Before you begin, familiarize yourself with some of the basic guidelines for writing a paper in APA format. Of course, it will also be important to follow any other formatting instructions that are part of your assignment.

How do you write an essay in APA format? The basic elements you need to include are:

A title page
An abstract
An introduction, main body, and conclusion
A reference section
Proper APA formatting with regard to margins, layout, spacing, titles, and indentations

This article discusses how to write an essay in APA format, including the basic steps you should follow and tips for how to get started.

Whether you’re taking an introductory or graduate-level psychology class, chances are strong that you will have to write at least one paper during the course of the semester. In almost every case, you will need to write your paper in APA format, the official publication style of the American Psychological Association . It is also used for academic journals.

Such rules are generally the same whether you are writing a high school essay, college essay, or professional essay for publication.

APA format is used in a range of disciplines including psychology , education, and other social sciences. The format dictates presentation elements of your paper including spacing, margins, and how the content is structured.

Most instructors and publication editors have strict guidelines when it comes to how your format your writing. Not only does adhering to APA format allow readers to know what to expect from your paper, but it also means that your work will not lose critical points over minor formatting errors.

While the formatting requirements for your paper might vary depending on your instructor's directions, writing APA essay format means you will most likely need to include a title page, abstract, introduction, body, conclusion, and reference sections.

Your APA format essay should have a title page . This title page should include the title of your paper, your name, and your school affiliation. In some instances, your teacher might require additional information such as the course title, instructor name, and the date.

The title of your paper should be concise and clearly describe what your paper is about.
Your title can extend to two lines, but it should be no longer than 12 words.

An abstract is a brief summary of your paper that immediately follows the title page. It is not required for student papers, according to APA style. However, your instructor may request one.

If you include an abstract , it should be no more than 100 to 200 words, although this may vary depending upon the instructor requirements.

Your essay should also include a reference list with all of the sources that were cited in your essay,

The reference section is located at the end of your paper.
References should be listed alphabetically by the last name of the author.
References should be double-spaced.
Any source that is cited in your paper should be included in your reference section.

When writing in APA essay format, the text will include the actual essay itself: The introduction, body, and conclusion.

There should be uniform margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, left, and right sides of your essay.
The text should be in Times New Roman size 12 font or another serif typeface that is easily readable.
Your paper should be double-spaced.
Every page should include a page number in the top right corner.
The first word of each paragraph in your paper should be indented one-half inch.

For professional papers (usually not student papers), every page of the essay also includes a running head at the top left. The running head is a shortened form of the title, often the first few words, and should be no more than 50 characters (including spaces).

Steps to a Successful APA Format Essay

In addition to ensuring that you cite your sources properly and present information according to the rules of APA style, there are a number of things you can do to make the writing process a little bit easier.

Choose a Topic

Start by choosing a good topic to write about. Ideally, you want to select a subject that is specific enough to let you fully research and explore the topic, but not so specific that you have a hard time finding sources of information.

If you choose something too specific, you may find yourself with not enough to write about. If you choose something too general, you might find yourself overwhelmed with information.

Research Your Topic

Start doing research as early as possible. Begin by looking at some basic books and articles on your topic to help develop it further. What is the question you are going to answer with your essay? What approach will you take to the topic?

Once you are more familiar with the subject, create a preliminary source list of potential books, articles, essays, and studies that you may end up using in your essay.

Remember, any source used in your essay must be included in your reference section. Conversely, any source listed in your references must be cited somewhere in the body of your paper.

Write Your Rough Draft

With research in hand, you are ready to begin. Some people like to create an outline to organize their argument prior to drafting. You may want to start with a very rough outline, and then add details.

Once you have a detailed outline, the next step is to translate it from notes to complete sentences and paragraphs. Remember, this is a first draft. It doesn't have to be perfect.

As you write your paper in APA essay format, be sure to keep careful track of the sources that you cite.

How do you start an APA paper? Your paper should begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement that presents your main ideas, points, or arguments. Your introduction should start on the third page of your paper (after the title page and abstract). The title of your paper should be centered, bolded, and typed in title case at the top of the page.

Review and Revise

After you have prepared a rough draft of your essay, it's time to revise, review, and prepare your final draft. In addition to making sure that your writing is cohesive and supported by your sources, you should also check carefully for typos, grammar errors, and possible formatting mistakes.

When citing information or quotations taken from an interview, APA format requires that you cite the source, how the information was collected, and the date of the interview. They should not be included in the reference section, however, because they are not something that can be located by a reader in any published source or searchable database.

Instead, the information should be cited parenthetically in the main body of the text. For example: “There was an increase in the number of college students who screened positive for depression/anxiety” (R. Heathfield, personal communication, May 9, 2021).

If the essay is in a chapter of a book, edited collection, or anthology, APA format states that you should cite the last name, first name, title of essay, title of collection, publisher, year, and page range. For example: Smith, John, "The Light House," A Book of Poems , editing by Peter Roberts, Allworth Press, 2005, pp. 20-25.

According to APA format, a two-part essay is formatted the same as an essay, however, you'll need to create two title pages.

If you're including a short direct quote in your APA-format essay, you will need to cite the author, year of publication, and page number (p.) or page number span (pp.). Quotations longer than 40 words should omit the quotation marks and be put in the text using block quotation formatting, on its own line and indented 1/2 inch from the left margin.

The cover page or "title page" in APA essay format should always include the title of your paper, your name, and school affiliation as well as the course title, instructor name, and date, if requested by your teacher.

Nagda S. How to write a scientific abstract. J Indian Prosthodont Soc. 2013;13(3):382-383. doi:10.1007/s13191-013-0299-x

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Sample Essays: Writing with MLA Style

Congratulations to the students whose essays were selected for the 2023 edition of Writing with MLA Style! Essays were selected as examples of excellent student writing that use MLA style for citing sources. Essays have been lightly edited.

If your institution subscribes to MLA Handbook Plus , you can access annotated versions of the essays selected in 2022 and 2023.

Writing with MLA Style: 2023 Edition

The following essays were selected for the 2023 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2023 selection committee was composed of Ellen C. Carillo, University of Connecticut (chair); Rachel Ihara, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York; and Tarshia L. Stanley, Wagner College.

Caroline Anderson (Pepperdine University)

“ L’Appel du Vide : Making Spaces for Sinful Exploration in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ”

Hunter Daniels (University of South Carolina, Aiken)

“Biblical Legalism and Cultural Misogyny in The Tragedy of Mariam ”

Aspen English (Southern Utah University)

“Putting the ‘Comm’ in Comics: A Communication-Theory-Informed Reading of Graphic Narratives”

Raul Martin (Lamar University)

“The Book-Object Binary: Access and Sustainability in the Academic Library”

Grace Quasebarth (Salve Regina University)

“Finding a Voice: The Loss of Machismo Criticisms through Translation in Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits ”

Writing with MLA Style: 2022 Edition

The following essays were selected for the 2022 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2022 selection committee was composed of Ellen C. Carillo, University of Connecticut; Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware (chair); and Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago.

Kaile Chu (New York University, Shanghai)

“Miles Apart: An Investigation into Dedicated Online Communities’ Impact on Cultural Bias”

Sietse Hagen (University of Groningen)

“The Significance of Fiction in the Debate on Dehumanizing Media Portrayals of Refugees”

Klara Ismail (University of Exeter)

“Queering the Duchess: Exploring the Body of the Female Homosexual in John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi ”

Yasmin Mendoza (Whittier College)

“Banning without Bans”

Niki Nassiri (Stony Brook University)

“Modern-Day US Institutions and Slavery in the Twenty-First Century”

Samantha Wilber (Palm Beach Atlantic University)

“‘Pero, tu no eres facil’: The Poet X as Multicultural Bildungsroman”

Writing with MLA Style: 2019 Edition

The following essays were selected for the 2019 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2019 selection committee was composed of Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware; Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago (chair); and Liana Silva, César E. Chavez High School, Houston, Texas.

Catherine Charlton (University of King’s College, Nova Scotia)

“‘Coal Is in My Blood’: Public and Private Representations of Community Identity in Springhill, Nova Scotia”

Alyiah Gonzales (California Polytechnic State University)

“Disrupting White Normativity in Langston Hughes’s ‘I, Too’ and Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’”

Meg Matthias (Miami University, Ohio)

“Prescriptions of (Living) Historical Happiness: Gendered Performance and Racial Comfort in Reenactment”

Jennifer Nguyen (Chaminade University of Honolulu)

“The Vietnam War, the American War: Literature, Film, and Popular Memory”

Emily Schlepp (Northwest University)

“A Force of Love: A Deconstructionist Reading of Characters in Dickens’s Great Expectations ”

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Title Capitalization for Your Essays [For Students]

Many of us have experienced moments of confusion when unsure about which words to capitalize and which to leave lowercase, leading to questions about the underlying principles of title capitalization especially when you have a style guide to follow. If you are given the task of writing an essay, then you must know what to capitalize and how to capitalize the words for your headings. Title capitalization must be taken seriously because ultimately it is part of the formatting that you have to follow. I will show you how to do title capitalization for students and most importantly, what to capitalize and what you should keep in mind while title capitalization.

Challenges of Getting the Titles Right for Your Essays

Your concern regarding the title format typically revolves around capitalization accuracy. Here's a quick guide:

1.Confused About When to Use a Certain Type of Capitalization:

If you've got your title ready but find yourself unsure about what to capitalize and what not, remember these points:

Sentence case : This capitalization style capitalizes only the first letter of the first word in a sentence, along with any proper nouns or other words that are typically capitalized in English sentences. It's commonly used in writing sentences, paragraphs, and headings.

Title Case : Title Case is commonly used for titles, headings, and subtitles, where the first letter of most words is capitalized. Students are often provided with guidelines based on specific style manuals such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style, dictating how titles should be capitalized according to the rules of each style.

For example, in APA style, the first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized, while the rest of the words are in lowercase. In contrast, MLA style capitalizes the first letter of every major word in the title.

Uppercase : Uppercase formatting is typically used for abbreviations, acronyms, or initialisms to ensure clarity and consistency. On the other hand, lowercase formatting is generally used for regular text to maintain readability and conformity with standard writing conventions.

Lowercase : Students may use lowercase formatting when entering URLs, file paths, or coding snippets in their assignments or projects. This ensures that the text remains in the correct format, especially in technical or computer science-related fields.

2.Unsure About Which Words to Be Capitalized and Which Not:

One of the challenges of getting the titles right for your essays is understanding the grammar rules associated with capitalization. Students often grapple with deciding which words to capitalize and which to leave in lowercase, as there are specific conventions to follow depending on the context and style guide.

For instance, while proper nouns and the first word of a sentence are typically capitalized, the rules become more nuanced when dealing with titles and headings. There are specific guidelines outlined in style manuals such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style, which dictate the capitalization of titles based on the type of words used and their position within the title.

Also, certain words like articles (e.g., "a," "an," "the"), conjunctions (e.g., "and," "but," "or"), and prepositions (e.g., "of," "in," "to") are often left in lowercase unless they are the first or last word of the title. This can lead to confusion and uncertainty among students when creating titles for their essays or academic papers.

General Rules for Capitalizing the Titles of Your Essays

The rules for capitalization can be simplified using an easy technique. One effective method I've discovered for fixing these rules in my mind is by categorizing them into two distinct groups: what to capitalize and what not to capitalize. This approach allows for clear differentiation and easier retention of the capitalization rules.

Now, I'll demonstrate how I apply this technique, particularly when working on my thesis and adding headings.

In the title I’ve referenced from my paper, the capitalization follows the rules I have previously outlined. The first and last words, "Leader" and "Individual," are capitalized because they are nouns. Meanwhile, the words "as" and "an" in between are not capitalized, as they are a conjunction and an article, respectively.

The heading follows a similar pattern where two nouns are sandwiched between a conjunction like "and," the same capitalization rule applies. The nouns at the beginning and end of the title should be capitalized, while the conjunction "and" and any other non-capitalized words in the middle should not be capitalized.

Here a heading and subheading needs proper capitalization and it's done as such:

1.Reflection on Concepts and Theories

In this heading, "Reflection," "Concepts," and "Theories" are all nouns and should be capitalized according to the capitalization rule for nouns. "On" is a preposition and should not be capitalized.

Therefore, the correct capitalization for this heading would be: "Reflection on Concepts and Theories".

2.Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory

In this heading, "Hersey-Blanchard" is a proper noun and should be capitalized. "Situational", "Leadership", and "Theory" are also nouns and should be capitalized. The hyphens between "Hersey" and "Blanchard" should not affect the capitalization.

Therefore, the correct capitalization for this heading would be: "Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory".

If you're seeking a clear-cut capitalization rulebook to assist you in adhering to the style guide you're following, we've outlined the capitalization rules for APA, MLA, and Chicago below, ensuring you won't go wrong:

Title Capitalization Rules from Different Style Guides

The styles of APA, MLA, and Chicago are designed to provide clear guidelines for writing and formatting academic papers, articles, and other scholarly works. While they share common principles, such as the importance of clarity, accuracy, and professionalism, their differences become apparent in how they handle specific elements, particularly in terms of capitalization in titles.

1.Title Capitalization in APA Style

APA offers two clear-cut capitalization methods: title case and sentence case. Let's review the rules of title capitalization for APA style to ensure we adhere to the style correctly.

Title Case: Capitalizing the Important Stuff

Title case is all about highlighting the key words in your titles and headings. Here's what gets a capital letter:

The first word, even if it's a minor word like "a" or "the."

The first word of a subtitle.

The first word after a colon, em dash, or ending punctuation in a heading.

Major words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and any word with four or more letters.

The second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., "Self-Report").

Sentence Case: Keeping It Simple

Sentence case is a more relaxed approach, capitalizing only the first word and proper nouns. While rarely used for titles or headings, it might appear in certain instructions or figure captions.

When to Use Title Case

Now that you're equipped with the capitalization tools, let's explore where to use them:

Titles of essays, research papers, dissertations, and thesis.

Headings within your work (Levels 1-5, typically bolded or bold italicized).

Titles of referenced works (books, articles, reports) mentioned in your text.

Titles of tests or measures (e.g., Beck Depression Inventory–II).

Table and figure titles (italicized, along with axis labels and legends).

Knowing title capitalization in APA style is particularly handy when formatting titles in academic papers, articles, essays, reports, and other scholarly works. It's essential for headings and citations alike. APA capitalization guidelines ensure consistency and professionalism in presenting titles within the context of academic writing.

2.Title Capitalization in MLA Style

MLA uses title case for all major words within a title, regardless of whether it's a source you're citing or the title of your own work.

What Gets a Capital Letter?

The first word of the title, always.

All major words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and any word with four or more letters (e.g., "The" and "After" are capitalized, while "a" and "to" are lowercase).

The second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., "Long-Term Effects").

Italics vs. Quotation Marks

MLA uses two methods to present titles within your text and Works Cited list, depending on the type of source:

Italics : Used for complete works like books, films, journals, or websites.

Book : To Kill a Mockingbird

Film : The Shawshank Redemption

Journal : Journal of Applied Psychology

Website : Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Quotation Marks : Surround titles that are part of a larger work, such as chapters in a book, articles in a journal, or webpages.

Chapter in a Book : "The American Dream" in The Great Gatsby

Article in a Journal : "Climate Change and Its Impacts" in Nature

Webpage : "How to Create a Budget" on Investopedia

Remember, the capitalization rules remain the same regardless of italics or quotation marks.

Whether you're referencing a groundbreaking novel like "To Kill a Mockingbird" or citing a captivating news article titled "The Future of AI", MLA title capitalization ensures consistency and clarity in your writing.

3.Title Capitalization in Chicago Style

Chicago Style, a popular choice in various fields, uses a specific approach to title capitalization that might differ from what you're used to. But worry not! Let's break down the rules to ensure your essay titles and headings shine with clarity.

A Headline Approach

Chicago Style follows a headline-style capitalization method, making your titles stand out and grabbing the reader's attention. Here's what gets a capital letter:

The last word of the title, even if it's a minor word like "a" or "the".

All major words in between, including nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs like "play with"), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (e.g., "because," "although").

Keeping It Lowercase:

While major words get the spotlight, some words take a backseat in Chicago Style:

Articles (a, an, the)

Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet)

Prepositions (regardless of length), so even longer prepositions like "throughout" stay lowercase.

The second word after a hyphenated prefix (e.g., "Mid-term Exam," "Anti-government").

The "to" in an infinitive (e.g., "Learning to Code").

By following these Chicago Style capitalization guidelines, you'll ensure your titles are both informative and visually distinct, adding another layer of professionalism to your academic work.

APA vs. MLA vs. Chicago

The major differences in title capitalization among the style guides—APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP—lie in their treatment of certain words and expressions:

Titles of Works:

Chicago and MLA : Capitalize the first and last words and all other important words, regardless of length.

APA : Capitalize any word in a title, even a preposition, with five or more letters.

Internet Terms:

Chicago, APA, and MLA prefer "Internet" and "World Wide Web" but use "web" and "website".

Color Words for Race:

Chicago, and MLA recommend lowercase for "black" and "white" when referring to race, with Chicago allowing authors to capitalize them if preferred.

APA suggests capitalizing "Black" and "White".

Using WPS Writer for Effective Headings

WPS Office is widely recognized as the best suite for students for numerous reasons, and one of its standout features is its capability to simplify the process of capitalizing text. With WPS Office, capitalizing text can be made significantly easier through a few simple steps as such:

Step 1 : Open your thesis or dissertation in WPS Writer and navigate to a heading that needs capitalization correction.

Step 2 : Use your cursor to select the heading or title in your document.

Step 3 : Go to the Home tab and click on the " Change Case " icon represented by "Aa".

Step 4 : Users can now choose from five different options. Remember to consider the capitalization rules discussed in the article before making your selection, then click "OK" to proceed.

Step 5 : I decided to proceed with the "Capitalize Each Word" option to change the capitalization of my headings according to my academic requirements.

I find WPS Office the most user-friendly option for students, especially when it comes to capitalizing all letters in a word. Not only is it straightforward to follow formatting styles thanks to the intuitive features of WPS Office, but it's also incredibly easy to use. With just a simple click, WPS Office provides us with options on how to capitalize a title or word, making the process effortless.

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WPS AI: Your Smart Writing Assistant

WPS Office is a student-friendly suite, primarily due to its accessibility—it's free of cost and offers all the essential features students might require. Its compatibility extends across all major operating systems and devices, ensuring seamless usage regardless of the platform. However, the latest addition to the WPS package is what truly sets it apart: the AI spell check feature. This innovative tool goes beyond traditional spell checking, as it not only identifies spelling errors but also corrects tone, fixes title capitalization, and enhances overall coherence and readability of documents.

Furthermore, AI plays a significant role in the AI Writer tool integrated into WPS Office. This tool serves as a valuable aid in composing articles by offering suggestions for improvement and ensuring clarity of expression. Additionally, it facilitates translation tasks by assisting in translating works into the target language, further enhancing the versatility and usability of WPS Office for students and professionals alike. With these AI-powered features, WPS Office provides a comprehensive solution for students' academic and writing needs, empowering them to create polished and professional documents effortlessly.

Converting Your Essays to PDF Without Losing Format

After completing your essay or thesis, which likely spanned a significant amount of time, the final step of converting it to PDF can be frustrating. Many PDF converters either demand payment or, worse yet, disrupt the carefully crafted formatting, which is key to your essay's presentation. However, WPS Office offers the best solution in this regard. It's free, and WPS PDF ensures that your formatting remains intact, sparing you the hassle and ensuring a seamless transition to PDF format.

Here's an easy way for students to change their papers to PDF using WPS Writer:

Step 1 : Open your paper in WPS Writer and click on the Menu button in the top-left corner.

Step 2 : Next, choose the "Export to PDF" option from the Menu.

Step 3 : In the Export to PDF dialog box, select "Common PDF" from the "Export Type" dropdown menu, and then click "Export to PDF" to convert your Word document to PDF .

FAQs About Title Capitalization

Q1. which words do you not capitalize in a title.

Certain words are not capitalized in titles, regardless of the writing style, such as AP Style, APA, Chicago Manual of Style, or MLA. These include:

Articles (a, an, the): These are not capitalized unless they are the first word of the title.

Prepositions: Most prepositions (such as "in," "on," "of," "by," "with," etc.) are not capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title.

Conjunctions: Conjunctions (like "and," "but," "or," "nor," "for," "yet," and "so") are typically not capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title.

Q2. Is “not” capitalized in a title?

The word "not" is capitalized in titles according to all style guides because it functions as an adverb.

Q3. How can I batch-change all the capitalizations on my reference page?

Yes, changing all the capitalizations on your reference page can easily be accomplished using the AI spell check feature in WPS Writer:

Step 1 : Open the document in WPS Writer.

Step 2 : Navigate to the Review tab and click on the "AI Spell Check" feature in the review ribbon.

Step 3 : The AI spell check feature will open on the right side of the WPS Writer interface. Click on the "Set Goals" button on the AI Spell Check window.

Step 4 : Now, set some goals by selecting the "Academic" option under "Domain".

Step 5 : Once you've chosen "Academic”, select the format you're following, such as "APA", "MLA", "Chicago", or "Other". After selection, WPS AI spell check will highlight all headings with incorrect capitalization.

Effortless Capitalization: Simplify Your Writing with WPS AI

The rules of title capitalization for students are simple to grasp. However, it's natural to forget these rules over time. WPS AI serves as an invaluable tool in this regard. Even if you happen to forget the rules, WPS AI remembers them for you. The AI checker meticulously scans through your text, ensuring that your capitalization adheres to the formatting standards you're employing. With WPS Office and its AI capabilities, you can streamline your work processes more effectively, eliminating the need to stress over title capitalization and other formatting nuances. Get WPS Office today to enhance your productivity and streamline your workflow effortlessly.

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Free Tools for Students
Harvard Referencing Generator

Free Harvard Referencing Generator

Generate accurate Harvard reference lists quickly and for FREE, with MyBib!

🤔 What is a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator is a tool that automatically generates formatted academic references in the Harvard style.

It takes in relevant details about a source -- usually critical information like author names, article titles, publish dates, and URLs -- and adds the correct punctuation and formatting required by the Harvard referencing style.

The generated references can be copied into a reference list or bibliography, and then collectively appended to the end of an academic assignment. This is the standard way to give credit to sources used in the main body of an assignment.

👩‍🎓 Who uses a Harvard Referencing Generator?

Harvard is the main referencing style at colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also very popular in other English-speaking countries such as South Africa, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. University-level students in these countries are most likely to use a Harvard generator to aid them with their undergraduate assignments (and often post-graduate too).

🙌 Why should I use a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator solves two problems:

It provides a way to organise and keep track of the sources referenced in the content of an academic paper.
It ensures that references are formatted correctly -- inline with the Harvard referencing style -- and it does so considerably faster than writing them out manually.

A well-formatted and broad bibliography can account for up to 20% of the total grade for an undergraduate-level project, and using a generator tool can contribute significantly towards earning them.

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's Harvard Referencing Generator?

Here's how to use our reference generator:

If citing a book, website, journal, or video: enter the URL or title into the search bar at the top of the page and press the search button.
Choose the most relevant results from the list of search results.
Our generator will automatically locate the source details and format them in the correct Harvard format. You can make further changes if required.
Then either copy the formatted reference directly into your reference list by clicking the 'copy' button, or save it to your MyBib account for later.

MyBib supports the following for Harvard style:

🍏 What other versions of Harvard referencing exist?

There isn't "one true way" to do Harvard referencing, and many universities have their own slightly different guidelines for the style. Our generator can adapt to handle the following list of different Harvard styles:

Cite Them Right
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
University of the West of England (UWE)

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

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16 Free Title Generator Tools For Writing Better Headlines

Discover the power of engaging headlines with free title generator tools. Write catchy, concise, and SEO-friendly headlines to capture attention and increase clicks.

With audiences scrolling through content so quickly (on both search engines and social), an engaging headline is the first – and sometimes only – chance you have to capture their attention and get them to your webpage.

I’ll admit it: When it comes to consuming online content, I’m typically just scrolling and skimming rather than reading everything I see – and chances are that you are, too .

This habit has become commonplace, given the vast amount of information and content we encounter daily.

A strong headline can make the difference between a scroll-past and a click.

Luckily, there are an array of free tools designed to craft headlines that are not only succinct and engaging but also optimized for clicks and SEO .

In this guide, we’ll highlight the top free tools for generating effective titles and headlines, ensuring your content stands out and gets the attention it deserves.

Why Should You Use Free Headline Generator Tools?

You should never underestimate the power of a compelling headline.

The headlines you use for your blog posts and webpages are crucial in attracting clicks from search engine results pages (SERPs) and even social media platforms.

If your content marketing efforts are underperforming, weak headlines could be to blame.

Thankfully, title generator tools exist to help you craft engaging headlines – and many of them are free (like those listed in this article). These tools leverage algorithms to construct headlines that align with time-tested copywriting techniques and proven performance trends across various marketing channels.

While they’re not perfect, leveraging these tools to help you create stronger headlines can ensure your content stands out and drive more traffic to your owned properties.

But Are They Effective?

Absolutely, with some important caveats.

Generally, tools like these are great at generating compelling headlines, but they all have their constraints – some more than others.

Given that they’re free tools, they’re working with very limited information, and it’s worth keeping that in mind. You shouldn’t expect them to come up with headlines that satisfy the latest SEO trends, nor will they always nail your brand’s tone of voice and unique perspective.

Instead, you should use them as a jumping-off point while also maintaining a focus on your audience’s preferences and needs. Integrating your unique insights, along with your own keyword research and SEO findings, will help you get the most out of these tools.

16 Free Title Generator Tools To Help You Write Better Headlines

Without further ado, let’s explore the top free title generators for writing better headlines.

For consistency, I’ll be using the topics of “budget travel” and “budget travel tips and tricks” as my topic to generate examples across all of these tools.

Let’s dive in!

1. HubSpot: Blog Ideas Generator

The Blog Ideas Generator from HubSpot stands out as a top-tier resource for coming up with powerful blog post concepts and titles.

It can even generate a sample article based on your selected headline if you’re in the market for that – but for our purposes, we’ll focus on the title generation aspect.

All you need to do is tell the tool what your blog post is about, and it provides you with a list of five headline ideas to choose from.

HubSpot’s tool leverages Semrush search volume insights and the power of AI to create headlines that are attention-grabbing, strategic, and designed to garner traffic and engagement.

Under each headline, the tool will display the keywords it used to generate the title.

If you gravitate towards one specific keyword set, you can prompt the tool to generate an additional headline based on those keywords – up to 10 headlines with a free account.

Based on the prompt “budget travel tips and tricks,” this tool came up with the following headlines, showing that it’s capable of exploring different facets of a topic and associated keywords to come up with catchy headlines:

Budget Travel Itinerary Planning: How To Explore More On A Tight Budget.
Money-Saving Travel Hacks: Tips And Tricks To Make Your Budget Stretch Further.
Cheap Flight Booking Tips: How To Score The Best Deals On Airfare.
Affordable Travel Destinations 2023: Discover Budget-Friendly Places To Visit.
Budget Travel Packing List: Essential Items For A Cost-Effective Journey.

As we touched on above, you can even select a headline you like and have the tool generate a sample blog post within the HubSpot CMS.

A notable con of HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator is that you must sign up for a HubSpot account to access it. However, the tool is 100% free and incredibly easy to use.

2. The HOTH: Title Generator

The HOTH’s free Title Generator is a great tool for crafting SEO-focused headlines aimed at maximizing click-through rates.

The tool asks you to enter details on five different components that go into creating an effective title:

Relevant content keywords.
Desired outcome your audience might be searching for.
Common problems for your target audience or industry.
Your industry.
Your target audience .

It then uses the details you provide to come up with a list of 10 headline concepts. Here is what it provided me based on my inputs:

As you can see, some headlines are stronger than others, but it’s a great starting point for jogging your brain and getting creative juices flowing.

It seems to tend toward listicle ideas and more formulaic headlines, which could be a pro or a con depending on your audience and goals.

If you don’t like any of your headline suggestions, you can prompt it to generate more ideas – it’s always completely free.

3. SEOPressor: Blog Title Generator

The Blog Title Generator by SEOPressor takes a more specific approach to headline creation by having you outline what type of keyword you’re using.

So, you enter your target keyword and then use the provided dropdown to confirm whether it’s:

A generic term.
A brand/product.
An industry.
A location.
A person’s name.

Then, SEOPressor will suggest a list of related headlines for you.

While the tool is easy to use and takes SEO into consideration, the headlines can be a bit generic and straightforward. Some examples I received for the terms “budget travel” and “budget travel tips and tricks” included:

5 Secrets About Budget Travel That Has Never Been Revealed For The Past 50 Years.
7 Common Misconceptions About Budget Travel Tips And Tricks.
10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Budget Travel Tips And Tricks.
Master The Skills Of Budget Travel And Be Successful.

It’s clear that the tool just inputs the term into tried-and-true headline formulas for that particular keyword type rather than customizing them – so, depending on your topic, it might take a bit of extra time and legwork to perfect them.

While the tool is free, it will ask for your email address after three regenerations. Also, be aware that the site is heavier on the ads than many other tools here.

4. Portent: Content Idea Generator

Portent’s Content Idea Generator stands out as another popular choice for those seeking inspiration when it comes to headlines and ideas.

It provides a range of topics for use across various content formats, giving you multiple headline options to choose from.

You simply enter your subject and prompt the tool to generate a headline. It provides one title at a time, and for each, you have the option to save the idea, tweet it, see a new title, or change your subject altogether.

The interesting thing about Portent’s tool is that it allows you to click on different words or phrases from the suggested headline to learn more about why it was included and how it can help your content perform.

In that regard, it’s helpful to learn what makes a headline engaging and clickable.

However, its tone is particularly quirky, and the suggestions might not always align with those looking for more professional or serious content. Some of the headlines it suggested to me:

When Budget Travel Tips And Tricks Send You Running For Cover.
Why Budget Travel Is The Key To Winning The Presidential Election.
How To Build An Empire With Budget Travel.
How Budget Travel Could Help You Win The Game of Thrones.

Nobody can say they’re not entertaining!

5. Easy-Peasy.AI: Headline Generator

Easy-Peasy.AI (formerly Content Row) features an AI-powered Headline Generator that excels in producing a wide array of headline ideas across content types.

To use it, you just input your topic and your tone (optional) and click “Generate.”

The tool spits out 20 headlines in four different categories: guides & how-tos, questions, listicles, and others. That’s five headlines for each category.

I liked the variety the tool provided, which made the headlines more specific. The suggestions I received felt more thoughtful and valuable than some of the other tools. Some examples of headlines it generated for my topic:

How To Travel The World On A Shoestring Budget.
How Can I Travel On A Budget Without Sacrificing Comfort?
7 Must-Have Apps For Traveling On A Budget.
The Hidden Benefits Of Budget Travel – More Than Just Saving Money!

With five free rounds of generations a day and 40+ languages supported, this tool is a wonderful starting point for your headline ideation.

6. Tweak Your Biz: Title Generator

The Title Generator by Tweak Your Biz is yet another impressive free tool for generating headlines.

Input your topic, identify whether it’s a noun or a verb, and let the tool know whether you want the results in title or sentence case.

Click submit, and the tool will serve you a long list of headline concepts, separated by categories that include lists, best, how-to, questions, business, snark, motivation, and more.

The upside here is that you get a ton of different content title suggestions – and that also feels like the downside. While the array of choices is great, the sheer volume of titles can be time-consuming to sort through.

Also, the formulaic approach can lead to a lot of headlines that aren’t useful for your purposes. For example, I didn’t need a section on “celebrities” (believe it or not, I’m not in a rush to write “Genghis Khan’s Guide To Budget Travel Excellence”).

Other headlines it suggested for me included:

Master The Art Of Budget Travel With These 10 Tips.
Best 20 Tips For Budget Travel.
How To Earn $1,000,000 Using Budget Travel.
Shhhh… Listen! Do You Hear The Sound Of Budget Travel?
10 Ways Budget Travel Can Drive You Bankrupt – Fast!

If you’re starting with a blank slate and looking to come up with as many ideas as possible – or just get some inspiration – this is a great resource.

7. CoSchedule: Headline Analyzer

The Headline Analyzer from CoSchedule offers actionable insights about what makes a successful headline by analyzing your headlines and telling you what works (and what doesn’t).

The tool evaluates your headline based on factors like word balance, headline type, sentiment, clarity, skimmability, word count, character count, and more.

It gives your headline an overall score out of 100, as well as an SEO score based on details like keyword quality and density, search competition, average monthly searches, and more.

The two screenshots below show my headline score and SEO score, respectively, when using a headline suggested to me by HubSpot’s tool (earlier in this article):

While not a typical headline generator, CoSchedule’s tool provides valuable insights into headline effectiveness to help you ensure you’re optimizing your content for engagement and search rankings.

The only downsides are that you need to provide your own headline, and you’ll need to upgrade to a paid account for features like more monthly credits (you get 10 credits/searches each month with a free account) and to unlock additional features.

Overall, a powerful tool for testing your headlines.

8. SumoMe: Kickass Headline Generator

SumoMe’s Kickass Headline Generator helps you create headlines by having you input specific information based on the type of content you’re creating.

SumoMe has users choose from a list of predefined content categories to guide the headline creation process. It provides a few specific types of content to choose from:

Numbered Lists.
Explanatory/Why.
Strong/Controversial.
Fun/Playful.
DIY Headline Formulas.

You simply select the content type you want, and the tool will prompt you to enter specific details based on that selection.

For example, the Numbered Lists section asks for your topic, a desirable and undesirable outcome for your audience, and how many list items you want in the article.

The How To section, on the other hand, asks for things like a time frame, a descriptive power word, and a biggest frustration to devise headlines.

The tool then uses pre-existing headline templates to suggest a list of possible titles for your content based on your information.

While this tool requires a little more work on the user’s end, it’s useful for understanding how different types of headlines come together. You can easily see how your inputs impact the suggestions and make tweaks, edits, and customizations as you see fit to reach your goals.

The reliance on templates means the tool is limited, but it’s straightforward and practical and a good option for those who know what they’d like to achieve.

9. Impact: Blog About

The BlogAbout tool by Impact is a sleek blog title generator that enables you to create headlines easily with a simple, user-friendly interface.

With its fill-in-the-blank approach, this tool is useful for generating blog-specific titles that can help spark creativity and refine your content direction.

You start by entering your keyword and then using a dropdown to identify whether the keyword is a product or service, a brand/business name, an industry, or something else.

From there, the tool will generate five headlines, one for each of these categories: cost, problems, comparisons, reviews, and best-in-class. You can see in the screenshot below how this looks for the “industry” keyword type.

If you don’t like the headlines you receive, you can continue prompting the tool to generate more. You also have the option to save the titles you like and download them – though you’ll have to fill out a form to do the latter.

The great thing about the BlogAbout tool is the customization options, but the templated approach means it might not always work perfectly for you, depending on your keywords and topics.

10. Advanced Marketing Institute: Headline Analyzer

The Advanced Marketing Institute’s Headline Analyzer might sound complex, but it’s actually a straightforward and accessible tool that evaluates the emotional pull of your headlines.

This is another one where you need to come prepared with your own headline options for analysis rather than having the tool generate new content for you.

Once entered, the tool calculates the Emotional Marketing Value (EMV) of the headline, reflecting its potential to resonate with readers emotionally .

According to the Advanced Marketing Institute, the headline is “analyzed and scored based on the total number of EMV words it has in relation to the total number of words it contains.”

On top of that, you’ll also find out which of these three emotions the headline impacts most: intellectual, empathetic, or spiritual.

For my headline here, I used one of the options that Easy-Peasy.AI’s tool suggested to me, and here is what I received:

The tool also conveyed to me that the predominant emotion classification was Spiritual:

This is certainly a unique tool in that it helps you understand the emotional impact of your headlines and can thus give you tips on creating headlines with a psychological edge.

It’s always free and lets you input as many headlines as you’d like!

11. FATJOE: Blog Post Title Headline Generator

Looking to generate a ton of titles fast? Facing a creative block when titling your latest article or post? The Blog Post Title Headline Generator by FATJOE could be a good option for you.

Start by inputting a topic or keyword, and you’ll immediately receive 10 headline suggestions. If that’s not enough, you can sign up for free with your email address to download 100 more.

The suggestions are largely numbers/list-based titles that leverage a formulaic approach across different tones and styles. However, the quality can vary pretty drastically, so some of the results will likely be far less relevant to you than others.

It’s great for a quick and easy dose of creative inspiration, but will take manual filtering to find the gems.

As the company itself specifies, these are intended to be clickbait titles, so you should be aware of that going into it.

12. Copywriting Course: Title Generator

The Copywriting Course’s Title Generator tool provides more than 100 headline suggestions for a variety of content types.

All you need to do is enter your topic into the tool, and you instantly get a long list of potential titles based on proven copywriting formulas. They’re designed to increase clicks and conversions for you.

The major drawback is that the list itself doesn’t change, so you’re getting the same ideas every time, just with a different keyword or topic switched in.

In that regard, the tool doesn’t have much personalization, so it is best as a creative inspiration tool rather than something that you’ll want to revisit over and over.

But if you do want to, it’s totally free forever with no restrictions.

13. Sharethrough: Headline Analyzer

Already have a headline, but want to know how engaging it is? It’s time you paid a visit to Sharethrough’s Headline Analyzer .

Simply input your headline, and the tool will analyze its effectiveness, providing insights into metrics like quality, engagement potential, and overall impression.

It will give you an overall Headline Quality Score, which “is based on a multivariate linguistic algorithm built on the principles of Behavior Model theory and Sharethrough’s neuroscience and advertising research.”

The company’s algorithm considers 300+ unique variables, including natural language processing , to help you create effective headlines.

Sharethrough’s tool will tell you your headline’s strengths, as well as provide a list of suggestions for how to improve upon its weaknesses.

Here’s what it told me when I entered a headline from Tweak Your Biz’s generator:

14. Title-Generator.com

Title-Generator.com is a free service for generating a multitude of headlines.

By simply inputting a primary keyword and hitting “Create Titles,” you’ll get a list of 700 – yes, you read that correctly – headline ideas.

They’re delivered in a simple text format. And while it’s impressive how many options the tool provides, the quality really runs the gamut. You will almost certainly need to do some manual trawling and editing to find what you’re looking for – but it’s a great starting point for content inspo.

The screenshot below shows examples of just some of the headlines it gave me based on my prompt:

The tool is free and easy to use, but beware that the site contains a fair amount of ads, which can detract from the user experience.

15. AnswerThePublic: Search Listening Tool

Another tool that’s slightly different from other options here, AnswerThePublic uses “search listening” to provide users with valuable insights for their content marketing strategies .

Unlike traditional headline generators, this tool delves into the queries and phrases people search for related to your keyword, offering a wealth of ideas that can then be transformed into compelling headlines.

To get started, enter your keyword, select your target country and language, and then hit the search button. You can choose to search Google, Bing, YouTube, or Amazon to find out what users are searching for.

Once you’ve hit search, AnswerThePublic will generate a bunch of data for you, including related questions, prepositions, comparisons, alphabetical searches, and related searches for your topic. You can view this in several ways, including wheels, lists, and tables, and results are color-coded based on performance.

Beyond this, the tool also provides the search volume and cost per click (CPC) for the topic you’ve inputted.

Here’s a small snapshot of what I saw for “budget travel”:

It’s a powerful tool for discerning user intent and finding content gaps in the market, but it may be more helpful for general concepts rather than polished headlines or titles specifically. That said, I would recommend it as a tool to pressure test your ideas.

You get one free search with a public version, and then you need to register for an account for three free searches per day. To get more insights and searches, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

16. Ahrefs: Free AI Blog Title Generator

If you’re looking for SEO-friendly headline ideas, consider trying out Ahref’s Free AI Blog Title Generator.

According to Ahrefs, the tool “uses a language model that learns patterns, grammar, and vocabulary from large amounts of text data – then uses that knowledge to generate human-like text based on a given prompt or input.”

Start by entering what your article is about, then choose a writing tone from a list of many, including formal, friendly, casual, professional, persuasive, bold, academic, empathetic, and many more.

Then, click “Generate Titles” to get a list of up to 10 headline ideas. Below is a screenshot of my results when I entered “budget travel tips and tricks” and selected Persuasive for the tone.

I found this tool’s suggestions to be among some of the strongest I received from these tools, and would suggest trying the tool out if you’re looking for headline ideas.

If you want to save the ideas it generates, you can export the results in a text file with the click of a button. You can also have the tool serve you additional ideas – free of charge.

Leverage These Tools To Supercharge Your Headlines

Given the sheer amount of content that’s produced online every single day, effective headlines are more crucial than ever before.

And thanks to free title generator tools like those in this article, crafting powerful headlines is only getting easier.

While their output isn’t always perfect, they offer a foundation upon which you can build more nuanced and targeted content strategies.

By combining the capabilities of headline generators with your own strategic SEO and audience insights and analysis, as well as your content marketing expertise, you can ensure that your content is seen by – and resonates with – your target audience.

More resources:

12 Surprising Examples Of Clickbait Headlines That Work
How To Write A Headline: 10 Tips For Getting It Right
Content Marketing: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

Featured Image: Cast Of Thousands/Shutterstock

Writer, digital marketer, and content strategist. Annabelle has 8+ years of experience in social marketing, copywriting, and storytelling for best-in-class ...

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How To Title An Essay Example
Essay title
How to Title an Essay: Guide with Creative Examples [2023]
How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
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MLA Titles
MLA format for academic papers and essays Apply MLA format to your title page, header, and Works Cited page with our 3-minute video, template, and examples. 1619. Creating an MLA header Start with a header containing your name, instructor's name, course, and date, followed by the paper's title. 483.
How to Title an Essay: Tips and Examples
Now that you know what a bad essay title looks like, let's explore good essay title examples as their substitutes. Examine the following essay title format styles that will give you a clear understanding. Ex 1: 'The Electronic Babysitter: A Social History of Uses of the Television' - gives an exact description of what the essay will be about
Formatting Titles
Simply type out the title using title case and bold it-that's it. On the first page of the essay, center and repeat the title, bold it, and use title case. Again, do not use any special formatting. Do not use a bigger font size or style. Do not underline or italicize and so forth.
How to Format an Essay: MLA, APA, & Chicago Styles
If your instructor lets you pick the format of your essay, opt for the style that matches your course or degree best: MLA is best for English and humanities; APA is typically for education, psychology, and sciences; Chicago Style is common for business, history, and fine arts. 2. Set your margins to 1 inch (2.5 cm) for all style guides.
ENG 1002 Online: The Proper Format for Essays
The Proper Format for Essays. Below are guidelines for the formatting of essays based on recommendations from the MLA (the Modern Language Association). Fonts: Your essay should be word processed in 12-point Times New Roman fonts. ... Title: Your essay should include a title. The title should be centered and should appear under the heading ...
A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers
This article walks through the formatting steps needed to create an APA Style student paper, starting with a basic setup that applies to the entire paper (margins, font, line spacing, paragraph alignment and indentation, and page headers). It then covers formatting for the major sections of a student paper: the title page, the text, tables and ...
How to Format an Essay
Otherwise, it would go in place of the text. Title. There needs to be a proper essay title format, centered and above the first line of the essay of the same font and size as the essay itself. Indentation. Just press tab (1/2 inch, just in case) Align. Align to the left-hand side, and make sure it is aligned evenly.
Paper format
To format a paper in APA Style, writers can typically use the default settings and automatic formatting tools of their word-processing program or make only minor adjustments. The guidelines for paper format apply to both student assignments and manuscripts being submitted for publication to a journal. If you are using APA Style to create ...
General Format
In the case of a group project, list all names of the contributors, giving each name its own line in the header, followed by the remaining MLA header requirements as described below. Format the remainder of the page as requested by the instructor. In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the ...
Title page setup
Format. Example. Paper title. Place the title three to four lines down from the top of the title page. Center it and type it in bold font. Capitalize major words of the title. Place the main title and any subtitle on separate double-spaced lines if desired. There is no maximum length for titles; however, keep titles focused and include key terms.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
Sample papers
These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.
APA Essay Format: How to Write a Successful APA Essay
If the essay is in a chapter of a book, edited collection, or anthology, APA format states that you should cite the last name, first name, title of essay, title of collection, publisher, year, and page range. For example: Smith, John, "The Light House," A Book of Poems, editing by Peter Roberts, Allworth Press, 2005, pp. 20-25.
Sample Essays: Writing with MLA Style
The following essays were selected for the 2019 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2019 selection committee was composed of Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware; Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago (chair); and Liana Silva, César E. Chavez High School, Houston, Texas. Catherine Charlton (University of King's College, Nova ...
MLA Sample Paper
MLA Formatting and Style Guide; MLA General Format MLA Formatting and Style Guide; MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics; MLA Formatting Lists MLA Formatting Quotations; MLA Endnotes and Footnotes; MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format; MLA Works Cited Page: Books; MLA Works Cited Page: Periodicals; MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)
Title Capitalization for Your Essays [For Students]
Knowing title capitalization in APA style is particularly handy when formatting titles in academic papers, articles, essays, reports, and other scholarly works. It's essential for headings and citations alike. APA capitalization guidelines ensure consistency and professionalism in presenting titles within the context of academic writing.
Report Writing Format with Templates and Sample Report
This report format follows a formal writing style and dives into a topic related to the student's academic studies. Create your own Presentation Report with this easy-to-edit template! Edit and Download. For more report examples you can learn from, check out our guide on Report Examples With Sample Templates.
APA Sample Paper
Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper , APA Sample Professional Paper This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader. Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication).
Free Harvard Referencing Generator [Updated for 2024]
A Harvard Referencing Generator is a tool that automatically generates formatted academic references in the Harvard style. It takes in relevant details about a source -- usually critical information like author names, article titles, publish dates, and URLs -- and adds the correct punctuation and formatting required by the Harvard referencing style.
16 Free Title Generator Tools For Writing Better Headlines
14. Title-Generator.com. Title-Generator.com is a free service for generating a multitude of headlines. By simply inputting a primary keyword and hitting "Create Titles," you'll get a list ...
APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)
General guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay Author/Authors How to refer to authors in-text, including single and multiple authors, unknown authors, organizations, etc. Reference List. Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats