Essay headings are important as they are used to guide the reader through the complete paper. With the help of a proper essay header, you can tell your readers what your essay is about, what your arguments are, and what they will get to know in your document.
Furthermore, when readers know what type of information they will obtain after reading the document and how the information will link together, they can understand the content more easily and quickly. Essay headlines are important not only for the reader but also for the writers, as they help them understand how to structure their thoughts in writing. They also learn how to improve the logic and clarity of their arguments in less time.
However, writing an engaging essay title is not a child’s play. There are a few essential elements that must be in your heading to grab the attention of the audience, and we will discuss them in this article. But before moving towards those key elements, let’s first get to know what an essay heading is.
What Is a Heading in an Essay?
According to the University of New England, an essay heading is a short saying or phrase that tells the reader about the content of your essay and focuses their attention on the most significant part of your piece of writing. The heading is considered the title of a document as it summarises the content of your paper in a few words. So, they should be concise, descriptive, engaging, and relevant.
What Are the Essential Elements of an Essay Heading?
The first thing that your readers read and get an idea about the content of your paper is the essay heading. For beginners, crafting a compelling title must be difficult. A perfect heading for an essay includes a few key components that enhance the overall engagement of the readers.
Below are 7 key components that must be in your essay heading.
1. Specific Numbers and Data
One of the most significant aspects of compelling essay headings is that they include numbers and specific data. It is one of the most significant strategies that many professional essay writers use while writing the titles of their papers. According to Debra Jason, a marketer, using numbers in headings acts like ‘brain candy.
For example, if you are writing an essay on “Free Education”, you can write a heading like this; “Top 10 Reasons Why Education Should be Free”. This is because numbers are easy to read, and you can scan them quickly without the need to read the complete information. In addition, instead of writing ten reasons and seven tips, use numbers like these: 10 reasons and 7 tips.
2. It Must be Short and Concise
The next most significant component of an essay header is that it should be short and concise. This is due to the fact that most readers do not like to read lengthy statements and titles; instead, they prefer skimming through the text. So, it is the best strategy to use a short heading for your essay with a smaller word count. In addition, your essay headings should be between 60-70 characters.
So, instead of writing lengthy headings like:
- “Read this Comprehensive Guide on How to Write an Engaging Research Paper on Microbiology?”
You need to come up with a concise heading like:
- “7 Tips to Write an Engaging Research Paper on Microbiology”
3. Proper Formatting and Styling
Proper styling and formatting of your header for an essay is important when you want to improve the readability of your essay. As a rule of thumb, when you craft a paper, headers should stand out. It could be attained by using the right font style, such as Times New Roman, accurate size, and proper formatting. In addition, the heading must be at the top of the page and double-spaced.
However, if you are writing for your institute, you should follow your college essay format for formatting your paper. Most of the academic writing involves the use of APA, Chicago and MLA formatting, so it’s better to check for your institute guidelines. In addition, if you have any confusion in formatting your paper, you can avail of the services of an essay writing company in the UK. They have experts who can write your essay paper according to the format suggested by your institution.
4. Have a Unique Rationale
A proper heading for an essay must have a reason in it for the reader. The headline of your essay should offer a reason for your readers to click, open, and move through your paper. In addition, strong headings include the powerful words that the people are looking for.
Here is the list of a few rationales that an essay header must include:
- Reasons
- Tricks
- Lessons
- Ideas
- Tips
- Tricks
- Facts
- Ways
- Secrets
- Principles
- Strategies
5. Must-Have 4 U’s
The next essential element that must be in an essay heading is the call for attraction. It means that the headline should be engaging enough that your reader can focus on it and concentrate on the content of your essay.
Below are 4 U’s that must be present in an attention-grabbing essay heading:
- Urgent – Force the reader to perform an action
- Unique – Stand out from the rest
- Ultra-specific – Address to a particular problem
- Useful – Help to resolve user’s problem
6. Emotional and Powerful words
As the perfect essay content addresses the reader’s emotions, the case is similar to that of the essay headline. A perfect college essay heading attracts the attention of the reader and boosts their curiosity to read the complete paper.
There are a few power words that compel your reader to read your essay, such as:
- Amazing
- Surprising
- Mind-blowing
- Eye-opening
- Breath-taking
- Stunning
- Sensational
7. Ask Questions
The last most significant element of an engaging essay heading is that it must address a question. It is a tried and tested technique that makes a heading more engaging and compelling. For instance, consider it in a way that when you are confronted with a question, you become curious to know the answer. The same is the case with a perfect essay heading.
It asks a question that compels the reader to read your essay to know the answer to that particular query. When you ask a question in your heading, you make it clear to the reader that they will find the answer to this in your essay content.
Let’s understand this with a few examples:
Essay Heading Examples
- How to Quit Smoking? Top 9 Tips to Start With
- Why Should Schools Allow the Use of Mobile Phones in Class?
- What Are the Effects of Gadgets on Kids Studies? A Comprehensive Guide
- What Is the Difference Between Being Obese and Overweight?
- Is It Important to Have a Degree for a Job? A Detailed Guide
These are a few headlines that you can use to craft a good one for yourself. However, if you are a beginner and find it difficult to choose the best heading or write your paper, it is recommended to purchase your essay from seasoned experts.
Conclusion
A proper essay heading is what makes your paper stand out from the rest and compels your readers to read it thoroughly. However, writing a good title or engaging heading for your essay is not an easy feat. One should have a good knowledge of data, target audience, and creativity to come up with a perfect header.
This article covers the seven essential elements of an engaging essay headline that must be present in every heading. So, if you are trying to write one for your essay, this guide can help you come up with a perfect heading based on your reader’s interest and institutional guidelines.
