Selecting a dissertation title wisely is imperative, because a good dissertation can take months or even years to write, and a bad choice can lead to bad progress and a bad mark. Selecting a title is not a simple process, and can take longer than it takes to write the main paper! However, when you've found the perfect title, the essay itself will seem so much easier, and you'll have the confidence to start and produce a brilliant essay.
The first thing to remember is that the title needs to be relatively simple. Using lots of technical terms in your title will not impress your reader, it will instead make them predict a difficult article to understand, and they will not read on further.
If you haven't already, then it's time to select your topic. Pick a broad topic as early as possible and start collecting information and researching it. Your goal is to become as familiar as possible with your topic, so you are as informed as possible. It is important to select a problem that is solvable within the time period that you have to write the essay. Also, check if you are allowed to cover already researched areas. It will be very hard to find an area that has never been researched, but most universities have strict guidelines so that you cannot copy older research. It is important to show that you have carried out your research yourself so don't pick the commonest area, and make sure your title doesn't already belong to somebody else's paper.
Next, the title needs to link to what you are writing. Integrate what you are planning to do into your title, for example, for a paper that intends to produce new knowledge based on accepted facts, you can use the words 'procedures', 'method', or 'study' in your title. These words reflect processes involved and make your reader want to read on and explore with you.
Sometimes you can use your thesis statement to produce your title. For example, if you are studying the effects of microwaves on cancer, you could use "A study on the relationship between microwaves and the suspected increased risk of cancer among its users". This shows the reader exactly what you will be writing about, and will attract attention due to its simplicity.
Make sure both you and your advisor are interested in your topic, and that the title is worth you spending your time to research. If it's not, no one will bother to read it, and you'll be less inclined to spend the necessary time researching it and writing a brilliant paper.
Once you have come up with a few ideas, test them round. Suggest them to your advisor, your parents and your friends, and see if anyone has any suggestions to perk them up a little. It's amazing how twisting words around can make the same idea seem so much more interesting.
Make sure your title is written in proper, recognised English. Using slang or words that have several meanings will lead to a poor title. If you can include interesting words in your title, you will attract attention from the types of reader that enjoy that subject. For example, if you are writing about flowers and plants, you could include the word 'biology'.
What your dissertation title will be will depend on how long you spend thinking of one, and your knowledge of the area you are researching. You may think of several terrible ideas before you find the one that completely sums up what you are attempting to do. It's worth remembering to check your title fits well with your project after you've finished it, in case you changed direction during writing, and bearing other people's opinions in mind.
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