One mistake is making the title too broad or vague. The title should give the reader a clear idea of what your project is about. Titles that are too broad like “A Capstone Project” or “My Senior Research” do not provide enough detail on your specific topic of study. You want the title to intrigue the reader and make them want to learn more.

Another mistake is making the title too narrow or specific. While you don’t want a vague title, you also don’t want a title that is so narrow it doesn’t provide context. For example, a title like “The Effect of Temperature on Seed Germination of Peas at 25 Degrees Celsius” is too specific and doesn’t give the reader background on what they should understand from the title alone.

Titles should also be concise. Long, wordy titles with unnecessary fluff make the project sound less professional and can turn off readers. As a general rule, titles for capstone projects should be less than 15 words to keep it short and focused on the key aspects.

Avoid using vague terms like “study,” “project,” “research,” or “analysis” in the title. Since it is implicit that a capstone involves research and analysis, there is no need to state these generic terms. The title should focus on what specifically you are researching or analyzing.

Don’t include personal pronouns like “I”, “me” or “my” in the title. The title should be about the topic, not the person conducting the research. References to yourself just take attention away from the actual subject matter.

Refrain from using broad categories or fields of study in the title unless they provide meaningful context. For example, a biology or marketing major would be evident from the department or program, so adding general terms like “A study in biology” does little to inform the reader.

It is best to avoid acronyms or abbreviations in the title. Spell out multi-word phrases for clarity since acronyms and abbreviations may not be familiar to all readers. You can always define any necessary acronyms or abbreviations when first introduced in the paper itself.

Titles including numbers, dates, locations or other specifics that are not central to the main topic can distract from the key focus and purpose as well. Save any peripheral details for the first paragraphs of the introduction or methodology section.

It is important not to misrepresent the focus or goals of the project with a misleading title. Make sure what is implied or stated in the title is then substantiated within the content of the paper itself. You don’t want a reader to start with one impression from the title that is not reflected in what is actually covered.

Avoid declarative or imperative titles conveying what will be “proven” or “shown” with the research. Readers may then be left disappointed if results differ from what was promised or anticipated from the title alone. It is best not to make definitive claims upfront without warranting them through methodological rigor.

Active tense verbs work best in titles to create a dynamic quality that draws in the reader. Consider using phrases like “Exploring factors that influence…”, “Evaluating the role of…”, “Analyzing responses to…” rather than static verbs like “Factors that influence…”, “The role of…”, “Responses to…” which are less compelling.

A high quality title should indicate the central topic of research directly yet succinctly, contextualize it within the overall field or domain, emphasize the variables that will be assessed, and imply a level of analysis without being overly definitive. Here are some examples of better titles that avoid common mistakes:

“Assessing the Influence of Brand Recognition on Consumer Purchase Decisions of Private Label Versus National Brands in Grocery Retail”

“Exploring the Relationship Between Teacher-Student Rapport and Academic Achievement in Secondary Classrooms”

“Analyzing Shareholder Reactions to Sustainability Reporting Among Fortune 500 Companies”

The key is providing just enough information in the title to allow readers to understand the basic premise and focus of the project upfront, while also creating interest to learn more by digging further into the introduction. Paying close attention to advice around conciseness, clarity, precision and avoiding vague, irrelevant or misleading elements can help formulate an effective title that represents the capstone work well and draws in your target audience. With practice designing engaging, polished titles aligned to good capstone research, you can make a strong first impression with your readers.