The goal of a capstone project title is to convey the essence and scope of the project using as few words as possible. A good title should be clear, concise yet compelling. It lays the foundation for others to understand what the project is about just from the title alone. Given the length constraints of a title, it is important to choose words carefully to best represent the project. Some key factors students should consider include:

Reflect the topic and focus area of the project
The title should give potential readers a clear indication of the topic or issue being explored in the project. It needs to capture the project’s focus, scope or problem statement. Students need to distill their project into a few descriptive keywords that reflect the core subject matter. For example, a title like “An Evaluation of Strategies to Improve Student Retention Rates” directly conveys the topic is about evaluating strategies related to student retention in an education setting.

Use clear and simple language
The title should be easy to readily understand by the target audience. It needs to avoid technical jargon, complexity in wording or ambiguity that can confuse readers. Unfamiliar terms may potentially turn readers away without understanding the substance of the project. Basic words work better than sophisticated ones that require further explanation. For instance, “Enhancing Website Visibility through Search Engine Optimization Tactics” is more straightforward than “Leveraging Meta Tags for Increased Organic Search Traffic”.

Reflect the purpose or objective of the project
Beyond the topic, the title must also encompass the purpose or key objective of the project. Is it to analyze, evaluate, test, develop or propose something? Words like “A Proposal for…”, “Developing a Tool to…”, “Evaluating the Effectiveness of…” set expectations on what the project aims to achieve regarding the stated topic. This gives readers context on the type of outcome or deliverables to expect from exploring the project further.

Be concise with a lively flow
A good title strikes a balance between conveying necessary detail yet remaining succinct. It should not exceed more than 10 to 15 words to maintain readability and attention-grabbing flair. The flow and phrasing of words matters as well – a lively, succinct title reads better than one that feels wordy or clunky. For example, “Evaluating a Mobile App for Peer-to-Peer Learning” flows better than “An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Mobile Application for Peer Learning Among Students”.

Represent the scope and scale
The title should provide a sense of the scale, scope and boundaries of the project. Is it focused narrowly on a specific component? Broader to address the overall problem? Wider to explore implications? Words like “A Study of…”, “Evaluating Strategies for…”, “Developing a Framework to…” give the audience insight into the project’s scale and scope. This sets proper expectations on the depth and breadth of analysis, research or solutioning covered.

Be engaging for the target reader
An effective title should intrigue and attract the interest of potential readers, whether they are evaluators, community stakeholders or peers. It showcases why the project deserves attention. Choice of words that feel fresh, intriguing or solve an interesting problem can make readers more inclined to explore further. Titles should not be overly dramatic or elaborate than the substance of the project. An optimal balance of informative yet attention-grabbing usually works best.

Anticipate future applications
When choosing a title, students should consider how it might be used post-graduation in job applications, further research undertakings or solutions implementations. A title grounded in practical realities with potential future applications often serves students’ long-term interests better. It projects the work in a framework of continued relevance beyond student years. For instance, “Developing a Financial Inclusion Mobile App for Low-Income Users” signals applicability in ed-tech or social enterprises.

A well-crafted capstone title should effectively summarize the essence of the project using direct and concise language, while retaining readability, interest and relevance for both current and prospective needs. With careful consideration of these key factors, students can distinguish their capstone work and maximize its impact through a winning project title. The title sets the stage to attract ideal readers and stakeholders, leading to broader dissemination of the valuable work.