Conventions for Titles

I am copying some text I wrote to my morning class because I believe I said more or less the same thing to you guys. Just some further examples.

Sorry this got rushed in class, so I'm writing a note here to put my thoughts in order. About conventions for titles for academic papers, there is usually a one-part format or a two-part format. In the two-part format you have more flexibility with the first part to be a bit more creative/informal/general, and then the second part is the more hardcore research part. Usually you want that part of the title to be somehow expressive of the precise topic, or better yet the method or thesis.

Bad: "Needle In a Haystack"

Bad: "So That's Where Bin Laden Was. Huh."

Better: "New Investigative Tactics in Terrorist Counterinsurgency"

Best: "Satellite Forensics as a New Investigative Tool for Terrorist Counterinsurgency"

Best: "A Quantitative Analysis of the Counterinsurgency Applications of Satellite Forensics"

Best: "A Dance Suite Exploring the Counterinsurgency Applications of Satellite Forensics"

Best: "Satellite Forensics as a Complement to Interrogation in Terrorist Counterinsurgency Operations"

Other Best: "Needle In a Haystack - Satellite Forensics as a New Investigative Tool for Terrorist Counterinsurgency"

Other Best: "Needle In a Haystack - A Quantitative Analysis of the Counterinsurgency Applications of Satellite Forensics"

Other Best: "Needle In a Haystack - A Dance Suite Exploring the Counterinsurgency Applications of Satellite Forensics"

Other Best: "Needle In a Haystack - Satellite Forensics as a Complement to Interrogation in Terrorist Counterinsurgency Operations"