Last updated on Nov 19, 2024

How do you write a strong and informative document title and summary?

A document title and summary are the first things that your readers will see, and they can make a big difference in how they perceive and use your document. A strong and informative title and summary can capture attention, convey the main purpose and scope of your document, and help your readers navigate and find the information they need. In this article, you will learn some tips and best practices for writing effective document titles and summaries in the context of document management.

1 Know your audience and purpose

Before you start writing your document title and summary, you should have a clear idea of who your audience is and what your purpose is. Your audience and purpose will determine the tone, style, and level of detail of your title and summary. For example, if your document is a technical report for a specific client, you might want to use formal language, include relevant keywords, and mention the main findings or recommendations. If your document is a blog post for a general audience, you might want to use a catchy and engaging title, avoid jargon, and highlight the main benefits or insights of your document.

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Federico Trotta

Documentation Engineer | Technical Writer | I translate your software into words
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The first thing that makes people read a document is the title. So, the title and the summary must reflect the audience and the purpose of the document, otherwise, people will eventually start reading, but then interrupt. So, it's fundamental to know your audience before delivering the document. TIP: write the title when the document is finished, so that it summarizes the document, and focuses on the audience.

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Anjaiah Thadishetty

| 𝐂𝐈𝐏-𝐀𝐈𝐈𝐌 | 𝐂𝐃𝐒𝐒 | 𝑼𝒏𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒂 | 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒕 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏
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As you head to a strong summary🚀, It is critical to articulate clearly on why the document📖 exists and its purpose, while it also addresses the problems it intend to solve. 📈 Typically a Summary should be 2-4 sentences focusing📣 on audience🤝 while including the priorities relevant to the needs of the respective audience. 👩💼👨💼

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Josiane Tatagiba

Arquivista | Gestão de Projetos | Transformação Digital
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Para escrever títulos e resumos de documentos fortes e informativos - Seja claro e conciso: resuma o conteúdo principal em poucas palavras. - Use palavras-chave relevantes: facilite a busca e a identificação do documento. - Evite jargões técnicos: seja acessível a um público mais amplo. - Utilize verbos ativos e linguagem direta. - Revise e edite cuidadosamente para garantir clareza e concisão. - Teste o título e o resumo com colegas ou membros da equipe. Com essas dicas, você poderá escrever títulos e resumos que atraem a atenção do leitor e comunicam o conteúdo do seu documento de forma eficaz. #escrita #título #resumo #documento #dicas #produtividade

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Manuel Alejandro Aguirre

| Consultor en gestión documental | Arquitecto de soluciones tecnológicas documentales | Especialista en la Optimización y automatización de procesos |
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Un título sólido e informativo es esencial para captar la atención del lector y transmitir de inmediato la esencia del documento. Debe ser claro, conciso y específico, evitando ambigüedades o términos demasiado generales. Es importante incluir palabras clave relevantes que resuman el contenido y destaquen la relevancia del documento. Por otro lado, un resumen efectivo debe ofrecer una visión general precisa, destacando los puntos clave y las conclusiones más importantes. Mantener un lenguaje directo y evitar detalles innecesarios permitirá al lector comprender el propósito del documento rápidamente.

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Minesh P.

🪄Management Systems Specialist💡Innovative Thinker🤔Highly Self-Aware
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To craft a strong document title and summary, start with clarity and specificity. The title should be concise yet descriptive, capturing the document's core purpose. Use keywords relevant to the content for better searchability. The summary should provide a brief overview, including key objectives, findings, or recommendations, in clear, straightforward language. Aim for a balance between brevity and detail, ensuring it effectively informs the reader of the document's significance and main points.

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2 Use clear and concise language

Your document title and summary should be clear and concise, avoiding unnecessary words, vague terms, or redundant information. Your title should be short and specific, ideally no more than 10 words, and summarize the main topic or argument of your document. Your summary should be one or two sentences, ideally no more than 150 words, and provide an overview of the main points, methods, or implications of your document. You should avoid using acronyms or technical terms without defining them, unless they are widely known or relevant to your audience.

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Anayet Ahmed Rontu

Bsc in 𝐂𝐒𝐄 || 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐃𝐂-𝐌𝐑𝐓 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞-𝟓𝐍 || 𝓔x-𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐂&𝐓 || 𝓔x-𝐌𝐑𝐓 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞-𝟔
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Craft clear, concise titles and summaries to grab attention: Title: Keep it short (ideally under 10 words) and specific. Include keywords for searchability. Summary: Use active voice and descriptive verbs. Briefly explain the document's purpose, key points, and outcome (1-2 sentences, 150 words max).

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3 Use active and descriptive verbs

Your document title and summary should use active and descriptive verbs that convey the type, scope, and outcome of your document. Active verbs show what your document does or aims to do, such as analyze, compare, evaluate, or recommend. Descriptive verbs show what your document covers or reveals, such as explore, examine, identify, or demonstrate. You should avoid using weak or generic verbs, such as discuss, present, or report, unless they are appropriate for your purpose and audience.

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4 Use keywords and phrases

Your document title and summary should use keywords and phrases that reflect the main content and context of your document, and that match the search terms or queries that your potential readers might use. Keywords and phrases can help your document rank higher in search engines, attract more attention, and increase the relevance and usability of your document. You should use keywords and phrases that are specific, accurate, and consistent with your document, and avoid using too many or irrelevant keywords that might confuse or mislead your readers.

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5 Use punctuation and formatting

Your document title and summary should use punctuation and formatting to enhance the readability and clarity of your document. Punctuation can help you separate different elements of your title or summary, such as a colon, dash, or question mark. Formatting can help you emphasize or distinguish different parts of your title or summary, such as capitalization, quotation marks, or italics. You should follow the style guidelines or conventions of your document type, genre, or field, and avoid using excessive or inappropriate punctuation or formatting that might distract or annoy your readers.

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6 Review and revise

Your document title and summary are not final until you review and revise them to ensure that they are accurate, complete, and effective. You should review your title and summary after you finish writing your document, and check if they reflect the main content and message of your document, and if they match the expectations and needs of your audience. You should revise your title and summary if you find any errors, inconsistencies, or gaps in your document, or if you receive any feedback or suggestions from others. You should also test your title and summary by reading them aloud, asking yourself questions, or asking someone else to read them and give you their impressions.

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Anjaiah Thadishetty

| 𝐂𝐈𝐏-𝐀𝐈𝐈𝐌 | 𝐂𝐃𝐒𝐒 | 𝑼𝒏𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒂 | 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒕 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏
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It is important to review 🔍 and revise for ensuring clarity, aligning the goals, Rectify Errors if any and overall optimizing for relevance 📚 of the Summary. It also greatly helps if you review📈 it from Audience perspective 🔗 and refine as needed.

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Manuel Alejandro Aguirre

| Consultor en gestión documental | Arquitecto de soluciones tecnológicas documentales | Especialista en la Optimización y automatización de procesos |
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Algo adicional a considerar es el equilibrio entre la claridad y la creatividad. Mientras que el título debe ser directo, incorporar un toque creativo o una pregunta relevante puede aumentar el interés del lector. En cuanto al resumen, incluir una llamada a la acción sutil o indicar la utilidad práctica del documento puede motivar a los lectores a profundizar en el contenido. Así, no solo captas la atención desde el inicio, sino que también preparas al lector para entender el valor que el documento les ofrecerá.

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How do you write a strong and informative document title and summary?

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1 Know your audience and purpose

2 Use clear and concise language

3 Use active and descriptive verbs

4 Use keywords and phrases

5 Use punctuation and formatting

6 Review and revise

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