Descriptive titling

[Jack Saladin]

I've noticed this happening slightly more than usual recently: some of you have a habit of just using some witty one-liner, or similarly unhelpful line, as the title for your threads. That can be okay in General, but here it doesn't really fly. At least giving some idea of what your thread is about, along with your razor-sharp quip would be better.

This isn't a particularly pressing problem by any means, but keep it in mind when making threads in N&A. It helps cut down reposts, and makes it easier for people to skim titles and see what they're interested in.

[4=5]

If it's really witty can we keep it? Say at the level of the terribly funny joke from Monty Python?

[Robin S]

If it's really witty can we keep it?

At least giving some idea of what your thread is about, along with your razor-sharp quip would be better.

Just do that, in brackets or something.

[Aluminus]

Hey it's not my fault that the title of the article is witty/odd:
Man declared dead, says he 'feels pretty good'
Fish trained to jump into nets
Mind Control Games

[BoomFrog]

Hey it's not my fault that the title of the article is witty/odd:
Man declared dead, says he 'feels pretty good'
Fish trained to jump into nets
Mind Control Games

Those first two are totally clear, and the mind control games at least gives a hint. I think the problem is with titles like:

Some people obviously haven't read comic 401...

Which is about the Article about the Hadron Collider.

No offense to upessimist it was just the first example I saw.

[zenten]

Hey it's not my fault that the title of the article is witty/odd:
Man declared dead, says he 'feels pretty good'
Fish trained to jump into nets
Mind Control Games

Those first two are totally clear, and the mind control games at least gives a hint. I think the problem is with titles like:

Some people obviously haven't read comic 401...

Which is about the Article about the Hadron Collider.

No offense to upessimist it was just the first example I saw.

Dude, that's perfectly clear. Unless you don't read the comic obsessively, in which case we don't want you here round these parts.

[Cheese]

Hey it's not my fault that the title of the article is witty/odd:
Man declared dead, says he 'feels pretty good'
Fish trained to jump into nets
Mind Control Games

Those first two are totally clear, and the mind control games at least gives a hint. I think the problem is with titles like:

Some people obviously haven't read comic 401...

Which is about the Article about the Hadron Collider.

No offense to upessimist it was just the first example I saw.

Dude, that's perfectly clear. Unless you don't read the comic obsessively, in which case we don't want you here round these parts.

...I guess I'll be off, then?

EDIT: ...did I fail to tidy up those quotes? Damn. Well, it's done now, at least.

[goblin_subway]

First rule of newspapers: the headline above the crease sells the paper (ammended to apply to forum thread titles beginning at about the same time as the invention of forum thread titles).

[ginnybee]

Yeah, I read it pretty obsessively, but aside from some examples, I can't remember actual numbers.

[RealGrouchy]

Saladin forgot to mention the punishment for those who continue to do this.

- RG>

[Mighty Jalapeno]

Man, I thought this thread was about something else, since it was in News & Articles. You gotta be clearer.

[Paranoid__Android]

Man, I thought this thread was about something else, since it was in News & Articles. You gotta be clearer.

Oh noes, the Irony is overwhelming.

I thought the same thing

[Cheese]

So did I! I think PA should get titled with something that describes them well now. Something like "necro for an unfunny joke", but with more laughs and less Cheese.

[Soundwave Guy]

Which is about the Article about the Hadron Collider.
No offense to upessimist it was just the first example I saw.

No offense to anyone who may be offended by this, but I know I couldn't have been the only one to accidentally see "Hadron Collider" as "Hardon Collider" at first read...

[alnino2005]

I don't really like witty post titles like you said earlier, but what I hate more are dull deadpan titles that obviosly had no thought put into them whatsoever simply describing the contents of the post or topic. I think the title can make the post and depending on how it's displayed (topc or post reply) can be quite entertaining along with informative. When it comes to replies however, I usually don't write anything. I never see rely post titles anyway because they're always so hidden.

Don't be smart alicy and put some thought into your titles!

[Zorlin]

Is "XKCD Torrents" okay?

Which is about the Article about the Hadron Collider.
No offense to upessimist it was just the first example I saw.

No offense to anyone who may be offended by this, but I know I couldn't have been the only one to accidentally see "Hadron Collider" as "Hardon Collider" at first read...

You're not. See the discussion thread for Large Hadron Collider.

[Flagpole Sitta]

Whenever I see this thread title I always read it as "Descriptive Tit-ling" and have to do a double take.

[t_catt11]

LOL @ double take. Didn't take long for this thread to hit the gutter...

[TheGrammarBolshevik]

It took a year and a half...