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| Yes | 20% | 292 votes | Total: 1468 votes | |
| No | 80% | 1176 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesWhen writing articles for Helium you should always, in one way or another, either repeat the title given to you or write a closely worded opener that directly conveys the topic at hand. Repeating the title or at least rephrasing it, gives the reader a guidepost that says, "Okay, dear reader, this is where we're headed." From there, it's up to you as a writer to make sure you get there. There are so many times white rating others' articles, I'm forced to vote for an inferior one because, even though it might be poorly written, it is the one that clearly states what the article is about.
Repeating or rephrasing the title can provide the writer a sense of direction as well. As a Helium writer, I often find that during the process my writing has strayed away from the topic I'm writing on. When that happens, I ask myself, "Am I still on topic?" Because I ask myself this question so often, I have learned that the best way to answer it comes from writing an opener that I feel best conveys that topic at hand, oftentimes by directly repeating or nearly repeating the title given to me. Having made my best effort to write an opener in this fashion, I can look back to it and as a sort of litmus test for the rest of my material. If I find that some material has somehow strayed off the topic, it will usually be obvious to me, almost screaming, "Hey, there's something wrong here!" At that point, I will either re-write the material to get it back on track, or I'll pitch it altogether. I don't do this for myself; I do it for my readers.
Think about it. If you were a reader researching how to open a Helium article, and all the articles had exactly the title you were seeking but then opened with a different topic, wouldn't you be a bit confused? Wouldn't you find yourself wondering what all those articles were really about? Worse yet, wouldn't you wonder if Helium were really the place to get your information?
Take my word for it. From the standpoint of both a writer and a reader, the best way to open your articles (and to keep them on track throughout your article) is to either repeat the title that is given to you, or to paraphrase it creatively and say the same thing. Then you should use that opener as your guide to keeping the article's content concise and on track. If you use this technique, your readers will thank you, Helium will thank you, and ultimately you will thank yourself for exercising the discipline it takes to be a great writer.
Learn more about this author, Ehren Wells.
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No
Are we so attention deprived that it is necessary to restate what we have just stated? Can the reader not keep their mind focused enough to remember the title.? Or can they not scroll back up to read the title if distracted for whatever reason? It is my considered opinion that if you do a sufficient job in your writing there will be no doubt what the title of the article is whehter you announce it at the beginning in the middle or at the end of the article.
One of the things I like about helium's format is the way in which the article category and title are prominently displayed for any interested party to see. There is little chance of someone inadvertently posting an article in the wrong place. With this possibility covered we must address other reasons someone finds it necessary to start their article by repeating the title.
Forming your writing is as important as what you write. The best communication involves a comprehensive piece that not only conveys your intent, but is presented in a reader friendly format. Get your head together before you right and keep the basics in mind. Every piece you write should attempt to grab you reader's attention in the first two lines. If you waste one of these lines repeating information already known, you are cutting down on your chances for success in the reader staying with your article.
If you don't believe me, take some time to review the articles around helium that are rated highly be our contemporaries. I am confident you will find very few with this precedent as a component of the writing. It is unnecessary within a carefully crafted piece of work. To include it shows the writer to not have a good idea of what to write and needing to chew up a few words to make the minimum level required for publication.
Perhaps within your article as a humorous convention or to establish a point the title of the article may be referenced. Perhaps even a pun could be driven off of the title. Outside of these uses, your article should seek to answer the question prefaced by the title or define the parameters within which your subject rests. Make sure the ppoints you include support or promote the title instead of confusing the issue.
Be responsible to your readers when it comes to your presentation. Give them something to get excited about from the beginning. It is the only way to grow your readership. At helium, more readers mean more potential for reward.
Personally, I find myself motivated to prefer an article that does not repeat the title over one that does during the rating process. I guess we all have out pet peeves or preconceptions, but I find this practice totally unnecessary. I plan to do an informal analysis to see if I am in the majority or minority on this issue. Based on the article break down of this debate, I am in the majority by a three to one margin, so there must be some validity to my theories!
Learn more about this author, Joe Owens.
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