Title Abstract

1. Gather Context

Before drafting or reviewing, establish:

• Document type (paper, thesis, grant)
• Target venue/journal (if known)
• Main contribution(s)
• Key methods/techniques
• Target audience

2. Title Development

Optimal characteristics:

• Length: 10-16 words (math average: 12-14)
• Keywords in first 65 characters for search indexing
• Declarative form (state what you do/prove)
• Balance specificity and breadth

Process:

1. Identify 3-5 essential keywords
2. Draft 3-5 candidate titles
3. Check against common mistakes (see references/title-guidelines.md)
4. Verify searchability (MathSciNet, Google Scholar terms)

3. Abstract Development

Optimal characteristics:

• Length: venue-dependent (typically 150-250 words for papers)
• Must stand alone (no undefined abbreviations)
• State results, not proof methods
• Lead with main contribution

Structure (adapt to document type):

1. Context/motivation (1-2 sentences)
2. Main contribution (2-3 sentences)
3. Key results/methods (2-3 sentences)
4. Significance/validation (1-2 sentences)

4. Keywords Selection

• Use 5-8 keywords
• Include primary terms + synonyms
• Avoid multi-word phrases with "and"/"of"
• Consider AMS/MSC classification codes

Reference Files

Load these as needed:

Common Mistakes (Quick Reference)

Titles:

• Too long (>16 words)
• Too vague ("A Study of..." / "On the...")
• Missing key methodology term
• Jargon that hurts searchability

Abstracts:

• Starting with "In this paper, we..."
• Including proof techniques
• Undefined abbreviations
• Exceeding word limits
• Missing quantitative results

Review Mode

When reviewing existing drafts:

1. Check length against venue requirements
2. Verify all key contributions mentioned
3. Check for common mistakes above
4. Assess searchability (keywords present?)
5. Verify standalone readability
6. Suggest 2-3 specific improvements