How do you create great chapter titles? Make them SOCOs and directives.
- Barbara J. Mayfield, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Have you ever had the task of creating titles for book chapters? Not for a novel, but for a nonfiction book such as a textbook. I have. In this post, I will share the process I used for creating titles for the chapters in Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide.
When I served as editor for the first edition, my goal was for each title to serve as a SOCO for the chapter content. A SOCO is the single, overriding communication objective, or a succinct description of the main idea. Read more about SOCOs in this post.
When I began working on the second edition, I updated the titles to not only serve as SOCOs for the chapters but also to be directives to the reader. According to Merriam-Webster, a directive is “something that serves to direct, guide, and usually impel toward an action or goal.” In addition to summarizing the main idea in a succinct statement, each title directs the audience to take the desired action.
In 42 statements, readers of the second edition will not only learn the essential nutrition communication knowledge and skills covered in each chapter, but also will be directed to put them into practice.
Chapter Titles for Communicating Nutrition, 2nd Edition:
1. Build a strong foundation for communicating food and nutrition.
2. Build communication knowledge and skill through learning and practice.
3. Create effective nutrition communication with focus and strategic design.
4. Effectively access scientific research.
5. Effectively identify credible sources.
6. Read and interpret research with confidence.
7. Clearly communicate complex nutrition science.
8. Cite sources properly to give credit and build credibility.
9. Communicate with ethics in mind.
10. Create effective messages with and for an audience.
11. Achieve audience-focused communication with a needs assessment.
12. Design communication using behavior change theories.
13. Tailor communication with cultural sensitivity.
14. Tailor communication for different ages with understanding.
15. Focus and organize communication with goals, objectives, and key message points.
16. Design high-impact presentations with intention.
17. Deliver strong openings and closings to optimize attention and action.
18. Utilize visual aids to enhance understanding and memory.
19. Facilitate discussions to generate ideas and solutions.
20. Effectively engage audiences with participation strategies.
21. Deliver clear, compelling presentations with skill and practice.
22. Write to be read, understood, and remembered.
23. Maximize the impact of a message with video.
24. Entertain and educate with food demonstrations.
25. Inspire audiences with food styling and photography.
26. Achieve greater reach via mass media.
27. Establish a presence and create connection via websites and email communication.
28. Use blogging and web-based writing to become established as an expert resource.
29. Utilize social media as a powerful tool for communication and professional marketing.
30. Master media interviews to be a reliable and relatable expert.
31. Achieve in-depth communication and connection via podcasting.
32. Use online education as an effective tool to reach and teach audiences.
33. Attend to logistical details to promote success.
34. Set the stage for success with effective moderating skills.
35. Promote successful communication with effective audience management.
36. Invite audience questions and respond effectively for successful communication.
37. Promote successful communication with effective marketing.
38. Measure successful communication with testing and evaluation.
39. Demonstrate professionalism in business communication.
40. Communicate effectively to achieve success with grant and project proposals.
41. Communicate effectively to publish research in peer-reviewed journals.
42. Write books to make a difference.
Do you agree? Titles that not only tell the reader what the chapter is about, but direct them to do what it teaches, are more effective.
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“It is important to know the title before you begin—then you know what you are writing about.” ~ Nadine Gordimer
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