94 6.2 titles, Abstracts and keywords: sound connections With the exception of your covering letter, the title, abstract and keywords of your paper are the first things encountered by the editor considering your submission (and the very first things if you’re not able to submit any sort of covering letter). So although all parts of your paper demand your careful attention if your submission is to be successful, extra time and care invested in these three elements of your paper can reap a bountiful harvest. Think of your paper as dinner and its title, abstract and keywords as appetisers. You want the editor and the reviewers who will hopefully follow to be tantalised by your appetisers – to enjoy the texture and flavour of these delicacies while building a hearty appetite, and on that basis to expect good things from the dinner (paper) to follow. You do not want them to feel glutted by too much nourishment too richly seasoned or repulsed by a dull product of so low a quality that they leave the table before dinner arrives. This is to say that your title, abstract and keywords should hook the editor and inspire him or her to read on to the rest of your article. 6.2.1 The Very Beginning: The Title Very few elements of an academic or scientific paper have to accomplish as much in as few words as the title does. The title is the first part of your paper read by the specialists who will review your article if it passes muster with the editor, and by the readers (usually more specialists in your field) who encounter it in the journal if you’re fortunate enough to succeed in getting the paper published. According to the APA Manual, ‘a title should summarize the main idea of the manuscript simply and, if possible, with style.’5 For one, then, it should concisely inform your readers about the research you PARt III: commUnIcAtIng wItH JoURnAl edItoRs: sUBmIssIon, AccePtAnce, RevIsIon And ReJectIon 5 The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2010), 23.