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This is a quick short question, but it hinders me every time when I write a section title. For example, if I want to use a single word 'question' as a section title, should I use it in a singular form ('question') or in a plural form ('questions')? I assume the same rule goes for every other case.

PS. The supposed 'question(s)' section will contain a number of questions.

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  • If you have more than onequestion then I do not understand why you think that you have to use the singular form for plural. Please, explain your doubt:) Commented Jun 6, 2017 at 10:16
  • Oh, I just had the doubt because I have heard that we don't use articles in section titles, such as 'Number of items' instead of 'The number of items', for the sake of simplicity. I thought this rule could go for the singular/plural form. :) Commented Jun 6, 2017 at 10:19
  • There is no "rule" that prevents the use of the articles in a chapter or section title. Titles should be descriptive; if there are multiple questions in a section, Questions (or Some Questions or The Questions) will serve perfectly well as a title. Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 0:35

3 Answers 3

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For a form, the title of a section containing multiple questions will generally have this format:

→ Questions

→ Questions concerning/about [noun phrase]
e.g. Questions concerning duration of residence

→ [noun phrase] questions
e.g. Homeownership questions

In a book or academic paper, you might use a determiner and/or an adjective:

→ Some questions concerning/about [noun phrase]
e.g. Some questions about the status of pronouns

→ A few more difficult questions

This would be seen as somewhat more conversational and prosaic, rather than official and formulaic.

Note that a playful website might also have something along those more conversational lines:

→ A few quick questions about your background

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If there is just one question, it is normal to just put a short form of the question in the section title.

If there is more than one question, Luke has three good suggestions:

  • Questions
  • <Topic> questions
  • Questions about <topic>

Some writing style guides suggest using "Sentence case" in section titles. Other writing style guides suggest using "Title Case" in section titles.

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  • Some academic journals strongly discourage putting questions in section titles. Instead, they encourage putting brief answers in section titles.
    – Jasper
    Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 19:38
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You can give the title whichever name you want, however, notice that depending on the name you give the reader will think different.

You can, for instance, give such a name:

  • Questions
  • The questions
  • A whole lot of questions
  • A number of questions
  • Certain questions
  • Many questions

Or some other way.

Edit:

  • A saucerful of questions
  • A pocketful of questions.
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  • "A question and a question more" is ungrammatical today (it could mean "a question and another question" very archaically), and the rest of these are not suitable for a section title except "Questions". Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 15:13
  • @LukeSawczak An author can give whichever name they want, it's for them to decide. There's no wrong or right. Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 15:48
  • No argument here, but if a person's asking what people generally do and what would be expected in their own writing, I would rather cite standard usage. Of course you can fancifully title a section "Some things I've been wondering lately" (or your "saucerful" and "pocketful") or whatever else if the mood strikes you. :) That's why I tried to indicate the genre for the different wordings in my answer. Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 15:53
  • @LukeSawczak By throwing such standards you corner the guy, yet, I agree, this is what most would do, however, it's okay not to be like others. Commented Jun 14, 2017 at 16:27

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