# Starting New Threads - Avoid Ignoring the Title in Your Opening Post



## Ask Mr. Religion

*Moderator note to ALL*:

Please make an effort to avoid crafting thread titles as basically _click bait_ that forces the reader to click the title to understand what is to follow.

The title should be descriptive enough for a reader to gather some substance about what is to follow.

Thread title click bait:


> What do you think about this?





> Anyone read this article?



Moreover, what is to follow in an opening post in a new thread should *not be* a grammatical continuation of the title of the thread. The title is the title, not an introductory clause to follow in a post.

Why?

Assume the following thread title:
*What are your views on the RPW as compared to Hodge?*

Now assume the opening post in this new thread is as follows:


> _Your thoughts are appreciated!_



The above is becoming too commonplace. No context appears in the opening post as the author assumes the reader must also review the thread title, given that the title of the thread is an introductory clause to the opening post.

Yet, say the thread grows beyond one page. Someone comes along and quotes the above opening post. Naturally another member coming along and seeing the quoted post will wonder "Who are these 'two men'"?

Instead, a new thread opening post should have at least include the actual context of the thread title such that it can stand alone, containg all the information required for the reader to move the discussion along without having to check in with the thread title.

The above simple example of an opening post, when done properly, would read along the lines:
_What are your views on the RPW as compared to Hodge? Your thoughts are appreciated!_

Someone quoting the above example deep in a thread need not have to click about to determine what was originally being asked.

Lastly, a reminder of how to make your experience at our site enjoyable:


Spoiler: How to Be Successful at The Puritan Board



https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...-designed-to-be-an-exercise-in-tyranny.38562/ 

https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...mous-for-a-reason-please-dont-complain.52473/ 

https://www.puritanboard.com/thread...dividuals-and-helping-us-moderate-both.41951/ 

https://www.puritanboard.com/threads/what-this-is-a-reformed-board.24779/

https://www.puritanboard.com/threads/the-pb-is-a-discussion-board-not-a-church.80042/

Taken from our Rules:
https://www.puritanboard.com/help/terms

Reactions: Like 2 | Informative 1


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## Physeter

I see too much of this on other websites. It drives me nuts. The site techs did add a feature that when you mouse over the title you can see what the thread is about, but it still drives me nuts.

Fortunately here the bar is set very high and I know what I am looking at. Thanks for keeping this site easy to navigate.

Reactions: Like 1


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