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  • First published by (Microsoft Contingent Staff)
  • When: 14 Jun 2010 9:01 PM
  • Last revision by (eMicrosoft Partne)
  • When: 19 Sep 2013 10:36 AM
  • Revisions: 9
  • Comments: 6
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Wiki  >  TechNet Articles  >  Forum Moderation Guide: Managing Posts and Threads: Managing Thread Titles

Forum Moderation Guide: Managing Posts and Threads: Managing Thread Titles

Forum Moderation Guide: Managing Posts and Threads: Managing Thread Titles

This page is part of the Moderating Microsoft Forums series.

It is important for moderators to manage thread titles to make them accurately reflect the discussion taking place in the forum. Thread titles can be edited on threads that are unlocked only. To edit the thread title, you must edit the first post in the thread. A text box containing the title will be displayed.

Guidance

The following considerations should be taken into account when determining if a title is appropriate:

·        Title length – The length of the title should not be so long that it looks like a full message.

·        Descriptiveness – The title should not be so vague that it does not help users navigating to the forum or finding questions using search.

·        Sensationalized titles – Titles that are constructed for the purpose of sensationalizing, accentuating, or highlighting one thread over another is to be avoided. Example so sensationalized titles are ones that use asterisks, all capital letters, etc.

When moderators consider changing titles, remember that thread titles “sell” the thread. It gives readers an instant idea of what the thread discusses. It is not too specific, nor too vague.

Examples

Scenario
Thread Title
Guidance
Title length
In Excel 2003 it dont show orange colour for any kind of formatting in cell, if I set it manually it will automatically get disappear in next file, if somebody send me a excel sheet containing orange data / cells in orange colour, it comes in coffee color
This thread title contains message text and needs to be shortened. A better title would be:
 
Formatting Excel 2003 cell colors
Descriptiveness Example 1
Excel Question
Every question on Microsoft Excel is an Excel question, so this title does not accurately describe what the question is about. For example, if the question is about formatting columns in Excel, the title should be changed to:
 
Formatting Excel columns
Descriptiveness Example 2
Error 646
This error message is too general and doesn’t provide any context. For example if the user receives the error while installing KB967642, a more descriptive title would be:
 
Error 646 While Installing KB967642
Sensationalized titles
INTERNET EXPORER 8 DOES NOT WORK!
The poster uses this title for the sole purpose of gaining attention. The title should be changed to something that reflects the actual discussion, such as:
 
IE8 crashes when visiting specific Web sites.

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Wiki - Revision Comment List(Revision Comment)
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  • 19 Sep 2013 10:36 AM

    Carsten Siemens edited Revision 7. Comment: Fixed misspellings

  • 5 Sep 2012 6:45 PM

    yottun8 edited Revision 6. Comment: Added "Other Languages" and ja-JP version.

  • 3 Aug 2012 8:44 AM

    Zoltán Horváth edited Revision 4. Comment: Replaced the first sentence, just not to start a page with "back to". Tagging.

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Wikis - Comment List
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Comments
  • Posted by
    on 19 Sep 2013 10:36 AM

    Carsten Siemens edited Revision 7. Comment: Fixed misspellings

  • Posted by
    on 5 Sep 2012 6:45 PM

    yottun8 edited Revision 6. Comment: Added "Other Languages" and ja-JP version.

  • Posted by
    on 3 Aug 2012 8:44 AM

    Zoltán Horváth edited Revision 4. Comment: Replaced the first sentence, just not to start a page with "back to". Tagging.

  • Posted by
    on 22 Mar 2012 8:08 PM

    It has never been a typical practice to ask the OP to change the title. As Jetta48 indicates, there are simply too many threads with poor titles to ask each OP to do it and wait for them to respond. The main point is that the titles should be changed according to these guidelines, regardless of who does it. Thanks for asking.

  • Posted by
    on 20 Mar 2012 6:56 AM

    Should we ask the OP to change the title first? Or just change it right away?

  • Posted by
    on 25 Jan 2012 4:49 AM

    Sensible guidance. The problem is the sheer volume of these poor titles.

Page 1 of 1 (6 items)