Definition

Noun A running title is a shortened version of a book's or document's main title, or sometimes the full title itself, that is repeated at the top (the running head) of each page or every other page throughout the text.

Usage

The running title is a typographical element used for navigation and identification in printed and digital documents. * In many books, the running title on the left-hand page is the book's title, and the running title on the right-hand page is the current chapter's title. * Academic journals often use the article's title or the journal's name as the running title. * The designer adjusted the font so the running title would fit in the page's header.

Advanced Usage

• Running Title vs. Running Head: In precise typographic terminology, the is the line of text at the top of the page. The is the specific text (the title) that appears within that running head. However, in common usage, the terms are often used interchangeably.
• Function: Its primary function is to help readers quickly identify the work and their location within it without having to flip back to the cover or table of contents.

Variants and Related Words

• Running Head (noun): The line or space at the top of a page that contains the running title, page number, or other consistent information.
• Header (noun): In modern word processing and digital documents, the area at the top of a page where a running title is typically placed.

Synonyms

• Page Header Title
• Running Headline

Notes

• The running title is a standard feature in formal publications like books, theses, reports, and scholarly articles.
• Style guides (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) often have specific rules regarding the content and formatting of the running title.

Noun

1. the title (or a shortened title) of a book used as a running head