Another article titled “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” or, the mass production of academic research titles

Abstract

Abstract What kinds of titles are appropriate for research articles? Does creativity have a place in titles or should titles be descriptive and scientific? This article examines the 408 articles titled “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” and asks why there are so many articles with the same title. The academic culture of publication pressure can lead to researchers choosing creative titles, including popular song titles, to stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, risk assessment leads researchers to choose the same songs as others, because well-known, easy-to-understand cultural references are better rewarded than more obscure references. The collective outcome of this, many researchers choosing the same title for their articles, reflects the mass production of cultural products, wherein creativity is standardized and panders to the largest possible audience.