diff --git a/dataset.json b/dataset.json
index 0164533..4a7ea97 100644
--- a/dataset.json
+++ b/dataset.json
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@
         "releasing the MVP",
         "finding JIRA tickets"
     ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 9b04b1b..5a07e67 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+'''
+    This script is used for changing the text below total members & live
+    members count in the developersIndia subreddit
+'''
 import praw
 import os
 import random
@@ -10,7 +14,7 @@ reddit_pass = os.environ["REDDIT_PASSWORD"]
 
 def get_titles():
     with open('dataset.json', 'r') as f:
-         data = json.load(f)
+        data = json.load(f)
 
     titles = data['titles']
     currentlyViewingText, subscribersText = random.sample(titles, 2)
@@ -38,5 +42,5 @@ def update_titles():
     widgets.refresh()
     widgets.id_card.mod.update(subscribersText=titles[1])
 
-
-update_titles()
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    update_titles()
diff --git a/test_titles_updater.py b/test_titles_updater.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..111ef99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_titles_updater.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+# patch out the environ dictionary
+# used to instantiate global variables in the titles_updater script
+# maybe move the call to os.environ in the script to the update_titles method?
+environ_patcher = patch.dict('os.environ', {
+    'REDDIT_CLIENT_ID': '',
+    'REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET': '',
+    'REDDIT_PASSWORD': ''
+})
+environ_patcher.start()
+
+from main import get_titles
+
+# TODO: write tests for update_titles method after figuring out
+# which objects to mock and with what
+class TestTitlesUpdater(unittest.TestCase):
+    @patch('main.json.load', return_value={'titles': ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']})
+    def test_get_titles_returns_a_list(self, _):
+        titles = get_titles()
+        self.assertIsInstance(titles, list)
+
+    @patch('main.json.load', return_value={'titles': ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']})
+    def test_get_titles_contains_titles_from_dataset_file(self, mock_json_load):
+        titles = get_titles()
+
+        self.assertTrue(all(map(lambda title: title in mock_json_load.return_value['titles'], titles)))
+
+environ_patcher.stop()