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How To Write An Abstract

An abstract is a short summary of a longer work that reports the aims and outcomes of the research. It should include four key elements - the research problem and objectives, methods, key results, and conclusion. The abstract is written after completing the paper, is usually 150-300 words, and stands alone without needing the full paper for context. It follows a similar structure to the larger work, concisely summarizing the most important aspects.

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648 views10 pages

How To Write An Abstract

An abstract is a short summary of a longer work that reports the aims and outcomes of the research. It should include four key elements - the research problem and objectives, methods, key results, and conclusion. The abstract is written after completing the paper, is usually 150-300 words, and stands alone without needing the full paper for context. It follows a similar structure to the larger work, concisely summarizing the most important aspects.

Uploaded by

Wungreiyon moinao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to write an abstract

An abstract is a short summary of a longer work (such as


a dissertation or research paper). The abstract concisely
reports the aims and outcomes of your research so that
readers know exactly what the paper is about.

Write the abstract at the very end, when you’ve completed


the rest of the text. There are four things you need to
include:
Your research problem and objectives
Your methods
Your key results or arguments
Your conclusion
An abstract is usually around 150–300 words, but there’s
often a strict word limit, so make sure to check the
requirements of the university or journal.
In a dissertation or thesis, include the abstract on a
separate page, after the title page and acknowledgements
but before the table of contents.
When to write an abstract
You will almost always have to include an abstract when
writing a thesis, dissertation, research paper, or submitting
an article to an academic journal.

In all cases, the abstract is the very last thing you write. It
should be a completely independent, self-contained text,
not an excerpt copied from your paper or dissertation. An
abstract should be fully understandable on its own to
someone who hasn’t read your full paper or related
sources.

The easiest approach to writing an abstract is to imitate


the structure of the larger work—think of it as a miniature
version of your dissertation or research paper. In most
cases, this means the abstract should contain four key
elements.
Aims

Start by clearly defining the purpose of your research.


What practical or theoretical problem does the research
respond to, or what research question did you aim to
answer?

You can include some brief context on the social or


academic relevance of your topic, but don’t go into
detailed background information.

After identifying the problem, state the objective of your


research. Use verbs like investigate, test, analyze or
evaluate to describe exactly what you set out to do.

This part of the abstract can be written in the present or


past simple tense, but should never refer to the future, as
the research is already complete.
This study will investigate the relationship between coffee
consumption and productivity.
This study investigates the relationship between coffee
consumption and productivity.
Methods
Next, indicate the research methods that you used to
answer your question. This part should be a
straightforward description of what you did in one or two
sentences. It is usually written in the past simple tense as
it refers to completed actions.

Structured interviews will be conducted with 25


participants.
Structured interviews were conducted with 25
participants.
Don’t evaluate validity or obstacles here—the goal is not
to give an account of the methodology’s strengths and
weaknesses, but to give the reader a quick insight into the
overall approach and procedures you used.
Results
Next, summarize the main research results. This part of
the abstract can be in the present or past simple tense.
Our analysis has shown a strong correlation between
coffee consumption and productivity.
Our analysis shows a strong correlation between coffee
consumption and productivity.
Our analysis showed a strong correlation between coffee
consumption and productivity.
Depending on how long and complex your research is,
you may not be able to include all results here. Try to
highlight only the most important findings that will allow
the reader to understand your conclusions.

Conclusion
Finally, state the main conclusions of your research: what
is your answer to the problem or question? The reader
should finish with a clear understanding of the central
point that your research has proved or argued.
Conclusions are usually written in the present simple
tense.
We concluded that coffee consumption increases
productivity.
We conclude that coffee consumption increases
productivity.
If there are important limitations to your research (for
example, related to your sample size or methods), you
should mention them briefly in the abstract. This allows
the reader to accurately assess the credibility and
generalizability of your research.

If your aim was to solve a practical problem, the


conclusions might include recommendations for
implementation. If relevant, you can briefly make
suggestions for further research.

Keywords
If your paper will be published, you might have to add a
list of keywords at the end of the abstract. These
keywords should reference the most important elements
of the research to help potential readers find your paper
during their own literature searches.

Be aware that some publication manuals, such as APA


Style, have specific formatting requirements for these
keywords.

Tips for writing an abstract


It can be a real challenge to condense your whole
dissertation into just a couple of hundred words, but the
abstract will be the first (and sometimes only) part that
people read, so it’s important to get it right. These
strategies can help you get started.

Reverse outline
Not all abstracts will contain precisely the same elements.
If your research has a different structure (for example, a
humanities dissertation that builds an argument through
thematic chapters), you can write your abstract through a
process of reverse outlining.
For each chapter or section, list keywords and draft 1-2
sentences that summarize the central point or argument.
This will give you a framework of your abstract’s
structure. Next, revise the sentences to make connections
and show how the argument develops.

The abstract should tell a condensed version of the whole


story, and it should only include information that can be
found in the main text. Reread your abstract to make sure
it gives a clear summary of your overall argument.

Read other abstracts


The best way to learn the conventions of writing an
abstract in your discipline is to read other people’s. You
probably already read lots of journal article abstracts
while conducting your literature review—try using them
as a framework for structure and style.

You can also find lots of dissertation abstract examples in


thesis and dissertation databases.
Write clearly and concisely
A good abstract is short but impactful, so make sure every
word counts. Each sentence should clearly communicate
one main point.

Avoid unnecessary filler words, and avoid obscure jargon


—the abstract should be understandable to readers who
are not familiar with your topic.

If you’re struggling to edit down to the required length,


read our guide to shortening an abstract.

Focus on your own research


The purpose of the abstract is to report the original
contributions of your research, so avoid discussion of
others’ work, even if you address it at length in the main
text.

You might include a sentence or two summarizing the


scholarly background to situate your research and show
its relevance to a broader debate, but there’s no need to
mention specific publications. Don’t include citations in
an abstract unless absolutely necessary (for example, if
your research responds directly to another study or
revolves around one key theorist).

Check your formatting


If you are writing a thesis or dissertation or submitting to
a journal, there are often specific formatting requirements
for the abstract—make sure to check the guidelines and
format your work correctly. For APA research papers you
can follow the APA abstract format.

Always stick to the word limit. If you have not been given
any guidelines on the length of the abstract, write no more
than one double-spaced page.

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