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.

The abstract determines whether they read on, and many people will only ever read the
abstract, so it should get the main messages across without drowning the reader in
detail. It can be the hardest section to write because it needs to contain key information
in an easily digestible form within a strict word limit. Functional Ecology's convention of
numbered paragraphs is useful to ensure that your abstract includes all the essential
elements: a brief justification, a broad description of the approach, key findings and a
final statement about the relevance of the study.

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.

The following describes how to write a great abstract that will attract maximal
attention to your research.
1. Write the paper first. ...
2. Provide introductory background information that leads into a statement of your aim. ...
3. Briefly describe your methodology. ...
4. Clearly describe the most important findings of your study.

Here are the basic steps to follow when writing an abstract:

1. Write your paper.
2. Review the requirements.
3. Consider your audience and publication.
4. Determine the type of abstract.
5. Explain the problem.
6. Explain your methods.
7. Describe your results.
8. Give a conclusion.
The keywords line should begin indented like a paragraph. (In typeset APA journal
articles, the keywords line is aligned under the abstract.) Keywords: should be
italicized, followed by a space. The words themselves should not be italicized

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.

What can proofreading do for your paper?

Scribbr editors not only correct grammar and spelling mistakes, but also strengthen your
writing by making sure your paper is free of vague language, redundant words and
awkward phrasing.
 See editing example

Purpose, Objective, or Problem

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 investigates the relationship between coffee consumption and

productivity.
 This study investigated 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.(X)
 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 or present perfect 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 or
past 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.

Checklist: Abstract
0/8
 The word count is within the required length, or a maximum of one page.
 The abstract appears after the title page and acknowledgements and before the table of
contents.
 I have clearly stated my research problem and objectives.
 I have briefly described my methodology.
 I have summarized the most important results.
 I have stated my main conclusions.
 I have mentioned any important limitations and recommendations.
 The abstract can be understood by someone without prior knowledge of the topic.