Mei 01, 2023

Abstract Writing: Definition and Purpose

What is an abstract? An abstract is a short summary of a research paper or entire thesis that is fully self-contained and makes sense by itself, without further reference to outside sources or to the actual paper. It is an original work, not an excerpted passage, and should be a well-developed single paragraph of about 150-250 words in length, which is indented and single-spaced. The function of the abstract is to briefly outline all parts of the paper, including key content areas, research purpose, relevance or importance of the work, and main outcomes.

The purpose of an abstract is to give the reader a complete, yet concise, understanding of the paper’s research and findings. It is a mini-version of the paper that allows a reader to quickly and accurately identify the basic content of the paper. Readers should be able to read the abstract to see if the related research is of interest to them. A model abstract should include the statement of the purpose of the study, the research methods/methodology used to obtain the results, the major findings, and the conclusions reached.

The abstract should include the most important key words related to method and content, which enable access to the abstract by computer search and help a reader decide whether to read the whole paper. The abstract should start with a brief but precise statement of the problem or issue, followed by a description of the research method and design, the main findings, and the conclusions reached. It should express the thesis or central idea and key points, and suggest any implications or applications of the research discussed in the paper.

Although the abstract is placed at the beginning of the paper, right after the title page, it should be the last thing that is written, once the conclusions are reached. An abstract is not a review, nor does it evaluate the work being abstracted. While it contains key words found in the larger work, the abstract is an original document rather than an excerpted passage. There are two types of abstracts: descriptive and informative. A descriptive abstract describes the work being abstracted and is usually very short - 100 words or less. An informative abstract includes the information that can be found in a descriptive abstract (purpose, methods, scope) but also includes the results and conclusions of the complete article/paper/book.

How Long Should It Be?

The length of an abstract may vary depending on the type of research, the discipline, and the requirements of the publisher or journal. Ideally, an abstract should be around 100 to 500 words. However, most journals require that abstracts be as short as 150 words, and some specify a maximum of between 250 and 300 words. According to an analysis of a random sample of 61,429 full-text research papers uploaded to PubMed Central between 2016 and 2021, the typical length of an abstract is between 217 and 315 words.

A typical abstract should be a single paragraph in a block format, with no paragraph indentation. It should be about 6 sentences long or 150 words or less. The abstract page should not be numbered, and it should be on a separate page after the title page. The word “Abstract” is used as a title and is centered at the top of the page. The abstract should provide a complete yet concise understanding of the paper’s research and findings, including the purpose of the work, the methods used, the results obtained, and the conclusions drawn.

What to Include and What to Omit?

An abstract should include all the essential information to understand the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions of the research paper or thesis. It should be fully self-contained and make sense by itself, without further reference to outside sources or to the actual paper. The length of an abstract can vary depending on the type of research and the specific requirements of the journal or publication, but it should generally be around 100 to 500 words. A typical abstract should be a single paragraph in block format and should not exceed 250 words.

What to include in an abstract can vary depending on the discipline, but all abstracts generally cover the following five sections:

Introduction: the research purpose and the relevance or importance of the work;
Methodology: specific models or approaches used in the larger study;
Results: a clear and concise description of each main finding from the study;
Implications: how the work contributes to the body of knowledge in the field; and,
Conclusion: the major conclusions reached. It is important to avoid including any information that is not covered in the paper.

What to omit from an abstract is any unnecessary information that distracts readers from the main points of the research paper or thesis. It is not necessary to list every technique used in the study, only the important ones. The abstract should not present any information that is not included in the paper. It is also important to avoid using specialized terms that would be unfamiliar to the average academic reader or that have various different meanings. Finally, it is important to keep the abstract interesting and redundancy-free by using key phrases and words.

How to Distinguish It from an Introduction?

The main difference between an abstract and an introduction is that an abstract is a short summary of the whole study, including the aim or objective, methods, results, and conclusions, while an introduction is the first section of the paper that provides background information and sets the context for the research. An abstract is typically shorter than an introduction and should be fully self-contained, meaning it should make sense by itself without further reference to outside sources or the actual paper. An introduction, on the other hand, is longer and provides more detailed information about the research topic, including its significance and relevance to the field. While an abstract is a standalone document, an introduction is part of the main text of the paper.

How to Follow the Proper Format?

An abstract is a single paragraph without indentations that summarizes the paper in 150 words or less. It should not have page numbers or quotes from the text. It should explain all abbreviations and acronyms and be clear and brief. It should have a logical and coherent structure and include the following elements: the problem or issue, the research method and design, the main findings, the conclusions, and the implications or applications of the research. The main findings should be the most detailed part of the abstract and describe each key result from the study. The abstract should avoid using abbreviations unless they are used more than once, and then they should be defined at first use.

How to Craft an Effective Abstract?

An abstract is a short statement that summarizes the paper’s research and findings for the readers. It should include the problem, the thesis, the methods or evidence, and the conclusions of the paper. It should be clear, concise, accurate, coherent, readable, and nonevaluative. It should avoid jargon and creative insights. It should be a single paragraph without indentations and not more than 250 words. It is better to write the paper first and then the abstract. A good abstract leads to a good paper.

How to Avoid Common Pitfalls?

An abstract is a concise summary of the paper’s content and organization for the readers. It should include the main points of the paper and the context of the research. It should not evaluate or defend the paper, but describe it. It should be clear, coherent, readable, and error-free. It should also have the most important keywords related to the method and content of the paper to help readers find and decide to read the paper. It is important to follow any specific guidelines for the abstract from the professor or academic journal.

How to Evaluate Your Abstract?

An abstract is a concise summary of the paper’s purpose, methods, and conclusions in English. It should be clear, specific, coherent, and readable. It should also be error-free. The abstract can use the IMRaD structure: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. The abstract should also attract readers and convey the main points of the paper effectively. It should have a clear topic, strong descriptors and a hook, clear and specific takeaways for the audience, and be 40-100 words long. It is important to proofread the abstract several times and follow any specific guidelines for the abstract from the professor or academic journal.

How to Assess Its Quality?

An abstract is a concise summary of the paper’s purpose, methods, results, and conclusions in clear and accurate language. It should be clear, specific, coherent, and readable. It should also be error-free. The quality of the abstract can be measured using checklists, rating scales, or readability measures. The abstract should be well-structured and follow a logical sequence of ideas. The abstract should also attract readers and convey the main points of the paper effectively. It should have a clear topic, strong descriptors and a hook, clear and specific takeaways for the audience, and be 40-100 words long. The quality of the abstract can also be judged based on its impact on the research field and its contribution to the knowledge in the field.

How to Highlight Its Importance in Research or Thesis?

An abstract is a concise summary of the paper’s content and organization. It is the first thing that readers see, and it should give a complete yet concise understanding of the research and findings. The abstract should be self-contained and make sense by itself. It should be well-structured and follow a logical sequence of ideas. The abstract should include the purpose, methods, findings, and conclusions of the study. It should also be error-free and formatted properly. The abstract is important for selection and indexing purposes, as it helps readers decide whether the paper is relevant and whether they need to read the whole paper. It also helps online databases index larger works, making it easier for users to find the information they need. Therefore, it is important to write a clear, concise, and well-structured abstract that shows the importance of the research and its contribution to the field.

Well, An abstract is a concise summary of a research paper or thesis that provides a complete yet concise understanding of the research and findings. It is a self-contained and original work that outlines the purpose, methods, findings, and conclusions of the paper. It also includes the most important key words related to the method and content of the paper. It should be written last and should not evaluate or review the work being abstracted.