- First, you can read through the entire article and have all the information fresh in your mind. Then you will be well able to condense the information into the abstract without forgetting important points.
- Second, you can design the abstract to fit around your results — to demonstrate that you have achieved what you hoped to.
An informative abstract is a detailed summary of the research itself. There are instances when readers rely on the abstract itself as a source of information. Therefore, it is extremely important to include all the specifics from a certain study. A well-presented, informative abstract can almost substitute the rest of the paper by itself.
Identifying purpose and motivation is one of the most difficult, yet important parts of your abstract. Let’s assume that your paper is about the importance of recycling plastic. Your primary job is to explain to readers why they should care about the contamination of plastics on land and in the ocean. You need to provide some solid arguments to keep your reader interested in continuing to read. It is crucial to answer these questions:
Always use past tense in your paper. As you have already conducted the research, you should refer to it in the past tense. Make sure to use clear and concise sentences.
Avoid using jargon. A research paper is a piece of academic writing that should not be subject to any slang. Try not to confuse the reader. If there is anything the reader might not understand, explain it. For example, any abbreviations need to be defined at least once.
Leave out lengthy background information
Final Tips and Recommendations
It usually focuses on the importance and significance of the subject of a paper. Going back to our topic regarding the importance of plastic recycling, the importance of the paper is to reduce plastic waste contamination by recycling your own plastic waste. Here, you need to answer the question – what problem does your study help to resolve on a global scale? Is it preventing global warming by reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in oceanic waters? Is it assessing global warming issues? Is it a solution for sea-life conservation? The possibilities are endless, so make sure to take the right direction to appeal to any audience, regardless of their background and interests. In this section, it is important to address the problem itself, indicate whether it covers something broad or specific, and present your argument.
After you have explained the reasons behind your topic’s importance, your personal interest in the issue, and the problem discussed in your paper to your readers, it is time to showcase the methods you used to conduct all that great research. The description of the processes and methods you have used are as important as the research itself. It shows the readers the extent of your research and the professional approach you took regarding your subject. Describe where you looked for the information, what kind of sources they were, what type of research you did yourself. Did you do an experiment, a survey, an interview, a field study where you explored your local beach for traces of plastic pollution? A detailed description of the approach to your research is a great tool for showing your reader how academically capable you are of conducting serious scientific research. Your section that examines the approach you took for your research should include the details of your research, such as the specific studies and highlights from the most significant works you used.
In the conclusion part of your abstract, you should focus on the argument you started off with and connect it to the results you received. It is crucial to give the reader a complete picture of what insights you've discovered in regards to the subject, but also whether you have found the solution for the problem you addressed. Explain, whether your research is sufficient to convince people to be more responsible in regards to their plastic consumption? Will it alter their behavior and their everyday habits? Your conclusion should tie it all together and not leave any uncertainties. After you’ve got all the structural details down, let’s move on to some helpful tips.
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Example: It should be:
- Double-spaced
- Spell out acronyms
- Follows the sequence of the paper
- One inch margins
- No footnotes needed
- One paragraph or two at the most
- No need to cite within the abstract itself
The first 2-3 sentences should inform your reader why you have undertaken the particular research.
- Start with a brief but precise statement of the problem.
- Have a description of the research method and design
- Give your significant findings.
- The conclusions reached
Different types of style and formatting can be used, including the APA and MLA. For the MLA style, the abstracts aim at summarizing the methods, findings, discussion and objective, and conclusion of the paper.
6-Steps on How to Write an Abstract
There are two types of abstracts: a descriptive and informative summary. For the descriptive one, it is 100-200 words in length. It is a type of outline that shows the kind of information found in the paper.
An abstract is essential because people head to it to learn about your findings. Maximize the amount of information that you include here.
It is advisable to state the critical techniques used in your research briefly. A guide on how to write an abstract for a research paper emphasizes this as it enables you to summarize the basic design of your study.
An abstract research paper, therefore, calls on specialized skills of summarizing without leaving out essential details. It should describe not to evaluate or defend your paper.
An abstract begins on its own page and is placed immediately after the cover page and before the text of the paper.
- Accurate
- Nonevaluative
- Coherent and readable
- Concise
Generally, it is one paragraph ranging from 150 to 250 words . A well written abstract should be:
This is the abstract, or summary, of your entire paper. It is usually no longer than 250 words in length. You should choose your words carefully so that the abstract does not get too long. Notice that there is no indentation in the abstract. It is one paragraph and the left margin is flush and the right margin is ragged (not justified). The abstract is written in the past tense and should include general overview of the paper you wrote. It also should include any major hypotheses and your method(s), if applicable. Be sure to write your results in a general style, without using numbers. The abstract should end with a very brief concluding statement.
Answer
According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed., an abstract is a "brief, comprehensive summary fo the contents of the paper" (American Psychological Association, 2020, p. 73). Including an abstract allows a reader to quickly assess whether the article will be of interest or fulfill a particular information need.
See the Quick Lesson on Abstracts in APA Academic Writer for more information.
Learn how to write an abstract and how to select keywords, including how to achieve the appropriate length, content, and format.
The information provided in the abstract must be sufficient to help the researcher decide whether the work is relevant to his interest or not. It should be brief but not lacking in important elements necessary for understanding of the research conducted. The abstract will also help the researcher decide whether to read the research paper in its entirety or not.
The abstract should be written in the past tense because the investigation has transpired. However, statement of facts in, say, the results and discussion and the conclusion, must be in the present tense.
Abstracts are important references for scientists or students working on their research proposal
How do you write a good abstract? Here are four elements of a good abstract.
Four Elements of a Good Abstract
Specifically, you should write the abstract to meet its intended purpose. The abstract should:
Normally, abstracts should not exceed 250 words but this number could vary depending on the prescribed number of words, say, when you would like to submit your research paper to a popular scientific journal. Brevity is emphasized.
In some academic institutions or scientific journals, however, recommendations are not incorporated in the abstract. That is because anyone can make recommendations based on the conclusion/s of the study.
Start your abstract by clearly describing the purpose and objectives of your research. Explain its significance to the people, society, and a field of study. Also, discuss which research question(s) do you aim to answer in your paper.
Some abstracts discuss the relevant and previous researches on the chosen topic. However, after identifying them, you must also mention a unique perspective you are working on.
By referencing such keywords with your research, the potential readers can find your paper easily during their searches. Thus, include 5 to 10 short words that are central to your research study.
- Write the abstract by using a reverse outlining process. Make a list of keywords for each section. Draft a few sentences that summarize the central argument. Revise them to get a clear framework of your research abstract.
- Read other sample abstracts to get a better idea of the style and structure.
- Write clearly and concisely by avoiding unnecessary words and jargon language. Make sure that each sentence should present one major argument. It will make it easy for readers to understand the topic.
- Present the original contributions of your research instead of discussing other’s work.
Write the Research Paper First
Every research work follows a specific methodology. Here, mention the research methods that you have used to answer the research question.
Similarly, a writer can also make suggestions and recommendations for future research and a call to action in this section. Make sure your results add value to the respective field of knowledge.
- Lengthy background details
- Unnecessary phrases, adverbs, and adjectives
- Repetitive information
- Acronyms or abbreviations
- References to other research work
- Incomplete sentences
- Ellipticals or jargon language
- Citations to others work
- Any type of image, table, or illustration
- Definitions of the keywords and terms
MyPerfectWords.com is the best option if you need help with your academic assignments. Here you can get reliable help from professional writers. They have the right knowledge and expertise to write a perfect abstract.
Make a rough draft of your abstract. At this stage, do not think of the word limit or the type of content you are using. Just focus on the main theme of your paper and write down everything that crosses your mind.
It consists of 1 to 2 sentences that are usually written in the past tense. Do not try to explain everything in it. Rather, be concise and brief.
Some abstracts discuss the relevant and previous researches on the chosen topic. However, after identifying them, you must also mention a unique perspective you are working on.
Tips to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper
Every research paper comes with a set of instructions. These instructions serve as guidelines that every student must follow when writing an abstract. Therefore, before starting a research paper, check out the instructions mentioned by your teacher.
Add a list of keywords at the end of your abstract to attract the audience. These should be the most common and relevant terms.
Also, mention research limitations briefly, if there are any. It can be related to the sample size or the methodology. It will enable the audience to understand the credibility of the research work and the circumstances in which it has been carried out.
State the conclusion of your research in the last section of the abstract. It must explain the answer to your research question and problem.