How to Write an Abstract - A Step by Step Guide
Abstracts have played a critical role in describing the research study to journal editors and researchers. It also encourages them to continue reading the entire research paper.
However, writing a convincing abstract is much more important today than it was before. Thus, it is essential to spend enough time and energy in crafting an abstract that presents the central arguments of your paper.
Similarly, it must also include the key information e.g., summary, results, observations, and trends. Such elements will allow the audience to examine your work easily.
Read this easy guide to master the art of how to write an abstract. Also, learn to come up with unique ideas for captivating readers.
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. This one is a more concise version of an abstract that must draw the reader's attention from the first sentence. It should be worded in simple terms, convey the nature of the research, show the most significant findings, and sum up the contribution of the study. Also, you can present highlights in bullet points that give a brief overview of the most significant results.The Abstract Definition
An abstract for a research project is a short synopsis of your paper designed to give the reader a generalized idea of your work, methods applied, and other essential aspects pertinent to the manuscript.
Also, when you publish your research, the readers will go through your abstract first. Based on the impression it leaves, they will decide whether your paper is worth viewing or not. So, how can one doubt that it is an important part of the whole paper?
This first part announces the problem you want to solve or the issue you set out to investigate. It might also explain why the research is relevant and why it is significant for further studies.It is a 100- to 200-word paragraph that gives your readers a quick and extensive overview of your paper and its organization. A research paper abstract expresses your thesis and the most crucial points that you wish your reader to be informed about clearly. For a clear summary, your reader should be able to note the applications or implications of the study that you are going to discuss in your paper.
Definition of an Abstract
It is a 100- to 200-word paragraph that gives your readers a quick and extensive overview of your paper and its organization. A research paper abstract expresses your thesis and the most crucial points that you wish your reader to be informed about clearly. For a clear summary, your reader should be able to note the applications or implications of the study that you are going to discuss in your paper.
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.
Here is a quick view of the outline of a research paper abstract:
How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper: Structure
By following the following expert-recommended quick tips, you will produce the best abstract for your paper:
- 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
That is how simple a research paper abstract looks like in a simplified way. Now let’s look at the six steps that will spearhead your way to a perfect paper abstract.
6-Steps on How to Write an Abstract
In these ten extensive but straightforward steps, you will learn the secret to what to include in an abstract with professional examples of abstract on each level.
What is the Maximum or Minimum Word/Character Length?
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.
Example:
“This article looks at the political, economic, and cultural forces that contribute to illegal immigration to the US. The causes for immigration are explored, and the connection between these problems US immigration policies analyzed.”
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.
- 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.
Abstract example: “The importance of drinking water –
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.
For example: “Five hundred athletes participating in a marathon in hot climatic regions were interviewed and water levels tested across five days.”
An abstract is essential because people head to it to learn about your findings. Maximize the amount of information that you include here.
For example: “The average water loss for the athletes in hot areas was greater than that of athletes in cold areas.”
It comprises the final 1-2 sentences of your abstract, which give the overall take-home message of your research.
For example, one can begin this section with phrases like, “Our research revealed that…” or “In conclusion, we come to the…”
Bonus Tips To Take Home
- Write your abstract last
- Keep the background short.
- Do not discuss your study results.
- Avoid minor details, such as citations.
Once you dare done with your abstract, it is advisable that you go through it and preferably let a colleague have a look at it. With this, you will be able to identify what needs to be scrapped out of your abstract.
Do you still need help on how to write an abstract for a paper? We offer professional writing help on all research papers with expert-written samples for your inspiration.
By following the following expert-recommended quick tips, you will produce the best abstract for your paper: