An abstract is a short summary of a longer (published or unpublished) work such as a research paper, a dissertation, a thesis, or an article for an academic journal. It is a 150–250-word paragraph (about 6–7 sentences) that concisely describes the aims and outcomes of the research it is summarizing for the benefit of readers.
In all cases, the abstract is an independent, self-contained text, not an excerpt copied from the main paper. As a stand-alone text, it should be fully comprehensible to someone who hasn’t read the full paper. A good abstract imitates the structure of the main paper; it is a miniature version of the article, dissertation, thesis, or research paper. Apart from being concise, a well-written abstract should be accurate, non-evaluative, coherent, and readable. A good abstract provides an overview of the paper; it is not a proposal for what the paper intends to study or accomplish, nor does it cite references.
Purpose of Writing an Abstract
An abstract fulfils three important purposes:
- It lets readers grasp the gist or essence of the paper quickly and then lets them decide if they want to read the entire paper.
- It prepares readers to understand the in-depth information, arguments, and analyses contained in the paper.
- It helps readers remember important points from the paper.
- It assists other researchers in finding the paper or article using search engines or bibliographic databases.
Contents of an Abstract
A typical abstract will contain the following information in a succinct form. The body of the paper will develop these points much more fully.
- The introduction: This includes background information or context for the research, the general topic under study, and the specific topic addressed by the paper. It answers the question “What?”
- A statement of the problem or central question(s) addressed by the research
- Previous research or existing body of scholarship about the above-mentioned problem or question(s)
- The rationale or main reasons explaining why the research was necessary: Does it explore a new topic? Why is that topic worth exploring? Does the paper fill a gap in previous research? Does it apply new methods to take a fresh look at existing data? Does it resolve a dispute in existing scholarship about the topic?
- The research and analytical methods used by the researcher answering the question “How?”
- The main results, findings, and arguments of the paper
- The conclusion: The final section of the abstract answers the question “So what?” It interprets the findings and results articulated in the previous section and states their overall significance and long-term implications for the area under study. It can also contain recommendations based on the findings.
Types of Abstracts
Most researchers use one of the two major types of abstracts described below:
1. Descriptive
A descriptive abstract is limited to indicating the type of information contained in the paper. It does not state the results or conclusions of the research, nor does it make judgments about it. Descriptive abstracts incorporate keywords found in the paper and usually include the methods, purpose, and scope of the research. A descriptive abstract is more like an outline of the paper rather than a summary and contains 100 words or fewer.
2. Informative
Most abstracts belong to this category. Like descriptive abstracts, informative abstracts avoid critiquing or evaluating the paper but they do more than merely describe it. In addition to the information found in the descriptive abstract – methods, purpose, scope – an informative abstract presents the major points made in the paper and goes beyond to present the results and conclusions of the research. It also provides the recommendations of the author. The length may vary according to the discipline, but an informative abstract is seldom more than 10% of the length of the entire paper.
How to Write an Abstract
The format of an abstract depends on the work being abstracted. An abstract of an article on 17th century English poets will contain elements that are absent in an abstract of a scientific research paper and vice versa. All abstracts, however, have several indispensable elements in common as well as a few optional ones. Below are some elements that every abstract must have:
- Reason(s) for writing the abstract: Why is the research important? Why would readers be interested in the main paper?
- Problem: What problem does the paper attempt to address? What is its main thesis/argument/claim? What is the scope of the project?
- Methodology: An abstract of a scientific work could include specific approaches or models used in the study. Abstracts for other disciplines could describe the types of evidence used in the research.
- Results: An abstract of a scientific work could include data to indicate the results of the project. Abstracts for other disciplines could discuss the findings of the work in general terms.
- Implications – What changes are indicated by the findings of the paper? How does the paper add to the body of scholarship about the topic?
Writing Guidelines for Abstracts
Writers of abstracts must:
- Use complete sentences and formal language
- Write from an objective or neutral point of view and avoid offering personal opinions
- Only include information that can be found in the paper
- Provide explanations for jargon or acronyms
- Avoid restating the paper’s title or the use of tautological arguments
- Avoid stating things that are common knowledge
- Use relevant keywords to help readers and search engines find the paper and allow it to be cited
- Cite the source fully just before the abstract
- State the most important information first
- Use the type and style of language as found in the main paper
- Include key phrases and words to identify the focus and content of the paper
- Use clear and concise language
- Avoid defining terms
- Avoid extensive references to other works
Example of an Abstract
This is a summary of the entire paper. It should be no longer than 250 words in length. The wording of an abstract should be chosen carefully so that it does not get too long. 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 a general overview of the paper. It also should include any major hypotheses and method(s) mentioned in the paper. Results should appear in a general style, without the use of numbers. The abstract should end with a brief concluding statement.
