□ Analysis

What is an abstract?
In simple terms, an abstract is a short passage which
appears at the beginning of your essay, usually just after Three top tips for
the title. The primary function of an abstract is to be a ‘shop- writing abstracts:
window’ - to provide the reader (or the potential reader) with • Does it ‘sell’ your essay? If
an overview of the piece of writing which follows, and to you read the abstract, would
indicate its key characteristics. you want to read the essay?
At the student level, abstracts are generally associated with • Write the abstract at the very
longer pieces of writing, namely dissertations and theses. end, when you know the exact
Additionally, professionally written academic articles will scope of your essay.
always have an abstract, which you can use to decide • Be patient - the abstract is not
whether or not the article is relevant for your own writing easy to write. It has many
(see Step 9). different functions and has to be
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There is no specific length for an abstract. Very often, they extremely well-written. It will take
will be 100-150 words long. However, a PhD abstract can time to do this.
be in excess of 300 words, and an abstract for a paper given
at a conference may only be 50-80 words.

What are the key ‘structural’ aspects of an abstract?

The following numbers refer to the order of the abstract sections presented on the previous page.
1. Establish the context of the research
Abstracts are a key component of academic writing, a window to the potential reader.
This said, many students find it difficult to write a good abstract.
2. Establish the topic of the research/research problem
This paper argues that there are two main reasons for this: they do not understand what
the key aspects of a good abstract are, and they do not know the strategies which can
be used to write one.
3. Indicate the methodology
In response to this situation, this paper analyzed 500 abstracts from a range of different
academic sources and surveyed 1,000 students.
4. Present the main findings
From the former, a list of important, recurring components was identified; from the latter,
quantitative and qualitative data provided insight into students’ levels of understanding.
5. Indicate the main conclusion
From this research, two main findings emerge: students need greater exposure to
abstracts throughout their studies and they require more training in writing them.
6. Keywords
Academic writing, abstracts, essay structure, concise language
If your essay can be searched by means of an online database, you will be required to put in
keywords, which will help potential readers narrow the search. You must therefore choose those
words which most accurately and powerfully encapsulate your essay.
 What are the key language/grammar aspects of an abstract?

Language
As the abstract needs to give a lot of information in few words (more so even than the
introduction), the language used must be clear, concise and direct. To ensure this, it is
important to use powerful c o n t e n t w o r d s as far as possible.
• Abstracts are a key component of academic writing ...

Grammar
Use the present simple to introduce the topic and describe results and conclusions.
• From this research, two main findings emerge ...
Use the past simple (often in the passive v o ic e ) to describe research methodology and results.
• ... this paper analyzed 500 abstracts from a range of different academic sources ...
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Style
An abstract should follow the same principles as any piece of academic writing. Short, powerful
but grammatically correct sentences tend to be more common. Good cohesion and linking
between sentences is critical. References may be included, if relevant.

Audience
A good abstract should be accessible and interesting to both experts and general readers.
You want to encourage people to read your essay, but also to sound professional. You must,
therefore, judge both the content and the language you use accordingly.

Format
Usually, abstracts are written as one paragraph and appear in a slightly smaller font than the
rest of the essay.

Common problems associated with abstracts

The following list represents some of the main problems faced by students when writing
abstracts. Explanations of these problems, and possible solutions, are outlined below.
Problem 1: The abstract is too long/overly detailed. It should just be a snapshot of your
essay. They will often be of fewer than 150 words.
Solution: Focus on key points; write in a more concise way; delete unnecessary information.

Problem 2: The abstract is poorly written/not well edited. Often, poor time management is
the reason for this - students leave the writing of the abstract to the very last minute and do not
have time to edit it. Its importance, however, demands that you spend more time on it.
Solution: Better time-management skills; include writing the abstract in your overall planning.

Problem 3: The abstract sounds like the introduction. Although they are related, the abstract
and introduction have different purposes.
Solution: Be clear about the specific purpose/function o f each (see Step 19).

Problem 4: The abstract misjudges its audience. It may be too complicated - or too simple.
Solution: Write in a style appropriate for the average or ‘median’ reader.