HOW TO WRITE AN ABSTRACT

WHAT IS AN ABSTRACT?
An abstract is a brief summary of a research article, thesis, review, conference proceeding or any in-
depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often used to help the reader quickly
ascertain the paper's purpose.
MAIN QUESTIONS YOU HAVE TO ANSWER WHILE WRITING YOUR ABSTRACT
What is this article about?
● Why do we care about the problem?
● Why is this research important?
● Why should someone read the whole article?
What is the primary issue the article deals with?
● What problem the author is trying to solve? What is the scope of his work?
● What problem is the article trying to better understand or solve?
What is the result?
● What are the implications of the result?
● Are the results general, potentially generalizable, or specific to a particular case?
ABSTRACT FEATURES
⮚ Meet the word count limitation. An abstract word limit of 100 to 200 words is common.
⮚ Is a fully self-contained, capsule description of the paper.
⮚ Contains no unnecessary sentences or explanations.
⮚ Summarizes the paper's structure, its major topics and key points.
⮚ Do not include citations, figures or tables.
⮚ Adds no new information but simply summarizes the report.
⮚ Use transitional words and phrases to provide logical connections between material included.
Each sentence in the abstract leads smoothly into the next.
⮚ Substitute for "I": Most abstracts make the paper/report/study/article the focus of the abstract
and the grammatical subject of sentences in the abstract
⮚ Use passive voice – helps focus on the paper/report/article.
⮚ Use of Literary Present Tense: Abstracts use the present tense because we assume texts speak
to the present even if their authors are dead and/or wrote the words in the past.
STEPS FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE REPORT ABSTRACTS
To write an effective report abstract, follow these four steps.
Before you start
1. Reread the report / article with the purpose of abstracting in mind. Look specifically for these
main parts: purpose, methods, results, conclusions.
While you are writing
2. After you have finished rereading the report / article, write a rough draft without looking
back at the article. Consider the main parts of the abstract listed in step 1. Do not merely copy
key sentences. Do not summarize information in a new way.
 When you have finished
3. Revise your rough draft to:
❖ correct weaknesses in organization and coherence;
❖ drop superfluous information;
❖ add important information originally left out;
❖ eliminate wordiness;
❖ correct errors in grammar and mechanics;
❖ carefully proofread your final copy.

Abstracts for text-based research projects, or research paper abstracts, usually include:
1. Title of the paper.
2. Brief discussion of context or background.
3. Study's objectives – what is the question under discussion?
4. Brief summary of major results and their significance.
5. Conclusion.

INTRODUCTION-BODY-CONCLUSION STRUCTURE OF AN ABSTRACT

Parts of the report are discussed in order: title, findings, and conclusion.

Introduction
Abstracts begin with a one-sentence summary of the main point of the article and often introduce the
problem the paper explores. It contains the following information:
✔ title of the paper (article) / name of the author
✔ topic of the paper (article) – the key research question written in one sentence.
The article is entitled _____.
is published in _____.
under the title _____ is/was published in _____.
entitled “(title)” published in _____ deals with (is devoted to; touches
upon) the problem of _____.

The author of the article is _____.

deals with the problem _____.

The article deals with (is devoted to / considers / gives description of) _____.
outlines / gives a review of_____.
Main body
The essential main point of the article is presented. The aim is to:
✔ establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic
✔ define the topic or key terms
✔ state of the purpose of the article
✔ tell about methods of research
✔ provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing
The author presents _____.
comments (on) _____.
focuses (on) _____.
analyses _____.
discusses _____.
shows _____.
 provides _____.
illustrates _____.
recommends _____.
describes ______.
points out_____.
explains _____.
emphasizes _____.
suggests a new approach to the solution of the problem of _____.

The article describes _____.

examines _____.
gives a description of _____.
considers / outlines / gives a description of _____.

The key problem / is _____.

general idea of the is considered such as _____.
article
A wide range of
problems / topics /
issues
the description of _____.
Special attention is the classification of _____.
given to the problem of _____.
a new approach to _____.
the solution of _____.

is to determine/examine _____.
The aim of this study / to provide a conceptual theoretical framework based on_____.
article
is that _____.
The central thesis of
this paper/article
are: a) …, b)… and c)……
The main has been divided into four parts. The first part deals with _____.
questions/issues begins by _____. It will then go on to _____.
addressed in this
article
Conclusion
A conclusion is a final comment or judgement.
A (general) conclusion is made as to (concerning) _____.

It is concluded that _____.

The article is designed (intended) for _____.

The author comes to the conclusion / resumes / asserts that _____.
states that / summarises the main points _____.
draws the conclusion that _____.
 EXAMPLES

1) The article under the title “Courts in the USA” examines whether judges on the United States
courts of appeals are framing their opinions in gender-neutral language. Drawing on
multidisciplinary sources, including the work of language scholars, psychologists, framing theorists,
and legal professionals, the article explains why gender-neutral language is important and discusses
ways of constructing it. The article then presents the results of a study of recent court opinions,
compares data from the years 1965 and 2006, and discusses implications of the data. It concludes
that courts have made significant progress toward gender neutrality, but it also identifies a need for
further improvement, which can be accomplished through shifting both mental and verbal frames
toward greater inclusiveness.

2) The article entitled “Students in Networked Classrooms” discusses whether students in a

computer classroom are more likely to engage in peer review than students in a traditional
classroom. Two classes in each environment were observed, with the participant-observer noting
interactions between students. Further, the observer interviewed both students and teachers about
peer interaction and review. The study finds that students in computer classrooms are twice as
likely to engage in peer review and concludes that, for this one variable, computer classrooms are a
more effective environment in which to teach writing.