UNLV Writing Center

Writing Abstracts
What is an abstract?
The abstract of a research paper is a complete and concise
description of the paper – essentially, it is the entirety of
your research condensed into one paragraph, generally no
more than 250 words in length. The abstract should not be
an excerpt from the paper or a summary of the
introduction. Rather, it should stand on its own, telling the
reader what research was conducted and what the final
outcome or conclusion was.

Why do I need an abstract?

If you are planning to publish or present your research, you will most likely need an abstract, as most conference and
journal submission processes require one. Abstracts are often used for indexing papers in large databases, and are likely
to be the reader’s first introduction to your work. A strong abstract should include keywords that make your paper easy
to find and encourage the reader to read your paper in full.

What should I write in my abstract?

Depending on your discipline’s conventions, your abstract may need to include
specific elements to meet the requirements of the conference or journal to which
you are submitting. However, every abstract should include a few basic elements:

1. What is your research question?

Your research question is the problem your work looks to resolve. Your abstract
should explain the context in which your problem occurs as well as the significance
of that problem and your rationale for addressing it.

2. How are you addressing the research question?

In scientific papers, the abstract should list the methodology you use to obtain your results. In non-scientific work, the
abstract should briefly discuss the theories that inform your argument.

3. What conclusion do you make?

You might be hesitant to “give away” the conclusion of your hard work on the very first page, but this is crucial
information to include in your abstract. It helps readers decide if your paper will be helpful for their research, and allows
conferences and journals to determine if your paper is a good fit for them.

Created for the UNLV Writing Center by Nadia Eldemerdash, 2017

 UNLV Writing Center
Writing Abstracts
4. What are the implications of your research?

An abstract should conclude with a brief suggestion or description as to how this research can be utilized by others in
your discipline. This can mean using it to inform best practices or as a launching pad for further research. Again, this
helps readers determine if and how they can benefit from your paper.

5. What are the keywords associated with your research?

As mentioned, keywords help readers find your work. In many disciplines, writers are expected to list several keywords
at the end of their abstract.

Sample Abstracts
The abstracts shown below demonstrate the components discussed at the beginning of this handout. Remember, each
abstract will include different information and be organized differently depending on the discipline in which you are
writing.

Sample 1 (Science):

Desiccation tolerance is a shared and variable trait among bryophytes that confers survival after a period of desiccation.
Desiccation tolerance exists on a spectrum, from constitutive to inducibly desiccation tolerant, and the level of
desiccation tolerance is highly species specific. Many bryophytes, especially terrestrial species, are assumed to be
constitutively desiccation tolerant based on the hardened form. However, hardening masks the innate desiccation
strategy of a bryophyte. [context of the problem] This study aims to determine the innate desiccation strategy of the
moss species Timmiella crassinervis, as well as examine the effects of Rate of Drying, duration of desiccation, and light
exposure on the longevity and recovery of Timmiella. [research question] I hypothesize that Timmiella crassinervis is an
inducibly desiccation tolerant moss species, and that longevity of the moss is inversely related to the rate of drying and
directly related to the light exposure. Five different Rates of Drying were tested, varying from 0 to 20 hours. Shoots dried
at each rate were placed at three different light levels (high, mid, no) and kept under the corresponding light levels for
duration drys of 7, 14, and 21 days. [methods] After assessing visual estimates of shoot damage, it was determined that
Timmiella crassinervis employs an inducible desiccation tolerance strategy, and that longevity and recovery of the
species. [conclusion]

Written by Sotodeh Ebrahimi

Note that this abstract does not include keywords. Not all journals or
presentations require keywords for consideration. You will also note that
this abstract includes the research question in the form of a statement.
This is common practice in academic writing.

Created for the UNLV Writing Center by Nadia Eldemerdash, 2017

 UNLV Writing Center
Writing Abstracts
Sample 2 (Social Science):

Abstract: In this article I examine why Kuwait and other migrant-receiving countries in the Persian Gulf have failed to
enfranchise migrant workers and their descendants through citizenship. [research question] I contend that the
increasing exclusion of expatriate workers from these societies can be understood in comparison with the
disenfranchisement of the stateless populations to which these governments are host. [methods/theories] I argue that
nationalist narratives that portray these groups as threatening to the host societies have been extremely significant in
creating an atmosphere of increasing isolation and exclusion for both expatriates and stateless peoples. [conclusion] I
conclude by examining what the Kuwaiti case tells us about how notions of membership and belonging develop and the
significant role of historic and political circumstances in shaping these notions. [implications]

Keywords: citizenship, expatriates, GCC, Gulf, law, migration, nationalism, stateless.

Written by Nadia Eldemerdash

Note how, in this abstract, the methods used in the paper are presented as the argument. This is not uncommon in
social sciences and humanities, since theories are used to prove an argument for which there may be counterarguments.
In papers where the writer comes to a hard, facts-based result, methods cannot be presented as arguments.

Sample 3 (Humanities):

ABSTRACT This article examines the seminal role of the three-volume Sabk-shinasi (Stylistics), the pioneering work of
Malik al-Shu’ara Bahar (1886-1952) in the practice of Persian literary historiography and the emergence and
development of Persian literature as a distinct institution in the early part of the twentieth century. [context] It
contends that the exemplary status of Sabk-shinasi rests on the recognition of its disciplinary or institutional
achievements. [research question] It is a vast history of Persian literary prose and as such, is a significant intervention in
Persian literary historiography. [conclusion] Since the appearance of the text was explicitly linked with the consolidation
of the nation-state formation in Iran, this article seeks to situate Sabk-shinasi within the context of literary history bound
to a national imaginary order and the institutional politics of literary studies. [implications]

Written by Wali Ahmadi (See British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 31(2))

Note that here, the research question is in fact the argument of the paper. However, we can still determine that this is
the research question from the surrounding information on the topic. Having introduced this work as “pioneering,” the
author now asks, “Why is the Sabk-shinasi so important?” Because this is an abstract, the author must answer that
question for the reader, therefore he reframes the question as his ultimate answer.

Created for the UNLV Writing Center by Nadia Eldemerdash, 2017