A brief summary of the main points in a work is called an abstract. The abstract summarizes the research goals and results in a concise manner, so readers can understand what you are writing about.
The abstract may have a slightly different structure depending on what discipline you're in. It should explain the purpose of your research, the methods and conclusions that you've reached.
IMRaD is a structure that many people use to write their abstracts. This is an acronym for:
- Opening statement
- Approaches
- Findings
- Chatting
Abstracts can range from 100-300 words. There are sometimes strict word limits so check what is required.
Abstract example
The abstract is best viewed by hovering over its different sections.
This paper examines what silent movies meant to Americans during the first decades of the twentieth century. This was a time of high immigration, which resulted a significant number of non-English speaking citizens. They were also excluded from entertainment and public discourse, including newspapers, theaters, and radio.
This study uses evidence from letters, diaries and reviews to show that silent movies were a cheap and accessible form of entertainment. This study argues that early cinema was accessible and economical, as well as being a representation of the time. The low cost of admission, and the exaggerated movements of the actors are all evidence of these concerns.
Keywords Silent movies, immigration and public discourse. Early cinema.
What is an abstract?
Abstracts are almost always required when:
- How to complete a dissertation or thesis
- Submission of a research article to a journal
- Writing a Book or Research Proposal
- How to apply for a research grant
Your abstract is best written last, just before proofreading, as it is a summary of your work. You should make sure that your abstract:
- It should be a text that is all by itself, and not a part of the paper.
- Understandable by itself
- Structure your work to reflect the overall structure
Step 1: Start with an Introduction
Begin by defining your research's purpose. What is the purpose of your research? Was it to solve a practical or theoretical question or problem, or to respond to a theoretical or practical problem?
It is fine to give some context for the topic of your dissertation, but not in detail. If you use specialized words that are unfamiliar to most academic readers or have multiple meanings, provide a brief definition.
Identify the problem and then state your objective. Use verbs such as "investigate,""test,""analyze,"or "evaluate," to describe what you intend to do.
The abstract should not refer to future research, but rather the past or present simple.
- This study will investigate whether coffee consumption is related to productivity.
- This study examines coffee consumption in relation to productivity.
Step 2: Strategies
You should then indicate what research methods you used to find the answer to your question. This section should consist of a brief description in one or more sentences. The past simple tense is used to describe completed actions.
- Twenty-five participants will be interviewed in structured interviews.
- Twenty-five participants were interviewed using structured interviews.
You don't need to evaluate the validity of the method or the obstacles. Instead, you want to give a brief overview to the reader about the general approach and the procedures that were used.
Step 3: Outcomes
Then, summarise the main findings of your research.
The abstract part can be written in either the simple past or present tense.
- Our analysis shows a strong correlation between productivity and coffee consumption.
- We found a strong relationship between coffee and productivity.
- The results of our analysis show a significant correlation between productivity and coffee consumption.
You may or may not include all the results in your report, depending on its length and complexity. Only highlight the findings that are most relevant to the reader.
Step 4: Talk it Out
What are your conclusions? The reader must be able understand what the research proves or argues. In general, conclusions are written in the simple present tense.
- Coffee consumption is associated with increased productivity.
- Coffee consumption is associated with increased productivity.
The abstract should contain a short description of the limitations you have in your research. The reader can then accurately assess the generalizability and credibility of your work.
If you were aiming to solve a real-world problem, then your discussion may include some recommendations on how to implement the solution. You may want to briefly suggest additional research, if applicable.
Search Terms
You may need to include a list at the end your abstract if you plan on publishing the paper. These keywords must refer to the key elements of your research so that potential readers can find it during literature searches.
It is important to note that certain manuals of publication, like APA Style, may have formatting requirements specific to these keywords.
Writing an Abstract: Tips and Tricks
The abstract is the first part of your work that readers will read (and in some cases, the only one), so you need to make sure it's perfect. These strategies can help you get started.
Other abstracts are available.
To learn about conventions, you should read others' abstracts. If you've been conducting a literature review and have read a lot of abstracts from journal articles, use them to guide your style.
The databases that contain theses and dissertations also have many examples of abstracts.
Reversed outline
Some abstracts may not have the exact same components. If your work is longer, you may want to use a reverse outline process.
Write one or two sentences summarizing the central argument or point for each section or chapter. You will now have a basic structure for your abstract. Revise your sentences and make sure they are connected to the argument.
Clarify and concisely write
Each word should be counted. Each sentence needs to clearly convey a single main idea.
Keep your summary or abstract short and concise:
- Avoid using passive constructions: They are usually unnecessarily lengthy. The active voice can be used to make sentences shorter and more clear.
- Avoid sentences that are too long:Substitute shorter expressions (e.g.
- Do not use obscure jargon. The abstract should be easily understood by readers unfamiliar with the topic.
- Eliminate unnecessary words and avoid repetition. Replace nouns by pronouns where possible.
- Avoid providing detailed descriptions.An Abstract is not expected provide detailed definitions or background information. This information should be included in the main body of your paper or thesis.
Scribbr's proofreading services are available to you if your manuscript is too long and you need help editing it down.
