Nathan D.
Nathan D.

How to Write an Abstract - Learn and Write Your Abstract Easily

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Published on: Jan 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 6, 2023

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Working on your abstract and need help? This blog is all you will ever need to learn about writing an abstract. An abstract is a short and concise summary that is added before the actual research paper or article.

Moreover, we have also added some helpful and free abstract samples for your help.

Key Takeaways of this Blog:

  • An abstract is a quick summary of a longer work, such as a dissertation or research paper, and it enables readers to determine whether they want to read the complete text.
  • The purpose of an abstract is to give readers a brief overview of the contents of a lengthy piece. They should be written after the full article has been completed, and its word count is generally between 150 and 250 words long with one to two paragraphs.
  • A good abstract should include a statement of the problem you are trying to address, as well as the purpose of your study, the techniques used to arrive at a solution, the findings, and any broader implications.

In this blog, we'll explain what an abstract is and the many forms that it may take. We also provide a sample abstract to assist you in writing your own.

What is an Abstract?

An abstract is a concise and to-the-point summary that explains the focus of a research paper.

It is written separately from the research paper or article and it provides a concise overview of what is discussed in the paper. It also contains keywords that appear in the full document.

The abstract should be succinct and to the point. It's crucial for readers to be able to determine if your study is what they're searching for, as well as decide whether to read your entire paper or not. In addition, it aids indexing in internet databases.

The four basic components of an abstract are;

  • Purpose - Describe the significance and aim of your study in as much detail as possible. This should include a discussion of the issue or problem.
  • Methodology - Describe the techniques you utilized to answer your issue in detail.
  • Results - Summarize the key findings of the study.
  • Conclusion - What are the practical applications of your study?

Abstracts are a great tool for assisting readers to understand the contents of your paper by providing a quick overview of its content. Abstracts can also be used in online databases to improve search results.

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When should you Write your Abstract?

Although the abstract appears as the first section of your paper, it should be written after you've finished writing your complete paper.

It should be able to stand alone as a summary of your entire paper, and someone who hasn't read your paper or sources connected with it should be able to comprehend it.

The abstract must be written on a separate page. It goes after you have added your title page and acknowledgments. However, it is added before the ToC.

Types of Abstracts

There are numerous sorts of abstracts, depending on such factors as style and substance.

Informative Abstracts

The majority of today's abstracts are informative. Although they don't conduct any genuine evaluations of the research, informative abstracts provide more than a simple description.

The author not only describes and supports all key ideas and important sections but he or she also offers and expands on them.

Because it covers certain crucial information about the research report or article, an informative abstract is considerably longer.

Descriptive or Indicative Abstracts

A descriptive abstract summarizes the content of an article or report. It does not evaluate the work, and it offers no definitive conclusions or research findings. It does two things.

It gives keywords or ideas from the article and may include the study's objectives, techniques, and scope. It's more of an overview than a detailed summary, and it's frequently brief.

Structured Abstracts

An abstract is either structured or unstructured, depending on how it's built. Writing structured abstracts is the most frequent way among scientific researchers today.

The parts of a structured abstract are kept separate and consist of objectives, people, literature review, study design, findings, results, and conclusion.

Structured abstracts are typically used over traditional ones in the health and social sciences since they have been found to provide a number of benefits.

Unstructured Abstracts

Unstructured abstracts, on the other hand, follow a standard format since they are presented as a single (long) paragraph, yet they provide the same information as structured abstracts.

This form of abstract lacks a defined name for each component or section. They, however, must follow the same content, sequence, and order as structured abstracts in order to guide the reader properly.

How to Write an Abstract?

To write an abstract, follow the following basic steps:

1. Write Your Complete Paper

Since the abstract is a reflection of a research paper, the first step is to write your full paper.

Even if you know precisely what you'll include in your essay, it's usually better to save your abstract for last so that you can properly summarize the results you discuss in it.

2. Review the Instructions

There may be particular length or style criteria for publications or work projects. Before you begin writing the abstract, check the guidelines and instructions properly.

3. Consider Your Target Audience and Publication When Writing

Most academic papers include an abstract, which is a summary of the paper's key points.

It's critical to consider who will read the abstract while you're writing it since this may help the readers decide whether or not to continue reading your work.

For example - Is it worth considering whether content should be written for academics, medical professionals, or the general public? Do you want readers to easily grasp the information or does it need to be decoded?

4. Explain the Problem to Your Audience

This is the term used to describe the problem that your study aims to address or try to fix.

Determine the scope of your study, whether it's a particular issue or a broader concern, and name your main claim or argument.

5. Clearly Describe Your Research Methods

The goal of this section is to provide readers with some insight into the methods you used to conduct your study. These methods would base on the kind of research you have conducted; qualitative research or quantitative research.

You may also include any other information that supports your argument, such as evidence or a methodology you used.

6. Describe the Results of Your Study

Share the overall findings and answers you discovered as a result of your study. If you can't succinctly encapsulate all of your discoveries, focus on the most important discoveries instead.

7. Add a Conclusion

The conclusion is the last step in the abstract writing process. It's important, to sum up, your study and its findings in this section.

While you'll use a conclusion in both types of abstracts, only in an informative one will you discuss the significance of your study's outcomes. Knowing how to write a conclusion that would leave an impact on your audience will help you in many ways.

Here are some good and helpful examples of abstracts;

   

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Tips for Writing an Abstract

Here are some tips to assist you in writing your abstract:

  • Keep to the strict word limit. Abstracts tend to be around 100-250 words long.
  • Follow the specific formatting guidelines for your abstract.
  • Rather than simply stating what the paper will inquire or explore, give a description of what was discovered.
  • List the terms for each chapter or section, and summarize each portion with one to two sentences. This can be used as a framework for your abstract.
  • The abstract should include keywords from your entire paper.
  • Use other abstracts as a framework for structure and style.
  • Make specific notes regarding your findings.

What Not to Include When Creating an Abstract

Avoid the following when writing your abstract:

  • Referring to other literature extensively
  • Defining any terms extensively
  • Adding information that isn't present in the larger work
  • Adding superfluous filler phrases and obscure jargon

Writing an abstract is difficult for many students, due to which they need additional help with it. YourEssayWriter.net is a professional essay writing service that works with professional and dedicated writers.

Talk to our essay writer if you need help with any kind of academic project.

Nathan D.

WRITTEN BY

Nathan D. (Education, Literature)

Nathan completed his Ph.D. in journalism and has been writing articles for well-respected publications for many years now. His work is carefully researched and insightful, showing a true passion for the written word. Nathan's clients appreciate his expertise, deep understanding of the process, and ability to communicate difficult concepts clearly.

Nathan completed his Ph.D. in journalism and has been writing articles for well-respected publications for many years now. His work is carefully researched and insightful, showing a true passion for the written word. Nathan's clients appreciate his expertise, deep understanding of the process, and ability to communicate difficult concepts clearly.

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