Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Start your abstract
• Method 2 of 3: Write your abstract
• Method 3 of 3: Design your abstract
• Tips

If you have to write an abstract for an academic or scientific paper, don't worry: an abstract is simply a summary of your paper to give people an overview of your piece. This helps the reader to better understand your paper, and also makes it easier for others to find a relevant piece for their own research. Writing an abstract is a piece of cake, because it is nothing more than a summary of work you've already done!

To step

Method 1 of 3: Start your abstract

1. Write your paper first. Although an abstract is placed before your actual research, it is no more than a brief summary of your paper as a whole. Think of it as an overview of your research rather than an introduction to your topic.
   • A hypothesis / proposition is not the same as an abstract. The hypothesis / proposition introduces the main point, or question, of your research. This while an abstract provides an overview of your entire research, including the methodology and results.
   • Even if you already know what your paper will be about, write your abstract last. This will allow you to provide a much more accurate summary - summarize what you have already written.
2. View and understand the minimum and maximum requirements for your abstract. You probably don't write your paper of your own accord. Usually you write your paper on behalf of school or work. As a result, you probably have to adhere to a number of specific rules, both with your paper and with your abstract. Refer to the guidelines before you start writing, keeping the most important rules in mind.
   • Is there a minimum or maximum number of words?
   • Are there any style requirements?
   • Are you writing for a teacher or for publication?
   • Keep your audience in mind. Will other academics within your discipline read this abstract? Or should it be accessible to everyone, regardless of his / her field or knowledge?
3. Determine what type of abstract to write. Although all types of abstracts pursue the same goal, there are two main types of abstracts: a descriptive abstract, and an informative abstract. You may be assigned a certain type. If this is not the case, determine for yourself which type is most suitable for you. The informational abstract is usually used for longer, more technical research. The descriptive abstract is best for shorter papers.
   • Descriptive Abstract: This type of abstract explains the purpose, intent, and methodology of your research. You do not state the results in a descriptive abstract. The average length is about 100 to 200 words.
   • Informational Abstract: This type of abstract is essentially a concise version of your paper. An informative abstract provides an overview of everything in your research, including the results. These abstracts are a lot longer than their descriptive brother, and can range from a paragraph to a whole page.
   • Most of the information that needs to be mentioned is about the same in both cases. The biggest difference is whether or not to add the results. Also an informative is a lot longer.

Method 2 of 3: Write your abstract

1. Identify the purpose of your paper. Do you write about the link between a lack of lunch at school and poor grades? Okay, so what? Why is it relevant? The reader will want to know why your research is important and why you did it. So start your descriptive abstract with an answer to all the questions below:
   • Why did you decide to do this research?
   • Why is this research important?
   • Why should anyone read the entire essay?
2. Explain the problem. Your reader now knows why you wrote the paper and why you think it is important. Now the reader will want to know what your paper is about. You can choose to combine the topic and your motivation, but it is better to stay clear and separate the two.
   • What problem is your research trying to solve or fathom?
   • What is the scope and scope of your research - is it a general or a specific problem?
   • What is the main thesis or argument of your paper?
3. Explain the methodology. Motivation - check. Problem - check. Methodology? Indeed, you are now going to explain that. Inform the reader of how you conducted your research. If you have done original research, please describe it. If you have discussed the work of others, provide a brief explanation.
   • Discuss your own research, including the variables and your approach
   • Describe the evidence that supports your thesis
   • Provide an overview of your most important sources
4. Describe your results (only in an informative abstract). Here is the difference between an informative and a descriptive abstract. Listing your results is a prerequisite for the informational abstract. What have you achieved?
   • What answers did your research or study yield?
   • Was your hypothesis / thesis supported?
   • What are the general findings?
5. Add your conclusion. The conclusion serves to round off your summary and must therefore close it appropriately. In the conclusion, state the importance of your findings and the relevance of your paper as a whole. Adding the conclusion can be used in both a descriptive and an informative abstract. Please note that the following belong in an informational abstract only:
   • What are the consequences of your research?
   • Are your results general or very specific?

Method 3 of 3: Design your abstract

1. Keep it orderly. There are specific questions that you need to answer abstractly, but keep the answers in order as well. If you organize your abstract in the same way as your essay, then you are on the right track. The best format is "introduction", "body", and "conclusion".
2. Include useful information. In your paper itself, the first paragraph will probably be a bit vague on purpose. However, the primary purpose of your abstract is to act as a helpful explanation for your paper and research. Phrase your abstract as concretely as possible. Do not confuse the reader with ambiguous references or phrases.
   • Avoid using abbreviations and / or acronyms in your abstract. You have to explain these before the reader can understand them. This obliges yourself to waste valuable writing space on the explanation. Try to avoid this as much as possible.
   • If the topic of your paper is well known, then it is not a problem if you just refer to the names of people or places that your research focuses on.
3. Start from scratch. Yes, it is true that your abstract is a summary. Nevertheless, write your abstract completely separate from your actual research. Don't copy and paste, and avoid simply paraphrasing your own work. Write your abstract with completely new words and phrases to keep it interesting and concise.
4. Use keywords and phrases. If you end up in a scientific journal abstractly, you want to make sure that other people can easily find your research. People looking for relevant literature enter search terms into online databases in the hope that they will find suitable papers like yours. Therefore, try to incorporate 5-10 important words and expressions into your abstract.
   • For example, if you are writing about cultural differences related to schizophrenia, include words like "schizophrenia", "cultural diversity", "culture-related", and "mental illness" in your abstract. These could be search terms that people use to find relevant literature.
5. Use real information. Your abstract aims to attract people; it is the hook that invites people to read your paper. However, do not refer to ideas or studies in your abstract that you have not used in your paper. Referencing material that you have not used will mislead the reader, and ultimately reduce the reading of your work.
6. Don't be too specific. An abstract is a summary and should therefore not refer to specific parts of your research, except for some names and locations. Your abstract does not need to include an explanation of the terminology, a reference is sufficient. When writing your abstract, keep the bigger picture of your paper in mind. Do not go too deeply into specific properties.
7. Check your abstract. Like any other written piece, your abstract should have been subject to control. Check the grammar and spelling, and make sure it is formatted correctly.

Tips

• Abstracts are usually one or two paragraphs in length, and should never exceed 10% of your entire paper. Look at the abstracts of similar publications to serve as an example for yours.
• Be aware of how technical your abstract must be. You can usually assume that your readers have at least basic knowledge of your field. This allows you to assume with reasonable certainty that the most basic terminology is also known to them. But… Anything that improves the readability of your abstract is an advantage.
• An abstract may be formal in nature, but try to avoid the passive / passive form (“the experiment was done”) unless the medium demands it.