Your Research's Core Discoveries
An abstract is a summary often used to help the reader understand the purpose of a work. This can be a research paper, dissertation, review, conference session, or other in-depth analysis of a particular topic. When used, an abstract always begins a manuscript or typescript. This is the starting point for any academic publication or patent application. The purpose of compiling a body of literature is to provide abstracting and indexing services for various academic disciplines.
In academic papers, abstracts are used to briefly present complex results. An abstract can be used as a stand-alone document in place of a full paper. Because of this, many organizations base their decision to present research at an academic conference on a poster, platform/oral presentation, or workshop session on abstracts.
Importance of Writing an Abstract
Abstract for Journals
Each year, busy journal editors review hundreds of abstracts to select publications for the first review. Although some editors argue that “[a] bad abstract by itself will not cause journal editors to reject a scholarly article, it does predispose them to an initial negative response,” 5 unless the editorial office Lest it be a lazy day, I’d expect the latter rather than the former reaction. A poorly written abstract can immediately lead to an editor’s disinterest in reading the full work or in devoting journal resources to peer review, just as a well-written abstract will in an editor to do so. Hence, it is important to write a well-crafted abstract for your magnificent research.
Abstract for Article Reviewers
Upon submission of a new research paper to the journal, the editor invites potential reviewers who are knowledgeable about the topic to review the work. What these reviewers saw of the manuscript is a summary. Poorly written abstracts will likely discourage the top six experts from reviewing and improving the article, resulting in lower-ranked reviewers by default. Receiving invitations will result in an extension of the time required to complete the peer review.
Since these reviewers do not have time to review full copies of articles, researchers looking for suitable sources for investigations, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses will quickly pass over poor-quality abstracts.
The last important part of an abstract is that database indexers may make indexing errors or omissions due to insufficient or low-quality abstracts, which will push the publication to the bottom of the literature search results.
Tips for Writing Engaging Abstracts
In the academic world, where content is abundant and attention spans are short, an abstract is crucial for summarizing the main points of a research article. For potential readers and researchers, an abstract is often the first and sometimes the only part of an article they encounter. Therefore, the most important skill for academic journal writers is to create an impactful abstract. Let’s discuss the points to make your abstract more strong and engaging for readers.
Clarity and Conciseness
The main purpose of an abstract is to give a summary of the research study. It should concisely and clearly describe the subject, methodology, findings, and conclusions of the study. Avoid excessive jargon and complex terminology that may turn off readers who are not subject matter experts. Rather, focus on delivering basic concepts understandably and directly.
Tips to be precise and concise while writing an Abstract
Use simple language: Choose words that many people can understand. Explain any technical terms or ideas that are necessary to understand your research.
Follow a structure: Create an abstract that is structured, ideally with the introduction, methods, results, and conclusions listed in that order. It facilitates the reader to understand the logical development of your study.
Word Limits: Most journals impose word limits for abstracts. Respecting these limits ensures that your summary remains concise and to the point. Important results should be reported without extraneous details.
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Emphasis on Key Contributions
A strong abstract not only summarizes the information but also draws attention to the main contribution and significance of the study. It should answer the question, “Why is this study important?” Clearly describe the innovative parts of your work and how it advance the body of knowledge already known in your profession.
Tips to emphasize important contributions while writing an Abstract
Emphasize innovation: Be sure to highlight in your abstract any new methods, ideas being tested, or creative solutions to the problems your study presents.
Write about “how you handle these innovations”: Clearly describe the impact of your research. How does your study advance our knowledge of the topic as a whole? What are the theoretical and practical implications of your research paper?
Use of jargon or keywords: Include relevant keywords that highlight the main ideas of your study. This makes your abstract stand out for search engine optimization as well as attracts the attention of other experts in your field.
Engage your Reader’s
A strong abstract should pique the reader’s curiosity and encourage them to read the entire work in more detail. Think of the abstract as a hook to pique the reader’s interest and motivate them to read the full study.
Techniques for research abstracts writing
Create a catchy opening: Start your abstract with a catchy line that briefly describes the setting or topic of the study. The remainder of the summary is structured around this.
Stimulate reader curiosity: Ask thought-provoking questions that your research aims to address to pique the reader’s interest. This creates curiosity and motivates the reader to find out more details.
End with a strong impact: At the end of your abstract, make a strong conclusion that highlights the importance of your study. Briefly explain the key lesson and why it is important in the grand scheme of your essay.
Conclusion
A common mistake researcher make is to start composing their abstract too early in the writing process. However, as any experienced researcher knows, publications are often developed as they are written. Avoid writing an abstract that is too long or too short. Again, you should follow the restrictions listed in most publications. To make sure nothing is missed, make sure your abstract includes all the important details and keywords. Whether you write the abstract yourself or have it written for you, your research paper needs to have a powerful one! So, don’t hesitate to make sure your research paper summary is outstanding by using these pointers.
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Reference
BAW 2021 10 Pro Tips for Writing a Successful Dissertation on Any Topic! Online Available at: https://bestassignmentwriter.co.uk/blog/writing-a-successful-dissertation/ (Accessed: 3- FEB 2024)
Glatthorn, A.A. and Joyner, R.L., 2005. Writing the winning thesis or dissertation: A step-by-step guide. Corwin Press.
