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Chapter Four

How to Write the Abstract

As we know,

abstracts with poor quality do seriously have the negative influence

on the smooth academic communication,

because such abstracts are usually written with jargons,

which are unintelligible and incomprehensible to readers.

DEFINITION

An abstract is viewed as a small-size version of the paper,

providing a concise summary of each part of the paper’s main sections:

introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion.

A well-prepared abstract enables readers to identify the basic content

of document quickly and accurately,

to define its relevance to their interests,

and thus to decide whether they need to read the document in its entirety.

How do people read the abstract?

Usually either in the original journal or as retrieved by computer search.

How about its length?

The abstract should not exceed the length specified by the journal,

and it should be designed to define clearly what is dealt with in the paper.

Typically, the abstract should be typed as a single paragraph.

Some journals, however,

run “structured” abstracts consisting of a few brief paragraphs,

each preceded by a standardized subheadings.

INGREDIENTS

In an abstract, what should be included?

The abstract should (1) state the principal objectives and scope of the investigation,

(2) describe the methods employed,

(3) summarize the results,

and (4) state the principal conclusions.

Some people are confused about the role of conclusions.

In fact,

the importance of the conclusions

is indicated by the fact that they are often given three times:

once in the abstract,

again in the introduction, and again in the discussion.

Then some people are confused about the tense of the abstract.

Most or all of the abstracts should be written in the past tense

because it refers to work done.

Some people doubt whether abstracts are the must?

In the humanities, writers may never have to be required to write an abstract.

But remember that writing an abstract

is one of the best ways to revise your journal article.

So writing an abstract,

regardless of whether journals in your field require it or not,

is an important step in revising your article, not mere paperwork.

Functions

Keep in mind that a well-prepared abstract

can be the most important paragraph in your paper.

Let’s talk about its function.

First, solving problems.

Writing an abstract helps you clarify in your own mind what your article is about,

a real aid in drafting and revising.

It helps you solve the problems you will have to solve in the article as a whole.

Since an abstract is a miniature version of your article

for example,

less than 250 words in the humanities and less than 120 in the social sciences

it provides you with the opportunity

to distill your ideas and identify the most important.

It also serves you as a diagnostic tool:

If you cannot write a brief abstract of your article,

then your article may lack focus.

Second, connecting with editors.

Having an abstract provides a way for editors

to connect with your work without reading your entire article,

a real aid in finding an appropriate journal.

With it, editors can encourage potential peer reviewers to review your article.

Since getting reviewers can sometimes be troublesome,

this is an important effect of a good abstract.

Third, getting found.

If your abstract is published,

you provide a way for scholars to find your work and read it.

Keywords and proper nouns embedded in the abstract

provide an important path to your article for researchers

who would not find your work based on your title alone.

Fourth,getting read.

Your abstract is essential in convincing scholars to decide to read your article.

It communicates the article's importance and demonstrates

whether reading it will add to a researcher's knowledge.

It helps potential readers decide

if your methodology is adequate or your approach is fresh.

Fifth,getting cited.

Many readers will never go on to read your article,

so the most-read piece of your work after the title will be your abstract.

In fact, more than one person may cite your article

based on reading your abstract alone.

And, odd as it sounds,

you want to provide an abstract so good that

someone could cite your article with accuracy based on your abstract.

Although this may seem shocking,

there are instances where scholars do this kind of citing.

For instance,

a scholar writing an article

about the efficacy of the women’s environmental movement

in Senegal may want to state in passing that

scholars have published many more articles

about the efficacy of the women's environmental movement in Kenya.

If your article is about such Kenyan movements,

you want that scholar to be able to add your article to the endnote listing such works

even if the scholar has only had access to your abstract online.