What Is an Abstract?
An abstract is a concise summary of your entire paper β typically 150 to 300 words. It appears at the start of the paper but should be written last, once you know exactly what your paper argues and concludes.
The Four Essential Components
- Background/Context: Why does this topic matter? What problem are you addressing?
- Methods: How did you conduct your research or build your argument?
- Results/Findings: What did you discover or conclude?
- Implications: Why do these findings matter? What should happen next?
Common Abstract Mistakes
Never include citations in an abstract β it should stand alone. Do not introduce information that is not in the paper. Avoid vague language like "this paper discusses various aspects of..." β be specific about what you actually found.
Descriptive vs Informative Abstracts
A descriptive abstract (100-150 words) outlines what the paper covers without stating results. An informative abstract (150-300 words) includes actual findings and conclusions. For most academic papers, informative abstracts are expected.
A Practical Template
Sentence 1-2: State the problem/context. Sentence 3: State your aim or research question. Sentence 4-5: Briefly describe your method. Sentence 6-7: State your key findings. Sentence 8: State the main implication or conclusion.
