A poorly written abstract will annoy the reader and have them turn to a different paper. A good abstract will draw the reader in and make them interested in reading the rest of your work! If your paper is read, it can influence and have impact in the field, leading to citations of your work. Here, we discuss the key steps that will help you write a good abstract. We prefer to write the abstract at the end, when the paper is already drafted and its key message clear. Conciseness and clarity are key characteristics of a good abstract. Writing good abstracts will increase your impact as a scientist, so read on!
Here are some tips on how to structure a good abstract
- State the problem you are trying to solve. At the beginning of the abstract, in one sentence, describe the problem that you are trying to solve. Why is it important? Who cares about it? If this problem is solved, what improvements do we achieve?
- State what you did. In one or two sentences, state how you planned the experiment, collected data, and analyzed the results. If you are writing a review article, provide the reason why a review is necessary and describe who will benefit from the review.
- State your findings. In one or two sentences, state the key results of your research. If possible, be quantitative.
- State your conclusions. In one sentence, describe the conclusions drawn from your work. Bonus points if you can share the impact of the work! Answer the question: “What can we do now that was not possible before?”
Things to avoid in a scientific abstract:
- Length. The abstract is too long, or has too much detail.
- Jargon. The abstract includes jargon that is difficult to understand by a wide audience, including acronyms and words that are specific to your subfield.
- Message. The message is less than crystal clear.
- Avoid including references, figures and footnotes in your abstract.
- As always, avoid using passive voice in your writing, including in your abstract.
Conclusions
Writing a good abstract for your journal paper, conference paper, and Ph. D. thesis is one of the keys to your success as a graduate student. A concise, well-written abstract will make the reader want to read on to find out about the details of your work.
What have you learned about writing a great abstract? Please share in the comments section below!
Resources
https://www.wiley.com/network/researchers/preparing-your-article/how-to-write-a-scientific-abstract‘