Writing an Abstract

Tips for Success

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 What is an abstract?
  The abstract is a brief overview of your study. It
is typically a very condensed summary of the
study that highlights the major points and
concisely describes the content and scope.
  Abstracts are required for dissertations and
dissertation proposals, grant proposals, and
articles.
  Abstracts may use the future tense (‘will do’) or
the past tense (‘did’), depending on what the
abstract is being written for.

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 What should an abstract tell the reader?
  WHAT you did (the topic),
  WHY you did it (why is matters),
  HOW you did it (design and methods),
  WHAT you found when completed (findings), and
  WHAT it means (interpretation)

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 Overall Style
  Be concise:

Say only what is essential, using no more

words than necessary to convey the
information. However, it is important to be
descriptive.

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 Write to the Reader
  Do not use abbreviations without first defining
them
  Do not omit articles or other little words in an
effort to save space
  Avoid jargon
  Use active verbs rather than passive verbs
  Use short sentences, however, vary sentence
structure so the abstract is not choppy
  Use complete sentences

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 The Title
  The title should be consistent from abstract to
dissertation.
  The title should be descriptive but not too wordy
  The title functions as a “hook,” attracting and
holding the reader’s interest
  For guidance, read titles from previous studies

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 Abstract Parts: One Paragraph
  Introduction: Briefly state the purpose, rationale,
and scope of the research
  Design & Methods: Explain how the problem was
studied
  Results: Present major findings
  Interpretation: Describe the meaning and
significance

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 Introduction: Questions to Consider
  What is your project about (i.e., the purpose of
this study)?
  What is the rationale for the study (i.e., why is
this study interesting or potentially important)?
  What is the scope of the study?
  What are the study’s roots? (i.e., what strands of
literature does it link to)?
  How will this study contribute to on-going issues
in education?

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 Design & Methods
  What is your approach to the study (i.e.,
design)?
  What is the setting and who are the participants
(subjects) for the study?
  What data collection procedures will you employ?
  How will you analyze the data?
  How will you ensure the validity and reliability
(trustworthiness) of the data?

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 Results: Questions to consider
  What did you find through the analysis?
  Which of these are results and which are
conjectures on your part?
  Be sure that, if you are theorizing, you are clear
to the reader.

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 Discussion: Questions to consider
  Are the results consistent with the initial
hypothesis? Why or why not?
  Have the results opened up new possibilities for
analytic insights (surprises)?
  What meaning do you make of the findings in
light of the study’s conceptual framework and
previous research?

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 Conclusion: Questions to consider
  What is your interpretation of these results (i.e.,
what is their meaning)?
  Why should anyone become interested in your
findings (i.e., who should pay attention)?
  What are the implications for future research
(i.e., what are the next steps)?

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 Draft and Revise your Draft
  Read the abstract aloud:
•  How does it sound?
•  How does it flow?
  Revise to improve transitions
  Eliminate any unnecessary information (i.e.,
clutter)
  Strive for unity, coherence, and emphasis

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