How To Begin An Abstract For A Research Paper: An Easy Method


The first thing you need to do when you start working on an abstract for a research paper is to revise what the most important qualities of a good abstract are:

  • Clear and concise text that even non-professionals will be able to understand.
  • Doesn’t provide any new information, but offers a short concise summary of the text.
  • Coherent text with well-developed paragraphs tied to each other by link words.
  • Has an introduction-body-conclusion structure similar to the paper itself.
  • Reflects chronological order of the paper.
  • Puts emphasis on the information by using passive voice.

    • Now that you what the defining characteristics of a good abstract are, you can start working on this particular part of the paper. The most important thing is to write it after you complete the actual essay.

    Steps to Take When Writing an Abstract


    1. Start with rereading the article and identifying the most important parts of the text (purpose, methods, scope, results, conclusions, recommendations).
    2. When you have the information you need, write a draft. It should look like a summary of the article and can be bigger than your requirements demand.
    3. Edit the draft to meet the format and word count requirements of the abstract. Cut out every piece of information that isn’t vital for understanding the article. To make the job easier, you need to rewrite the topic sentences from the paper with your own words. This will help you mesh them together better.

    Common Mistakes to Avoid


      Abstracts are very formal and can be difficult to write because of it. Here is a list of common mistakes that you need to avoid when working on this piece of academic writing:

    • Don’t start with “this paper is…”.
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      You should always avoid using phrases like this because you must focused on research, not the text itself.

    • Don’t end sentences with “is reported”.
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      These words are completely unnecessary. Considering the fact that you will be limited with 200 words at most (usually around 100-150), you cannot waste a single word on something that has no purpose other than stating the obvious.

    • Do not include any information that isn’t mentioned in the article.
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    • Never explain sections of the article.
      •

      You need to focus on content, not the form. It doesn’t matter how many sections and paragraphs the essay has, only the most important information included in them is relevant.

    • Avoid acronyms, trade names, terms, etc.

      • You will need to explain them, which is never a good thing when operating under strict word count requirements.